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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rune" data-source="post: 145486" data-attributes="member: 67">Session 2, part 2There are four men with the messenger, all large, and all armed with saps.  At least we know that murder is not their immediate aim.  Jared is encased in an amber shell, but Virian and Dexerion are quick to act.One of the men, a small, wiry man with a mustache, steps forward to strike at Virian, but the tall music-maker dodges the blow.  Another lands a heavy blow on Dexerion, nearly bringing the magician to his knees.  Virian takes a step back and dazes the messenger with a short song.Maialin has already shot a bolt from her crossbow, as I try to find an opening in the melee.  Her shot is wide, so she advances thirty feet to take her next shot.One of the men moves around to attack Dexerion, and brings the poor spellworker to the ground.I fire my bow, but my arrow skins my wrist as it flies from my bow, directing my shot to some unseen location.The first thug circles around the melee to reach a better position.Maialin closes to within eighty feet and reloads her crossbow, ducking out of site.A thug steps into Virian’s face and swings at the four-armed fop, but the blow is deftly avoided.I advance a few yards and fire another shot from my bow.  I miss, but ready another shot; we need to keep the ranged attacks coming, in order to distract the ambushers.The first thug advances upon Virian and swings his sap at the bard, but the man cannot hit our agile friend.  The second thug moves to flank and attack him.  He is also unsuccessful.  Virian responds by striking at the first attacker.  A high-pitched whistle follows the tall man’s staff.  Whoooooooooooom, THUD.The attacker never knew what hit him.  He is out cold.  Impressive.Maialin yells for help from the guard as she fires a bolt into the back of the shoulder of the messenger, but the well-dressed ruffian is able to shrug off the pain.  Moreover, this seems to shock him out of his stupor.He picks up the immobile Jared with the help of one of his allies, and carries my unfortunate friend away from us.  As they walk by, Virian stabs out with his singing staff.  Whaaaaaaah, THWUMP.  The messenger takes the blow, but the two thugs keep walking.  When they set Jared down, the messenger pulls a roll of papyrus from the folds of his clothing.  If that scrap of paper is what I think it is, we need to swiftly bring the man down.I move to within sixty feet and shoot another arrow.  Again, I miss.The wiry thug lunges at Virian and lands a telling blow, forcing the bard into unconsciousness.  Two allies down and one immobile.  Maialin and I are definitely in trouble.She loads her crossbow and fires again, her bolt striking the messenger in the back and spinning him around.  Still, he stands.  Understandably, he does not seem to be able to concentrate on his papyrus scroll.I advance to my fallen comrades and check to see if they are in danger of death.  They are unconscious, but in no immediate danger.Then, we hear one of the attackers exclaim in evident frustration, “The guards are here!  You’ve messed it all up!”  I look up and see that there are, indeed, two guards at the other end of the alley.  The guards call out for the ruffians to drop their weapons, and two comply, but the messenger turns and runs the other way.  Toward Maialin and myself.  I trip him as he attempts to run past and she steps onto his fallen form, the tip of her dagger resting at the small of his back.  She is almost silent as she speaks: “Release our friend from your spell, or suffer dire consequences.”  She is impressive in her cool wrath.When Jared is released from his bondage, he immediately and discreetly eats the filthy envelope bearing his name.I chat with the guards for a bit; they have natural questions regarding the circumstances of this attack.  As far as I can tell, we were robbed by ruffians for no real reason, other than simple greed.  They are curious why these attackers would try to kidnap one of our number, but I have no answer for them.  I supply them with my address and they tell me that I might expect a visit from them in the near future.  They are rightfully concerned over the number of fights that have broken out in the city over the last few days.  Why, just yesterday, someone down at the docks had been asking incoherent questions and assaulting passersby.  What is this world coming to?</blockquote>

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