NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 8199829" data-attributes="member: 2012">"You may be surprised what justice looks like in this city, off-worlder," Solomon says defiantly. "I will accept whatever fate The Five deem is required of my so called crimes. But only the Sufferer can truly judge me." The man's devotion to the Dark Savior is resolute and unnerving.Solomon can do nothing but brood in silence.Tuck immediately notices that the gate stands open and that there aren't any guards stationed at it. That is not normal at all. Even if there was a changing of the guard, someone would be on duty. The adjoining towers are locked tight and the small guard post is empty. It appears as if someone was in the post recently, but it currently stands empty. Cooked food has been left out on a small table; it is still warm. It is either a real dereliction of duty or someone has been paid off to leave the guard post empty.Beyond the Gate of Scales is the Mayor's Ward. The walled compound of the Estate of the Lord Mayor sits in the center of the ward. At the southern end of the ward is the walled Dragori Embassy. Two dragori guards stand on duty and are on high alert. While they obviously heard the battle, their duty to their people's embassy is their only concern. They do not see Tuck hiding in the shadows.At the north end of the ward is the walled off Old City Rift, which many of the older noble families call Vetus Odium Urbe. Tuck knows there is an important guard post near it called Riftwatch. Just west of that is Lady Pomander's estate. Near the eastern edge of the ward is another noble estate. The kobold urban ranger can't remember the name of the family off the top of his head, but he knows they are considered important when it comes to the Adamantine trade.The Mayor's Ward is busy with activity towards the north and east, but it seems that many who heard the battle near the Gate of Scales are still hiding inside their homes. The Southeast Tower of the Palace looms over Tuck and the unguarded gate. Tuck knows the escaped mercenary came through here, but if he's hiding somewhere in the ward, it will take some effort to find him. More likely, he ran off through either the Masque Arch to the southeast or the Rift Arch to the northeast. It's very unlikely that he'd get through the Iron Gate near Riftwatch.After several minutes of observation, Tuck hears bootsteps of a troop marching towards the Masque Arch. They aren't trying to be stealthy at all. The walls of the deceased Lord Mayor's estate block Tuck's view of them, but he can hear them.Akos quickly discovers that there isn't anything he can do for Odhran. The man is dead; his soul long gone. Mariana has covered the man with his cloak, and kneels next to him. "How am I ever going to tell her? They've been married for less than a year. Serafina is going to be heartbroken." She says these words not to Akos but the air above her fallen friend.Of the other Regulars, only Roland is hurt badly, and the Loremaster's previous healing magic has stabilized the man's wounds. Vinccenzo has a deep dagger wound, and the Sectarian Guard thanks Akos for his aid."We will watch him," Roland replies. He and Herleva take charge of the doppleganger. They re-manacle him, properly, and tie him up tightly. "Someone will have to carry him, or we can call for a wagon." Roland looks at the other prisoners, as Tim leads the cleric back to the scene of the fight. "Yes, we're going to need a wagon."Akos finds that most of the unconscious mercenaries are either near death or dead already. Their leader, Castañon, is hanging on by a thread by the time Akos looks at him. One of the other Rising Swords is easier to stabilize, but the third is bleeding out when Akos reaches him. It will be near impossible to save him.OOC: See the end of the post.Even with Akos' considerable skills, Brychan is already dead before the loremaster can get to him."I am like him," Narzissa replies as Akos tends to her wounds. "I was once an Elite, although I wasn't as respected... as he was. I was charged with a crime that I didn't commit, but it didn't matter. The magistrate was paid off and my barrister was incompetent. I wish I could say my case was as clear an injustice as Brychan's..."With the battle over, the frightening citizens begin to come out of their homes. Once they see that the guards and heroes have the mercenaries under control, a ring of people, young and old, forms around the scene. The people stay back, but watch with morbid curiosity. The crowd parts as Tim arrives and many of them gasp when they see Solomon."A Dissenter of the Hidden God!" A noblewoman exclaims before fainting into the hands of her fellow citizens. A fearful murmur rises in the crowd. Someone shouts, "Kill him now!""Stay back!" Vinccenzo orders. "There will be no trial by mob, today, or any other day!"The murmur becomes a whisper, but the people refuse to leave. They listen and watch intently."We were comrades in the Elites and I helped recruit him into the Swords. But we weren't lovers." She shakes here head. "I just hate that he threw his life away. There was no need for it. All for the sake of a dishonor that he'd never of gotten back! Lord Vandewiele, that bastard, would have made sure of that!""Lord Maxim Vandewiele is one Bluffside's greatest citizens," an onlooker shouts. "Do not besmirch his good name!"She shakes her head. "You see, what chance did Brychan have against this sort of public opinion. A powerful lord sets him up for a murder he didn't commit, has Brychan ostracized from the city, and then seduces his young wife and makes her his mistress."The crowd gasps at the woman's words, outraged."You said his name was Brychan," Herleva says. "You mean Sir Brychan Yarwood?"Narzissa nods."And you're Narzissa Lexer, aren't you?""Yes."The whispering in the crowd turns to gossiping.The halfling Regular Sergeant shakes her head. "You two should not have tried to come back here. You were both ostracized, and now he lies dead, and your life is going to be forfeit.""Members of the Rising Swords don't get to choose their assignments," says the other mercenary who surrendered, Mambru. "They didn't have a choice. It was a test of loyalty to the company.""So, your leaders sent you to your death," Roland notes."Only if we failed," Narzissa replies. "Even Valentin will be hunted down and punished for fleeing. Cowardice and surrender goes against the codes of the Rising Swords. One must be prepared to die on your feet with a sword in your hand and blood on the ground.""Death before life," Mambru says. "Silvers for the Keeper."Narzissa nods. She pulls out two silver coins and places them on Brychan's eyes. "Pay the toll and fight in the Halls of the Bloody Sword, my friend."Both of the Rising Swords keep their heads bowed as the crowd looks on, unsure of how to react to what they've witnessed.[OOC]Okay, so Brychan died before the combat ended. Akos couldn't have healed him, even with magic.Narzissa's wounds are very bad. She will need time to recover but wasn't in danger of dying. Mambru's wounds were less severe. He choose his life over his loyalty to the Risings Swords. Solomon's are similar to Mambru's.Since Akos tends to the guards first, Castañon dies before the loremaster can get to him. Another one of the mercenaries is at death's door once Akos gets to him. Neurotic, roll another Heal check (DC 25) for Akos to realize that he has mere moments to save the man.[/OOC]</blockquote>

Verification