István, Sonata:[sblock]Turning to catch a better glimpse of the guardsmen, István made out a half-dozen figures; some holding lanterns, others with their hands at their waists, presumably on the hilts of their weapons. Longswords seemed to be the standard armament, although one carried an odd pole-like device outfitted with a pair of circular jaws at the end. They were uniformly clad in bright red breastplate, and one -- the officer who had called out a moment earlier -- bore impressive, sweeping spikes on his epaulets.
There was a seventh figure present; the tiefling innkeeper who gestured animatedly at the ruined door of the boarding house as she conversed with the apparent leader of the squad.
With a short series of succinct orders, the spike-shouldered guardsman sent two of his officers to circle around the perimeter of the building, while he and the rest of the squad warily entered the building.[/sblock]
Pierce Spinecrusher said:
"Your life is mine, softskin. Leave quickly, and know you had undeserved mercy this day."
Without missing a beat, the thug bolted out of the room and around the corner, toward the stairs.
A brief second later, he abruptly changed his mind, crossing in front of the guest room's doorway again and heading in the
opposite direction, away from the stairs and toward the innkeeper's room.
A moment after that, the same booming voice that had called out earlier now rang from within the downstairs common room.
"You, upstairs! Come down with your hands empty -- carefully, now!"
[/sblock]
