Shackled City - Chapter I

[Majin]

Elyas launches another bolt into the thug, wounding the man further. (2 damage) Alinis tries in vain to land a blow on the big man but is unable. Kiyoshi completes his spell and watches with satisfaction as the remaining thugs features droop slightly and their eyes close as they drop to the ground.

OoC: Do Zeric and Orpheus continue to attack the sleeping beauties?

 

[kirinke]

Alinis curses roundly as she misses, her voice turning to surprise as the thug in front of her drops soundlessly asleep. "Nice trick," she compliments the halfling, breathing heavily from the fight. "Thank you," she adds, remembering her manners.

 

[Verbatim]

As Zeric closed in on the man, he watched as the man's legs gave out underneath him, dropping him onto the wet alley street.

Turning quickly to see if his help was needed with the other attacker, Zeric saw that he also was downed and seemed to be sound asleep.

~What manner of trickery is this?~

Turning to face the newcomers in the street, Zeric kept his morningstar at the ready in case they were not as helpful as they wanted to appear.

"Thank you for your assistance this night. It is a surprise to see that sparks of light do exist in places of darkness. However, I do not have time to thank you properly, as I have to get word to Priestess Urikas on what has transpired this night."

Zeric looked down to the bodies of the sleeping men and then looked back to the strangers.

"I know that you all would rather return back to the inn to rest, but I would like a chance to speak to these two further. I would give you any coins and the gear they have on them if you could spare some further time to help escort them to the temple with me and guard them while I spoke to the priestess."

Zeric tried to gauge them all as he spoke for their body language, and while he doubted the halfling and the thin scribe in the back would accompany them, he hoped perhaps the dandy and the elvish female would, if for no other reason than any sword at ones throat often made men reconsider foolish thoughts.

 

[Manzanita]

Enter the Raven

From the blackness of the refuse-strewn ally behind Zeric, a figure silently emerges. Holding her hands slightly out, it is evident that she is holding no weapon. She pauses at the edge of the light, turning to look behind her, and revealing the generous curves of a tall woman in tight leather armor, a crossbow, mace and backpack strapped to her back. Coming closer, the light reveals her black hair, white teeth, and orcish features.

"I will come with you, if you heart is with the orphans."

 

[Verbatim]

Zeric backed up a few paces as the newcomer came up behind him, not wishing to be boxed in so soon after ending one fight.

"Forgive my lack of trust ma'am, but if you wish to help those who live at the orphanage, why did you let them ambush me and allow us to fight while you lurked in the shadows?"

Zeric tried to keep his tone civil, but could not help but think that if the stranger sought to help him, she could have offered a warning before the trio ganged up on him.

ooc: Welcome aboard Manz..

 

[Manzanita]

Raven

The woman continues to approach Zeric, slowly and with hands open & out to display her peaceful intent. Though standing several inches shorter than Zeric, she approaches quite close. Here, her face is clearly visible, displaying the long canines, the upturned nose, and the greyish skin of her orc parentage, yet her features are regular and symetrical and she is not unattractive. She is obviously quite young.

Once close, she speaks softly to him. "Not all who incur the wrath of the harlequins are worth defending. Particularly for those who value their own skin. But they mentioned the orphans. For the orphans, I would risk much."

 

[hippocrachus]

Fighting the urge to shove his sword in the sleeping thug's throat nearest him, Orpheus sheaths his sword and holds his side; listening to the bigger man with a dull expression.
"I'd rather throw them off the wharves," he says with no humor intended. "But if it pleases the gods to question them, I will help you..."
He starts to lift his attacker, none too gently, as the female half-orc pops out of the shadows. He sucks his teeth absent-mindedly as the bullocks reprimands her.
"What's done is done. If she offers her help, accept it graciously," he snaps while holding the thug in a standing position.
If she would have been anything besides a half-orc, he wouldn't question her, he thinks to himself derisively.

 

[kirinke]

Alinis frowns, eyes flicking towards the newcomer and the one they rescued. Some sort of business with an orphanage? she thinks. If these thugs are involved, it cannot be good.

"I will come. I might need the information if their compatriots decided to revenge themselves on me," she said dryly. "May I have your name good sir?" she asked. "Mine is Alinis,"
In any case, I might get a decent job out of this. One that pays well. She thinks hopefully.

 

[Jarval]

"A pleasure to help." Kiyoshi bows quickly to Alinis, glad to have been of assistance. "Do we know who these men are? And do those who were felled by weapons still live? I have the magic to keep them alive, if so.

"As for you, sir." Kiyoshi says, turning to face Zeric. "Do we look like bandits to you? Unless this land has strange laws indeed, we have no claims on any gold or goods these men might carry. We should instead turn them over to the proper authorities. But I am happy to help you escort them to this temple you speak of. If it is any distance, it may be advisable to restrain those who sleep. My spell will last for only a minute, perhaps less."

 

[Verbatim]

The woman continues to approach Zeric, slowly and with hands open & out to display her peaceful intent. Though standing several inches shorter than Zeric, she approaches quite close. Here, her face is clearly visible, displaying the long canines, the upturned nose, and the greyish skin of her orc parentage, yet her features are regular and symetrical and she is not unattractive. She is obviously quite young.

Once close, she speaks softly to him. "Not all who incur the wrath of the harlequins are worth defending. Particularly for those who value their own skin. But they mentioned the orphans. For the orphans, I would risk much."

Looking clearly at the young woman in front of him, Zeric wondered if she had once lived at the orphanage herself when she was younger, or could she simply be a viper in the midst, waiting to strike when she had her chance?

~I will keep my eye on her either way...shades and damnation...~

"If you wish to help the orphans, then come with us and speak to Priestess Urikas. I am sure the church will welcome all the help they can get..."

~Afterall, they have someone who they still think to follow Hextor in their midsts...May the black gloved bastard choke himself for all I care...~

As the dandy offered to slit the thug's throat, Zeric's opinion of the man began to rise until he snapped at him for questioning the girl's assistance.

"Accepting help blindly is good way to meet the gods sooner than you intended. Perhaps one who has only had those who cater to his every whim can afford that luxury, but I know I've learned to be cautious of whom I trust."

Looking down at the man-mountain, Zeric was leaning down to pick him up as the tall elf introduced herself as Alinis and asked for his name. Looking at her, Zeric wondered why she would even be curious, but knew that if he did not answer her, it would just raise more questions.

"I am Zeric, and the Priestess Urikas I speak of is a priestess of St Cuthbert. I am sure that if you speak to the priests, they will be more than willing to offer you lodging to keep any compatriots these three may have had away from you and your companions."

ooc:H, I am assuming that you were wearing nicer clothes than what Zeric is used to seeing on those he deals with on a day to day basis, hence the dandy comment in his head. I promise I'm not trying to just pick a fight for the sake of it..