Charles yells at the sight of the huge serpents and tries to run only to end up slipping on the roof tiles.  His legs give out and he hits the roof and begins to slide down towards the edge of the roof, scrabbling for a hand hold as he does so.

Tizonas magic missiles hit the oncoming serpent and kill it, punching large bloody holes in the reptile.  It's body slump to the roof, its hiss turning into a last rush of air.

The serpent is fast but Kenjinn is just a hair quicker.  He ducks low as the serpent strikes overhead and his blades dig in deep.  Blood spurts out and the snake reels back in pain as the two deep cuts cause it to bleed profusely.  It lashes about as it rolls off the roof.

Aliana once again feels the warm breath of the Great Traveller upon her soul, his power being channeled through the elf maiden.  She directs the power outwards causing the remaining serpents to writhe in agony.  They creep back, hissing and snarling.

The serpent that was squeezing the life from Curin, reels back in the face of Aliana's godly might.  Curin scrambles up to the others, gasping for breath.

"...go...soldiers...coming..." he says clutching at his side as he fell to his knees.

Greg felt great joy as the power of her God pulsed through her.   It was amazing.  Nothing she'd ever felt had ever been to wonderful.
Granted, some things had come close, but.......

She also felt a savage pleasure as the fiendish pythons scuttled back.   Then she saw Charles sliding to his death, or, if he were lucky, a crippling injury, if she didn't intervene.
Granted, perhaps some other cleric would take pity on him if that happened, but she couldn't risk it.

Her flying spell still in effect, she swooped at him, attempting to snatch him up.  If she were successful, she'd carry him up to where Curin was, and try to save him too.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:37, Thu 22 Oct 2009.

Dan had already moved over to Curin, checking the man to see if he was alright. Curin didn't abandon them when they were stuck in the tavern, and Dan's sure as hell not going to let him die without getting a return favour. Dan picked Curin up in such a way as to make sure he wasn't harming the man. "Come on, let's get out of here before they come back, or worse" He said as he continued on across the rooftops.

If Dan seemed to have Curin well in hand, Greg would try to fly with Charles across the rooftops.  She would, however, be looking for a place for the boy to hide.  Perhaps somewhere several buildings away.   She'd take him to the Fharlanghn temple if she had to, but would rather he were out of harm's way sooner rather then later.

Cassander watched Greg flit about, catching the kid.  She seemed so comfortable with what she could do that Caz was a little envious.  She rarely played spell casters, finding them a little clumsy and squishy, but seeing Greg, Caz just felt like she had to step up.  Step up a lot.

Curin had said that there were soldiers chasing after them, presumably coming through the vent in the roof.  She ran over to the vent and slammed it shut.  She uttered a few words whose meaning just came to her and mystically sealed the vent.  "That should slow them down for a bit." she said, jogging back to the others.  "I hope."

OOC:  I forget the name of the spell but I think it was Wizard Lock.

Curin winced as Dan helped him up.  He was favouring his left side.  "Damn thing squeezed...the breath out of me..." the swordsman said as they made their way over the fog covered rooftops.

Greg swoops in and catches Charles before the boy slides over the edge of the roof.  She can fly with relative safety to the edge of her summoned fog.  The fog covered half the distance that they had to travel, leaving the rest of the roofs open to the nooning sun.  On the street below, Greg can see soldiers firing arrows into the fog while others stood with drawn weapons looking for any sign of the retreating companions.

Cassanders Wizard Lock foiled the pursuing soldiers, for now.  They banged against the magically sealed vent hatch but the enchantment held it shut against them.  Muffled shouting could be heard.

"Find Them!  Surround the buildings and dispell that fog." a deep and menacing voice calls out.

Getting a little bit of height, all the while trying to keep out of the way of soldiers' line of sight (and fire), Greg attempts to get a bead on their relative distance and direction from the Fharlanghn shrine.    She holds Charles close in her arms, cooing reassuring words that he was safe with her, with her God.    Landing back down, she smiles at Cassander.
Nicely done!    Now, everyone, follow me.   If we can get to the Fharlanghn shrine, their head cleric will help us escape the town.   Trust me, I was given a plan!

Greg knows that, especially for Earth people, the words "God told me what to do" are not exactly the most reassuring, but hopes that her friends will have enough faith in HER to follow.
She kept flying.  It wouldn't last too much longer, so she was determined to enjoy it while she could.  Since her flying speed was equal to someone running, she decided that she could spare another spell or two.

Her plan was, to fly a little bit ahead, perhaps to the next building, and cast a curing spell, timing it so it would be ready when Dan, and the hobbling Curin, caught up to her.

Fharlanghn, Eternal Traveler, let your power flow through Your humble servant.  My Traveling Companion must be healed so that he might complete is Journey.

She would "tag" Curin as he passed, then grab Charles again (unless the boy would rather walk) and repeat the act, this time summoning more owls (although she'll instruct them to attack from a 90 degree angle from the direction everyone is running, that way even if "demon-lover" suspects they're coming from "the opposite direction", he'll still be wrong).

Dan ran through the town, attempting to avoid all the many causes of death that could befall him on the way. Sometimes being the tricky speedster paid off. Perhaps not for the valiant warrior he was carrying, but the tricky speedster for sure. Right now they just had to focus on escaping. Apparantly, Tizona had the plan to hide in the church. There was something amiss about that plan...

"Wait, wait, wait..." Dan said as he slowed down a bit to talk to her. "You plan to hold up in a church?" He questioned her. "A church? I know your god has magic powers n' everything but going into a church is like getting backed up against a corner. Those guys have no fealty to your god and will come charging straight in, knock us down like pins. We should just head out of town into the wild, worked last time"

Greg sighed in frustration, remembering that she hadn't had the chance to discuss anything with them.

The town is surrounded.  We'd never make it.   The head cleric has a magical way out of town.  And, I was given a destination to get help and find out how to stop Nymuriel.   Trust me, guys!   We NEED to get to the Fharlanghn Temple.  If we do,we'll be able to get to safety.

Dan grunted. Even if they did have the town surrounded, it was unlikely there was a thick wall of soldiers in every part. They had enough magic in their party to figure a way out easily, but that was a bit of a gamble. Still, Greg'd been acting awful wierd lately, and Dan was beginning to trust religious people less and less. "... Alright, but this better work" He said, and continued on their way.

Greg nodded gratefully to Dan.   He was the one she'd been most worried about convincing.   Sarah seemed content to follow them (as Greg had, as well), and Cassander trusted Greg to make good decisions.
Now all Greg had to do was earn that trust.

Telling them that "Fharlanghn spoke to me and showed me the way" was unlikely to make the conversation easier so she didn't say that.   They'd see for themselves.

Greg was a person who doubted everything.   Back on Earth, she's lived by a philosophy called "The Power of Negative Thinking".   Simply stated: The more you prepared for something to happen, the less likely it would.
This worked fairly well for the old Greg, though it had a number of flaws that made life difficult at times.

Now, though, Greg needed faith.   Faith in the Dweller on the Horizon.

But it was very difficult.   Her friends were depending on him.  If it had been some kind of trick or if she'd made a mistake........  she almost shuddered at the possibility of failing them.

The head priest had a way out of town that bypassed the troops.   Trust me.  It will work. 

She was still trying to find a safe place to hide Charles.    In case the troops DID invade the church.

"Fharlanghns shrine?" Cassander said, mirroring Dan's surprise.  Greg had gone over there earlier but how could the little stone church help them escape?  "Did you say you were given a plan?  A plan from whom?"  She might be questioning but Cassander was still following the cleric.  "I hope that you know what you're doing, Greg."

OOC:  Cassander is not above tossing a fireball down into the streets to 'distract' the soldiers.  Should the opportunity come up.  :)

Her friends questioning hurt, but Greg certainly understood it.  She'd given religious fanatics plenty of grief back on Earth.
Oh! Hello, Karma.  Didn't see you there. 

She nods to them.   She was dreading the possibility of letting them down.   She'd never had faith in anything before, ever.    Now, though, she had a God in her heart and in her soul and she BELIEVED.

Trust me. The plan is ready and waiting for us.
She wanted to say "Trust Fharlanghn", but knew, from experience, that such words would surely backfire.

She flew a bit ahead and stopped to cast another spell.
Great Traveler.  Your humble servant needs assistance to keep the Road clear.  Help me and my Traveling Companions. 
Greg summoned more Owls, telling them to attack only if the fog lifts and to come in from 90 degrees from where they were fleeing.

Curin felt some relief at Aliana's touch.  The painful squishiness of his ribs caused by the serpents attempt to crush him felt much better.  He was able to move on his own afterwards.

Aliana's owls flew off into the fog, flapping just out of sight and waiting for their moment to attack.

The companions come to the 'edge' of the fog.  They have made it roughly 1/3 of the way along the roof tops.  The sounds of activity in the streets grow louder.  Blunted arrows bounce harmlessly into the roof, but the difficulty of the archers to see their target and the unevenness of the roof makes accuracy sketchy at best.

The fog slowly starts to disappate under the influence of Nymuriels clerics and mages.

Dan continues moving across the rooftops. He goes ahead of the group to scout the way ahead to make sure there were no soldiers or clerics waiting for them near or at the church. He was still on edge from that, even more than usual for what they experienced. The synching of his mind with Kenjinn's was producing some unwanted memories.

Greg realized that if this were an actually game, she'd plot out some obscure sequense of spells or other tactics.   While her mind was calmer than the easily panicked clerk she used to be, she still had trouble thinking of what to do  while on the run.

She tried to put fog back where it was, fighting the evil cleric and his wizards.

Great Traveler, please shield Your humble servant and her Traveling Companions from our enemies.

She looked over at Curin.

Curin, if I cast a spell of flight on you, could  you carry two people?  Like Sarah and Kenjinn, or Sarah and Tizona?   Or perhaps you, Kenjinn?

Cassander had to admit that she was impressed with the way that Greg was working.  She had a plan, dubious as it might be, and was using her cleric skills and spells to keep to that plan.

And Greg seemed to have a thing for Owls.

"I have a mirror-image spell that I could add in." Cassander said in a hushed tone.  She didn't want to have the Nymuriel soldiers hearing her.  It was wierd talking about spells that she knew but Cassander was rather liking the feel of wielding arcane magicks.  It was a bit of a rush.  "I could create duplicates of us and that might confuse the soldiers.  I know a darkness spell as well but I'd have to cast that on an object...which might not be too bad since it'll travel with us.

Curin, who had been looking about the fog-shrouded roof keeping an eye out for any pursuers, turned back to face Aliana.

"I probably could." he said.  "I'm no spell caster so I'm not sure how the spell would..."

He was cut off by a loud splintering of wood from behind them, coming from the roof of the Inn.

The High Cleric had used the divine magicks his worship of Nymuriel had granted him to breakthrough Cassanders Wizard Lock with spectacular results.  One side of the Inn roof shattered outwards in a hail of splinters.  Aren stepped onto the roof followed by a number of soldiers and a couple of clerics.

Aliana's conjured Owls swept in to the attack, clawing and biting at the armored soldiers.  The two lightly armored clerics with Aren prayed to their own god and summoned up flying serpents, who went after the owls, keeping them busy while the armored party boldly walked forward.

"Hear me!" he commanded the companions, his voice amplified and easily overheard.  "Cease your flight.  If you do not surrender yourselves immediately, townspeople will die.  Look to the streets if you can and you will see that I am not lying.  Give yourselves up and they will live, keep fighting us and they will die.  The town is surrounded, you have no hope for escape."

Only Dan is outside of the thick fog and can see the streets clearly.  His natural sneakiness has allowed him to venture on ahead without being noticed.  In the street are a number of townspeople held by armored soldiers of Nymuriel.  Five have swords braced against their necks, awaiting the order to deliver a killing strike, while others are being held.

More soldiers are running through the streets, shifting their position according to the orders of Cleric General Ymar astride a brightly coloured warhorse.

Dan looks over the situation. Right now he seemed not to be noticed, and that could prove useful. Right now he had to deal with the hostages, and that would be done with the help of the general. Kenjinn stealthily moved across some more rooves, making his way towards General Ymar. His bow would prove himself useful here, and it was about time that the cult got a suprise, not them.

A rage that Greg had never felt seemed to flow over her.   See suddenly wanted to put a dagger into the vile cleric's face and rip his throat out, with her own elven teeth, if necessary.

To so blatantly take the whole town hostage was more monsterous than the elven priestess had words, even the long string of four-letter ones that had come to mind.

Blessed Fharlanghn, aid my Traveling Companion to rise above his path to more quickly continue his Journey.
She casts the flying spell on Curin.
Curin, take Kenjinn and Sarah.  I'll take Tizona and Charles.   We HAVE to keep going.  If we stop they'll destroy the world, and ours.   We CAN'T give in to their threats, no matter how bad they are.

It wasn't, alas, as simple as that.    Greg had always believed, within reason, that negotiating with terrorists, and acquiescing to their demands, was a mistake.
It was harder when you saw that innocents were about to die in front of you, of course, but she still believe that they MUST escape, no matter how sickening the consequences might be.

Unfortunately, the other reason was more selfish.   Greg was TERRIFIED.   She was scared witless to turn herself over to the mercies of the vile cult of demon worshippers.   She knew they would all die and her fear wouldn't let her turn herself in voluntarily.
Also, some selfish voice in her mind whispered "It's ok.  These aren't real people.  This is a made up world, filled with made up people.   Sister Aliana Farwalker is a character on a piece of paper.    So is Charles, Curin, the Innkeeper, and the rest.

She didn't REALLY believe that.   She desparately wanted to, though, to keep her from feeling like an accomplice in a genocide.

Still, 'we must reach the temple" became her mantra.

Curin floats up off the roof a foot and he looks unsteady for a moment.  Then he smiles.  He was flying.  He looked over at Sarah and held out his hand to her.  "Let's go, pretty lady." he said with a smile.  "You too Kenjin...where's Kenjinn?"

Kenjinn, who had sneaked off, was no where to be seen.  He had found a good hiding spot among the uneven roof tops.

There was a strange almost hushed silence as Nymuriels followers waited for teh companions to walk out from the unnatural fog.

"You have until the count of three." Snarled Ymar.  "Then I will start razing this town to the ground."

"He will do it." Aren called from the roof.  "I know you don't want their deaths hanging over your heads.  Surrender yourselves now and spare the townsfolk from suffering."

One of the women that was being held, struggled and screamed as the guards holding her tightened their grip.

Greg looked around wildly for a second.   DAMN IT!!!!   Where the HELL was Dan?!?!

She wanted to yell at him to follow them, but didn't to alert the cultist more than she had to.    Thank Fharlanghn she'd already mentioned the temple.
Hopefully he'd know to meet them there.

Kenjinn knows where we're going, Curin.   He'll meet us there.   He's too smart for these guys to catch.  Take Tizona and Sarah and follow me.  Go high and keep close to me.

Greg picked up Charles, cooing words to calm the boy during what must be a terrifying ordeal.   Inside, though, her heart was breaking for everyone else.

Merciful Fharlanghn.   My sweet Grandfather.   Please.  Please, help your unworthy servant.
I want to do your bidding.  I'm GOING to do your bidding.
But....it's so........it hurts, Grandfather.  It hurts so much!
I know we can't turn ourselves in.  I know that.   But....please protect these people from the demon.   My life is yours to do with what you will.   I'll go to your temple to save my Traveling Companions, but I need you to help protect these people.

Please.

Tears running down her smooth elven cheeks, Greg lifts off, motioning for Curin in the girls to follow.   Flying towards the temple.

Fharlanghn forgive me.

Dan moved silently until he'd found a good spot, adjacent Ymar. He crouched down and pulled out an arrow, looking down at the General. If he made the slightest movement to give his guards an order to kill, he'd nail him. If the manw as wearing armour, he might as well try and piss him off. Dan seemed good at that.