Kazadarin piles the weapons up next to the bodies and shoves the gold into his backpack. " No keys or information on these traitors. 60 gold though, seems like being a butcher pays realy good these days." He walks over to Grent and draws his falchion. "Well, wich door suits you?"
Akari takes out a coin and flips it. After it settles into his palm, he points to the door on the right.
You make your way through the indicated door, finding yourselves in what appears to be a meat locker. The air in this room is stale, stinking of day-old meat and blood. Straw litters the floor, scattered to catch what drips from the meat hooks affixed to the walls and ceiling on metal rods. To the north is a low blood-stained table and two barrels of salt, while to the south, a pair of double doors stands. An iron bar extends through a narrow hole at the top of the doors; the bar runs along the ceiling for five feet before ending at a vertical pole running floor to ceiling.
The meat hooks in this room are fairly well used, but currently hold no meat. A single door is set in the west wall, toward the north end of the room.
Grent crosses the room and stands next to the door. He silently gestures for another to come join him at the door before he opens it.
Akari moves into the room, looking around at the bloodsplatters casually.
Tael follows the others into the room, her face wrinkling in displeasure at the stale air. She remains near the south of the room.
You find yourselves in a hallway, with a door to the north, a set of double doors to the south leading back into the killing floor, and a stairwell leading to the second floor.
Akari motions Grent to the door at the north end of the hall, but also puts his finger to his lips and his hand to his ear.
Grent moves to the door, pausing to listen carefully.
If he doesn't hear anything, he opens the door with his shield, kukri drawn.
Kazadarin drwas his bow and covers the stairs.
The door opens into the now-empty shop front, the display window and main entrance to the butcher's shop across the counter from your current position.
"I will hold the stairs if the rest of you clear what remains of the bottom floor.
Grent moves to the store front, checking to make sure the door is still locked. He drags anything he sees in the room to bar the door further, trying to keep any key-bearers from entering.
Crux follows behind his fellows with his wand at the ready.
Tael will go investigate the room in the southwest corner of the building.
While Kazadarin stands watch at the foot of the stairs, Grent moves into the storefront and manages to prop a small bench against the exterior door, effectively stopping it from opening without significant effort. Meanwhile, Tael makes her way to the southwestern-most room. Beside an old and well-used wagon, this small chamber is empty. Two sets of double-doors open into the exterior holding pen, in addition to the door leading into the alley that Grent locked earlier. Marks on the floor show regular traffic from the alley entrance into the holding pen, presumably from years of livestock being delivered for slaughter.
As everyone reassembles in the stairwell hallway, a thump can be heard from upstairs, followed by footsteps, as if someone just walked from one end of a room to the other.
Akari removed the club from his belt and nods up the stairs.
Kazadarin waits until everyone gets to the stairs, then begins to move with his bow leading the way.
Grent follows behind Kaz, shield at the ready.
Taelreth follows along at the rear of the group, wincing slightly with each step.
The stairs open into moderately-sized chamber. A round table sits in this room, surrounded by four wooden chairs, and a stack of cards sits on the tabletop. A cabinet to the southwest hangs open, a tangle of dirty clothes and blankets within. Four thin bedrolls lie rolled up against the
north wall. A door sits in the south wall, and it is from beyond this that you hear sounds of movement.
Kazadarin moves across the room with his bow drawn and positions himself in front of the door.
Crux remains toward the rear of the group. He makes sure to look behind them occasionally. Just to be sure no one is sneaking up on them.
Akari positions himself in the middle of the party, ready to move to aid whomever needs assistance.
As you move to assemble in front of the door, the footsteps stop abruptly. You pause to listen, but the room on the other side is now entirely silent.
Kazadarin turns to the group and shugs, then looks at Grent and nods at the door.
Crux stands impassively, his features shrouded by his volumous hood.
Akari grips his club and nods to Grent and Kaz.
Grent shoves open the door with his shield. "In the name of Korvosa, come out with your hands up," he says into the room.
Behind the table stands a man wearing the livery and armor of the Korvosan Guard. In answer to Grent he quickly readies a bow and sets arrow to string, firing at the fighter even as he crouches next to one of the chairs. The projectile flies true, embedding itself deeply in Grent's shoulder.
Stuck at the back of the group, Taelreth begins singing, her words carrying tendrils of arcane power to her allies and strengthening their sword arms.
Kazadarin moves along the East wall then follows the south wall to stand 10 foot from the man and fires his bow.
Bow Attack:
Akari looks around at his companions checking for any obvious signs of wounds. He calls out, "Give up and come along quietly, Vankaskerkin. We are agents of the crown."
In case needed...
Channel Energy:
Cure Light Wounds:
Crux casts Magic Missile
Grent moves across the room to Vankaskerkin. "You're not going to get a chance to make a shot like that again," Grent growls.
Taelreth begins to sing as Grent and Kazadarin advance into the room and their opponent. Despite the bard's support, Kaz's arrow fails to find its target, Grent however, manages to strike the archer across the face with his shield. Meanwhile, Crux takes up a position next to the door and launches a mote of arcane energy that streaks into the room and strikes Vankaskerkin in the chest.
Akari ducks through the door and sprints the short distance to Grent. Laying a hand on the injured fighter's shoulder, the oracle channels healing energies into the man's injured framw.
Blood runs down Vankaskerkin's face as he spits at Grent. "Don't need my bow, to take you out." Dropping the weapon, he draws out a spear and thrusts upward; the spear snags against the links of Grent's chain shirt, but the force of the strike is still enough penetrate the armor.
"Maybe not, but you're still going to need a lot more than that." Grent says, trying not to show how hurt he is. This guy's good... He punches forward with his shield, trying to find an opening to catch him with the knife in his other hand.
Whispering a quick prayer to Pharasma to stay her hand, and to Saranrae to sustain life, the Shoanti again touches his companion. The recently pierced flesh knits together and the blood stops it's flow.
Kazadarin Drops his bow and quickly draws his falchion and advances on the ex guard.
Damage:
Crit Damage If Hit:
Taelreth continues singing, moving 10 feet into the room and drawing her sword as she does so.
"You can still surrender Vankaskerkin. The field marshall wants to talk to you."
Crux holds his action this round.
Grent brings both his weapons to bear against Vankaskerkin, but the archer manages to time his movements to avoid both attacks. In doing so, however, he neglects to account for Kazadarin's presence. Quickly advancing and drawing his falchion, the ranger slices down the former guardsman's side.
Tael advances into the room as Crux offers Vankaskerkin the opportunity to surrender. "The Field Marshall wants to talk? Since when are assassins charged with delivering messages?" Cornered and surrounded, Vankaskerkin once again strikes out with his spear, even as Akari continues to call on divine power to heal Grent's wounds. However, this time the weapon fails to find flesh, and Grent's wounds close fully.
"You and your men attacked us! We are agents of the crown, not assassins, you fool!" Taelreth calls out, hoping to convince Vancaskerkin to stand down.
Diplomacy or Intimidate
Assuming Vancaskerkin continues to fight, Taelreth jumps up on the table and strikes at him with the hilt of her sword.
Acrobatics
Longsword to hit (+1 high ground, -4 nonlethal strike)
damage
Akari chuckles. "If we were assassins, you and your men would be dead and you wouldn't even know who killed you. Drop your weapon, and come along quietly. Maybe Kroft will let you off easy if you come willingly."
[ooc]Diplomacy:
Apart from speaking and trying to talk Vankaskerkin down, Akari holds his action.
Surrender or die!
Power Attack
Attack:
Damage:
Grent feels the spear knock all the wind out of him, but mentally thanks Pharasma that it couldn't pierce his armor. "This needs to end now, Vankaskerkin. Drop the spear," he says, preparing his shield for a counter-attack should it come.
Crit confirm:
Tael leaps onto the table and attempts to take Vankaskerkin out of the fight, but misses. Grent demands an end to the fighting even as Kazadarin's blade once again cuts into its target. Vankaskerkin's spear clatters to the ground as the man slumps against the wall, unconscious and bleeding.