Arno counter-attacks, but fails to further harm Neide as well, as she parries his counter-attack...

The sounds of battle continue behind Neide. "Hey, Neide! Want any help?" Aden calls...

"If you have a hand to spare..!", Neide shouted back at Aden, without even turning back. Then, she swinged her sword at Arno again...

OOC: Okay, something weird happened - I rolled and got *exactly* the same results as before. I assume it's the dice roller not working correctly... Therefore, I allowed myself to re-roll. Here are the results:

01:36, Today: Neide rolled 5 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 1,3.
01:36, Today: Neide rolled 4 using 1d10 with rolls of 4.

Not trying to cheat, but the chance of rolling exactly the same on three dice is extremely low, so I really think it's something about the browser cookies. Anyway, as you can see, I actually got worse results in that second attempt...

(Uh... wished you'd talked to me about it before rolling again... Uh...

Now I dunno what to do, because with the latest set, you shouldn't even have rolled to do damage... Uhhhhh...)

OOC: I'm sorry for causing confusion :\

If that helps, I have no problem with forfeiting that first set of rolls. Let's go with the second one (the one less advantageous for me) and let's just say Neide missed this turn. I expected as much, to be honest - I rolled for damage just in case I was confused about whether Arno took damage or not.

(Arno ripostes... Neide takes 1 point of damage (after her armor).

Neide gets 1 new xp.)

Suddenly, a small dead tree branch falls on Arno.

What... luck...?

"We're doing well over here," Ondreya calls. "Almost got them all..."

Ah ha. Magic assistance. Always welcome...

(Neide, you get a +1 on your next roll thanks to Ondreya...)

"Good!", Neide shouted back to Ondreya. Then, she turned to Arno.

"Still not willing to do the smart thing and give up..?", she grinned at him, as she swinged her sword at him again.

00:28, Today: Neide rolled 8 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 4,2.
00:29, Today: Neide rolled 2 using 1d10 with rolls of 2.

Arno curses under his breath as he takes a little more damage through his leather armor.

Then, Aden casually walks up and points his sword at Arno, clearly ready to help.

Arno visibly grits his teeth, breathing hard. An Alaran soldier, not at all almost-dead, and a new swordsman, now outnumbering him, and...

"...What if I were to give up...?" Arno asks. "...What then...?"

Seeing that Arno wasn't attacking for the moment, Neide stayed her sword, too.

"Well...", she replied, cocking her head, "... if you gave up... and cooperated by naming people you were in league with... the Chief Constable would certainly appreciate it. I can't promise anything, but..."

She raised her sword just slightly.

"... it certainly looks like a better chance for you than fighting us to the death, isn't it?"

OOC: Any roll I need to make to convince Arno?

(Heck yeah try CHR please...)

01:34, Today: Neide rolled 6 using 2d6-1 with rolls of 2,5.

I hate CHR rolls...

"But I don't have to kill you. I just have to get away." Aden's sword moves in even closer toward the flesh of Arno's throat. "Not just this second, though. I just mean... whenever..."

"Sounds like someone needs more convincing," says Aden as Ondreya walks up.

Ondreya, though wearing her mask as usual, clearly turns slightly and looks at Neide.

Neide imagines that Ondreya is thinking about what sort of "convincing" Arno would be likely subjected to if the conversation were taking place in the East...

"Don't be stupid", Neide said to Arno, "You can see I am a soldier of Alara, can't you? You *must* know we don't treat criminals lightly."

She looked at Arno coldly.

"If you don't cooperate... I'll have no reason not to punish you as soon as possible. And as harshly as I see fit. You think of escaping at some point? Who says you will be in any shape to escape a day from now, after I serve the Goddess' justice on you..?"

Arno thinks... Frowns... "...How about you ask me all the questions you want, and I answer all of them honestly and completely, and then you let me go? You'd be keeping my weapons, too, of course. I'd promise to leave this region immediately-- or stick around for however long you want, whichever you prefer."

Aden snorts. He doesn't think much of this offer//series of offers at all.

Neide paused for a brief moment, flabbergasted, as she heard Arno's offer. Did he take negotiation lessons from Rowena? Rowena, at least, did make a solid point why she should be let go...

"Oh, for Goddess' sake", she replied, rolling her eyes, "Here's a counteroffer for you: you give up, we take you to the Chief Constable and you tell him everything you know. Then, after this whole mess is sorted out, the Chief Constable might considering being a little more lenient with you than you deserve. And I'll refrain from extracting the full measure of Goddess's justice on you. How about *that* deal, Arno?"

She was really beginning to lose patience for that man...

Arno thinks hard and fast, but he doesn't look like he likes what he's coming up with much. "...I think that's likely the best deal I'm likely to be offered anytime very soon. ...So... let's go."

Kerran steps up. "Checked the others... one will live, though I expect he'll be out for an hour or two. The others, nothing I could do..."

Neide sees a couple of constables... one spots Neide and her party, points, and then they both start to hurry over...

"Good choice", Neide nodded at Arno sternly, "Drop your sword and we'll go"

She turned to Kerran.

"Could you try restraining the one that's going to live?", she asked, "Tie him up with something or..? I wouldn't like him to get away once he wakes up"

When she spotted the constables, she motioned for them to come closer.

"Here", she said, "We could use your help..."

Soon Arno and the other fellow who's predicted to live are suitably restrained, and the situation as the party currently understands it is explained to the constables present, who are extremely impressed and pleased to have one or more fall guys (who aren't themselves) for the ongoing set of problems. "Come with us-- let's get these two-- and you-- back to headquarters. So you can talk to the chief, I mean. Incarceration, for these two guys."


(Sorry for delay... ready to start wrapping things up?)

"Of course", Neide agreed, "Let's put an end to this whole affair..."

She followed the guards back to the constables' headquarters.

OOC: I'm assuming the rest of the party follows Neide...

Arno is moved to a cell in the constabulary without further incident. Healers are called for for the other man. The bodies of Arno's slain men are moved into a different cell, so their bodies can be searched for evidence. First, though, the chief constable wants to be caught up.

In quiet whispers, where they can see Arno in his cell but not be overheard by anyone, the party explains what has recently occurred (letting Neide do most of the talking).

The chief constable rubs his hands together... but then stops. "...If I don't seem grateful for all you've done... Well, I am. But if I seem somber, it's because of the next step... News of this will probably be getting to Festin right now. I... wonder what he'll do...? ...What if he doesn't wait for the consequences that are inevitably coming to him...?" The chief thinks, frowning. "You've done exactly what you should have done... but I can't help but suddenly think about how backed into a corner Festin has become..."

"Well, that's true...", Neide admitted, "The question is: what do you think he could do now? We have Arno... do you think that Festin could have some other men in his employ that he could use to strike back? Or... maybe he'll try to escape?"

Her hand touched the hilt of her sword, as she continued:

"In any case, I think it'd a good idea to make our move now and bring Festin in. Before he has any chance of organizing his men or making an escape..."

"The first is certainly possible, but unlikely. Arno and his men were the best men he had up his sleeve. I can't imagine him abandoning all he's built up here and running... more likely he'll just try to have me assassinated, than to flee..."




"...If you'd said 'well, I'm happy my friends and I were able to help you so much, and now we have to go, good luck with everything,' I would have said 'thanks so very much for all you've done.' But if you're willing to go and help arrest him, then I eagerly accept. I think you've got some very good points about how a cornered man is capable of anything. I'll come too, of course. But... is right now good for you, or do you need some rest first?"

"No...", Neide shook her head, "There's no time to rest. We can't give Festin any time to do... whatever he might decide to do now."

She turned to the door.

"I say you gather your men... and we go to get Festin *now*."

"Delighted. Give me 10 minutes to prepare." He pauses. "Can I send anyone to get any of you anything?"

"Something to patch up our wounds, if it's possible", Neide gave a wry smile, "These are beginning to hurt a little..."

(CHR roll, please...)