Majara has just seen the approaching forms of the others and waved to them when the Erastilian makes his entrance.
"....Constantine," Majara says, unhappily. "Well. This is an interruption of the day's plans. Right. Should we detour to the temple, to look for him? Or maintain the original plan and split up-- this time with one team to keep looking for Verno, and the other to look for Constantine?"
A look of consternation crosses Hannelia's face, the news likely to put a dampener on even Emma's eagerness for pastries. "Oh no. I mean he's not a prisoner - and I very much doubt he would enjoy being treated like one - but it concerning that he's disappeared again without letting anybody know where he's going." In a quieter voice she adds, "Unless he's worse than he's letting on. Or I'm refusing to see it." She shakes her head, trying to clear it and tamp down her rising concern.
"When was he last seen? Was he there last night or did he leave this morning?" she asks the priest.
To Majara, she says, "I don't know. On the one hand, Constantine is a friend and I would always prioritise that. And maybe this sounds silly, but I feel responsible for him too." She frowns, worry lines wrinkling her forehead. "What we don't have is any idea where he may have been going, but the disappearance is recent so it's important to follow any trail he may have left while we can. Which contrasts with Verno," she continues, "where we also have no trail but his vanishing - we think - probably happened several days ago so it doesn't feel as much like time is of the essence. We are, however, being paid to find him."
"I think that means we should probably split up and then reconvene at lunchtime. Unless we get led on a merry dance, we're only walking between the gates. We can always come back another time and try a different group when the guards change shifts - and I think we're all agreed that it's probably a longshot someone remembers him anyway, even if he did leave town. And at the docks the other barkers will either be there or they won't but hopefully we'll be able to find out when they will be there or where they're staying."
The lay-priest fans the sweat from his face, still 'in a state'. "One of the sisters checked in on him at 6 bells and said he was asleep. I went to see if he wanted breakfast, not a quarter hour ago, and he was just gone!"
With that, Hannelia starts to methodically search the room. She also works a simple spell to check for any sources of magic.
Emma glances around the room. "I'm admittedly not the best at noticing things - physical or otherwise," she points out. "Not unless said things are evil, at any rate." She reaches out with her divine senses, but nothing stands out as noteworthy.
After a few minutes, the gnome shrugs. "So. Tomorrow at the harbor? Or should we again split our efforts, maximize our time? Emma and I could go to the guards-- she gets on with them, no?"
"I'm not opposed," Emma says. "I suppose all that time spent at the barracks helped." As they leave the room, she gives the group a wry grin. "As much as I like swinging my sword around, I have to admit, it's kind of fun investigating something." She sobers up a bit. "Though I do hope we find something. The longer this goes on, the more I fear what we might find at the end."
***
"I think that means we should probably split up and then reconvene at lunchtime. Unless we get led on a merry dance, we're only walking between the gates. We can always come back another time and try a different group when the guards change shifts - and I think we're all agreed that it's probably a long shot someone remembers him anyway, even if he did leave town. And at the docks the other barkers will either be there or they won't but hopefully we'll be able to find out when they will be there or where they're staying."
"Something about all of this feels off, doesn't it?" Emma asks Hannelia. "I can't point to anything specifically, but something is clearly affecting Constantine more so than usual, at the same time we're looking for a mysteriously missing person. Given the history of events in this town, I'm starting to wonder if there's some kind of a connection here. Or, barring that, if something happened to trigger two separate occurrences."
She pauses, then shrugs. "Or, our adventures have just made me paranoid. That is entirely possible."
The lay-priest fans his face, still sweating up a storm. Through breaths, he manages to gasp, "One of the sisters checked in on him at 6 bells and said he was asleep. I went to see if he wanted breakfast, not a quarter hour ago, and he was just gone!"
Emma puts a hand on the man's shoulder. "Easy, there. Easy. Take a few breaths, don't strain yourself overmuch." She turns to the others. "I do think we ought to prioritize finding Constantine. Not just because he's a friend and former adventurer, but also because of what he might do. Last time, he seemed convinced that there was something going on and was causing a stir. If something gets him worked up enough..."
Like a heretical prophet, Emma’s words hang in the air. They dangle and spasm until the life is gone from them… supplanted by a distinctly non-metaphoric and escalating set of noises. Our heroes hear a couple yells, an intermittent scream, the shrill cry of a constable’s whistle, the sounds of some running feet, a loud snarl, and a hubbub of confused voices.
Listening and looking about for signs of flight… Hannelia, Roger, and Majara all place the fracas as occurring in the vicinity of the Merchant’s Square. As all locals know, this is also the location of the Old Gallows… bringing our hanging prophet simile to a swift end.
ORDER: Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables, Hannelia, Locals
Round: 1 – Everybody UP!
Emma freezes upon hearing the noise, then glances at the rest of the party, shaking her head slightly. "I should really know by now not to say anything," she murmurs, before reaching to draw Redemption and heading towards the source of the noise.
Hannelia picks up the noise of the commotion clearly enough but, mind distracted by worries about Constantine, she doesn't react as quickly as the others. She wills her legs to run, however, and sets off at a sprint towards Merchant's Square and the source of the noise.
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"Tch!!!" Majara says, with feeling. She pauses long enough to snatch a bottle from her ever-present bandolier, guzzle it down, and then breaks into a run-- still holding Glory with the other hand.
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"Aye, you of all should know the gods are list'nin, and not always one as kind as yours." Roger agrees with Emma.
Roger whistles an odd tune and gives himself a slap- and he seems to be faster now?
Hannelia sprints full-out, racing between the shops and houses. She dodges down alleys attempting to get to the Square as quickly as possible while hurdling the bric-a-brac stored between the buildings. Emma draws her blade as she lumbers after Hannelia, her heavier armor slowing her down. Majara and Roger each find a way to cleverly enhance their speed before also following the swift bard.
Over the noises of their own breathing, gear banging around, and the sundry collisions with the aforementioned bric-a-brac between the houses, our heroes hear more tumult from the Square. There are now screams of pain (not just fear) as well of cries of “murderer!” and “run for your life!” The constable’s whistle is cut short mid-blow. In between the building they see flashes of a few people fleeing for their lives.
Round 2 – everybody UP!
ORDER: Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables, Hannelia, Locals
Majara spares a glance at the pirate at noticing his stride seems a bit stridier. Huh. Handy. Of course there's still the matter of Miss Blackford and her ... lack of speed...,
"Blackford! Drink this!"
Another snatched bottle, held out brusquely towards Emma. As soon as the bottle is taken, Majara sprints off after Hannelia, gaining speed.
Hannelia turns back to see her companions all stopping to prepare. She does a double take as it looks like Roger is casting a spell. Apparently the old dog has some new tricks. Good ones, it would appear, as they are all gaining ground on her.
The screams of the crowd increase as she gets closer and she unslings her bow while continuing to make all possible haste towards the square. Whatever is happening, she is now very worried indeed. She considers casting a spell but in a magic-wary town, turning up with several copies or herself feels like a recipe for further disaster when she's unclear what she's running into. If it proves necessary she can assess and cast then.
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With spellcasting out of the way, now all Roger's breath can be focused on the proper business of oxygen to one's thighs, instead of that silly brain frivolity.
Clanking after the others, Emma startles a bit as Majara thrusts something in her direction.
She grabs it on instinct before the gnome powers ahead of her, then recognizes it for what it is. She hadn't yet had a chance to get it from Majara earlier in the day.
She downs it and continues on after the others, hoping that the situation won't require her blade, but being prepared to use it all the same.
Emma slugs down the potion and clanks her way between the buildings at an impressive pace, nearly catching up to Majara. Well ahead of them, Hannelia learns that the ‘old dog’ has even more tricks – as the armored pirate races past her to take the lead in this rush to the fracas.
More constable whistles shrill from around the southern end of town. The sound of foot beats running away from the square blend with the ring of armored boots heading toward the square. The wails of the scared, the injured, and the fleeing continue unabated. Above that is someone shouting ”Fire!” It takes a moment before you realise it isn’t a warning but a command. A moment later a feminine voice snarls in a hissing language none of you have ever heard.
Round 3 – everybody UP!
ORDER: Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables, Hannelia, Locals
Majara puts her head down and bears into a full sprint. She hates running. It feels so undignified. One hand goes over the top of Glory's pot to keep dirt from jouncing out as they race along; the other's still holding the pot from the bottom.
Though he has demonstrated his fitness countless times, Roger shows that there’s more than a little life in him yet as he dashes past Hannelia at impressive speed. The voices she can hear sound ominous, not least the hissed words that she doesn’t recognise. Gritting her teeth, she continues to stretch her legs until she reaches the edge of Merchant’s Square. Upon arrival she surveys the scene, quickly trying to ascertain what is happening. "Desna guide me," she whispers.
Roger spares a glance for the others and sees them still a bit behind, and doesn't want to leave them too much, and so only heads a little bit past the line of caution.
Emma barrels forward as quickly as she can. The situation, whatever it may be, has clearly escalated to the point where they need to be there as soon as possible.
She just hopes...
Well, she just hopes that whatever she finds isn't as bad as she fears.
Round 4 | Battle Map
Emma tries her best to keep up but the lightly armored folks are just too swift. Nevertheless, the paladin runs her heart out, gasping with the effort.
Meanwhile, Majara sprints like the wind gaining ground on Hannelia while losing ground from Glory’s pot. The plant flashes her a :D sign. Clearly, being a hero is exciting and requires a little lost soil. There is a shaft of daylight between the buildings before her that allow the alchemist to see what’s happening in the square…
Hannelia caroms off a house and enters the market square only 10’ short of Roger who skids to a stop in the square itself. Our heroes take a moment to process what they are seeing…
The market square appears nearly empty, with just a few locals cowering and hiding behind stalls, crates, and anything that feels like it will provide even a hint of safety from the figures strolling through the square. Toward the southern end of the market, a phalanx of three constables with bows are targeting the enemy. Bitiborium stands outside his stall, mouth somewhat agape, watching the scene as well.
And what is he agog at, gentle readers?
Leaving the bodies of a bleeding local and a very dead constable (bisection being fatal) in their wake, two creatures move north through the square at a leisurely pace. The first is a massive, thick-skulled, thick-necked, black dog. Or rather it appears to be the shadow of a dog brought to horrible life. Wisps of shadows flit off its body. Even in daylight, our heroes find it difficult to perceive the creature. At evening, they imagine they wouldn’t even know it was there until its prodigious jaws were crushing a delicate throat.
The two figures are connected by a chain made of what appears to be shadow as well, yet somehow you can hear the clink of the insubstantial links. Holding the dog’s lead is… well, a ‘woman’… at first blush. In contrast to the black dog, her stylish and tight bodice and skirts are bone white. They ensure her every delightful curve is clearly defined. Yes, definitely a woman. Her white outfit is coordinated with the antique, white, porcelain mask covering her face. And there is where the woman ends and the horror begins. The body beneath the white outfit is shadow. Shadows that writhe around themselves. Shadows that seem alive. Shadows that twitch like spastic tentacles. In fact, she twitches periodically as if receiving jolts of electricity. Her twitches are so quick, she almost blurs as she moves. Whatever this creature is, it is shaped in the form of a human but it is not human… and it never has been.
She looks down at the arrow in her side then snaps the shaft off decisively with a deft slap of her falchion, leaving the arrowhead buried in her shadowy flesh. True to her stylistic aesthetic, the falchion’s hilt is also black and white – very tasteful.
The porcelain mask blur/twitches and suddenly it is facing the constables who scramble for more arrows. The woman weaves a dismissive spell and sends two bolts of force into the lead constable. They strike with enough force that the constable wobbles on his feet.
With that matter attended to, the woman looks around then begins walking north… just a lady out for a stroll with her dog. The chain grows as she moves, while the dog stares at the constables, growling.
Bolds are UP
ORDER: Woman, Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables, Dog, Bit, Hannelia, Locals
Majara sprints into the square then comes to a dead stop, taking in the sight with some rapid-fire blinking of her purple eyes.
Iomedae, I know you are tasked with innumerable glorious purposes, but should you ever see fit, a suit of heavy armor blessed with the swiftness of wearing leathers would be most appreciated, Emma thinks as she continues to run as quickly as she can towards the town square.
Very important first fact… both creatures will BURN! No fireproof baddies here!
The woman is called a Shae. She is native to the Plane of Shadow. It is believed her kind were once humanoids but (from their perspective) they have now evolved past the need for a defined physical form, making them far better than all you single-form, organ-stuffed, meatsacks.
Fact #1: She has no special resistance to fire or susceptibility to it, or any magic really. However, she is immune to cold.
The dog (which is not actually a dog in anything but appearance) is a Shadow Mastiff. It hunts the dark corners of the Outer Planes, Shadow Plane, and the Prime Material. They vastly prefer lurking in darkness, so the fact it is out in daylight at all is… remarkable.
Fact #1: It will burn!
Fact #2: It doesn’t have any unusual resistances or defenses except… if it can get into an area of shadow, it gains concealment (50% miss chance) from anyone attacking it.
Fact #3: Its weapons are its teeth, tail, and its ability to trip opponents.
Fact #4: Oh, yeah, and it has a howl that is godawful frightening.
"They're from the Plane of Shadow," Majara calls to the others. "Watch out for the dog's howl, it strikes fear into people! And watch out for it tripping you-- try and fight it in bright light if you can!"
Keeping one hand firmly under Glory's pot, Majara grabs at the weird wrinkly hand that hangs around her neck like a particularly grotesque souvenir necklace. A hissed word from the gnome, and incredibly bright light starts to spill from the hand, illuminating everything within a good distance of the gnome even brighter than it already was.
"Come pick on someone half your size!" Majara calls, a taunt to the shadow-woman.
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"How do I watch for a howl? More of a hear thing, isn't it?" Roger asks in a moment of confusion at what exactly they're looking at.
"Oy! Everyone else get out of here, this is a job for us!" Roger then gathers himself and yells at everyone to get out of here while rushing forward and drawing a weapon.
Round 4 | Battle Map
Urgently – Emma runs for all she is worth…
Defiantly – Majara throws down a verbal gauntlet and bathes a swathe of the area is bright light…
Heroically – Roger propels himself headlong into the fray…
Behind the porcelain mask, the face of shadow reveals nothing. Though, she now appears to be regarding the newcomers. The mask tilts sideways, a very human gesture of curiosity. Her voice is sibilant, in a language no one in the square (or likely the town) understands, ”የዶሮ ዝንጅብል?”
Despite Rogers’ command, the valiant town guards press forward a little, just enough to bring the shadow woman in optimal range of their bows. Arrows are loosed! … and clatter harmlessly to the cobblestones and earth.
Bolds are UP
ORDER: Woman, Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables, Dog, Bit, Hannelia, Locals
Round 4 | Battle Map
The mastiff surges forward, putting itself between Roger and the shadowy woman. Then it rears up on its hind legs and bellows a long ululating howl that echoes across the entire market square and a few streets beyond. Slobber flies from its shadowy jowls. Standing in the beast’s face, Roger knows it is just the sound of one ‘animal’. But the unearthly howl sounds like all the cattle-sized hounds of the Wild Hunt have just split open the sky and poured forth to devour the flesh of every mortal creature they see. Majara said it “strikes fear”… at this moment, that seems like an understatement.
Bolds are UP
ORDER: Woman, Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables, Dog, Bit, Hannelia, Locals
Majara's eyes go wide in her face. Her brave threat to the shadowy woman is somewhat undercut by the fact that Majara.... promptly drops Glory, then turns tail and flees . The daylight goes with her.
Majara might have been understating things as the dog looses its howl. It’s a hideous keening sound and it feels like it cuts through her chest right to her heart, which she can feel beating faster even on top of her run to the square. Her earplugs remain unhelpfully tucked in a side pocket of her bag, though she's not sure how efficacious they may have been in light of such a horrible noise. She brushes the thought aside as while she can still feel the noise reverberating within her, it seems to have done something far worse to many of the people still in Merchant's Square, including Majara and Roger, both of whom have seem visibly shaken and have turned from their forward momentum and instead are fleeing the scene.
Hannelia curses as things plunge further into chaos with panicked people running everywhere. Racking her brains for anything that might counter the fear in their hearts, she draws a blank. Gritting her teeth she looks over her shoulder to see Emma finally catching up, extremely relieved that she is at least not standing alone against the two shadowy figures, and that helps make her next decision. She works her hands through the gestures of a spell, left hand mirroring right, and as she finishes the incantation, several identical illusory copies of the young woman pop up around her, bringing the total up to half a dozen Hannelias, all remarkably alike. Satisfied with her spellwork at least, she braces herself for what comes next, hoping that her spell-doubles will do their job and come between her and the hound’s fearsome looking jaws.
Round 4 | Battle Map
All of the Hannelias hold their ground as Roger and Majara experience an overwhelming need to run. Then, hell truly breaks loose. All of the constables flee for their lives along with the majority of the locals in the square. One crouching local man passes out or simply drops dead from fright. In some ways, it’s advantageous for our heroes – fewer civilians to get hurt. But the howl carries… and at least a score of locals in the surrounding buildings and streets hear it. Like sheep before a wolf, they panic and flee. A few, driven senseless by fear, throw themselves through windows to escape or trample others that can’t run as fast. A few even throw themselves off the docks. The southern reaches of Saringallow are in chaos.
The gnomerchant Bitiborium is not panicking, but perhaps he is crazy. He sprints (well, the gnome version of a sprint) across the square towards the local man who collapsed and one of the locals who is still cowering in the shadow of a cart.
Round 5 | Battle Map
Even as Roger turns to run, the shadow woman snakes forward and attempts to decapitate him. Her blade sheds sparks as it is deflected by the ranger’s gorget.
Bolds are UP
ORDER: Woman, Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables (1 of 3), Dog, Bit, Hannelia, Locals
Animal panic has Majara! She flees back the way she came! At the nearest opportunity she ducks into an alley and does her best to be very small. Gnomish instinct tends towards hiding over sprinting, given their rather short legs, so even though her speed is magnified just now the hindbrain is in control, and the hindbrain says 'hide.'
D8
Glory falls... whether due to luck, a gnomishly short fall distance, or good construction, only a chip is taken out of the pot. Glory now lies on her side, helpless on the field of battle.
|
It's chaos as Emma finally arrives in the fray.
People, constables, even her own party members - all are caught in a chaotic wave of confusion, as people scramble to get away from...whatever it is that's causing all of this. Emma gives a nod to Hannelia as she passes her, catches a glimpse of Majara as she runs in the other direction, winces as the pot containing Glory falls but doesn't quite break.
She catalogs all of this, but doesn't have the time to react, not if she wants to get close to whatever this is and try to put a stop to it.
She manages to get within range of the two beings, and throws herself as close into it as she can.
"I don't know what you are, or what you want," Emma pants as she arrives, Redemption in hand. "But this chaos must end. Now."
Roger's were already wide with fear, so it's perhaps impressive that they get even wider when a blade tears a chunk out of his beard and is narrowly deflected from his neck by his new armor.
He slaps the blade away with his arm and turns to run.
Round 5 | Battle Map
Emma charges in as Maraja and Roger withdraw from the field of battle, leaving the interlopers largely alone in the emptying square. Standing in front of the helpless potted plant, Emma issues her challenge. The masked woman turns from watching Roger’s retreating form. ”ዓሦች ደካማ የጠረጴዛ ሯጮችን ያደርጋሉ.”
The mastiff has a less cerebral response. It yanks against the shadowy chain which vanishes like a mist. ‘Off the chain’, it bays and races with surprising speed across the square then leaps at Emma trying to tear her throat out. While her armor slows her down, it also saves Emma’s flesh from the hound’s slavering nightly jaws.
Bolds are UP
ORDER: Woman, Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables (1 of 3), Dog, Bit, Hannelia, Locals
As Emma finally arrives at the square, Hannelia's heart lifts a little as she is, beyond her numerous duplicates, no longer standing quite so alone in the scramble. She can't begrudge her friend's slower speed either - running wearing that armour? Hannelia has tried lifting it and doubts she could muster much more than a shuffle if she donned it.
Still, it's decision time. While she would like to bolster Emma with some magical aid, that would require getting a lot closer to the dog than she'd like to when Emma is providing such a formidable barrier. She doesn't have a great line against the shadowy woman either, her bowshot obscured by a market stall, but equally that gives her some protection in the other direction. Instead she steps forward a little and looses a pair of arrows in rapid succession at the mastiff.
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Round 5 | Battle Map
The fletching tears off Hannelia’s first arrow causing it spin off harmlessly like a drunk songbird. Hannelia’s second arrow is better. She compensates for the distance, wind, and even the swirl of combat. But armored Emma is a barrier to hitting her target. Her shot grazes the mastiff’s shoulder.
With the shadow woman heading roughly his way, the local cheese merchant abandons his cart and bolts north as fast as his legs will move. Now, not only is Gunty’s closed but you have no cheese to go with your non-existent baguettes! Evil takes many forms as they say.
In the eastern part of the square, Bitiborium arrives nearly breathless to help the man who either fainted or died. The woman next to him, seeing her chance begins to flee the square. A few words from the gnome causes her to falter in her tracks and then turn around to help him. It looks like they plan to drag the downed man from the square.
Round 6 | Battle Map
The shae's head swivels looking north, then to the battle, then north again. Hannelia’s arrows convince her where her course lays. She jogs to support the mastiff engaged with Emma as she sends a set of force bolts slamming into the bard-archer to 'return' her spent arrows.
Bolds are UP
ORDER: Woman, Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables (2 of 3), Dog, Bit, Hannelia, Locals
Majara cowers, crouching down as small as possible, eyes squeezed shut like a child hiding under the bedsheets from the monster they know is coming. If you make no noise, if you don't look.... maybe you'll be safe....
(Some distant portion of Majara's mind is disgusted with the whole thing, but the higher thought functions are not currently in control.)
Roger finds any port in a storm.
Roger and Majara find safe spots in which to hide until they can shake off the irrational fear that has gripped them both.
Emma notes as the hound approaches and attempts to attack, but she's able to avoid it. Though it represents a solid threat, it's not her target for the moment, though hopefully it will remained focused on her. She knows that it will likely get another chance to attack her as she approaches the woman, but she'll have to chance it to get closer.
Grim-faced, Emma moves closer to the woman that seems to be at the heart of all of this - assuming it's a woman at all.
Part of her mind is curious as to what it is, how it's doing this, and why - but those are questions and worries for later. Right now, all that really matters is that she seems to be the one responsible for it.
Emma lunges past the dog to get at the beast’s mistress. She leaves herself open to a reprisal attack from the mastiff. The paladin’s move is so swift, however, the beast is taken by surprise. Its jaws snap air.
Sadly, Emma is also in for a surprise. Her blade strikes true, slashing into the shae’s side and eliciting a hiss in response. But her blade doesn’t quite cleave through the shadowy woman’s defensives as well as Emma expected.
Round 6 | Battle Map
Irritated by the quick paladin, the mastiff circles around behind her before attacking. The mastiff is frustrated yet again as it can’t crack the paladin’s armored shell.
Bolds are UP
ORDER: Woman, Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables (2 of 3), Dog, Bit, Hannelia, Locals
With Emma now sandwiched between the dog and the woman, Hannelia at least now has a clear shot at the former. Ideally she would like to focus on downing one of the foes first but it’s a much trickier shot past her friend and the market stall. Hoping that her luck changes for the better, she once again sends a pair of arrows at the shadowy hound.
Hannelia sends more arrows into the fray. Her second nearly hits the hound. Meanwhile, Bitiborium and the local woman drag the unconscious man out of the square. A moment later the merchant reappears, winding himself up to sprint across the square… possibly to check on the victims on the southern end.
Round 7 | Battle Map
The Shae presses her attack on Emma… but it seems the attempted smiting has shaken her nerves. The paladin easily bats aside the shadowy blade.
Somewhere on the side streets of Saringallow… Majara and Roger find their courage, and…
Like an avenging dark angel, Nerissia hears the mastiff's monstrous howl and shrugs it off. She's heard worse. It doesn’t take a feat of triangulation to spot all the fleeing people and determine from whence trouble comes. She immediately charges toward the brawl. Her fox, however, is not made of such stern stuff. Alocer tucks tail and runs in the opposite direction.
At the southern end, a pair of constables who overcame their fears enter the square and declare as authoritatively as they can, ”Throw down your weapons and surrender!”
Bolds are UP
ORDER: Shae, Majara, Emma, Roger, Constables (3 of 3), Nerissia, Dog, Bit, Hannelia, Locals