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I'm still at work at the moment. I have a shifting schedule that doesn't give me a consistent window to post during. Given that it's only been a day and you've already assigned me a time frame to answer, I think it's safe to say that I am not meeting the expectations you require for posting and it might be best for you to recruit.
Sev spends a long time realizing that he has agreed to killing a number of individuals he's never met. It's a far cry from being in charge of washing bed sheets and delivering meals, life was moving quickly and he wasn't sure he was able to keep up, but he'd agreed to join this group. He listens, quietly, as Catina offers herself up as bait of sorts, to get them in the door, and he's frightened for her. "I-I'll try!" He pipes up when Lorenzo suggests he might get a shot at whoever opens the door. "If I c-can get a clear shot, I'll take it. Let me g-get into position before you try to get in." He finds that he's increasingly confident in his ability to stay out of sight. He's committed to the plan, and does his best to make sure he's prepared for whatever may come.
Sev listens to Lorenzo as he speaks up for the lives of the Bastards of Erebus and decides to speak up himself. "D-do you think they'd be treated any better with the authorities?" It's not a criticism, it's an honest question. Having never known anything but the harsh punishments dealt to unruly slaves, he would never have even considered letting the local authorities take over. "If we d-d-d-do turn them over, how do we do it without revealing ourselves? Do we just leave them knocked o-out somewhere?" He raises and eyebrow as he considers the matter but moves on to the issue of who to accompany them. "I agree with Catina. I think Arael should be with the rest of the Eye's. Th-they respect his leadership and that c-could be important in this s-situation. P-plus we've fought beside Janiven before, kind of."
Sev takes a moment to think about the band of tieflings and wonders if he's heard anything else about them that may be helpful. He realizes that he's actually quite eager to take on another mission. He's still nervous, and hesitant about what he can offer, but after saving Arael and taking on the shadowgarm, he's somewhat more confident in his abilities. "I-is there a chance the H-hellknights are watching your contact?" The halfling wonders outloud. "They c-caught you after a meeting with him. Can we be sure that we won't have the same p-problem?" "Sh-should we wait until we have cloaks or just wear the armbands for this one?"
All the discussion about uniforms and being recognized begins to eat at Sevs nerves to the point where he can barely soeak. When Lorenzo asks him if he knows the word Aegis he just shakes his head yes, unable to explain his own rudimentary pursuits into history and anything else he could get his hands on. He just keeps thinking about being seen, being recognized. The rest of them would be jailed, maybe tortured but not him. He would be shipped right back to the Drovenges, and who knows what would await him there. The brand on his arm began to itch and he did his best to ignore it, trying desperately to calm himself. "M-masks!" He finally blurts out. "I vote in favor of masks. F-for time like L-Lorenzo mentioned, w-when we'really acting directly against th-the Thrunes or Hellknights." He blushes nervously as he continues speaking, realizing this may be the most input he's offered since joining.
Sev barely registers that it was his arrow that felled the beast. He's too worried about Lorenzo, but thankfully Catina takes care of him quickly and the young man seems fine. He watches, mystified as the slim remains of the shadowgarm fits within a small bottle. In the morning Sev looks at Lorenzo when he mentions the woman screaming and wonders what had stopped the paladin from rushing to check on her, but he doesn't say anything about it. "I-i'm sure everyone would like to know we s-succeeded." He says quietly. "If w-we're splitting up, I can just tell the rest when I get back to the t-temple. S-s-since I live there." He shrugs and gets ready to finally exit the terrible building with everyone else.
Sev - Level 2
+10 Skill Points (9 Class, 1 FCB)
Evasion: Take no damage on spells that cause half damage with succesful Reflex Save Rogue Talent: Finesse Rogue (awards Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat).
Having reached Lorenzo, Sev stares, just for a moment, at the shadowgarm, with nothing but fear, and his heart starts raing but he knows what to do. After that last battle he understands that he can actually be of some use to his friends and he moves to attack faster than he might have expected. Using Lorenzo as a sort of cover, he crouches low and creeps to the right as he draws his bow, hoping to get the creature caught unaware.
Question. Shouldn't Catina be exempt from that acrobatics check because Tieflings have darkvision and she'd be able to see the road, or was it not sight based?
Sev appreciated the cleric's silence in the morning. Even as he fiddled nervously with his new armband, he realized he was growing more comfortable with his freedom and his growing friendships. When she finally does talk, he looks at her nervously. "I-I didn't realize p-people actually lived t-this way until I started wandering the city on my e-errands." He frowns as he looks around and compares it with the lavish household he'd served in. "It would be wonderful if w-we could help. I h-hope we can."
Sev sits quietly as they wait for any sign of their prey. He's so nervous he can't even speak and he mostly just nods at anyone who speaks in his direction. When Lorenzo leaves to go find it himself, he wants to go too, but he's too nervous. When he hears the combat begin he jumps and looks at the women. "L-let's go! H-he needs our help!" He squeaks and waits just long enough for on of them to produce some sort of light before running toward Lorenzo.
Sorry, I mostly didn't respond because Faustinia's new plan incorporated Sev's suggestions, so other than agreeing, there wasn't much to say, but I'll make a better effort to find ways that make sense for Sev to engage the party in conversation.
Sev averts his eyes as Catina talks to him, still not sure how to handle being part of a group. "Y-yeah, I c-can help look tomorrow. I'll get up and clean early in the m-morning so I can be done by the time we leave." He briefly worries that moving through the city might risk him being seen, but he doesn't want to stop being useful to the group now and makes up his mind to join Catina in finding a suitable place to lure their target.
Sev blushes and and stutters as he offers up the information he'd discovered to the rest of the group. He's a mixture of excited and terrified, still not used to addressing groups of people. Because he's able to read much of the information directly from the texts, his stutter is almost unnoticeable and he's much easier to understand. On the way back to the safehouse he's nearly ecstatic. I was actually able to help! He thinks to himself with an inward smile. When the group begins to actual discuss their plans, he finds himself hesitant again. Information was one thing, experience was another. "Wh-what about the sewers too? Where we m-met the first one? We know they travel through there." He frowns and rubs one of his wrists as he thinks. 'The information said they d-d-don't like complete darkness. I-if we can find an abandoned building w-with lots of w-windows, we might be l-likely to lure on there." He waits quietly for the others input, worrying himself with all sorts of dangerous scenarios that might pop up.
Sev follows behind his companions fully expecting to carry the weight of whichever tomes they before remembering once again that he is no long a slave. Climbing into his seat, he finds himself quite eager to open one of the books and scour it for information. I hope i can be of use! He thinks nervously, looking at the others to see if they've found anything while he flips the pages. He checks the indices of each book and skips to the relevant section where he keeps he carefully reads over each and every word, making sure he absorbs everything he can.
Sec has often felt small, but as he passes the giant pillars and into the entrance of the library feels almost invisible.
Finding Lorenzo and Faustinia, he follows them inside and marvels at the blue marble floor and the intense silence of the room. He walks softly and tries not to breathe too loud, not wanting to interrupt the silence. He waits quietly while Faustina asks her questions.
On the way back home, Sev marveled at Lady Faustinia's tact. It was really something how she used the actors own ego to turn the situation around. Could I ever do that? He wonders to himself as he recalls all of his stuttering and meek conversations over the last few days. Yes, I have to. If I ever want to be seen as an equal and not just some ex slave. With a frown he enters the shrine and goes about cleaning. He found it relaxing to do some of the same chores he'd had as a slave. The routine was almost comfortable and it helped him think. Most of his thoughts were of shadow beasts and fleeing them through dirty sewers full of strange mushrooms. He reflects on his archery and realizes it's been coming in quite handy these last few days, but he wants to be more useful to the group. He'd offered little in the conversation to Thesing, he'd been too afraid to say almost anything at all. When he finally retired for the night, he started imagining ways he might have dominated the conversation. How, if he'd been a braver halfling, he could have even put Thesing in his place. His dreams that night were a strange mix of shadow horses and loud screaming actors, but in the morning he found himself almost excited for what came next. It was a feeling he'd never really experienced it. Remembering the directions, Sev left early and made his way to the library as deliberately as possible. He kept to the shadows, or the very edge of the roads so as to be seen as little as possible. He avoided any other slaves that might have been around, not wanting to be recognized. He was sure the Drovenges were looking for him and he didn't want to make it easy. I hope I'm not too early. He thinks as he arrives and enters the building, looking for the rest of his group.
"I c-could g-g-groom them if you wish? Do you need to ride all of them for the play? Do they need to g-go very far? Maybe we could figure out which one is strongest and you can ride that one?" Sev offers his help meekly, standing close to Lorenzo, worried that Thesing might lash out at any of them. He hopes his assistance can mollify the man.
Upon receiving directions Sev made plans to meet the rest at the Library sometime after lunch. He was particularly eager to go, the only library he'd ever seen was the one inside the grounds and his access to books had been pretty limited. Though he had to research the shadow beasts, knowing where the library was would mean the rest of it's subject were open to him to read some day, and the idea was a little overwhelming. "You can have h-half my share of the money we f-found Sir Lorenzo!" Sev offers. "I still have most of the m-money I had w-when I l-left home, I shouldn't need all of it." He briefly wonders if that's true. He'd purchased things for his masters but he had no idea if that was representative of the rest of Westcrowns citizens. When he hears what Lorenzo asks for as wages his eye's widen. Just two gold? That's all he needs for wages? The idea that he worked his whole life for free when the Drovenge's could have easily afforded him a weeks pay turns his face red.
"St-staying far away shouldn't be too hard for me. And I c-can see really well in dim light, I might actually be able to help ambush the shadow creature if we find one!" Sev blurts out when Janiven gives her advice. He's so eager to be helpful he forgets to be nervous and he pats his bow subconsciously. "Is there anything Sir Lorenzo and Lady Catina can use to prevent themselves from getting s-slimed? Maybe a powder or something on their clothes and armor?" He recalls using similar tactics in the kitchens when he helped. He listens as Faustinia crafts a plan to meet at the library and he suddenly realizes he's never actually been there before. "U-um, wh-where is the library? C-can anyone g-give my directions?" As soon as he makes his request he starts to shake again, worried he might anger someone. "O-or maybe show me on a map?"
Sev listens carefully as Arael gives them the information they need to research their target. Beastiarius, volume 2-6, got it. He's still not what good he'll be when the time comes, but he can at least help research. He's suddenly thankful that he was taught to read and write, not many slaves had that privilege. He takes a moment to marvel at Arael's knowledge, hoping one day he could be that resourceful. "I c-c-can help in the library!" The halfling says eagerly. "A-and once we have the information we need, we can p-put Janivens combat lessons to use." He hopes he sounds helpful.
Several watches the others having conversations and socializing and finds himself anxious. He's spent much of the last night in a corner waiting for orders that he knew wouldn't come. He waited for someone to tell him to clean, or to grab food from the kitchen, bit no one does because he's not a slave anymore. It's still difficult not to stand in some dark shadow and remain silent. He'd been trained well and now it seems that training was getting in the way. Silently he stalks the edge of the gathering until Janice calls to them. He wordlessly scolds himself for his nerves and swears to strike up conversation next time. When Arael tells them to kill a shadow beast he nearly chokes, but he sees the sense in it. "H-how much gold is the reward?" He asks, "A-and do you have any tips a-about h-how to fight the shadow beast?" He looks at the rest of his group as he talks. "We only just ran from one the other n-night. N-now we'really expected to kill one?" He's not against the idea but wonders why suddenly they'll be able to kill it when they had to flee so hastily just days ago.
Hey all, sorry for the radio silence. My younger brother got mugged this weekend, he's okay but kind of beat up and we ended up driving a few states over go help his wife with the kids and anything else that needed doing. We're headed home sometime tomorrow and I will be resuming posts when I return, sorry about the delay.
Sev finds the ride back difficult. His body is sore and he still carries wounds from the battle. Every movement he feels from the horse sends some pain through his small body. It's something he'd never experienced before. He'd been hurt, but never quite like this. As they entered the city he did his best not to complain. His comrades has also put with with a lot in the field and he didn't want to inconvenience anyone, but scurrying along to keep up with the taller folk took it's toll on him. By the time Arael asks the party to put forward any questions they might have, Sev feels that he is at his limit and meekly puts up a hand. Looking around to make sure he hasn't offended anyone as he speaks. "C-can anyone help me bandage my w-wounds. I-I've never had to do that before." Nervously he looks at Arael, hoping the man isn't disgusted by his need for assistance. "W-w-w-will there be much more fighting like that? I'm sorry I wasn't m-m-more help." He shakes a bit to himself before he realizes these probably aren't the questions he was intended to be asking and bows his head a moment, thinking. "Wh-what do we do next?" He asks finally, not particularly concerned with Araels past or why he was chosen. Anything was better than servitude or sleeping on the street again.
Sevs heart rate skyrockets as Shanwen reaches for him. He's unarmed, frightened and suddenly realizes how wounded he is from the previous battles. "N-n-no p-p-please!" But Lorenzo takes a golden opportunity and drops the heavily armored man before he can do anything dangerous. "Th-thank you Sir Lorenzo! Th-thank you!" Without thinking Sev briefly hugs the paladin, then, remembering himself, rushes for the keys and hands them to Faustinia figuring Lorenzo can protect them if the armiger gets up. He recovers his bow but draws his mace and stands over the one hellknight that seems to be recovering. "I c-can tie him up i-if anyone has rope." He says meekly.
Spotting the keys, Sev drops low and steps into Shanwens reach, trying to use the hectic nature of their battle and ballista mechanics to hide his approach. When he's confident that he's either out of sight, or being ignored, he reaches his hand up and tries to lift the wagon keys on the zealot as he fights with Lorenzo.
Having no use with the lock, Sev turns back to the battle at hand. "I can't pick it!" He cries, disappointed that the one time his skills may have come in handy, he failed the party. Instead he starts climbing the wagon to assist Lorenzo. If he gets his eyes on Shanwen, he looks the man over to see if he's holding the keys to the wagon.
"Yes my lady!" Sev shouts back to Faustinia, almost instinctually. Having something that sounds like a command clears the halflings mind. He drops his bow runs up to the wagon quickly moving his hands to his pockets in search of something, ignoring his wounds. He looks around, briefly to see if he can spot the keys to the lock, but quickly turns his attention to the wagon itself. "Maybe I can..." He works out his set of theive's tools and begins trying to work on picking the wagon's lock as fast as he can.
Sev takes an opportunity to duck low, hoping to blend in with the bodies of the Hellknights, hoping Shanwen loses sight of him. When Shanwen is in sight, he draws another arrow and provides cover fire for Lorenzo and Faustinia. He doubts the arrow will actually harm the man, but if he can keep him angry, he might distract him long enough for the others to get Arael out.
Sev doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know if the man will really kill Catina, but he doesn't know he won't either. Lady Faustinia seems to be surrendering, but Lorenzo keeps fighting. Sev closes his eye for just a moment, breathes in deeply, and draws his bow. He keeps his movements slight, trying to make sure the arminger doesn't notice what he's doing. Maybe he forgot about him altogether! Sev fires his bow and holds his breath, waiting to see what happens next, and praying that everything turns out okay.
I'm bleeding, I'm bleeding! Someone help! It's all Sev can think as he stares at the Hellknight that came to engage him, the wound he caused didn't even hurt, the shock had set in and Sev was so scared he wasn't even shaking anymore. Stiffly, with arms and legs that feel like they didn't even work, Sev steps back, pulls on his bow, and fires on his foe, knowing that if he misses, he's dead. If he hits and the man falls, he's open to the ballista, and he's dead. Stay where he is, and he's dead. In all scenarios, he's dead. But not a slave.
Sev nearly passes out as the shot from the ballista flied overhead, he feels his hair get pushed back by the force of the shot and reconsider his action, but then something even worse happened, Catina was cut down. Sev scurried forward, trying to catch the Hell knight who hurt Catina unaware with one of his arrows.
Sev is nearly as surprised as the hellknight when his second arrow pierces the mans armor. He hear's Lorenzo shout about the danger of the Ballista, but he knows he has to do his part. His whole body is shaking, but his hands feel steady and he sneaks further afield to get a better shot on the Hellknights. He sees a Hellknight on the edge of the bridge not engaged in combat, he's not sure if it's the one he already hit, but he doesn't care. He wants to protect his friends. So he lines up a shot and fires it at the armored man.
Right now I still have to assume everyone's actions and predict my round 2 actions based on 0 information. If we were using block initiative, I would know how the enemy acted as well, without anyone having to wait for me. Right now I'm taking a second action without knowing the placement of any NPC's which is particularly tricky with low level archery.
Going to second Fabians suggestion. There may be some instances where the enemies act between the players, but for the most part I've used, and seen others use, the block initiative to great effect. It really helps players not feel left out of the action for too long.
Since none of the Hellknights have called him out, Sev decides to act now, before the combat gets convoluted and his accuracy suffers. He pulls back on his bow and fires at one of the men in range. He watches the arrow flail in the air and doesn't even bother keeping his eyes on it, he's sure it will miss. He rushes forward behind the next boulder, hoping it will give him cover from any return attacks. He waits for the Hellknights to answer his attack, and hopes his newfound friends will be okay. When he's worked up his courage, he sneaks out from behind his cover and takes another shot at any knight not engaged in melee or behind cover. ____________________________________________________________________
Keeping low to the ground - a task fairly easy for a halfling - Sev creeps closer to the bridge, hoping to remain unseen. He's hoping they'll be distracted by Lorenzo's discussion, so he can line up a couple good shots. _________________________________________________
Sev almost enjoys the rid out to the attack point. He's small enough that he can adjust his position on the horse and have plenty of room. It's a bumpy ride, but for the most part uneventful and the calmest time he's had in a long time. When they arrive at the bridge, he sees Lorenzo choose a large bush but he moves toward a boulder apologetically. "I-I'm small, it will be easier f-for me to hide back her w-with my bow." He says as he moves down, drawing his short bow and keeping an arrow ready. As he waits he tries to calm his small shaking frame. He hopes once the battle starts he'll be useful, and not a burden. Still shaking, he gives Lorenzo a thumbs up, to show he is ready.
Sev's eyes widen at the idea that he might be directly responsible for choosing the people that put themselves in danger for the mission. Nervously he fidget and listens to the others suggestions. "I-I don't feel comfortable choosing, I'm sorry." he bows his head nervously. If pressed for suggestions hell point to Larko, Gorvio Rizzardo and Mathlahen.
Sev is, once again, completely out of his depth. Battle planning? The most planning he ever had to do was making sure he set the appropriate number of plates at the Drovenge table! His eyes glaze over as Janiven explains her plan. When Lorenzo turns and asks about Sevs horse riding skills, he almost laughs. "I c-c-can't ride a horse, s-sorry Sir Lorenzo!" He says with a bow, keeping his eyes at the young mans feet. Keeping up with the conversation he nods quickly at Faustinia. "Y-yes my lady, a-and if there are any trees or anything to c-climb I can b-be more accurate!" He hadn't expected the planning to begin so quickly, but that's how everything lately. "If we attack them from the rear c-c-c-can't they just keep running?" He questions Catina before blushing and feeling terrible for speaking out of turn. "Sh-shouldn't we attack them h-head on instead? To cut off their escape?" Gods! Did I really just suggest that!
Fiosa's praise and Larko's easy demeanor put Sev at ease fairly quickly. Once he was done speaking with the two other rebels he was starting to actually get comfortable. Instead of skirting the edges of the room, he started to creep closer to other conversations, almost ready to participate, though not quite. Janiven nearly shattered it all by announcing that he was the one who uncovered the recent information about Arael. He can feel the blood rushing to his head as his face turns scarlett. Thankfully no one focuses on him for long as Janiven reveals her plan for recovering their leader. It's risky, it's bold, and Sev quickly realizes that he's going to be in the thick of it. Suddenly all eyes are on him once again and he begins to shake. His tongue is tied and his hands fidget nervously in his pockets. When Faustinia, Lorenzo and Catina offer their services, Sev stands up straight, as tall as he can muster. He can't quite stop the stuttering but he looks at Fiosa, who was impressed by his escape, Larko, who spoke to him as an equal, and Janiven, who offered him a home, and he knows he has to help, no matter how scared he was. "Y-yes. I-I'll do it!"
Amaya: 5/5
"I'm a house servant too...well, um, I was." Sev isn't sure why he finds himself confessing the truth of his runaway suddenly, but given Fioas just admitted to freeing slaves, he figures there's no use hiding it."[/b] He rubs the back of his head awkwardly and tires to smile, not sure if he should feel proud or not. "I escaped the Drovenge family just a couple days ago. I...I never considered that as a house servant I could help others escape..." His face falls, and suddenly he feels ashamed and selfish for having thought only of himself when he ran.
He finds he's run out of things to say but doesn't want to be rude so he blurts out whatever comes to his head. "Uh, h-have you ever been to your grandfathers h-h-h-homeland?"
When Sev is alone, and sees everyone else occupied in conversation he approaches Janiven and informs her what he's heard about Arael's imprisonment. "The Hellknights are moving him from the city jail to Citadel Rivad, or are preparing too!" He tells her somewhat urgently. "I-I don't know how I can help, but if I c-c-can p-please let me know!"
Sev's first reaction when he sees Gorvio is to run and hide. The man looks too much like a noble and Sev is sure he's been caught, but when Janiven introduces everyone, he relaxes and pushes out a thin smile. It takes him while to speak to anyone, the number of people around him was almost overwhelming, but he finally works up the courage to approach the other halfling in the room. He gives no suggestion to the name of the organization, feeling far too unimportant, but he thinks the "Guardians of Westcrown" would be a nice compromise to all the names, he whispers is into Janivens ear at some point before scurrying away from the discussion. "Fiosa, right?" He asks timidly. "I'm Sev. Do...do you know Jemet too? He's the one that helped me get here in a way, I've been hoping to see him but." He trails off awkwardly, trying not to speak over the other halfling. After speaking with Fiosa, Sev wanders around the room for awhile, trying to figure out where he can go without speaking to anyone else, but his curiosity about Larko wins him over and he approaches the Garundi man cautiously. "H-h-how did you come to Westcrown? Wh-why do you want to save Chelish citizens?" He hopes his stuttering doesn't offend the man as he twirls his thumbs waiting for response.
At sunrise Sev wakes up from his nest on the floor and breathes a sigh of relief. He looks around at his room and wonders if he'll ever be able to sleep on the bed. My room. That's going to take getting used to. He remembers Janiven offering him a place to stay last night, offering him a home, and the tears nearly well up in his eyes again. He'd almost cried right in front of the rest of the group when she mentioned it and quickly made an excuse to retire for the night after accepting the offer. His shirt was still damp, and extremely dirty but he wiggled into it, found his shoes and got ready for a day of work and investigation. While it was early he walked around the building and started cleaning here and there, getting rid of cobwebs and sweeping floors. Anything to keep him busy until the markets started getting busy enough that he wouldn't stand out too much. He makes some small talk with Mathalen, but finds himself quickly ducking out of the awkward conversations. And will I ever learn to talk to humans without stuttering? When the sun is high enough in the sky, Sev departs for the Miratanza, moving through back alleys and other streets known mostly to slaves, so they can keep out from underfoot. His first priority is finding new clothes, he couldn't be spotted in the markets dirty as he was, it would be a dead give away. He searches for any shop that may sell clothing of any sort, and pretends to be purchasing for his old master.
Once he secures some clothing, Sev ducks into another ally and changes into them. The bath last night means his hair and face are clean too, and he hopes it will be enough to help him just blend in with the other house servants. Not brave enough to actually enter the guarded market, he waits, casually a few blocks away, and tries to catch the ear of any house slaves that he's acquainted with, mostly ones that come from houses that don't deal with the Drovenges. He never directly asks about Arael's location, and just makes casual conversation, only asking "Did you hear about that rebel they captured yesterday?" and hoping the other halflings might drop the information he needs. He doesn't stay long, only an hour or so before he drifts back toward the safe house, keeping to the shadows just in case he was recognized on the streets.
Sev ate as much of the dinner as he could, plowing through the food as fast as the humans twice his size. His voracious appetite heightened by the stress of the ordeal. He occasionally looks up at Janiven in awe, amazed that she escaped the shadow in the sewers. When the dinner ends and he tries to slink off to bed, he hears himself being called back, and he relents, joining the others. It takes him a long time to work up the courage to speak. Decades of being trained never to address a human first fight against his natural curiosity and though he has a hundred questions on the tip of his tongue, he struggles to actually ask them. He's also worried about questions directed at him, not wanting to discuss his circumstance in front of the whole group. He listens as Mathalen and Catina discuss living in the shrine, and he makes a mental note for later. Hoping he might be able to live here too. I don't have a home I can go back to... When Janiven asks for help rescuing Arhael, his interest is piqued and he looks at the woman, and finally speaks. "Wh-where is he being held? Or do you still n-need to figure that out too?" He shuffles awkwardly in his place, standing behind everyone else with his hands behind his back, still only half dressed. "I, I c-can't promise anything, but maybe I can find something about from other halfling servants. Th-there's a lot of gossip among the slaves, m-maybe it could help?"
Sev keeps quiet at first, not entirely sure what he could or should say in front of these new people. Every encounter today has been a strange one and he's not entirely convinced he won't end up running or fighting yet again. He keeps close to the members of his group who fled along side him, taking some comfort in the fact that he knows they're wanted as well. He seems unimpressed by the Aroden frescoes but gives them a look because the woman seem to impressed by them. While the art doesn't inspire him, an increasing desire to eat does and he finally opens his mouth and speaks in a small voice. "I-I would like to bath as well, an-and maybe h-have some of that food you offered." He has to repeat himself a few more times before he's understood, but he finally gets the cold bath water drawn. It's the first time he hasn't had to do it himself and he once again muses on how different life is outside of servitude. He bathes quickly, and with as little water as possible, as he was trained. The cold water was nothing new and he hardly shivered at all, when it came time to put his clothes back on he grimaces. The shirts, covered in grimes and mostly threadbare, was so damp he might as well not have dried off after the bath. Instead he puts on only his breeches and smallclothes, bringing the shirt to one of the spare rooms (he takes the seventh) and hanging it on any available shelf to dry by morning. He eats quickly, saying nothing to anyone, enjoying the silence and relative safety. When he's done he thanks his hosts for the meal, and goes to bed, or at least tries to. Every time he closes his eyes he's met with visions of Hell Knights shoving acid down his throat, or his arrows piercing flesh of people he's never met. Every sound within the building jolts him awake, the image of a shadow creature fresh in his mind. After what seems like hours of tossing and turning, and startling awake, Sev drops his pillow onto the floor along with his blanket and builds a small nest for himself in one of the far corners of his room, just like he did before he ran away. The familiarity soon overcomes his fear and before long the halfling is asleep, still unsure what the next day brings, but happy not to find himself asleep in a closet or alleyway for the first time in days.
Sev's heart does not stop racing until they're out of the sewers. He hands are sweaty and his hair is plastered to his face, greasy and wet, he looks a mess and he feels even worse. His mind can't stop imagining the terrible things that might happen to Janiven with the shadow, but he keeps pushing himself forward. Running away just keeps getting easier. He almost stops at the bronze gate and runs the other direction. Even with the house in such a poor state, a gate like that usually meant some sort of noble, which usually meant some sort of slave owner, but when Morosino is greeted by the other human Sev nods quietly to himself and moves to enter. "I'm Sev, nice to-" He starts to say before Lorenzo speaks of heading back the way they came. His eyes widen and he looks at the human with respect. I wonder if I'll ever be that brave? He listens to Faustinia urge Lorenzo to stay and he steps next to the older woman in a show of solidarity. "L-lady Faustinia is right. We need to stay together." His small hands are balled in to fists and his eyes stare at nothing but the ground, but there's conviction in his voice.
Sev moves next to Morosino as soon as Janiven gives the order, but when Lorenzo shouts that he's staying behind he finds himself torn. Not that I could be any help...but can we just leave the two of them alone? He looks at the shadow and begins shaking again, harder now then at any other point in the escape and he looks at Faustinia with surprise when she shouts the man down. "Why can't you both just run with us!? Don't risk your lives!" He finds himself shouting into the tunnels, surprising even himself.
Sev's eyes go wide as Janiven and Morosino appear and assist them. FOr a moment, he slides back against the wall, breathing slowly, relaxing his tiny beating heart. While Lorenzo and Catina address the newcomers, Sev scurries back a few feet and retrieves his bow. He watches with an eyebrow raised as Catina checks on the Hellknights and looks at Morosino. "I-it wasn't easy, but we had to fight to survive! H-how did you find us? Especially if we're off the path?"
Seeing Lorenzo's ragged breathing, Sev prays to every god he knows the name of and swings his weapon. Unfortunately it seems divine favor is not with him and his swing misses. "Hang in there Sir Lorenzo!" He shouts, worried about the human, but also worried he may have just called attention to himself. ___________________________________________________
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