Eli almost draws his sword but then decides he can do more good trying to help Rowena. He goes to her side and will guide her away from danger, if he can.
Eli almost draws his sword but then decides he can do more good trying to help Rowena. He goes to her side and will guide her away from danger, if he can.
OOC: Correct, it's enough to smart and maybe raise concerns over how much longer you can stand this sort of thing, but you are still fully functional.Originally posted by choie
Arewe scans quickly for rooftop archers, sees none, and draws her sword. OOC: The buckler she has on her left forearm is already available and in effect as long as she is not shooting
Rowena, hearing Eli urging her to get out of the trap she is in, rather wisely does so, having to shove her way past the bulky form of the druid just behind her but able to manage it with his active cooperation. [occ]If you do nothing but retreat on your turn, the enemy don't normally get a free hit at you as you go, whereas if you aimed to move normally and then do something else that turn then they do.[/ooc]
Beecher takes a snap shot at the poorly-seen and part-concealed figure in the doorway to his right (as he sees it on turning around) but his shot caroms off the door-frame and disappears further up the Shambles back the way you came, apparently hitting nothing.
Having had to wait for Rowena to move before he could get at anyone, Gade steps forward into the space she left and swats at the same thug that Beecher shot at a moment before. The cramped quarters don't help and his staff connects mainly with the sacking, its cushioned impact having no apparent effect on the man behind.
As Tom incants and gestures strangely, the thugs both attempt to interrupt him if they can, and one of them comes close enough to pass his sword through the hobbit's unkempt mop of curls, but no closer... for which he can thank the fact that he too has the protection of the door-jamb, making him a more difficult target than they would have liked. A glowing magic missile briefly lights the gloomy Shambles and strikes home OOC: for 4 points of damage. Neither cover nor concealment have much effect on magic missile as long as you can see the target at all!
Eli bravely puts himself between Rowena and danger, hoping to cover Gade's back in case of fresh opposition.
The two assailants try to pincer Gade as they did Rowena a moment ago. Distracted by the two enemies teaming up on him, Gade is able to block only one, while the other stabs him OOC: 8 points of damage. These lowlife seem to have the same sneak attack ability that Eli does, which grants them extra damage dice in certain circumstances... such as having a foe directly between them. However, one of them gives a strange-sounding whistle and each of them retires into the house behind their respective doorways. This gives Gade the opportunity to clout one of them with his staff, and he doesn't waste it, driving six feet of sturdy oak between the shoulder-blades of the vile assailant... as it happens, the one that Tom shot with his spell. In the dim light of the interior it is difficult to see what happens, but Gade hears a thud and a crash.
Librarians rule, Oook
Arewe will hurry into the doorway that Gabe is not facing and look for an opponent to hit with her sword.
If Tom can see an opponent, he will Magic Missile them.
If not, he will try to protect Rowena, and offer her a Potion of Healing so she can quickly Cure herself.
When Eli is sure that Rowena is out of harm's way, he will draw his sword and move to support Arewe.
Beecher will look for a target of opportunity and continue to try and precisely shoot one.
Rowena thanks Tom for his help as gratefully but quickly as she can, then pulls out her long sword. Far from proficient with this weapon, which isn't helped by the pain in her side, she's still aware that a bow and arrow would be almost humorously inappropriate.
Still indignant about having been stabbed for no reason, she turns in the general direction of any of the attackers left. How many seem to be surrounding them, if any remain? If so, she raises a ringing, theatrical voice to be heard above the grunts and clashing:
"Put up your weapons! We are but travelers and have no quarrel with you! Who are you and what do you gain from attacking us unprovoked? Let us pass!"
Alternately, if there are no attackers left--or if she can do so after speaking--Rowena tries to get to the attacker felled by Gade and Tom so she can better see if he's conscious/unconscious, dead, trying to get up, etc.
Last edited by choie; 08 Jan 2022 at 01:39 PM. Reason: Her sword's long, not short.
Tom admires Rowena's spirit, but insists she drink the Healing Potion immediately!
He also mutters to her "We are trying to bring villains to justice, so it's a bit cheeky to call ourselves 'travellers'"
OOC: Will Rowena take the potion or does she actually want to see if her newly-awoken powers do work on herself?
Librarians rule, Oook
OOC: Sorry, I blipped over Tom's having offered the potion! No, let's see if she can dare try it on herself.
Rowena looks down at the potion proffered by Tom. Her hands tingle with the memory of having helped her friend earlier. "Um... maybe... later? It's not so very bad," she finishes lamely, covering the torn and slightly blood-stained blouse above her waist.
Then, on more secure footing, she adds quietly, "'Course we're after them, or likely their mates. But Hobbits know the value of a strategic lie, don't they? I can be quite convincing. You'd be surprised."
If she can do so when attention is off her, she'll place a free hand on the wound--which isn't at all serious but even a grazing stab still hurts--and try to... think... healthy thoughts? Truth is, she doesn't know what she's doing.
This is absurd, how would this even work? Is this just supposed to knit the thing up like a torn stocking? A comparison that's only hypothetical to Rowena, since her clumsy fingers never held a needle that didn't jab her more than the material it was meant to sew.
Words unbidden come to Rowena's lips and she sings them out loud, not quite conscious of what she is doing and momentarily taken aback when she realizes those around her are looking at her strangely (although Tom Gamgee has a fair inkling of what just happened). The pain in her stab wound lessens and the slight bleeding ceases. OOC: 5 hp regained
The grunts and clashing have ceased for the present, and Beecher's keen eyes sweep the crowded rooftops and find no archers there. Equally, Arewe looks into the doorway (having to squeeze past Gade to do so) and finds no-one there. A small unkempt room, almost completely dark, offers few clues save the door ajar on its far side.
Gade utters a few words in a strange tongue and the top end of his oaken staff flickers into pale smokeless flame which seems not to consume it, but provides more than enough illumination to see clearly into the house where his injured assailant fled. A wooden chair lies on the floor where it has apparently been crashed into and almost tripped over, and beyond, the druid is just able to catch a glimpse of someone leaving through the rear door, limping a little. A strange design on the fugitive's cloak catches his eye: a stylised wolf's head rendered in pale blue. The wearer, in the second or so in which Gade is able to see him clearly, looks "more than half a goblin", as they might say in the Shire.
Librarians rule, Oook
Eli, sword in hand, will quietly follow the fugitive in the cloak.
Tom will signal the party to carefully follow our scout, organising an order of Eli, Beecher (bow shots over Eli's head!), Gabe (for the light + melee), Tom (spells), Rowena (Bard stuff) and Arewe (rearguard.)
As the party set off, Tom whispers to Rowena "nice heal - do you want to hang on to the curing potion?"
Arewe is happy to guard the rear as the party may be in for combat in a confined area.
She will keep her sword + buckler ready (unless her surroundings open up, when she will switch to her bow.)
Hearing Tom only vaguely, Rowena actually looks around for a second or two, under the foolish apprehension that someone or something has just possessed her. Or maybe she's gone mad altogether.
When she musters her wits she murmurs a "yes please" to Tom for his kindness and takes the potion, almost dropping it in her trembling hands before putting it in her pack. *
She's none too sure of the layout of this place, so just follows the others, both hands again clutching her sword hilt. She asks Gade for a better description of the emblem on the cloak, not very confident that her Knowledge (either local or history) might divine some meaning from its mystery. Gade is far more likely to understand such symbols, and he doesn't seem to recognize it.
OOC: * If potions are carried in something with a top/lid? Are they bottles, vials, what?
Beecher swiftly takes his position in the line and keeps alert for ambushes.
While Rowena doesn't recognise the emblem as anything current to Dale, her heart gives a sharp thump as the phrase "the sky-blue wolves are in the fold" suddenly resonates in her memory.
OOC: Potions are carried in small vials, like a miniature of rum - usually with a stopper designed to be loosened easily when the possessor wants to drink it. They could be tucked in a belt pouch or the folds of a sash, although if you have more than one or two to carry you would prefer the security of a backpack. A valuable - but at your level very expensive - piece of luggage called a handy haversack usefully puts whatever you wanted to pull out right under your hand when you randomly grab from it.
Led by Eli, the party scurry through the little house (whose occupants appear to have taken cover elsewhere, perhaps upstairs) and out through the back door. The back alleys here seem to be even more mazy and confusing than the Shambles proper, but Eli glimpses a running figure ducking around a corner a little way ahead.
Librarians rule, Oook
Trying to be quiet, swift and reasonably careful, Eli gives chase. Upon reaching the corner, he makes a somewhat wide turn so as not to be within arm's (or sword's) reach of whoever may be waiting right there.
Startled by her own thoughts, Rowena trips a little while running when the curious but familiar phrase springs to mind. Back when they were hunting the missing ram, Eli had mentioned wolves, and sky blue... what exactly had he heard? Her gaze darts ahead, but Eli is too distant. Her legs might be longer than his, but she cannot approach his speed.
"Tom," she says, much closer to the other Hobbit. "Didn't Eli describe that man-orc thing--from back in the cave, I mean--as wearing a robe like that? And he mentioned wolves too." She doesn't mention the specific phrase she just conjured from who-knows-where, since she's not entirely sure she can trust her mind right now. Just how much cider did she drink?
OOC: If Rowena digs deeper into her memory, would she be able to trace that specific phrase? Or is this a reference to what Eli told them?
Tom thinks back (whilst keeping alert!) and replies "In the orc caves Eli saw a yellowish-brown Man (a Wizard?) in a pale blue robe who said something about sending greetings to the Grey Wolf from the Sky-Blue..."
As Eli cautiously makes the turn, he sees no ambush waiting but has dropped back a yard or two in the process. He is still able to mark where the fugitive goes as he crashes through the half-open door of one of the less attractive properties in town. This is done in enough haste that his cloak catches on the door-latch, and he evidently has to shrug it off and leave it behind rather than risk the pursuers gaining ground while he retrieves it.
From inside the house there is a chorus of yells, and as Eli reaches the open doorway he sees a smallish room, rather crowded by the five Men who seem to be picking up the remains of a table and some drinking vessels knocked over by the runaway. One of them holds up a warning hand as if to discourage further intruders, although he seems a little unsteady on his feet. There is a strong smell on the air of spilled ale and cheap pipe-weed. Also present is a fair-sized dog, apparently undecided between growling at the strange Hobbit and wagging his tail.
Librarians rule, Oook
Eli stops in the doorway. Does he see the person he was chasing among the five Men?
Tom assesses the combination of Eli in the doorway and the fugitive's cloak stuck on the door as marking a potential combat. He tries to get into position to cast into the room - without blocking our Fighters.
Arewe will try to co-ordinate with Eli, Beecher and Gabe. As she is at the rear, she will be alert to any attacks from behind or above (and thus switch to bow.)
Nobody seems to be starting a fight here. There is an open door on the far side of the room, leading back onto a narrow street, and one or two of the Men looking in annoyance in that direction. The dog continues to wag its tail uncertainly, then one of the Men snaps his fingers as though to call it to order. Instead it approaches you and sniffs each of you in turn, especially fond it seems of Tom and Gade, and its tail wags with much more enthusiasm over those two than the rest of you.
Gade chuckles "Friendly little fellow!" and recites something in a language you don't understand. The dog and he exchange a few whimpers, seemingly to the satisfaction of both of them.
Librarians rule, Oook
"Hello, gentlemen, and please pardon me cutting through," Eli says, heading towards the open door on the far side of the room.
Rowena watches, a slight wrinkle above her nose as she tries to figure out the curious dynamics in the room. From the strangers' perspective, they've all been witness to a chase that has one party vanishing while the other has abruptly stopped in their... home? Gathering place? Yet the only person in conversation is Gade. With a dog.
At least Eli has apologized for our barging in, Ro thinks. As she looks around to find whichever Man seems most friendly--or rather, least unfriendly--she edges over to reach for the jettisoned cloak.
"Yes, excuse us, gents," she says, with a bright but apologetic smile. "We were just attacked by those brutes who just passed through your door." Her hand automatically reaches for the site of the now-healed injury, which is when she realizes that whatever strange healing...thing...just happened to her, it doesn't extend to fixing clothing. The tear in her dress's middle reveals a little more skin than expected.
Though not hugely modest, she's not exactly comfortable with showing her midriff to a bunch of strange men. She abruptly pulls the ripped edges together. "Um... yeah, so... sorry to do the same, but they hurt a friend of mine, and we need to find out why. You don't happen to have recognized any of them, do you? Or--"
She holds up the cloak, looking for anything of interest other than the wolf insignia. "--Or this thing? Ever seen the like before?" At least I can wear it to cover myself, she thinks, and if she's able to, she'll drape it over her shoulders.
Tom nods approvingly at Rowena taking the cloak.
One of the Men, a little more sober than the rest, holds up a hand and looks a little crossly at the intruders, gesturing to Eli that he should stop where it is. "Now hold it right there," he says querulously. "It's bad enough when one rude stranger we don't know comes barging right through here and upsets our friendly little gathering, but we don't need half a dozen more! Why don't you go right back the way you came?"
Gade turns away from the dog, after the pair have whimpered away to each other for a while, and says "Friends, I feel that is only fair. We should apologise for our part in this intrusion, and not aggravate it further."
One of the seated Men looks as though he might have been about to say something to Rowena, but he gives a peculiar giggle and seems to think better of it, and no-one else has anything to say about her taking the cloak. Nor do they seem as if they want to say anything about the wolf insignia.
Librarians rule, Oook
"Please, sir, you don't understand--" Rowena's about to press the point in her most appealing, charismatic manner, but remembers she's not by herself. Quickly hiding a scowl, she turns to the others and sends a quick glance across Tom, Eli, Beecher, Arewe and Gade. And then the dog too, because why not?
Her words are exhaled in a rushed whisper. "If we truly must go back, so be it, but... if we can follow, perhaps we should? I bet I can get them to sleep. Or I can distract Sir Hostile over there by... well... I was taught how to keep a man preoccupied.*" She flushes, knowing how this probably sounds--and how dubious her claim must be given her bedraggled appearance--but either way, skills are skills.
"I could get his attention so you can rush out. Maybe I can talk to Giggles and get something useful. Of course Tom can probably just wave a hand and take care of 'em, or Beecher could knock 'em out, and... whatever you all think best. Dan is my friend, I know, and I don't want to endanger anyone, it's just..." She can hardly believe she's saying this, given her earlier reluctance, but then she touches her former wound and grimaces. "Blast it, that stab hurt. And dresses cost coppers I don't have. I don't want to let this go."
* Tsk tsk. Get your minds out of the gutter! She means via her Fascinate skill.
Eli stops as bidden, and says out of the side of his mouth to Rowena and his other friends, his eyes still on the Men in the room, "That's all right with me. Every passing second means our quarry gets farther away; I could take the long way 'round but suspect I would then not be able to catch up."
Tom sees the value in all the party's suggestions.
He reckons that Gade (having spoken to the dog) has slightly more information and so Tom recommends that the party retreat as requested - but with two ideas in mind:
- Tom whispers to Rowena "Quickly try to get information out of giggles"
- Beecher and Arewe could try to pick up the villain's trail once we have circled round to the other door
I think circling around and trying to pick up the trail again might be for the best.
With a nod, Rowena mutters to Eli, Arewe and Beecher: "Maybe you should start off now if you're taking the long route, and we'll catch up?"
Any charm she has won't come from her appearance, that's for sure. In sunlight her hair's a fiery gold, her hazel eyes shine a bright green-topaz, and her complexion seems smooth and even. Here? Now? Her hair's just yellow, eyes nondescript light brown, and freckles spray her nose and cheeks.
But Rowena's a Bard, and her master taught her to use her voice, not her unremarkable looks. She turns and kneels so that she's eye-to-eye with Giggles's seated form. "Sir, we'll heed your friend and go... but..." She gazes at him earnestly, her tone soothing, musical and confidential. "A gang attacked us, and I got stabbed and a friend beaten. That man was one of them. Please, do you know anything to help us? I'd be ever so grateful."
Eli nods briskly, turns on his heel, and runs outside and then around, trying to catch up with his quarry while still being reasonably careful going around corners.
Arewe nods at Rowena and swiftly follows Eli (also going wide round corners!)
Tom moves carefully back to the doorway and pauses there to make sure Rowena is safe.
Beecher is 4' behind Eli. Once we get to the back and see if things are clear. Tracking time.
As Giggles is unforthcoming, there seems nothing for it but for Rowena to quickly catch up with the rest of the group. As she does so, though, Gade beckons urgently to her. "I had Speak with Animals loaded today. The waggy dog in there? I asked him what he was so excited about and he said 'I can smell the special dust on you and the hairyfoot, the one with the big stick. When I smell it and wag my tail, my men give me treats!'. As he seemed friendly and I had time for another question, I asked whether he had smelled it before and he said 'Yes, in a big shed by the lake. Everything smells of fish there, but I smelled lots of dust too.' "
"I didn't dare say a word while we were in there, but I don't think it's coincidence that our fugitive ran that way. And maybe we've something else to look at if we don't catch up with this bunch."
Librarians rule, Oook
Rowena nods and follows. When she sees Tom she tells him what Gade said. Maybe he knows what 'dust' he has in common with Gade.
Tom considers what Rowena has reported. As Tom has a Staff, it is surely him the dog was referring to.
However the only thing that Tom knows that he has in common with Gade is spell-casting. But if that is what 'dust' means, why doesn't Rowena herself count?
Tom suggests that he and Rowena catch up with the trackers and get their opinion...
Arewe follows Eli, hoping that Beecher and Arewe can pick up the trail.
"Yes, I'll keep up." As Rowena runs, though, something starts to tickle her brain. She frowns, not in anger, but in effort to keep moving while simultaneously searching her memories of the group's experiences. First the Eagle, then that poor dead man in the clearing, followed by the plant-man thing, leading to the creepy house and that even creepier plant--
She stops in place and blurts: "Oh! The house!" After a quick think, the girl hurries back to Tom, trying to catch hold of his sleeve. "Tom! This might mean nothing, but... The dead man we first ran into--he had that weird coloring on his face? Then Eli found some yellow powder in that awful house*--y'know, with the--the man-plant."
She crinkles her nose again in thought. "He said he felt drawn by it...something like that, anyway...and left it alone. But didn't you take some with you? And give it to Gade?** I don't suppose... you think that could be the 'dust' he meant? The, um, dog, I mean?"
Her imagination's already concocting a tale involving a dog trying to protect its noble master from the seemingly innocent powder that turns out to be a bewitching spell of some kind.
With a quick shake of her head, she returns to the present. "It's probably not related," she admits, gasping for breath a bit while running-- "But I just thought... it might be. Assuming you both still have it?"
* see post 136
** see post 159
As the party has slowed to tracking speed, Tom is able to bring them up to date on Rowena's marvellous memory.
Tom has indeed kept a sample of the yellowish powder (which has a worryingly alluring scent) and also given Gabe some to analyse.
So the dog was able to smell which members of the party had this 'dust'.
Tom suggests that once we have dealt with the attempted ambush (either by capturing the attacker or losing his trail), the party return to that room and find out the significance of the powder/dust. (Why do the men reward the dog for finding it?!)
With some difficulty, the Rangers are able to pick up the trail of the fugitive once again, although they estimate they are now several minutes behind him or them. After carefully but quickly making their way through the Shambles, the six heroes find themselves at the edge of a slaughtering and meat-marketing facility that would have been very busy six hours ago but is now deserted... at least by its regular users. It is a low-roofed, largely open-plan building with timber pilings at regular intervals. In the shadows, an indeterminate number of man-sized figures can be occasionally glimpsed moving about. Whether any of these are Scarfaces or have anything to do with the ambushers from a few minutes ago is not immediately clear.
Librarians rule, Oook
Tom whispers thanks to the trackers - presumably it's going to be nigh impossible to follow the trail inside the building?
Rowena, distracted a little by embarrassment that Tom shared her theory with everyone--she's got a sinking suspicion it'll turn out to be a wrong guess entirely--takes a few moments to dart her gaze throughout the dark. Their surroundings are pretty repulsive both in sight and smell. And they bring her unease. If she were telling a ghoulish tale to scare listeners, this'd be the perfect setting. Wights could lurk behind the corpses of stable-mates, animating their own bones left over from the butchering to seek vengeance on those who wielded the knives.
Wait... can there be bovine wights? Rowena grimaces--not from the unpleasant thought, mind, but for the premise's lack of credibility from a story-weaving point of view. Then again, cattle are living creatures and might have spirits. And if there are barrow-wights lurking within the barrows, there could just as easily be slaughterhouse-wights...
Having lost her train of thought, she hears Tom's question to the others and jumps back to the present search. She doesn't know the correct answer, but continues to peer around their surroundings. Since there is a decent distance between her and the potentially dangerous strangers, she pulls out her bow and nocks an arrow. Now she is ready to hiss a warning to her party if someone objects to their presence, and to let an arrow fly if the objection turns to impending violence.
Eli will carefully advance and see if he can learn anything more.
Arewe will switch to melee weaponry and be on guard.
(If Eli wants support, Arewe will accompany him.)
Beecher will follow Eli at this point.
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