Shackled City - Chapter I

Nodding to the half-orc female, Zeric felt better hearing that there was no ill will from the young woman.

"A sound plan, but this time please feel free to let us know if we have unwanted company approaching."

Raven

Raven smiles at Zeric, then silently slips again into the darkness before the sleepers awake.

Alinis takes charge of the other thug, smiling pleasantly as he stirs. "Wakey, wakey..." as he glares at her, she grins again. "Now then. Here are the rules. Behave. If you don't behave, I will become unhappy. And you really, really don't want me to become unhappy." she told the thug as she hauled him to his feet. "Now, be good and come along quietly." she said, shoving him in front her, following Zeric.

“heee.. hold on where are we going, where are you taking those man?”
Gathering him self up from the pavement Elyas follows the groups out of the alley.

Elyas walk next to the thug lead by Alinis, and start to address the thug in a torrent of words.
“I’m sorry I hoop we didn’t hurt you to much, ……heee how did you like my trick? I really startled you guys back there, did they look real? I have not seen the city watch up close so I wasn’t to sure about the uniforms.”
“Don’t worry about the lady back there I’m sure she doesn’t mean to harm you, why did you attack that big man? And what was this about orphans?"

Looking at the groggy and unresponsive man, Elyas walks in step with Alinis.
“Hi. I’m Elyas, you’re a very good fighter, where did you learn to handle your self like that? We are not going to harm these men are we?”

Elyas looks at the elf and sees the coffee stain on the front of her dress.
“Ooo, I’m sorry did I do that? I’m really sorry, I’ll have it out in no time.”

(use Prestidigitation to remove coffee stain)

Alinis smiled at the half-elf, obviously clerk born and bred. "I learned how to fight from both my parents and those who would teach me on the road to this place. And that illusion was a very neat trick. It probably kept the loss of life to a minimum."

She looked at her bow arm, during the time she had bound the man securely, she had stopped the flow of blood with what bandages she had on her and had also retrieved her own discarded weapons.

"No. I don't believe we will personally harm them further unless they decide to misbehave. This Zeric person's superiors however might have other ideas," Alinis shrugged. "Not our problem though, or at least, not mine. Anyone who would send four men against one, does not have my good will,"

She blinks as the coffee stain disappears and chuckles, more as a release of pent up energy then anything else. "Thank you," she adds.

Upon closer examination Kiyoshi is able to determine the thug is still alive, just unconscious. Using his healing ability he is able to ensure the man's safety. He'll be fine, but have one hell of a headache when he wakes up.

The thugs keep their heads down and their mouths closed throughout the entire trip to the temple. The church of St. Cuthbert, its white marble walls suffused with veins of vivid blue, stands in stark contrast to the buildings of bare black stone that flank it on the north end of Obsidian Avenue. A pair of white marble statues depicting armored warriors stand on either side of the temple's heavy oaken door. Each of the statues raises a great mace to the darkening sky. Above the door's marble architrave are boldly inscribed the following words in common: WITHIN LAW LIVES HOPE.

You are greeted by a young acolyte, known to Zeric as Ruphus, as you enter the church. The man regards the bound thugs with a nervous glance but appears to dismiss them from his mind as his eyes come to rest on Zeric. "I will get Priestess Urikas," he says quickly, not letting his eyes stir in the general area of the ex-Hextorite. He turns on his heels and heads out of the room, hastily adding these words as he disappears through a side door, "Help yourself to some hot tea if you like. There are also some blankets in the wardrobe over there, in case you wish to dry yourselves."

Orpheus lets his appointed thug sit himself on the ground while he holds his side and admires the architecture.
"Humans never could master the art..." he says to the room in general, his head inclined, and eyes critical.

Raven

Raven slips in at the rear, raising the hood of her cloak to hide her features, although she smiles briefly at the party before covering her face.

As Ruphus' eyes refused to meet his, Zeric was torn between the urge to smirk at the acolyte and to simply give up and accept the fact that none would truly believe that he was no follower of the tyrant god.

~They found me more dead than alive and branded like I was cattle, placed spells of truth around me to question me, but still I am treated as if I carry the plague...why do I still bother...~

As Raven went to cover her face, Zeric's hand reached out and stopped her, gently but firmly.

"St Cuthbert's followers will not judge you on the blood that flows through your veins, but by your actions and strength of will. When Priestess Urikas comes, speak openly and honest with her and all will be well."

~May they accept her better than they have me...~

Zeric walked over to the brigands and slid their gags down to around their neck.

"I am only going to ask nicely once before I let the priests use their magics on you to get the truth, and trust me, they will enspell you to make sure you comply. Who sent you to attack me and why? What has a home for children have to do with the likes of yourself?"

(OOC: Intimidate +6 to see if I can crack one of these eggs..)

Alinis smiles down at the thug, a bit too cheerfully, playing on the fact that she is probably very alien to the human. Not to mention tall and maybe a bit frightening. But she doesn't say anything, letting Zeric do the talking. She figures she's just there for additional scare factor.

I should learn from this man. Being able to intimidate people might come in handy on occasion back home. And I really, really don't like anyone who would threaten orphans. They have enough problems to deal with, she thinks dryly.