"If you surrender now, I will let you keep your testicles.  Ergothian's honor."

Julian waved his short swords around a little to emphasize their cutting power when he saw Gabriel fumbling a bit with his sword.  He gave a muttered and terse, "Fine, fine, okay, I get it," before looking past his unarmed opponent at nothing.

"LOOK OUT!"

Then he stabbed his opponent with both swords.  The flash of an idea - a merchant, cleaning out his eaves for the approaching Spring, happens upon a man's severed dangly bits - made him roll his eyes at the absurdity of it all and actually attempt to kill his opponent in as gruesome a manner as possible.  Every merchant needs a story about their eaves, I guess.

That one attack was a pathetic wavering poke that an old fish could dodge didn't bother him - the second looked true enough.


[Private to GM:

Attempting an effect similar to Distract Assailant (Spell Compendium, 1st level Sorcerer spell): WILL save or be distracted as a Swift action.


21:01, Today: Julian Uth Argus rolled 15 using 1d20+1.
21:01, Today: Julian Uth Argus rolled 3 using 1d20+1. Short Sword.
 - these rolls should be @ -1, not +1
 - hits AC 13 and a miss.  Damnity.

21:01, Today: Julian Uth Argus rolled 4,5 using 1d6,1d6.
21:01, Today: Julian Uth Argus rolled 1,6 using 1d6,1d6. Damage.
 - the second d6 on each roll is for Sneak Attack, if the spell is successful.]

Enraged that his first attack did not hit purchase Gabriel draws his Glaive leaving his sword on the ground and swings with fury attempting to take out as many ruffians as he can.

Entering rage. Power attack for -2.
17:11, Today: Gabriel Uth Argus rolled 16 using 1d20+6. power attack for -2.
17:11, Today: Gabriel Uth Argus rolled 18 using 1d10+13. damage.

AC goes to 15

HP go to 28

I can cleave if I manage to down an opponent.

Julian cast a spell that distracted his attacker long enough for Julian to make his move, taking the human down.

Gabriel drew his glaive and with a swift stroke he brought down first one of them and with the backswing he brought down another.

With his second knife attack, Digorye brought down his first ruffian. Regan drew and threw another small weapon, but this time he missed. Dove reversed her luck too and brought one of them down with a quick thrust of her blade. Gina punched one of the others whose head hit the wall and he slid down it.

The remaining two ruffians ran away.

Gabriel put his glaice back in place and leaned down to grab his blade. He called up to Julian so they could get moving "Julian, get down here and search these men." He was sure the cad would partake of the mens coin purses, that is unless he found some maidens window to peep through.

"Right-o.  I'll be right there..."

He stared off in the distance at something and nodded appreciatively, muttering to himself as he gathered his fallen foe's weapons and kicked him off the roof.  He came back to the ground with a light step.  "She must work out..."

It seemed that they were going to engage in some righteous pilfering!  Such a thing lightened his mood and made him ignore the man he'd just stabbed to death.  The thought made him check out the dead man's boots: Julian liked a good pair of boots.

The two cousins started rummaging through the ruffians' stuff and found a few bits and pieces.

Looking at them Regan shook his head. "This is not what I expected" he said. "I thought this was going to be an epic adventure that topped what our grandparents did. But it is not. It is better if I go back to where I am needed."

[I've listed what you found in the Treasure thread.]

Gabriel wasn't surprised to see Regan leave. He had no idea why he had come anyways. Gabriel turned to Julian and the others "Let's go and find Marcus, he must be done with his punishment by now." Gabriel said.

After silently watching Regan walk away, Julian cleared his head and cheerfully assented to meeting up with Marcus.  He felt strangely compelled to not stop Regan from leaving and Gabriel caught his attention raptly.  "Marcus will be done with luck, anyway - the Knights are renowned for their amazing ability to spot flaws in their peers and subordinates.  They may have already executed him for something."

He whistled a nameless tune that was catchy and just shy of annoying and followed Gabriel's lead, content to jingle the coins and weapons of the dead men in his pack.

Regan having left them without challenge, Digorye followed his cousins Gabriel and Julian, as did Gina and Dove, to the temple in which Marcus had spent the day.

Marcus leaves the temple, looking weary but peaceful. He is surprised to see his companions approaching from a side road. He walks across to them. "Hello, my friends. How did thing sgo today?" He looks around to ensure everyone is present, and his brow furrows. "Where is Regan?"

"Well, some thugs tried to kill us.  But we got their stuff and then Regan left."  Julian looked around for a moment, pausing to admire a particularly attractive woman happening by.

"What happened with you?  I hope Sir Good didn't kick your head in too hard.  When's dinner?"

Marcus looks concerned, and asks, "Did the attack seem linked to the attack by the Knights of Takhisis, or our little expediation outside of town? And did Regan say where he was going?" Hehesitates a moment, then answers Julian's question, "I met a half-elven lady in the temple. It may be simply a coincidence, but she was the spitting image of my mother. I have a strange feeling that she may be important, but I am not sure how. I asked her if she knows how to contact the elves, but she doesn't. She is just passing through the town." He looks thoughtful as he donsiders this, then adds, "And speak of Lord Brightblade with respect. Based on what he observed, he did the right and honourable thing in trying to correct me. You are here at the invitation of the Knighthood, so I will ask that you respect the leader of the mission."

"Well, all I can say about the attack was that it was pretty weak, like starved kender weak.  I always figured the Knights to be more potent than that.  Plus they seemed only interested in our money and ran after getting stabbed a few times, so their heart really wasn't in it, you know?"  He looked down at his shoes for a second to make sure they were still there.

"Yeah, no Knights involved with that one.  Just our good luck!  I got me a crossbow."

Julian was definitely proud of his gains.

"As for Regan, I think he just remembered he had someplace to be or something.  Maybe Gabe farted again - you know the man lives on pickled beets, you've seen him eat them - and drove him off?  No idea... I felt like saying something but couldn't come up with anything pithy enough in the moment.  I had just jumped off a roof and found myself a little winded."

"Let's go grab something to eat and try to reach a final solution to our elven question... I'm tired of wandering this town getting roughed up by locals."

Julian apparently dodged any further references to 'Sir Good'.

“He seemed to be looking for something more epic,” Dove said. “And as this wasn’t it, he decided to go home instead.”

As you started to cross the square back to the Five Dragon Inn, you heard a loud commotion. Suddenly a peasant exited one of the buildings as fast as he could. He wore a heavy cloak to protect him in the cold, but was trying to hide both a longsword at his side and chainmail under his clothes too. Seconds later the building exploded and the “peasant” was thrown off of his feet in your direction, landing right next to you.

He was followed by flaming debris that seemed to be going straight for Marcus, while avoiding everyone else (4hp).

The peasant groaned and looked up at you. “Help me,” he said.

Marcus grunts as the burning debris slams into him. There is a sharp pain, which he forces himself to ignore. He kneels down and helps the man to his feet. Noting the weapon and armour he quietly asks, "Who are you and what help do you need? Who did this?"

"Who did this?  Someone I don't want to meet in my near future," Julian opined sagely.

Satisfied that he had provided enough scholarly wisdom for the moment, Julian bravely hid in the shadows.  For tactical reasons.  He pulled his swords as he went, at least.

"I am a freedom fighter," the peasant said. "And I did that. The Knights of Takhisis stored munitions there. And one of their patrols will be here soon. Help me get away and I will give you 200 steel."

[Private to Marcus Valarian: Sense Motive: He's stretching the truth.]
[Private to GM: For Gina Sense Motive: He's stretching the truth.]

"Oh, crap."  Julian looked at Marcus.  "You're unlucky, you know.  Help me pick him up and lets see if we can get him somewhere safe before the watch guts us for assisting a scandalous traitor."

Marcus draws his sword, but suddenly lays it against the man's throat. "And now perhaps you will tell us the truth, my friend. Quickly, before the Knights arrive to question you instead." His voice is cold, and his eyes hard. The blade holds just short fo drawing blood, but any movement on the man's behalf would have messy consequences.

"Oh man.  This is not good."

Julian slinked back into the shadows.

"It was what I had planned to do," the freedom fighter said. "But there was nothing there. It was a trap."

Julian, ever curious and well aware of the danger he was putting himself in, crept closer to the smoldering ruins seeking something that would either be booty, loot, plunder, loose coinage, jewelry, expensive weaponry or perhaps, if nothing else could be found, evidence of the man's statements.  He hoped that Marcus would make sure that the man lived without Julian having to affect a miraculous, perilous and reward-sparse rescue of the both of them, but such was the cost of hanging around with highly motivated goodly folk.

Gabriels eyes went wide as Marcus grabbed the man "We'd do better to question him much further from the scene of the crime. The knights have no honor and we will be guilty by association. Sheath your blade Marcus and help us get out of here." Gabriel said berfore turning to Julian. "Can you make us some kind of diversion? We're gonna need it." He said urgently.

Marcus sheathes his sword, and pulls a small dagger. Putting it against the man's back, he forces him to walk forward. They start to make their way to a safer place to talk, well away from the scene of the explosion. He also keeps a careful eye out for any sign of the Takhisas Knights.

[Private to GM: That was the inn we were staying in, wasn't it? Just want to make sure.]
This message was last edited by the player at 14:51, Thu 26 June 2008.

Julian approached the building that recently exploded and was still on fire. Quite hot for an unprotected human.

The rest of you moved away from the building as passersby started organizing a fire brigade.

You took the freedom fighter down one of the back alleys that you’d become somewhat familiar with over the past few days.

[Private to Gabriel Uth Argus: You saw that someone was following you.]