Liberty Beguiling

Azul raises his shield but leaves his sword sheathed. These people are dangerous, but are clearly being controlled. He wouldn't let their blood be on his hands. He sees Alexio step between himself and the crowd, and says "Thank you for standing with me my friend".  He then telepathically tells "Sofia to take to the sky and keep watch for the Satyr". Stepping next to Alexio with his shield raised to form the beginnings of a shield wall. Azul then yells out "You are being controlled, don't let the Satyr send you to your deaths. You must fight him, and take control of yourselves."

"The dying god is risen," the revellers repeat, drawing close to Aleixo and Azul now. Any further and the nearest will be within arm's reach. At the manor, the captured assassin coughs from the weight of Amiri's foot pressing down on his chest and looks about at his captor's with fear in his eyes. "Demos Rondellis," he answers hurriedly. "He was hiring mercenaries for the job."

"If you have a plan," Sval shouts, his voice rising with the tension, "the time is now. Otherwise, we should cut our losses and run. I don't want to hurt these people." As the people get closer to Aleixo, Sval shouts at the top of his lungs. "BACK OFF!"  He draws his sword and holds it at the ready.

"Back up slowly, push them back if they close. We wanted them clear, maybe they will follow us back to town". Aleixo ups the pace of the retreat a little, moving backwards didn't sit well with him, but neither did stabbing someone not in control of their own mind. He prepares to trip, push and block anyone getting too close though.

Azul holds his shield at the ready and matches pace with Alexio preparing to bash and trip anyone that gets to close. He quietly says to the party  "good idea Alexio, hopefully this will either get the villagers out of the danger area or push the Satyr to reveal himself. Be ready, if the Satyr or whoever he is working with has enough power to control all of the people. Their attack could be swift and deadly.

"Last question.  How many of you came tonight?"

"Enough to kill the bitch!" The assassin replies through another fit of coughs with an unpleasant glint in his eye. Meanwhile, the revellers draw closer and closer to Azul... until they eventually stop and turn, walking back towards the effigy.

"Maybe we report this to the city guard, and cut our losses," Sval says as the revelers turn away. "We've got a lot of work to do tomorrow."

Aleixo nods apprehensively, "I feel bad, but I know not what to do beyond pass the information to someone that may be better placed to help."

Sval mounts back up onto his horse. "Perhaps the guard has dealt with this kind of thing before," he says. "I'm certain they've broken up an orgy or two in their day. And maybe they have special means to take care of satyrs and the like."

Poking into the middle of his neck hard with his knife, Petros says " OK, well now it seems like you weren't being forthcoming earlier.  So who is the 'bitch' you are trying to kill?"

"Yes, they hire idiots like us to do it." Aleixo smirks. He mounts his horse though and doesn't complain as they head back towards the town.

"I'm just not sure there was anything we could do," Sval says. The cold spot in his chest was seething. Leaving a monster unchallenged was not his first impulse. But he couldn't think of anything to do that didn't put the innocents there at risk. If they found later that these people had died, Sval would never forgive himself. The cold spot in his chest grew colder and colder as they retreated back to the city.  Entering the city, Sval flags down a guard and informs him of the satyr's party, warning the officer to be careful and that whatever effect these people were under ended about 60 feet from the massive effigy.

"The 'general', of course," the man replies with a gulp as Petros' blade touches his throat. "Who else?" The town guard of Appolis initially look inclined to brush Sval's claims off as those of just another drunken tourist. However, something about the fell glint in the eyes of the fearsome looking man quiets their laughs and they nod silently in acknowledgement. When the group from the forest return to the Mayor's manor the gates stand oddly ajar. Luthien quickly spots the dark forms of the murdered guards lying just inside and distant shouts can be heard from deeper inside the grounds. Something is afoot!

Sval moves to draw his sword, but instead, pulls the bow off his shoulder and nocks an arrow. With Aleixo and Azul here, we've got a pretty heavy front line. I can be more effective at range. He motions for Aleixo and Azul to enter the manor.

Xan is one of the last to leave the clearing, frequently looking back over his shoulder as they ride off. A nudge against his shoulder reminds him of the weasel, who had been in his saddle bag the whole time . "Dont worry little one, we will not leave it like this, but we have other roads ahead of us. There will be time enough to investigate I pray, and if not then I will find the one to blame." As the grim scene in the manor unfolds Xan feels a knot of fear grow in his stomach, checking his equipment is secure he mentally prepares for challenges ahead, staying near to Sval he follows cautiously .

Raising his shield, and lowering his spear through the door, Aleixo leads the way inside. 

Azul was distracted as he rode away from the gathering, he didn't like leaving these people. But could not figure out a way to help them, he prayed to Athena, that the guards would save them. Seeing the carnage inside they mayor's manor. Azul grimaces and his apprehension rises, he was looking forward to a comfortable bed but that wasn't in the cards. He dismounts Seian drawing his sword as he does so. He then raises his shield and heads towards the manor keeping both himself and Sofia alert for any signs of trouble.

Sheathing his knife and redrawing his sword as he stands, Petros smiles sweetly at Amiri saying, "He's all yours, Amirista." Pausing to allow Amiri to deal with the man as she sees fit, Petros continues. "Gnome...What's your name by the way?...You say she is in the banquet hall?  Let's go."

There's a wet thunk as Amiri casually drives the tip of her sword through the man's neck and into the floor. The broad steel blade is as wide as the man's neck and sends the head rolling across the floorboards. Linzi grows pale and quickly hurries to a corner where she vomits in a waste paper bin. "My name is Tartuccio!" The Gnome declares. "It is a name you will not soon forget!" At the front of the manor, the group gathered by the gates to the grounds draw their weapons and advance towards the house. There's a definite clamour coming from inside. Moving amongst the low hedges of the gardens, dark figures can be glimpsed lying in wait.

"You there!" Sval shouts, drawing the arrow back, the bowstring singing slightly in the breeze. "Show yourselves, or take an arrow in the throat. Now."

Aleixo heads to the gate, hoping to make a choke point that could prevent anyone escaping. Keeping the thick hedge close on his left he leads the way up the path, keeping the formation tight so that nobody will get through. Shadows move in the dim light of the moon around them as his human eyes try to anticipate where the attack will come from.

"Come Linzi.  Better him then you, yes?" Petros heads out of the library towards the hall, leading his new band of followers. "What's the ring do, Fartuccio?"

Xan follows behind Aleixo, softly whispering "Can you even see where you are going? Be careful, keep your shield up." The healer bends quickly picking up a large stone from the path, a little smile creeping across his face.

Tartuccio scoffs and his face turns a little red with indignation. "It bears a protective enchantment that will repel weapons and other attacks. If you don't want it then you can give it right back!" Linzi gathers herself and follows Petros from the room, careful to avoid looking at the bloody remains of the corpse. After a couple more twists and turns, the corridor leads towards a side door into the foyer where the reception was held earlier that evening. Voices can be heard through the door from up ahead. "There they are! The assassins! This is your last chance - drop your weapons, and we'll spare your lives!" "So generous! I'm afraid I can't off you the same courtesy. Hey, you ugly mug! Get them!" "What in the nine hells is that?!" Heavy footsteps shake the manor, followed by a thunderous crash.

Petros puts his hand in his pocket, slipping on the ring, and throws open the door to the reception hall.

Several of the mayor's guards and what looks like one of the assassins lie sprawled across the ground in a pool of ice. The large archway leading to the banquet hall has been collapsed and is blocked with rubble. However, the door on the far side of the room might provide a way around.

Petros makes his way around the pool of ice and opens the door.

The corridor beyond is partially blocked by fallen beams, but Amiri hops over them with little effort. Petros's smaller companions take a little more time and care to cross the obstacle. Rounding a corner through another door on the far side, Tarcuccio notices what looks like... "An armoury! I'm sure the mayor wouldn't mind if we borrowed some weapons!" The gnome strides on ahead, rooting through the lockers and racks arrayed in the room. He opens a chest set aside on a table and rubs his hands together. "What have we here? This chest is full of gold! I'd guess it's the guards' salaries, all things considered. Well, those freeloaders don't seem to have been working too hard for it - maybe we should pocket it instead!" "What?" Linzi replies as though she can't believe her ears. "No! We're heroes, not thieves!" "Who said we were stealing it?" Tartuccio deflects, his tone dripping with smarm. "We'll just... take the gold for safety... so the assassins don't get it! Then we can heroically return it to the mayor when this is all over!"

"Drop the gold and stop being an asshole, Tart.  C'mon ladies, leave the small man with his small concerns.  We have a general to rescue."

Xan's confidence bringing fire to his heart, Aleixo sets his spear and locks his shield, bracing for the impact of the advancing assassins. With the narrow path and his allies at his side it would be a good soldier indeed to get close to him. His fiery plume raised high above his head, cresting a wall of metal, the silver of the moon glinting off gold, it would be an intimidating sight to behold.

Darkness ahead made Xanthos adjust into darkvision, a gift he knew most of the group did not share, the shadowy figures arrayed out ahead of them, offering the promise of death may well be struggling too but if not his froendd were at a disadvantage. The pebble in his hand turned warm even without conscious effort, the ease of the spell barely needed acknowledgement and a second later it burst into bright light. Knowing it was coming, Xan was already winding back before throwing it out ahead  of him into the centre of the enemies, most would still be in some sort of cover but it would be easier for the humans to strike now.  Not finished the healer taps into the reservoir of magical energy that flowed through him, the flow diverted into a burst of speed, another spell coming to his mind and he felt the surge imbue divine might into him, breaking thr power into three parts he threw two of them into Aleixo and Azul, keeping the third for himself. The power settled, he felt it sit, a quiet fire in hid heart, he could imagine the others felt the same. Ducking his head slightly he waited trusting in his companions to stop a direct assault.

The assassins begin their charge and Sval's emotions switch off. That was something that always happened in open combat. Something in his brain just triggered, and any thoughts of fear or anger just disappeared, replaced by a cold determination. Spying a movement off to his right, Sval channeled that cold determination into a branding mark that only he could see: a bright, pulsing aura around the figure that had begun to move in for the kill. Sval rotated a quick ninety degrees and loosed an arrow that would have been a death blow directly in the chest in the marked figure, had the figure not jumped slightly as it began to move towards Sval's allies. The shaft embedded itself in the man's abdomen, directly below and just to the right of his liver, penetrating the boiled leather armor with a satisfying thud . He would probably still be able to fight, but he wasn't likely to recover quickly, should he make it out of the encounter alive.  Another arrow found itself in Sval's hand, drawn from the quiver almost before the first arrow had impacted. His eyes darted around the dark courtyard, sizing up his next target.

Spotted by Sval's keen eyes, seven men step out into the dim light of the shining moon. Four are skulking figures, clad in leather armour and armed with scimitars. Two of their number lurk behind the hedges on each flank. Another pair approach the gathering of adventurers head on. These two are heavily armoured in chainmail, brandishing sword and shield before them. The last man approaches from the rear. Light on his feet in a breastplate, he wears a helmet much like Aleixo's and wields a shining spear, as well as a quiver of javelins carried over his back with his shield. Breaking into a forward run, the warrior hurls two of his javelins at Azul and Aleixo in quick succession. His aim is true, but both weapons splinter against hardened armour. Azul takes 7 piercing damage to vigour, reduced to 1 by DR -> 35/36 Vigour. Aleixo takes 6 piercing damage to vigour, reduced to 0 by DR. Two more of the assassins move around to flank the battle line with crossbows, striking both Luthien and Sval with well aimed bolts. Luthien takes 6 piercing damage to vigour, reduced to 4 by DR -> 31/35 Vigour. Sval takes 4 piercing damage to vigour, reduced to 0 by DR. The man struck by Sval's arrow grabs a small glass bottle of red liquid from his belt and gulps it down, before charging into combat with the rest of his allies... Aleixo counterattacks.

Aleixo strikes quickly with his spear, tearing nastily arcoss the chainmail of the first man despite him getting his sword up to turn away the worst of the strike, offbalancing him, when he follows up with his shield it is a simple task to knock him to the floor at his feet. He is already ready for the next of the charging on-comers too, bracing his spear and lowering it towards the mans feet, he aims to tear his legs out from under him, the man stops suddenly, armour dented against his legs by the spear, but his sword has turned away the worst of the blow and he keeps his footing but is stopped in his tracks.

"Finally, a voice of reason!" Linzi remarks in relief. Tartuccion shrugs in ostentatious nonchalance. "Do what you want - I don't care. It was just a suggestion... but there's a lot of money in that chest, and with all these bandits running around... it wouldn't be any better if they stole it!" The route through the manor leads further up the corridor and through another door on the left. On the far side Petros finds the tall elf from the mayor's banquet. "Oh, familiar faces," the pale elf looks eerie in the dim light, like a ghost given flesh. "I hope that you're not so frightened as to swing at every shadow. It's me, Jaethal. I don't recommend advancing down the hallway - assuming you value your life, of course. There were a few with me, and you can see what happened to them." Peering past Jaethal, a pair of bodies can be seen down the corridor on the floor. "...and just how did they all end up dead, while you don't seem to have a scratch?" Tartuccio demands, eyeing Jaethal suspiciously. The elf returns him a cold look. "I'll answer, but briefly, and only once. Further scares and explanations will wait until we aren't being hunted by a group of assassins. Deal? I'm... undead. These traps are deadly to the living, but they're harmless to me." "What do you mean, 'undead'?" Linzi exclaims. "Really? Like zombies, or skeletons, or..." Jaethal looks at Linzi like she's an annoying fly. "As I said, further explanations will wait until later! All you need to know right now is that we're on the same side, and we have to fight off a small army of hired assassins. Let's get to it!" The warrior before Aleixo surges to his feet with unexpected speed for a man in heavy armour. He swings his blade twice at Aleixo. The first blow rebounds off of the warrior's heavy armour, but the second strikes true, finding one of the few gaps in the Hellenian armour. Aleixo takes 3 slashing damage to vigour, reduced to 0 by DR. Aleixo takes 14 slashing damage to vigour and 2 slashing damage to wounds, reduced to 8 and 2 by DR -> 39/47 Vigour, 17/19 Wounds. The remaining two assassins slash aggressively at Aleixo and Azul with their scimitars, but one misses the dragonborn completely, while the other is fended off by Aleixo's heavy shield. Azul's action.

Azul sinks into his stance shield raised between him and the horde of assassins, with his saber held low in front of him. Sadly contemplating what lies ahead.  I've never liked fighting people, monsters are much easier. Monsters are cleaner in a way, no one is ever sad to see monster pass most people will praise you for the effort. With people no matter how terrible they were in life, the death is messy. Their end ripples out and affects the stories of everyone they knew.  His thoughts are interrupted when he is hit in the chest by a javelin, his armor protects him from most of the impact, but the blow still smarts. He sees Aleixo's spear flash out quickly, as the man with the sword and shield rushes towards the pair. Seeing Aleixo's blow connect Azul gives a mighty roar and telepathically tells Sofia "distract him and take to the skies, keep an eye out for any reinforcements" As the bird flies into the face of the warrior spreading her wings and screeching, flying up just as Azul makes a diagonal cut at the man going low to high. The blow connects but the mans armor takes most of the impact, Azul then bashes out with his shield twice pummeling the man hoping to beat him into submission. The blows connect but the mans armor protects him from most of the damage. Digging deep Azul pushes past his limits and makes another cut coming down hard with his sabre.

Luthien effortlessly draws her bow and with out hesitation fires at the man who striked first at Aleixo. But the shot finds purchase in his shield to no effect. so in the same maneuver she slices her arm with an arrowhead and waves her hand at the same enemy and immediately her blood evaporates and the mans muscles and face become bulbous and hideously bloated, “Strike Hard Aleixo and return the favor!” She says and wipes any remaining blood across her face.

Petros nods at the elf and starts scanning the wall looking for a trap.  He doesn't see anything at first, but his mind finally processes what Jaethal has said.  His eyes immediately seeks out a symbol of power...only a magical trap would be able to discriminate in the way described.  "There!" Petros exclaims, pointing at a small rune placed in the wainscoting of the hall.  "Linzi, Tartuccio, can you two disarm that?"

The press of steel on steel just ahead left an uneasy feeling in Xan's gut, this wasnt his type of fight, he had to clear the way a little, jo sense in holding back. He saw the brilliance in Aleixo's attacks and his defensive abilities and the lethal attack of Sval's bow, the others harried the foe too but they were being boxed in. Aleixo pushed a man back away from the shieldwall, Can saw his chance. As the energies grew in him he gripped the diamond he needed for this spell tight in his hand. Pushing harder than he usually tried he felt the blood rising, his eye started to flash with white fire and he released a ball of lightning at his intended target. The fear in his eyes was obvious but he'd been ready for an attack and he managed to block it s little, enough to keep him alive for now. The force of the lightning made his body spasm and it looked as though he would collapse but he managed to hold himself in place.  It created the opening Xan had been looking for though, the one at the back with the crested helmet had the markings of a leader, he had to fall. The second ball of lightning took the other man completely by surprise, striking him at the top of his chest just under his neck, Xan saw the skull under his skin for a second as the lightning ripped through him, a silent scream escaping for a long couple of seconds. Burns were visible across his face and neck and he looked  in incredible pain but he managed to gold on too.  Xan grimaced, it had been a powerful blow and he had been hoping to end the man, he had to trust in the others to get to him and do so quickly.

Gritting his teeth against the pain of the slowly bleeding wound at his side, Aleixo thrusts out with his shield, buying himself some space, he thrusts out to the side with his spear, landing a solid blow against the chainmail. He retracts his spear, ready to receive the oncoming return rush of the enemy onto his shield. 

Sval looses another arrow that slices a neat furrow across the man's upper arm. Using the man's pain as a distraction, Sval leaps through the hedge, his cloak tearing a bit on the thick branches. As he does so, he shoulders his bow and draws his sword in two neat motions -- practiced and performed until it was simple muscle memory.  He does his best to keep the other assassins in his periphery as he stands, on guard, ready for whatever they bring.

The assassin that Sval has been pursuing cautiously retreats from the combat, taking cover further back behind one of the hedges where he hastily binds his wound. One of the warriors facing Aleixo and Azul fishes a potion from his belt and downs it, before stepping back up into the fight... only for Aleixo to send him flying with a powerful bash of his shield. The strike is so forceful that it sends the assassin flying fifteen feet backwards where his broken corpse lands in the hedge. The helmed warrior in the back rank also drinks a potion before stepping up into melee alongside his mailed comrade. Steel flies as they furiously assault Aleixo and Azul's phalanx, but the flurry of blows barely phases the two. Aleixo takes 3 slashing damage to vigour, reduced to 0 by DR. Azul takes 7 piercing damage to vigour, reduced to 1 by DR -> 34/36 Vigour. The remaining assassins join the assault. One swings at Sval, but the witcher is too fast for him, another at Azul who handily avoids the blow. The last shoots a crossbow bolt over the hedge at Luthien, but it merely lodges in her armor. Luthien takes 3 piercing damage to vigour, reduce to 1 by DR -> 26/35 Vigour. Azul's action.

Linzi and Tartuccio approach the rune, bickering amongst themselves for a moment before deciding on an approach. The gnome holds out his hand and mutters an incantation, while the halfling takes out a piece of chalk, marking the symbol in specific locations. There's a soft pulse of energy as the magic fades from the trap. The group head on up the corridor and as they round a corner more voices can he heard from through a door to the right. "What are you dallying for?" "I'm telling you, Samaras' cache has to be here somewhere!" There's a dull thud like a door being kicked. "Well hurry it up before - stop! Someone's coming!"

Azul growls as the helmed warrior's strike collides with him. The armor did it's job but some of the impact pierces through. He continues his assault on the warrior with the cape. Using Sofia to distract the man and then reaching high above his head. He brings his sabre crashing down on the man. Cutting deeply into his armor, Azul then follows the attack up by ramming his shield into the mans chest. Hearing a satisfying crack, as the mans ribs buckle.

Luthien in the same fashion as before cuts her hand grasps her bow once again. And as she draws back the arrow it Erupts in primal flame, and she lets the arrow fly her eyes burning with just as much ferocity as it sings through the air but the assassin quickly sidesteps away avoiding the blazing arrow.

Taking a deep breath, Aleixo squeezes his side as the bleeding slowly trickles to a stop. With the enemy now too close he drops his spear and draws his shortsword, delivering a devastating upswing to his right, he gashes deeply into the leader, tearing into his flesh with such mighty fury that it throws him back several feet. 

Xan sees the leader charge into the fray, the healing draught having repaired some of the injuries he had only just inflicted on him. Certain he was the key to victory here Xan attacks on two fronts. As the obvious fiery bolt is thrown straight at him, as expected he raises his shield to block it, the spell falling apart without doing any harm. But the real danger was behind him, as Xan focussed once more, slightly alarmed at how quickly his reserves were depleting, and forged an ethereal spear which he hurled into the leader,striking his shoulder a strong blow, blood flowing freely. The spear pulled back slightly, hovering, ready to strike again.

Running past the room to continue after the kidnapped General, Petros says, "Lock them in if you can, otherwise stay focused."

One of the assassins moves up to attack Sval, the scimitar singing through the air. Sval ducks under the blow and brings his sword around for a thrust at the man's chest. The man was quicker than Sval gave him credit for, and was just barely able to parry, turning the thrust from a killing blow into one that nicked the assassin's check near the eye. But the parry left the man on his back foot, off balance. Following the motion of the parry, Sval swings his sword in a whirling attack. The momentum carries the blade clean through the man's neck, sending his head, the face locked in a final moment of surprise and fear, tumbling to the ground. It bounces a few times and comes to rest underneath one of the hedges. Ready to parry again, Sval moves around the hedge, past Xan's magic-imbued rock, and flanks with Aleixo.