[ Hecatomb 20th – Day 34 – part two]
Cross enters Fortune’s Wheel and finds his companions to warn them of a potential conflict. They quickly draw Killian over from his conversation with Verden and come up with an impromptu plan. They don’t want to fight in the tavern, as they frequent the establishment, so they decide to draw the fight outside. The three warriors will go outside to draw the attention of this group, while Killian and Kesdran will follow afterwards.
The two Doomguardsmen watch as their companions head out to the streets of the Lady’s Ward. They settle the tab and waste a minute before preparing to leave. As Kesdran and Killian move to the door, four cloaked individuals like Cross describe walk in through the front doors and directly towards them.
Outside, Cross, Tira and Quinn do not directly see any of the individuals Cross spoke of. They search around and see two heading off into a nearby alleyway. The trio quickens their pace, sliding weapons from their scabards and quivers. Rounding the corner, they spot their targets a few yards away. They have pulled back the hoods of their cloaks, revealing similar features they encountered at Orem’s warehouse. The one that strikes them most of all is a half-orc who also has the look: a certain darkness about the eyes, a thin nose. As they prepare their attack, Quinn notes that their moves seem very well-coordinated.
In Fortune’s Wheel, some of the cloaked individuals reveal their faces, which Killian recognizes. Kesdran isn’t sure about what will happen, but he soon follows Killian’s lead as he bares his sword and advances upon the four. Killian dodges out of the way as one of the attackers brings his sword down, then pivots to slash his backside. As Killian makes this move, another of his foes lays a hand on him and sends electricity coursing through his body.
Kesdran takes a few steps back as of the cloaked figures advances with a mace in hand. As he nears to attack, Kesdran unleashes an arc of flame that set his attacker on fire, as well as a nearby table and some of the chairs.
Outside, the two groups square off and advance upon one another. Quinn snorts and rushes the half-orc with his horns lowered. The half-orc, almost as tall as Quinn, lashes out with a hammer in an attempt to push Quinn to the side. He connects, but the minotaur has too much force to be swept aside. One of his horns gores into the half-orc’s stomach, sending him staggering backwards.
Tira tells Cross that they can handle these two, so Cross moves back to Fortune’s Wheel to see if he can assist their companions. The remaining attacker is slow to advance upon Tira, moving his hands in an odd pattern. Wielding her mithril spear, Tira leans forward and unsuccessfully tries to skewer her opponent. The spear clips his outfit, but fails to find flesh. With a chanted word, the attacker leans forward and strikes Tira across the face. Her vision blurs with the blow and quickly fades to blindness.
Cross runs into the bar, to find his companions locked in combat with four of these odd-looking men. Killian has his hands full, warding off the swordblows of one attacker, while the other launches spells at him. He sees Kesdran stepping away from one man that has been set afire, which another waits for an opportunity. Cross barrels into the mage near Killian, disrupting a spell that could have finished Killian. The two tumble in the floor, Cross using his greater strength to his advantage.
Killian deflects many jarring swordblows from his primary opponent. He has already taken another painful blast from the mage, and he’s begun to gauge his chances to flee from the bar. The swordsman swings towards Killian’s feet, but the dark elf dodges by flipping backwards to land on a table. The swordsman gapes at this feat, and the pause is all Killian needs. He leans forward, sending the table careening at his opponent’s feet. The man instinctively steps back and is unprepared for the assault as Killian buries his sword into his chest.
It takes everything Kesdran has to avoid the flailing arms of the man he set afire. He’s trying to prepare another spell, but to do so would leave him open and probably end with himself on fire as well. He feels his back come up against the bar and realizes that he must have moved in the wrong direction as the assailant rears up before him… and collapses, succumbing to the flames. He breathes a sigh of relief, and fails to see the remaining assailant levelling a crossbow at his head.
Quinn and the injured half-orc trade blows, Quinn with sharpened cestus and the half-orc with mailed gloves. Quinn develops a quick respect for his strength, but knows that his initial blow has weakened the half-orc. The two end up locking hands in an attempt to overpower the other. The struggle is great, each one pushing their muscles to the limit. Quinn powers forward, bringing his opponent to his knees, and finishes by kicking him into unconsciousness.
Tira slashes through the air, connecting with nothing. She knows that she could go beserk and swing everywhere without fear of breaking her new spear, but she does not want to hit Quinn in the process. She calms herself, recalling some of the instructions given to her by Orem. Instead of sight, she focuses on her hearing and sense of smell. She hears a quiet chuckle just to the right of her, so she pivots and slashes the man with the edge of her spear. She hears him grunt, and then the sounds of footsteps running away.
Back in the bar, Killian calls out to Kesdran to avoid his unseen enemy. Kesdran turns to look and sees the man but is too late. The man aims the crossbow directly between Kesdran’s eyes… and is encased in a billowing darkness. All three quickly turn to spot the source of the attack, and are dumbstruck. The wooden head and neck of the bar, for which the dragon bar is named, has animated and breathed forth the cloud of darkness. Kesdran moves, aiming to move from the targetted area. But the shot never comes. The darkness settles and still contricts around the remaining enemy, who quickly falls to the floor. The three of them are amazed at the event, and it appears that many of the bar’s patrons are in agreement.
Cross tells them that the other two were fighting outside, and soon all five are gathered together. Tira’s blindness remains, but for the most part the others are fine save for a few cuts and bruises. Word has spread fast within the bar, and patrons from other areas have come to see those barmy enough to launch an attack in the tavern. The Harmonium arrive in short order, as Fortune’s Wheel is not far from the Barracks where they make their headquarters. No one in the party notices as Cross slips out of the tavern just before the Harmonium officers appear.
