As Kellan ran into the room, Tsuto’s fist connected solidly with his armor, knocking him off-balance and back into the wall. The young guardsman was able to recover without difficulty, although he was a little woozier than he had any right to be; it seemed like Tsuto’s fists could pack an extra punch.
Kellan lost no time in reaching out with his polearm and sweeping Lyrie’s feet out from under her. She landed on her curvaceous rear with an audible grunt, the fear in her eyes even more pronounced now that she saw how well-armed and plentiful the intruders were.
“Come on, Tsu,” she said, the note of panic in her voice broadening, “we have to go.” The scholar stood, ducking another swipe from Kellan’s poleaxe, and stepped into the hallway. “Tsuto,” everyone could hear the desperate, pleading tone in her voice floating from the corridor. “Come ON!”
Tsuto, however, was otherwise engaged. His eyes flashed at Cato’s inopportune comment. But Pisca’s words seemed to start penetrating his battle trance. “My sister.” He said simply, some of the rage leaving his eyes. “She really sent you? I tried to get her out of there.” He looked around to the others, as if pleading for understanding. “I didn’t want her to get hurt.” He paused. “She didn’t understand.”
His eyes hardened again. “But we’ll never be able to be a family.” He grimaced. “Father would never permit it.” He stopped short at Liseth’s revelation. “Wait. Father’s . . . dead?!?” He seemed truly shocked. “How . . . how did he die?”
He paused again, for several seconds. “Sandpoint,” he said suddenly, with more sadness than real anger. He seemed deflated. “They’ll never let me go back. They’ll put me in prison, at best. A real one, this time.” The side of his mouth quirked up in a bitter half-smile. “Not that living there has ever been anything but a prison for me. But I can’t go back.” He lifted a questioning pair of eyes to the group. “Can I?”
“Tsuto!” Lustrous, piled dark curls poked hesitantly around the corner of the doorframe. “Who are these people?”
“They’re from Sandpoint,” Tsuto responded dully, waving his hand dully at the party. “Come to,” he chuckled bitterly, “take me away from all this.”
The dusky woman’s expression softened; her eyes suddenly filled with something that looked a lot like hope. “Away from here? You’d leave . . . her?” She paused, as if this might be a joke. “Really?”
“You saw how she was,” the half-elf half-turned toward his companion. “Leaving this,” he pointed toward his damaged face, “’as a lesson.’” He voice took on a high-pitched note, clearly imitating a female voice. “You said it yourself, Rie.” His shoulders slumped. “You were right. You’ve been right the whole time.” Ameiko’s brother sat down on the table, bringing his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs. “I just wanted,” he paused, a tear rolling down his cheek, “but she’s never loved me.” He was the picture of inconsolable grief. “Has she?”
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+-xxx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
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+--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+x-+--xx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 | | | x | x |OO| DM | S13| | |x | | xxx | | | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--x--+--x--+11+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+x-+--+--+-xxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 | | | x 12 D P|OO|T x | | | | |x | | | | xx | | xxx| x| | | |
+--+--+--x--+--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+-x+--6--+--x--+-xxx-+xxx--xx xxx+--+--+
4 | | | 14 | x C| K|R DL | D | x | x | | xx | |xxxx | | | x | |
+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-10--x--+--xxx+--xx-+xxxx-+x-+--+--+--+--x--+--+
5 | | | | | | | | | | x | x | | xxxx | x x | | | | |xx| |
+--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--xxxxDDx--+--+--+--+--+-x+--x--+--+--+--+--+-C+--+
6 | | | x| | x | | | | | x x | | | | |x | x| | | | | | C| |
+--+--+x-+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--x--x--+--+--+--+--x--+-x+--+--+--6--+--+-C+--+
7 | | x | | | | | | | x x x | | | | x | x | | | | | C| |
+--+xxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxx--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx+--+--+x-x--+--+--+--+-C+--+
8 | x | | | | | | | | D | | | | | D | | | x|x | | | | C| |
+--x--+--+--+--9--+--+--+--+--D--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-+xxx--+-x+--+--+--+x-+--+
9 | x | | | | | | | | D | x | | | | | xx |xxx | | | x | |
+--+xxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxDDx--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--xxxx--+--+-xx--+--+
10| | x | | | | | | | x x x x | x | | | | | |x | |x | | |
+--+--+x-+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--x--x--x--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+-xxxxx--+--+--+
11| | | x| | x | x D | x x x x x x | | | | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--xxxxDDx--+--x--x--8--x--x--x--xSSx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12| | | | x x | x x | x x x | x x | | | | | xxx |xxx | | |
+--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxxxx14xxxxxxx--xDDxxxxxxxDDxxxx--+--+--+--+xx+xxxx-xxx+--+--+
13| | x | | | | | x | | x | | | | x | | | x | | | x| | |
+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+xx+--+--+
14| | x | | 7 | | D | | D | | | | D | | | D | | xx | | |
+--+--xDDxDDxDDxDDxDDxDDxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--5--xx-+--+--+
15| | x x x x x x x | | x | | | | x | | | xx | | |x | | |
+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--xxxxDDxDDxDDxxxx--+--+--+--+xxxx-+-xxx-+--+--+
16| | | | | | | | | | | x | x x | x | | | | | xxxx| | | |
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--x--x--3--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17| | | | | | | x | x | x | x x | x | | | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxx--4--x--4--x--+--x--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18| | | | | x | x | x | x | x x | | | | | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xxxxDDxxxxDDxxxxxxx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19| | | | | x 4 D | | | | | | x | | | | | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--x--+--xxxxDDxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20| | | | | x | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxx--4--x--4--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21| | | | | | | x | x | x | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
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+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
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+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 = Dining Hall 8 = Gabriel's Chambers (Rescue!)
2 = Wives' Quarters 9 = Lamashtu Chapel (Dangerous!!!!!)
3 = Nursery 10 = Gallery
4 = Bedchambers 11 = War Room
5 = Storage 12 = Research Room
6 = Cave of Death (Keep Out!!!!!) 13 = Stairs Down (Nualia - Dangerous!!!)
7 = Prison 14 = Secret Door!
SS = Stairway CC = Cliff View to Ocean
T = Tsuto M = Mage
O = Oak Table
OOC:
PARTY TURN
Tsuto Kaijitsu AoO v. Kellan
10:24, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 15 using 1d20+8. Fort. Save vs. Stunning Fist.
10:23, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Tsuto Kaijitsu, rolled 5 using 1d6+1. AoO Damage vs. Kellan.
10:22, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Tsuto Kaijitsu, rolled 5 using 1d20+4. Critical Confirmation vs. Kellan.
10:22, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Tsuto Kaijitsu, rolled 24 using 1d20+4. Stunning Fist AoO vs. Kellan.
Result - Successful Diplomacy Check v. Tsuto.
OPPONENT TURN
Lyrie
Standard Action: Total Defense.
Move Action: Stand from prone.
10:33, Today: The Raconteur, on behalf of Kellan Storval, rolled 21 using 1d20+7. AoO Non-Lethal Power Attack v. Mage.
Result - Miss
Free Action: 5-foot-step to I2.
Tsuto
Successful Diplomacy check influences attitude.
Result: Now Indifferent to Party.
COMBAT ROUNDS HAVE CONCLUDED.