The Wrong Guys IC II

[Nanoblack]

Llaars

Unhappy with the result of his attempt to peacefully subdue Yistin, Llaars instead opts to pummel him.

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Attack1: (1d20+5)[23]
Damage1: (1d8+4)[12] + (1d6)[3] Rapid Assault

Attack2(1d20+5)[7]
Damage2: (1d8+4)[10] + (1d6)[2] Rapid assault

[Ajadea]

Rana rounds the quarter just in time to see Audric, apparently, set Jess on fire, though it is quickly apparent no harm has been done. Yistin is very much not pleased. "I would not execute one of my brethren. Do not force-" His words are lost in a coughing sputter, as Antal's missiles connect with his back with a hiss and a sizzle, burning a palm-sized hole through his robes and blackening his chainmail underneath. He whirls around in time to glimpse Tayet's arrival and the fading glow around the halfling's fingers and eyes, but doesn't have time to do anything about either of these things, as Llaars' fist connects squarely with the side of his head. He ducks, and the second blow flies through the space where his head was, but about a foot away from where it now is. "Of course," he says, though it's not clear what he's talking about.

The fact he is surrounded seems to have dawned on Yistin, but that does not seem to slow down his attacks in the slightest. Instead, apparently thinking with some measure of tactics despite the blood now leaking from his ear, he grips his sword with both hands and turns it on Llaars. He makes another perfect cut, only this one is several inches away from its intended target. He brings his hand up to his head as he steps back, out of range of further concussions.

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Given that only one being so far has caused him any real damage...
Power Attack - (1d20+3)[4] Damage - (1d8+10)[14]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...COqP3_QK#gid=0

Map relinked for ease of finding. Jess is prone, and currently sharing a space with Audric - which means if she does not remain prone and/or move out of the way, she and Audric take -4 to Attack. There would be AC penalties, but Audric's going to get hit by everything aimed at either of you automatically so that's kind of irrelevant.

[Cardea]

Tayet

Adrenaline kicks in, flooding Tayet's ears. He aims his bow, pulling out the blunt arrow. He points it, tilting the bow and his aim to account for Shadow's proximity, pulling the arrow back. He lets go, whistling as it flies away from him.

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Ohmygoshcombat.

Attack: (1d20+7)[16]
Damage: (1d8+1)[5]

[Strawberries]

Audric quickly steps up and steps forward, but keeps himself between Jess and the paladin, ready to shield her should he attack her again. He has not drawn his sword, and he has no intention of doing so."Llaars don't..." he starts, and then, when he sees that the others have joined the battle "Everybidy STOP, right now. Yistin, please sheathe your sword, I never meant for it to come to this. I will not attack you, and neither will the others." The latter is said with a glare in the direction of his allies.

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Moving forward one square, still ready to intercept any blow aimed in Jess' direction.
Do you need a diplomacy roll or is it just Audric talking? Just in case (1d20+12)[26]

If it helps, he's absolutely sincere about this: he REALLY wants to defuse the situation.

[Jallorn]

Antal leaps forwards, hoping to take advantage of the distraction Audric is providing to drop Yistin swiftly. He throws all of his focus into the blow, attempting to drive his sword handle into the base of Yistin's neck.

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Attack (-4 nonlethal, +2 Flank, +4 Inspiration): (1d20+7)[26]
Damage (nonlethal, +1d6 Sneak Attack): (1d4+1)[3](1d6)[3]

[Strawberries]

"Antal, DAMMIT!" Audric shouts when he sees the halfling blatantly ignoring him and keeping attacking Yistin. The situation has obviously spinned very out of control "Have you heard a word of what I've said?!"

[Nanoblack]

Llaars

Normally Llaars listens to Audric, but the sword flashing past his head keeps his mind in the fight. "I'll stop breaking bones when he drops the sword." Another volley of punches for the priest.

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Atack1: (1d20+5)[15]
Damage1:(1d8+4)[9]
Attack2:(1d20+5)[25]
Damage2: (1d8+4)[11]

[Ajadea]

Antal moves forward to hit Yistin, but even disoriented as he is, the other paladin is apparently coherent enough to react. He twists around, still gripping his sword in both hands, and slashes down at the halfling with considerably too much accuracy for someone with a bruised forehead and bleeding ear. Antal dodges the blow however, and retaliates with a considerably more accurate one.

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Inspired by Sallera, have a Power Attack Smite of Opportunity! Unfortunately, Yistin still is concussed.

Attack - (1d20+5)[10] Damage - (1d8+14)[17]

[Savannah]

Rana ignores Audric's words as she raises her hands and begins a sing-song chant.

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Casting chill metal on Yistin's armor. His armor counts as an attended object, so it needs to make a DC 16 Will save (it can use his save bonus, if that's higher than its own).

On a failure, it will feel uncomfortably chilly the first round. The fun starts next round

Meanwhile, Shadow snarls and lunges low, towards Yistin's calf, trying to pull him off balance.

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Attack (1d20+8)[24] (includes flanking from Antal)
On hit, damage (1d6+3)[7] and opposed trip check [roll]120+3[/roll]

[DeafnotDumb]

Jess scrambles up and away from Yistin, followed by Blackie, both eager to put distance between themselves and that sword. "Come on, Yistin!" She snarls. "You're outnumbered. Give up."

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Moving away from Yistin to F4 and taking a Defend action to add +2 to AC, should he decide to attack again.

[Ajadea]

Yistin doesn't seem to heed Audric's words, though given that they come between an arrow that catches him on the shoulder and a very nasty-looking but non-fatal blow to the back of the knee, it's not entirely surprising. He doesn't look ready to give up, but it soon becomes a moot point as Llaars punches him in the chest. The other man stumbles, just in time for the second blow to catch him in the jaw. There is a sickening snap, and Yistin's eyes go wide.

Then he crumples to the ground. His sword is still clenched in his right hand, and his chain shirt glints under his torn vestments.

He is not breathing.

Everything seems very quiet.

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Hooray for critical hits!

Rana doesn't get her turn, sadly - save the spell.

XP will be awarded once roleplaying interactions pertaining to this little incident are taken into account (so, probably right before we switch threads).

[DeafnotDumb]

Jess blinks for several moments as she tries to process what just happened. "He can't be dead." She says flatly, moving forwards to the body. "He's not getting away that easy. Breathe, you bastard!"

[Strawberries]

Audric doesn't waste time in thinking about what can and can't be happening. As soon as he sees the other man fall, he gets down on his side, trying to assess his condition, trying to do something to avoid him to die.

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((Please tell me the bugger's not dead...
Anyway, lay on hands, for all his remaining HP, please.

[Savannah]

Rana ignores the commotion around Yistin's body and looks up and down the alley, hoping that he hadn't brought hidden allies.

Spot (1d20+11)[16], Listen (1d20+11)[19]

[Jallorn]

All you did was hit him, he shouldn't be dead! Antal seems a little shocked. This is insane, we can't kill him yet, we don't even know if he did anything.

[Cardea]

Tayet

Tayet stares Yistin's body. He says nothing, but whistles, and the eagle lands onto his arm. He breathes in deep, and pulls out a few words that are strange and stressful. He speaks again, this time in Sylvan, though the words are quiet. "Busca en torno a arriba. Se alguén está preto, di onde me diga como agora."

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Casting Speak With Animals.

Sylvan

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"Search around from above. If anyone else is close, tell where, tell me how far."

[Ajadea]

Divine energy surges from Audric's hands into Yistin's broken body... and bounces back with a flash, unchanged in intensity. There is no life left to work with. There is nothing left to heal.

Cape takes off and circles around, surveying the scene. He lands on the wall, and ruffles his feathers. He gives two calls, low and short.

Audric

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[StarTrek]He's dead, Jim.[/StarTrek]
Llaars snapped his neck. Yistin didn't have a shot.

Rana

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A solitary crow flies overhead. A breeze from the lake rustles the willow leaves. But no hidden smite-happy allies are evident.

Tayet

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No two-legs near.

[Cardea]

Tayet

"Continúe a buscar. Problema crecente." Tayet say to Cape, stowing his bow. He approaches the group, unsure of what to say.

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Cape rolls.

Listen: (1d20+4)[21]
Spot: (1d20+18)[23]

Sylvan

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"Keep lookout. Problem rising."

[Savannah]

Rana dusts her hands off and speaks briskly. "Alright, well done. We don't know if he left word with anyone at the temple where he was going, so we'd best leave now, in case someone comes looking." She glances around again, "If there are any sewers in the area, we could leave a blood trail and Jess, you could leave something recognizably yours by his body. That way they're inclined to think you and he fought and you tried to escape through the sewers before bleeding out, so as to minimize the chances of us being followed. Of course, you won't be able to come back but, really, you wouldn't have been able to no matter what."

[DeafnotDumb]

Jess looks at Rana blankly, as if she's speaking a completely different language, and then slowly takes off the symbol of Aldaran she wears around her neck and lays it down by Yistin's body with a lingering touch. "I was going to parade you down to the church," She says to the corpse, "past people while you wore your guilt around your neck, so the corrupt and the bastards alike would see that you could not get away with what you did. I waited a year - how many more did you - and I don't even know if..."

She pauses, takes in a deep gulping breath, and moves her hands over Yistin's eyes. "You don't near deserve it, but Aldaran give you peace." She waits to allow Blackie to clamber up onto her shoulder, and then stands up. "Sorry, Choirboy. Let's just go."

[Savannah]

Rana looks at Jess for a long moment, then puts a hand on her shoulder. "They would not understand. He's dead now, and won't hurt anyone again. Now we just have ourselves to worry about."

[Strawberries]

Audric has remained kneeling beside the other man's body. He hasn't reacted to either Tayet or Rana, and has seemed to register something only when Jess has moved to touch the corpse. He slowly gets up and turns to look at the others. The expression on his face is very difficult to read, but he is very pale, and he has to swallow a couple of times before he manages to say something. "Go." he says. His tone is barely above a whisper. "You all, just go, leave the city. Leave Tavetiir. I have... I have to bring him back to the Temple."

[Jallorn]

Antal makes no move to leave, instead remaining at the dead paladin's side, gazing upon the body with a stunned look on his face. Maybe you should try again?

[Savannah]

"Are you crazy, Audric?! You think they'd just let you go without telling them where we are? Do you want them to kill us? To kill you?

Rana whirls on Antal and snaps, "And don't be ridiculous, Antal, he's dead and we don't want him to come back -- you think he'd let us live after this?!"

Rana turns back to Audric and takes a deep breath. Her voice is a lot softer now, "Audric. I know you didn't want this, that you wanted a peaceful resolution. But you have to know that the other paladins weren't going to take the word of a sorceress over one of their own -- and if you had tried to back her up, they would have just branded you a heretic and killed you along with her.

"The world....the world isn't fair, or right, and you never get what you want. So you have to do what it takes to keep yourself alive and take care of those you care about. And right now, that means all of us leaving here."

[Strawberries]

Audric's expression is still blank. Frighteningly blank, from someone that usually is quite easy to read. "I wouldn't know. You do not have to tell me where you're going. This is...this is the last thing I can do for you." He takes a deep breath "I am not sending anyone after you. And I am not coming, either. Just leave, now."

[Savannah]

Rana grabs Audric's shoulders and gives him a small shake. "No. You're coming with me."

[Jallorn]

Antal, however, blinks, and the stunned expression leaves his face, She's right, you need to come with us. We have a job to do, and you know damn well no one else is going to do it. You wanna be a hero like you paladins claim to be? Well true heroes don't care about glory, they're heroes because they get the ****ing job done, and clean up afterwards. So get up off your knees Audric, and get the job done.

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I hope this doesn't feel too cheesy, but this is the first time (I think) that Antal has participated in the death of a humanoid, which is a changing experience. In Antal's case, he's done screwing around (or at least that's the way he feels right now.) Cause people could die if he doesn't do things properly and with all seriousness.

[Strawberries]

The paladin jerks away from Rana's touch. "Do you..." he starts, in a raised voice. He seems to make an effort to calm down, then, but then Antal speaks "You think I was doing this for glory?" His voice is low, almost disbelieving. "You... there are people who can do it. There is a whole Order who are sworn to deal with things like that witch that we ar-were chasing. And I had chosen not to involve them. But I can't keep doing this anymore."

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((He wasn't on his knees anymore, he had got up early, but nevermind. Let's say he's done it now. ))

[Jallorn]

You doubt yourself at every turn! Antal was gazing evenly, challengingly, but not angrily, at Audric. Damnit paladin! You know what is right, and yet you question yourself because someone else says you're wrong! That's why I call you paladin. You're barely a person, you're more one of those ****ing drones! Stand up for yourself, and stop wondering what those pompous fools in their ivory towers think. Antal's face softens a little, You know, I used to think paladins were so darn cool when I was younger. That was back before I knew what self-righteous tools they were, when all I had was the propaganda parents feed their children, to make them feel safe. But then I met you, and I thought... well, not at first, but I thought, "Antal, maybe there was some truth to those stories after all. Maybe there once was a paladin who really stood for what was just, and protected the weak." But you're too damned concerned with glory, whatever you say to the contrary. If you weren't, you'd own up to the fact that no, the Order can't do this, not the way we can. Too many innocents would be hurt in the process.

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Apologies for the swears, they feel appropriate.

A little bit of this is retcon, but I like it, and I think it fits well enough.

[Cardea]

Tayet

"Actually, telling truth, I have old friend in Aldaran order." Tayet says, entering the conversation for once. "She's good person. Understanding. Compassionate. Fierce. Used to be playing tag with her. Always nice when she wins. Always nice when she loses. Then she join order. Still same person, still nice person; caring and honest and hopeful. Told me once in private, some people in order use title as excuse for bad gain. But told me often that there are others who are good for good's sake. Aldaran helps put a name behind good they do.

"You know what she tell me once? She tell me, people have choice. Can let bad things weigh them down, or can build from bad things, use them as support to strengthen back. But she tell me Paladin is a Paladin because they never see first choice. Only second choice. Only ever improving, because its the only thing they see, that anything else wouldn't be good enough to help other people.

"You fail here, maybe. Lucky punch. Not your fault. But going to temple now, telling them what happen now? That is going to weigh you down. Leaving with Rana now, completing the job you said you would do, hunting this... erhm... witch? Use failure here to help support you to not fail when you are more needed. That is what friend would have said. You seem like the kind of man she often spoke of. You carry guilt for things. But will you let it be burden, or stepping stone?

"Regardless, I am sorry."