Execution Day

Log Info

• Title: Execution Day
• Emitter: Delilah
• Characters: Bannon, Mikilos, Donna, Ashes, Elyanna, Merek, Edinaz, Craft, Boshter
• Place: A01: Western Gates
• Time: Thursday, February 18, 2021, 3:40 PM
• Summary: The convicted murderess Delilah Valethor is to be taken upon this date from her cell, to be brought before the sight of the public of Alexandria so that all may witness the fate of murderers! It is ordained that the convicted shall be put to death by beheading, to be carried out at dawn. Unless some intrepid adventurers interfere. Which they do. Bannon and Mikilos are part of a crowd gathering to see the execution, a crowd that knows Delilah and this miscarriage of justice. Meanwhile, below the streets, Delilah's legal defense team is taking it to the next level. They are waiting for the right time for a rescue. When Ashes sense Delilah's thoughts, they all rush past the guards in the sewers to emerge underneath the scaffolding in a fog cloud. The crowd, incensed, is attacking nobles, who are attacking back. Mikilos and Craft make efforts to prevent this, and Edinaz tries to stop the wizard/solicitor casting lightning bolts. At the executioner's block, the Axe is halted by Craft's mage hand, while the Gnoll executioner is disabled. Ash and Donna get between Delilah and Norrington, while Elyanna is held up on the stairs, fighting Graves. Bannon engages Godswin, who shoots him and Karlin. Boshter arrives, further distracting Norrington, allowing Donna, Delilah, Ashes and Elyanna to teleport outside the city, to waiting horses and escape. Merek saves Karlin's life with miraculous intervention, while Mikilos attempts to calm things with a fireball, and then the offer of free food and drink. Lots of drink. The day is won! the Murderess escapes, and several adventurers are wanted people.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* A01: Western Gates *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The western gates of the city are also called the Phoenix Gates for the carved, marble phoenix whose wings stretch down to form a grand arch wide enough to accommodate several wagon teams at once. The phoenix has been carefully carved. Though age has obscured some of the details, it's clear that at one point it was possible to make out the vanes running down each individual feather. Its fiery eyes appear to follow onlookers and while it seems to welcome travelers inside, there's an implicit warning in its stern gaze to those who might wish the city harm. Overhead, the fiery flag of Alexandria, dubbed Phoenix Rising, flies proudly.

At the base of the gates there's a small lodge to house the members of the Watch who stand guard here, who watch people as they enter and exit and occasionally ask for identification papers.

Inside the gates the ancient facade suddenly looks more modern; a complicated series of pulleys, levers, mana-powered rune plates and the like are attached to huge gates which, rumor has it, can close faster than the gates of any other city thanks to the incorporation of artificer technology.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  In the Crowds  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=       
Bannon       5'9"     195 Lb     Human             Male      A shorter man of Tsuran heritage, with a thin moustace and goatee.
Mikilos      6'8"     180 Lb     Dawn Elf          Male      Tall male dawn elf, rosey blonde and handsome.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  In the Sewers  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Donna        5'4"     106 Lb     Human             Female    A black-haired human girl in black robes.      
Ashes        5'11"    177 Lb     Hobgoblin         Female    A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face                            
Elyanna      5'11"    153 Lb     Half-Orc          Female    A grim, Arvek-blooded woman in raven feathers.          
Merek        5'10"    215 Lb     Human             Male      A black-haired, dusky male with golden eyes.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Joining at the Scaffold  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Edinaz       6'10"    296 Lb     Half-Orc          Male      Grey-skinned half-oruch, extensive black ink.
Craft        6'4"     300 Lb     War Golem         Male      A well kept golem in plate and apron.          
Boshter      6'0"     240 Lb     Hobgoblin         Male      An arvek nar in robes. Oh no!
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  NPCs of Note  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Karlin       Friendly            Human             Male      Patroller in the Alexandrian Guard
Norrington   Hostile             Human             Male      Knight Commander of the Alexandrian Guard
Graves       Hostile             Human             Female    Knight Lieutennant of the Alexandrian Guard
Godswin      Hostile             Human             Male      Kinght Lieutennant of the Alexandrian Guard                     
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GM  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Delilah      5'4"     106 Lb     Human             Female    A golden haired human girl in white robes.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

In the Crowds

It's the early hours of the morning in Alexandria. The sun is creeping up over the horizon, but it's hard to tell with how gloomy and overcast it is; complete cloud cover spits the odd drizzle onto the gathering crowd below, but other than this threat of rain the city remains dry, for now. The square near the gates, however, has rather been transformed.

A tall wooden scaffold has been erected, with steps up one side; there isn't overly much present up on top but for a single, heavy block of wood with a divot out of one side. The whole affair is surrounded by two ranks of guards, all with either shields and pikes or crossbows standing by. Surrounding it all is a growing crowd, and amongst this forming mob one can see all of Alexandria represented; the poor and homeless, urchins normally underfoot but nowhere else rub shoulders with merchants and craftsman, inn proprietors, ladies of the night, travellers and the odd minstrel. Decidedly not rubbing shoulders with anyone are the nobles, who's private guards keep the riffraff separate from them with stern looks and a grim stance, especially one obviously pregnant noble woman near the scaffold, who looks like she's fighting not to burst into tears.

Up on top of the scaffold, a gnoll woman dressed in black is running a stone over the blade of a single bladed, bearded axe. Beside her a man is busy shouting to the crowd; "Hear ye, hear ye! Let it be heard that the execution of the Murderess Delilah Valethor is about to take place! Come and see the awful price of murder!"

In the midst of the gatherers, a figure moves through the crowd as they jockey to get one of the better views available. The man, Bannon Vayne, seems to find a spot that suits him, observing the scaffold as he raises a hand to brush at the edge of his thin dark moustache.

It doesn't take overly long before there's a cart trundling its way up to the scaffold, along a route the guards have kept clear. There's a trio of guards in the back -- Norrington, Graves, and Godswin, for those who might recognize them, but perhaps just faces to those who don't -- and a blond haired woman in a white dress, with her hair bundled up with a hairclip and manacled wrists and ankles.

The guest of honor, it would seem.

The cart grinds to a halt, and the three guards help the blond woman down, and with hands clamped on each of her arms assist her up the stairs, which the chain between her ankles gives her just enough leeway to accomplish.

"Delilah Valethor!" announces the man on the scaffold with the loud voice, as the crowd's noise level diminishes a notch.

Bannon tosses his head to the side as he looks towards the cart trundling its way in. His lips thin into a brief frown before his eyes look back up towards the scaffolding. As the big, brawny man calls the name of the condemned, it's almost as if Bannon can't help himself. From the crowd, he lifts a hand to his mouth, pitching up his voice, "Wrong execution. That's the next Square over!" He quickly drops his hand, glancing around as if to spot who shouted that himself."

Mikilos arrives late, not because he forgot, but because he lost track of time... good book can make you forget what day it is... not needed to eat or sleep doesn't help. But the magus pops into existance some small distance away and makes the approach on foot, his very Grey robes standing out even against the grey of the day. Eyeing the crowd a moment, the tall elf makes his way towards the nobility side, not joining them, but near enough he could with minor effort. Likely annoying a guard or two in the process.

Delilah is brought by the guards to stand at the edge of the scaffold, right in front of the block. The gnoll has stopped sharpening her axe, and now stands with it resting on one shoulder. A priest, dressed in the gray robes of Verdama, steps forwards to have a quiet conversation with the condemned sorceress; something about forgiveness and courage for the world beyond and all that. Standard stuff, one might presume, for someone about to lose their head.

The crowd, however, is unusually restless; usually people just come to a public execution to see a blight upon the community get sent along for the Gods to sort out, but today is markedly different. There's muttering going on amongst the more common folk; people are shuffling closer to the guards, and the observant might spot rotten vegetables being passed around. The guards have noticed it too, and are shifting ranks, and many of them look like they're prepared to not merely stand by with weapons, but to lower them at the crowd.

"Just kill her already!" shouts a voice from among the noble observers; the pregnant woman near the front, who appears to have lost her patience for the proceedings, despite the trio of women around her trying to sooth her. "She MURDERED MY SISTER! She--"

The shouting cuts off as a knot of noblewomen form around her, and she bursts into tears instead.

Up on the scaffold, Delilah is ushered forwards, and pushed down to her knees in front of the block.

"Delilah Valethor," announces the man with the loud voice, "For the crime of Murder, you are now to be put to death by beheading. Have you any last words?"

As the crowd starts getting restless, Bannon begins looking around with just the briefest hints of concern, "What's happening?" He then points at a bit of fruit being passes, "Why...?" He looks up with his eyebrows rising, a quick grin flashing across his face as he notes the guards shifting for their weapons. He, himself, casually drops a hand to the sheath at his right hip, loosening the rapier that can be found there.

Mikilos sighs, somewhere between bored and annoyed. At exactly what, one can only guess. The elf does have a fine blade at his side, but makes no move towards it. Of course, wizard, the sword isn't how he fights.

A gnome wearing a headscard walks up to Bannon, and stuffs a bag with four rotten tomatoes in it into Bannon's hand. "Girl's innocent," she explains, in answer to his question. "Ain't nobody what knows Delilah what thinks for one second she killed that noble wench. So when the signal comes we's makin' a big mess. Join in!"

And then she's off, distributing more spoiled produce -- a fact that the guards have noticed, certainly, and are getting visibly nervous about. Someone will naturally make the same offer to Mikilos, of something smelly and not nice.

Up on the scaffold, however, it appears things are coming to a head, perhaps literally. Delilah has been given the chance for last words; she clears her throat, and states something that nobody hears. The gnoll with the axe, it seems, is nice enough to tap her on the shoulder and point out that nobody heard.

"I'm innocent," she shouts, and quiet ripples across the crowd, at least for the moment. "I'm innocent. I didn't do it. I never hurt Lady Bethany or anyone else."

The commotion and scandal surrounding today's events drew out even the somewhat more reclusive men around town. Well 'man' is a loose term. Humanoid. Kinda. Craft stands in the crowd, looking up at the scaffold, his eyes narrow pinpricks of blue, his metal form standing out amongst the flesh and blood of the average townie.

Bannon tilts his head towards the gnome and then nods, "I understand." He opens the bag briefly, closing it just as quickly as he clears his throat and mutters under his breath, "Ugh, it'd be more humane to kill them..." He then looks up, then looks around, before he shouts, "What about her trial!? It was a farce." Of course he doesn't know if it was or not, but he seems very confident in that ascertation.

Mikilos quietly thanks the passerby for the offer, but declines. The elf has his own things to throw, if it comes to that. As the accused makes her statement, the man speaks up, shouting loudly himself. "Proof! Do you have proof?!" The question may be addressed to the scaffold, but it's towards the nobels he's looking. Do... do -they- have proof?

"Shut up!" comes a reply from amongst the nobles; someone who just can't help rising above the shouting. "She's guilty! Her head should roll! THey proved it in court!" And an answering chorus from the common crowd about her innocence rises as well; and in the process a well rotted cabbage goes flying overhead, from someone who just can't help making the toss. (And it's well aimed too, a fat man dressed in really expensive looking red robes takes it to the face and starts sputtering.)

Up on the scaffold, there seems to be some urgency is getting things done, now; one of the guards -- Godswin, to those that'd recognize him -- pushes Delilah forwards until her neck is resting on the block, and fastens a leather strap to hold her there.

While this is going on, the loud man clears his throat. "People of Alexandria, please, be peaceful!" he shouts. "Miss Valethor's trial was fair, and the evidence against her irrefutable! Please, let us not descend into riots over the fate of one murderess!"

The gnoll with the axe steps forwards, and rests the blade against the back of the trembling Delilah's neck; and just as she raises it into the air there's a loud bang from beneath the scaffold; and that getse everyone's attention, including the executioner who takes pause, instead of bringing the axe straight down.

In the Sewers

It's early morning. The day of the execution. Up above, the weather is gloomy and overcast, with clouds threatening to rain but not yet disgorging their contents. Down in the sewers, of course, it's nothing different; just the steady drip of water and... other things, the flow of the same, and the various tunnels and crawlspaces that run interspersed amongst it all.

Donna spent the night here, but in the earlier hours of the morning was forced to withdraw, as the guards checked the areas immediately under the scaffold they'd built at the Western Gates. Now she will find herself reunited with the others who've come, led here by Guardsman Karlin who's here as well, grimfaced and quiet as he contemplates what he's about to do.

What he hopes he's about to do.

"Alright," he murmurs, keeping his voice down even with no sign of hostile guards about. "Just... remember, a lot of these people we're going to go fight are my friends, okay? Please just... they're not bad people. They're not."

"I know," Donna says quietly, craning her neck to one side until a quiet *pop* is heard from her neck. "I getcha, Karlin, you're worried 'bout your friends. 'S all right. We ain't goin' out there to spill blood, just t'get my sister an' get gone. Be happiest if no one needs a punchin', but I'll settle for not hurtin' anyone if I can help it."

Everyone is in a side tunnel a short walk away from the grate. A few passages away from where you want to be.

GAME: Ashes casts Detect Thoughts. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15

"Ok." The ashen Arvec says. She has no particular interest in ending anyone's life. Only dealing with them once they're dead. It's the afterlife where things really start happening. She avoids leaning against the wall, no idea how high the storm surge gets and while she enjoys searching through sludge she doesn't like wearing it. At least, not socially. This might be a social occasion.

Her satchel is adjusted, pulled to her front. In it are her weapons, her familiar and backup familiars. They're really pets, but she enjoys their company. One large goblinoid ear is cocked, listening for the noises of the crowd above.

"I have useful spells," Ashlee says. She's explained all of them earlier.

Merek looked into doing a little bit of things to make it all easier, then he comes to the party in the dungeon, taking the time to pull the hood up along his features while the beltcape about his waist adjusts. The man nods a bit while he follows along.

"I am bearing that in mind." Elyanna remarks evenly within the fringed hood of her 'new' cloak. Tsk. Most of her proper equipment borne in a pack, the halfbreed slogs through the sewers dressed like a ragamuffin, with some application of makeup to muddle her particular blend of complexion and bone structure. A common teamster's lash wound about the waist of a homespun tunic over her armor. There is a glance to her co-conspirators, a slow breath, then, "Very well."

The sewers are exactly like you'd expect them to be; dark, smelly, and generally awful, though at least this part is more of a storm drain and isn't completely full of the noxious wastes generated by large numbers of people in a small area. Even down here, though, the noise and bustle going on up above is obvious; someone's getting her head chopped off and no shortage of people have arrived to see it.

"Yeah, I know," Karlin acknowledges to Donna. "I guess I wish doing the right thing wasn't so damn hard." He pauses, and side-glances to the Brawler, "Sorry, that was insensitive. Let's just all be careful."

Of course, nothing is ever easy, is it? Ashes will detect that in the next passage over, through the little window-sized space they have to get through, there are two thinking beings on the other side, on the move. And they're thinking about guarding the place in case a troublesome brawler and her annoying friends have decided to try something.

"There's two, thinking about us." Ash whispers in the ears of her fellow conspirators. She gazes up at the window-sized exit space. Hopefully cavalry armour and her build will fit. She isn't huge by any means, but there is a certain amount of inflexibility. She brought it to the meeting last night, and is still wearing it on the assumption it will be helpful.

The ashen Arvec gestures at the rough location of the minds. At least they'll have an idea which direction to face when they pile out. She asks Donna, "Fog cloud, when I sense Delilah is near?" Again, whispers, trickling in the brawler's ear.

"Buddy I been sayin' that for years, now," Donna sighs. "Upside... Got some fun for y'all to have after this; on the way back here last night, got jumped by an assassin'. Said he was tyin' up a loose end, an' it was Bethany was the target, not D. So... looks like there's a murder that still needs solvin'."

Leaning around the corner, she stares down the passage toward Ashes, eyebrows rising in silent question. After a moment's thought, the brawler nods the affirmative.

Merek says, "Alright, will keep that in mind. What do you all think?"

Elyanna spares the guard a sidelong glance and a soft sound in her throat. Her hand closes around the handle of the whip on Ashes advisory they may have a complication, though her thoughts are derailed by Donna's update. She considers a moment, the array of possibiility, then tamps the thought down to focus on the immediate concern.

Karlin falls silent at the information that there's two people on the other side, just for a moment. "They're not ours," he confirms. "They're patrolling. Norrington must've gotten nervous. They don't usually bother."

And of course, the two thinking beings have, for the moment, just stopped right there. They're having a talk, or a smoke, or something; it's hard to tell just from their thoughts, but they're not thinking about moving just yet.

It's hard to tell someone's specific identity from thought patterns, of course, but there is one set of thoughts that Ashes can detect somewhere up above, that is a barely controlled cauldron of sheer terror.

It's just unfortunate that the way up isn't in this room.

GAME: Ashes casts Fog Cloud. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16

Ashlee stands there calmly, eavesdropping on thoughts. It's easier for her to do with her eyes closed. Smoking, she'd like a smoke. That would be a give-away, of all the smells to waft out of the sewer grate, her brand of clove-based cigarellos would definitely not be on the 'normal' list. As she mentally feels her way around, she touches on a mind erupting in panic.

That's Delilah, or one absurdly inexperienced executioner. Given that she's expecting a Gnoll, or Boshter, in that position, it's very likely their target.

"She's here." Ash points, then gives an update on the smokers' positions. "Go. Casting."

Her prayer remains as quiet as it can be, "Feiu of the Tears, raise the mists of despair." Right above the grate, that will do nicely. She touches her holy symbol. Now, to hold the last bit of the miracle until she can see the grate.

And the moment Ashlee says 'go,' Donna is barreling down the passageway, hiking her way up the ladder as swiftly as she can, one armored forearm in front of her so as to not bother with niceties like 'stopping to open the grate.'

Nothing will stand in the way of Donna looking out for her sister. Not Norrington, not an axe-crazy gnoll, and *not* a silly little bit of unlocked metal.

A passageway with two guards in it between the bralwer and the way up might.

Scratch that.

And the moment Ashlee says 'go,' Donna is barreling down the passageway, one hand reaching into a pouch and flinging a small, flimsy burlap sack at the smoker on the left, glad for her restless preparations.

Nothing will stand in the way of Donna looking out for her sister. Not Norrington, not an axe-crazy gnoll, and *not* a pair of lazy guards looking to duck out of a proper patrol.

Nothing will stop her.

GAME: Donna used a Tanglefoot Bag.
GAME: Merek casts Invisibility. Caster Level: 13 DC: 17

"Right, I'm going to just... Make sure that one of those guys are going down, safely." Merek nods a bit to Karlin, then he takes a moment to chant, and becomes an invisible man. He then begins to sneak along and to where the guards are, waiting for Donna and Elyanna to complete their own tasks, then he will try to take a guard down non-lethally.

GAME: Elyanna casts Cause Fear. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14

Elyanna nods to her friend at the word and begins to move, fingers of her free hand twirling a strange symbol as she hums an intricate, slightly disjointed melody in a minor key. On the final note, the fingers draw a line across her neck and the guard on the right is suddenly given a magical infusion of fear with only their personal resolve to shield them. In case that doesn't work, she's ready to put not-Maidenhead to work.

"Hey! What the fu--"

The moment Donna is through the passage and into the next chamber, the two guards inside are shocked back to alertness; one is drawing a sword, and just in time to get hit full in the chest with a little burlap sack, which promptly explodes into a tangled mass of vines around the man. The other one has a crossbow, which he fires; and the bolt grazes Donna's shoulder. "Stop right there!" he yells -- right before Elyanna draws her finger across her throat, and the man's eyes go wide. ...He certainly hasn't noticed Merek coming up behind him, being as how he's invisible and all, and the back of his head is oh, so unprotected.

Of course, this isn't the room with the ladder up, either. "Come on!" yells Karlin as he crawls through and rushes down the hall, splashing his feet through the muck, "We're almost out of time! Hurry!"

If a little blood was enough to stop Donna, she'd never have joined the Guild, and she certainly never would have been willing to sleep in a sewer to rescue her sister. Pounding after the guard, she glances behind her to check on her fellows; none of them had to come, but all of them deserve more than the occasional 'Thanks' she's given them. Perhaps when she's welcome back in the city, a feast in their honor?

The ashen Arvec follows in Donna's wake. She's naturally a gloomy colour, and has hidden her distinctive facial tattoo behind a grey foundation. She moves like a qhost, swiftly and silently, her armour preternaturally quiet considering its bulk.

She passes the two guards, ignoring them, trusting in her friends and her gear to protect her. Arriving at the base of the ladder, she releases her fog spell, timed so it will cover the grate and scaffold as Donna bursts through.

Ash was planning to climb last, but Merek? Elyanna? They're delayed dealing with the guards below. She may be needed up top, so she climbs after.

Merek takes care of the guard when Elyanna manages to keep them away, then he offers a little, "Thank you," and will note that he's following. The man looks to the place and will take up their rear for the moment, invisible guard.

Drat!

She'd meant to afflict him before he got a shot off, but, if the spell took, then that's at least a start.

Elyanna tightens her grip on the common whip and pulls it from her waist before her casting hand goes to the hilt of a dagger, just in case. She gets passed up by Ashes while she's at that, but it works out as Merek does his thing while she continues to move.

A sharp blow on the back of the head from Merek leaves the crossbow guard unconscious, at least for a few minutes, beside his tangled up friend who is busy screaming into a vine that's muffling his voice.

But time is short, and if used unwisely it's likely that Delilah is going to get a lot shorter.

"Come on!!" Karlin belts down the passageway after Donna; into a room with a ladder. Finally, a ladder; with a grate up on top that is supposed to be locked. "Up there! Quick! HURRY!"

And up above, there's commotion going on, that much is certain. There are a lot of people. And the thought-knot that is presumed to be Delilah is still there; but has become more calm. Like how one might become with there's just no hope left; when they know it's over, and are just waiting for that fact to catch up.

'Hurry,' he says. But he probably doesn't know that while Donna elected to wear moderately heavy armor, she'd put long training and effort into learning how to move like it doesn't hamper her at all. Thus, while she's still a bit slower going *up* than she would across ground, it's a near thing. The brawler's tattoos flare alight as she shimmies up the ladder, hauling herself up rung by rung and all but *punching* the grate out of the way.

The way history rhymes is almost amusing enogh to cut through her building rage; the last time she had to rescue Delilah, she had to anger her way up a sheer vertical surface. But it's likely this time will end even better than the last.

The last time she was there to help Donna save Delilah was significantly wetter.

With more alligators.

The hobkin reaches the bottom of the ladder after the others, delayed for her casting and she starts to ascend.

Hurry. Ash is not about hurrying. Her mourner duties allow her to walk around in a stately fashion, her military experience was that the horse did all the work, before then as a lost soul and a witch's apprentice, there wasn't a lot of rushing about. She makes the effort now, climbing up after Donna. This is the sort of thing Carbuncle is really good at, sadly, Ash is not a white lizard. Nor a centipede, or mouse.

She has a plan, another spell for a guard nearest Delilah. Hopefully she can get there in time. "Delilah has stopped panicking. It's close."

Merek walks along in that whole invisible way along, while he follows with the people to make their way to Delilah. Things are about to get crazy probably, all the same he keeps with him the spells that he might need.

The punch causes a loud bang at the top of the ladder.

At the Scaffold

Craft, as the tensions rise, reaches back to where his death ray is strapped to his back, adjusting controls with metal fingers. The bang gets his attention, and then he quickly turns his attention back to the convict. "Roll, girl!" he shouts, his voice like a kettle drum, a deep, metallic resonance. He begins pushing his way through the crowd, moving towards the source of the explosion.

Mikilos snorts softly. "For 'irrefutable' evidence, seems to be a lot of people refuting it." The bang isn't a complete surprise, but it does cause the elf to fall quite and look towards the source with curiousity.

The trial was a farce, Ashes wants to say. It was a procedural boondoggle where evidence was ignored, no clear investigation was undertaken, the truth was irrelevant, and the fix and corruption was brazen. Except she said that all at the trial, and it made no difference then, it will make no difference now.

A billowing fog cloud might, emanating from beneath the execution stand, a full twenty feet in all directions, including up. Obscuring those in it at close quarters, and hiding them at greater distance.

It should cover the people emerging from a sewer grate, one of whom immediately moves through the mist to get up on top of the platform.

As the axe rises and prepares to fall, Bannon is hastily reaching into the bag given to him by the travelling gnome, pulling an absolutely rancid tomato. As he cocks back, all hell seems to break loose. He holds his face for a moment, then cuts away and begins making his way through the crowd towards Mikilos and the nobles.

Edinaz arrives at the best times, though from nowhere near the billowing smoke. He just arrives at the back of the crowd, moving purposefully through into it.

The clatter and fog might have given the executioner pause, but Donna cannot chance using any more time than is absolutely necessary to get from under the scaffolding to atop it. Praying that nobody is above her, she presses one hand flat against the underside of the structure, and begins to whisper. A few moments later, twin beams of firey magic erupt from her palm, scourging the wooden planking with what little combat magic the brawler can claim.

All hell, it seems, is breaking loose. The mist suddenly billowing around the bottom of the scaffold conceals several figures emerging from a sewer grate. Even so, most of the guards are more concerned with the growing unrest amongst the commoners in the crowd, and a sudden wave of rank produce and all manner of other revolting substances that come flying through the air and splattering off those who are guarding the scaffold.

"What the hell?!" The Executioner lowers her axe, distracted for a moment; and so the terrified sorceress lives a moment longer, though she's still restrained in place. Graves moves to the stairs, while Godswin drops down off the side, unslinging his rifle as he moves into the mist.

Amongst the nobles, who've also drawn fire from those flinging the gnarly vegetables, their hired protection is much less restrained; their guards are advancing hard into the commoners, punching and kicking and bashing with shields. Certainly some teeth are being knocked out and bones broken. One of them tries to punch Bannon, but is quickly swept up in another direction. Several guards have clustered around the pregnant noble, who appears to have fainted, and are trying to get her away; but of course she had the proverbial front row seat.

Norrington, up on top, glances about this way and that; and then the Knight Captain draws his greatsword, holding it in one hand as he points to the Executioner with the other, not noticing the burnt spot that appears in the scaffold floor. "Kill her! NOW!" And startled back to what she was doing, the Executioner again raises her axe.

GAME: Mikilos casts Wind Wall. Caster Level: 14 DC: 22

Mikilos tsks. The nobles may be jerks to a one, but many don't deserve to be pelted with produce. And besides, some is getting a little close to -him-. And so the magus murmurs and gestures, and with a roar of air, a massive wall of wind appears, dividing the air between the nobility and the produce tossers. Not quite so powerful as to stop a person, any missile trying to cross the barrier will be throw wildly off course. And if this happens to server as a massive distration for the nobility it's closest to, well, Mikilos can hardly be held responcible for such side effects. It's protecting them, after all. Right?

GAME: Craft casts Mage Hand. Caster Level: 7 DC: 14
GAME: Craft rolls charisma+intimidate: (17)+-2+5: 20

As the guards get rough with the crowd, Craft continues pushing through, squaring his adamantine clad shoulders, the smith, part time adventurer, and full time Kulthian abomination does his best to loom, meeting the eyes of any guard attempting to harm the crowd with intense pinpricks of light. He glances towards the larger gathering of guards. His eyes return to the nearest guard, pointedly patting his death ray. The call for execution grabs his attention. He raises a hand and attempts to grab hold of the executioner's axe with a well timed Mage Hand.

GAME: Elyanna casts Cause Fear. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14

Elyanna emerges from the ladder after the fog begins, the hiss of a dagger clearing leather follows. She has no more faith in Alexandrian justice, those few worthwhile guards, lower tier, all, she has no choice but to consider happy abberations of the natural state. Still, she acquiesced to Donna's 'no killing' parameter, and so it is now as she renews her dischordant melody, this time uptempo and with more surety of volume. She emerges from beneath the scaffolding and looks up the side of the stairs, whence they must pass for success and locks eyes on the guardswoman entering the final chord, though she punctuates the last note with the percussive >CRACK!< of the common leather popper to complete the spell without visual aids magically invoking the fear of the Graves.

Getting to the scaffold from the crowd is going to be really hard -- there are still lots of guards with closed ranks in the way.

As the fog descends and all hell breaks loose, Bannon reflexively throws the entire bag of rotton tomatos, bag and all. As the trajectory is altered slightly, Bannon grunts and then dashes forward. With a quick juke, and a dodge for good measure, Bannon smashes through and past the line of guards, drawing the rapier held at his side and angling for the scaffolding that stands before him.

GAME: Ashes casts Hold Person. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15

Shadows move within the fog as is billows around the execution scaffolding and upwards. One of those shadows is an ashen Arvec Nar in strangely grey, strangely silent armour. She bolts out from beneath the structure and mounts the stairs, passing Graves as if she wasn't there. A breeze and a darkness, the Lt. Knight already distracted by Elyanna's love-tap with a black-jack. Unconsciousness is one of the best aids for stealth.

The Arvec appears on the top platform, between the Gnoll and Delilah. The cavalry has arrived. Literally. Her armour marks her as one of the Blar Army's Heavy Riders, a medic. A quick gesture, she extend her arm protectively and tells the executioner, "Hold"

Merek takes a moment to shift all of his magic from the invisible and becomes visible. The man adjusts the gauntlet which he wears, while runes circle along. The man wears a dark attire with hood up in addition to the beltcape about the waist. Even while he begins to make a way onto the scaffold, already he is beginning to form what looks to be a Wall of Force, lifting a hand up while it begins the process of forming in front of the fire line.

That will keep a bit of space for folk that want to actually walk onto the scaffold, like Bannon. "Watch NORRINGTON! HE WON'T STAY A HAND!"

The floor of the scaffolding shatters upward, and Donna rises like an avenging... halfling, since the floor now comes up to her middle. Without waiting for things to get messier, she concentrates on one hand, and pale-blue runes begin to revolve around the wrist of her gauntlet. With a lurch, she makes a looping, outward swing with her arm, and the metal of the gauntlet stretches unnaturally, hooking the executioner's legs, right before a tremendous *yank** looks to send her to the floor.

The Executioner raises her axe once more, generating momentum with a swing before bringing the blade straight down, hard, in a skillful strike that should sever Delilah's head straight off her shoulders, all other things being equal. But all things are not equal; and an unseen force grabs hold of the axe and brings it to an abrupt halt, just as the blade breaks the skin.

Delilah certainly feels that; and the moment it becomes apparent to her that the death blow has come but stopped just short of actually killing her, she lets loose a terrified scream, built of all the pent up stress and horror that she's been dealing with since first being arrested. "Donna! DONNA!!" she wails, trying but failing to wriggle free from the strap holding her in place, with bare feet scrabbling against the scaffolding.

As the Gnoll is swearing and attempting to regain control of her axe, she abruptly goes rigid; and then a hand from below yanks her off her feet, leaving the axe hovering in the air where it has bit into Delilah's neck.

Graves, meanwhile, has drawn steel and is defending the staircase. The Elyanna's spell washes over her, but it seems she is made from sterner stuff than the guards in the sewers, and isn't about to scream and run in terror. Instead she takes an involuntary step back, and makes a quick jab and a slash at Elyanna. "Stairs!" she shouts to Norrington, "The Hobgbolin lowlifes!"

Merek's wall of force snaps into existence -- and is immediately tested. Among the noble crowd steps forth the same halfling who was a scribe at the trial, and with a few muttered words and a gesture of her own, a torrent of lightning bolts crash down onto the bubble Merek has created -- though it holds. For now. At least it has shut a numbero of the guards outside.

Last up out of the sewer entrance is another guardsman, albeit not in his uniform. Karlin stands up straight, and just grabs Donna's legs, to give the brawler a boost up onto the scaffold -- which leaves her facing Norrington, who is bearing down on her position, apparently intent on slaughtering her sister but content to deal with the Brawler first. "Idiot," he snarls at her. "Fine. Two heads today!" He grips his greatsword in both hands and swings straight downwards, giving the Brawler only a split second to decide what to do about it.

All throughout, the rotten produce gets flung all over the place; and thanks to Mikilos, some of it returns to sender and gets hurled again. Eventually, someone gets a bright idea and a couple of gnomes and a halfling come sailing through the wind barrier, courtesy of a two-headed ogre in the crowd; and together they run amongst the nobles with their bags of awfulness, smearing whatever they can on the clothes of the rich and powerful.

Under the scaffold, Godswin has his rifle drawn; and he moves to block Bannon's progress, raising the weapon and sighting down the end of it. "Hold it right there," he snaps. "Get back or I'll arrest you for aiding and abetting a murderer. One step further and I'll shoot."

GAME: Donna casts Mirror Image. Caster Level: 7 DC: 14

Donna is an *excellent* scrapper. Good in a fight, dependable on a job, but nowhere *near* the level of skill needed to take Norrington one-on-one. That was evident just in his stance, and the moment the blade began to move, Donna knew there was no way she could dodge that swing. Not completely.

But she does move, and a stroke that would have split her from stem to stern instead opens up a long, bloody line down one side of her back.

This is fine.

It gives her the time she needs to summon forth some more of the magic burning in her veins, and with a wide, sweeping spread of both hands, one Donna becomes half a dozen. "I GOTCHU, D!" comes from six mouths at once, with no overlap. Then, all the Donnas' attention turns to Norrington. "You ain't gonna see it now, but I'm savin' you too. I want you t'be able t'look your little girl in the eye, later on. We're leavin', an' when we come back I'm'a want an apology."

Don't let the pauper chic fool you.

Elyanna, under the makeup and hobo wear, is still 'blue blooded' enough to rankle and being called a 'lowlife' by a corrupt bootlicker, it's all in the sudden blaze in her eyes at the appelation. The jab meets her dagger in a parry, though the slash comes in behind too fast a reovery and parts her tunic, the impact badly bruising the hobkin's chest, though most of the exquisite chain links beneath hold true.

The Keeper withdraws to get out of Graves's reach to properly reply by trying to snag the woman's legs with her whip and yank them out from under her.

'Lowlife'

If she hadn't promised Donna, she'd be going after her throat.

It's eerie how that executioner's axe just... -hangs there- touching Delilah's neck. The ashen Arvec has seen a lot of things, but that's new and unsettling even for her. For the briefest of seconds, she considers taking it up and taking the blade to Norrington. He can explain himself to the Feiu of the Tears.

Except, she's not skilled, and this disuades her more than Donna's request that no one get killed. Yet again it seems the question of when it's legal and justified to kill a monster is raised. Not here, not now, despite their clearly despicable actions and intent.

Instead, she draws her Khopesh. Vardama's weapon, and a strangely curved blade that is a much axe as it is sword. A silvery weapon, for vampires, undead, and a little too soft to use on real people. She glares through the visor of her helmet. It obscures her face, but not enough to hide her eyes. Accusing, unforgiving eyes, that know the extent of his crimes. Cold as the embrace of her patron. It's enough to unsettle anyone. If he really values seeing his daughter he should pick a profession better suited to his scruples and temperement - or lack there of. The nightsoil men are always hiring.

"Be at peace or be made to be."

<OOC> Ashes says, "Evil Eye Hex Norrnington, DC15 Will save, 
                   if he succeeds, 1 round -2 to his saves, 
                   if he fails 6 rounds -2 to his saves."
GAME: Merek casts Sanctuary. Caster Level: 14 DC: 15

Merek looks about the place and nods when he notices the wall is working, then he makes a way to Delilah. "We still have a lot to do, you need to be on your feet for your sister, everything was not your doing, you were set up." The man then stands while he places a hand upon her shoulder and looks right at Norrington, "In the name of Holy Eluna, I claim this woman under the protection of the Sanctuary!" The spell from the gauntlet begins to shimmer along the woman. Then he takes up a stance along with the woman, nodding to Donna while Elyanna and Ashlee will deal with Norrington and another.

Craft stands in the crowd, pads on the palm of his hand shimmering slightly as he gestures towards the hovering axe. He flicks his wrist and the executioner's axe rushes towards his open hand, over the heads of guard and civilian alike. His other hand grabs his warhammer and, for a brief moment, the golem strikes an intimidating figure, a weapon in each hand. He puts the head of the axe to the ground, angles it, and, with a swing of his warhammer, removes the blade from the haft with a loud snap. He calls out. "As a member in good standing of several of the city's guilds. As a warrior who has fought and killed for this city. As a merchant whose taxes contribute significantly to your lifestyles. I demand a retrail," the golem declares, his voice loud as a gong, and with a similar ring. He stands stock still, only his jaw moving, and his magicite eyes. Blue points of light turn to focus on ANY guards in his orbit who would think of striking a civilian. He drops the remains of the execution's axe, and begins heading towards the protective circle of guards around the pregnant noble, inserting himself between the press of bodies and the guards, searching the nearest guard's face for understanding as he stows his hammer.

GAME: Mikilos casts Fireball. Caster Level: 14 DC: 22

Fa-WOOSH!

A massive explosion of fire erupts near the front of the stage, just high enough to keep from burning anyone, even the atypically tall. It's not particularly effective at hurting anything, but sometimes you use Fireball just to get attention. It's really a very versitile spell. Far underrated.

"Sorry, just need a moment." Mikilos says as the majority flinch. "Just want to make sure everyone knows there will be snacks and refreshment inside the magical portal after the getaway. You're all welcome to attend. I mean except for the people escaping, that would be counter productive, but maybe we'll meet up tomarrow or something."

GAME: Bannon rolls Intimidate: (7)+11: 18

As Bannon Vayne comes face to face with Godswin, a dangerous glint comes to the airman's eyes coupled with a grin the belays the excitement experienced in this predicament. He brings the point of his rapier across to point towards the gunman, "I'm only going to tell you this once. Put that gun down, or I will race you to hell and guarantee you the first place trophy." The Tsuran sneers, his head tilting forward as his body tilts away from the gunman to angle off, "Now."

GAME: Boshter rolls stealth: (8)+23: 31

Wait, where'd that guy come from? One moment he wasn't there, and then now he's up on the scaffolding himself. A tall, ginger-haired man, actually, and he's just ... /there/.

He looks like some kind of Vardaman judging by the grey robes emblazoned with a harp, but he's smiling grimly as he stumbles, of all places, into Norrington's back. He drapes an arm over the man's shoulder and shouts in his ear. "OI! ISN'T IT A GRAND DAY FOR AN EXECUTION?!"

Really. Just like that.

Yes, this man is *completely* drunk. So drunk he clearly doesn't understand the gravity of the situation, or the gravity of falling embers from a fireball for that matter.

The axe that was biting the back of Delilah's neck flies off into the crowd, and is destroyed by Craft; the gnoll who formerly wielded it looks, by her expression, like she's fit to boil over as this happens, but she's still stuck in a magic spell so she doesn't do anything more than growl and bare her teeth. (They are big teeth, though.) This leaves Delilah's neck unoccupied; and after taking a partially successful swing at Donna, Norrington seems all too happy to deal with the situation, even after feeling inexplicably... affected by Ashes.

"Goodbye, Delilah," he snarls, as he first sneers at ashes and then pushes his way past one of Donna's illusions. The golden haired sorceress sucks in a terrified breath, looking sideways at the approaching Knight Captain, as he swings his sword around behind him, up and over; the strike would easily be enough to sever Delilah's neck.

If it landed.

Which it does not.

"What *IS* this?!" Norrington roars, as the blade stops just a hair above Delilah's skin; close enough that it picks up a little blood from where she's already been nicked. Delilah, naturally, lets out another scream, now with tears flowing down her cheeks.

The fireball goes off overhead, and the blast rattles the wall of force; a bubble around the proceedings that isn't going to last much longer, as the halfling scribe (wizard?) in the crowd unleashes another thunderous blast of electricity against it. For a moment -- just a moment -- the entire crowd stops what they're doing, and everyone stares at Mikilos. "Arrest that man!" shouts someone. But really; who's listening at this point? The melee starts up again just as quickly as it paused, though the stockpile of vegetables is getting low, and so now rocks are being substituted, both thrown at the nobles and the guards.

The guards' patience is wearing thin, and already a couple of warning shots from crossbows have been loosed over hte crowd, and two people are limping away with serious but not life threatening stab wounds from pikes, being helped by their fellows. Someone is carrying a really ancient looking wrinkly gnome to safety as well.

"No deal," is Bannon's answer from Godswin; and the Knight Lieutenant promptly takes a shot, marked by a loud, smokey blast from his rifle. From his hip he draws a pistol, and twists to level the weapon towards the underside of the scaffold; a seecond shot goes out, and the guardsman Karlin makes a surprised, strangled sound and drops to his knees. "Surrender before there's more casualties," yells Graves, where she's guarding the stairs. She takes a swing at Ashes; and then finds her legs yanked out from under her. She lands hard but it's still just a bruise, as she scrambles back to try and get room to get back up again.

And then there's Bosther. Appeared from... where

GAME: Craft rolls diplomacy: (14)+-2: 12

"The people clearly reject the verdict," Craft's voice booms. "A calm, steady hand could restore order. Too much blood has already been spilled. If things continue as they are, the city will fall into chaos, and one execution will not solve that. Only calm reason and a verdict the people can accept will do so." A more skilled orator might have calmed the crowd with such words, but the golem's affect is flat, even.

At the rebuke of his kind offer, Bannon's eyebrows pop up. The airman starts moving to the side just as the rifle goes off. It hits him square in the shoulder, sending him spinning. He manages to keep his feet, however, and like a whipcrack, he diving at Godswin with his rapier flashing, seeming for all intents and purposes ready to cut the Knight Lieutenant to ribbons.

GAME: Edinaz casts Jump. Caster Level: 8 DC: 13

Stuck at the back of the crowd, Edin makes a little incantation and starts bounding over the crowd with great leaps -- if nothing else than to close the distance and make other actions possible.

GAME: Mikilos casts Mage's Magnificent Mansion. Caster Level: 14 DC: 26
GAME: Mikilos casts Minor Creation. Caster Level: 14 DC: 23

Mikilos murmurs quietly and gestures. Two spells, really, one, a portal to a pocket dimension, which holds a massive hall, filled with a feast of food for a hundred people. Snacks ands refreshment indeed. The other spell, a simple conjuration. A wooden frame, set to mark the otherwise invisible portal. The little sign at the top is it's own sort of magic, able to end battles and stop arguments. 'Free food and drink.'

GAME: Ashes casts Charm Person. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15

"We need to go," the cavarly hobgoblin says in monotone, directing her words to the one on the steps entangled with Graves. The guards have already expressed the contempt, they will be the first targets. She uses her khopesh to deflect Norrington's blade away from Delilah's neck, so the sorceress can stand. It's helped by Boshter's unexpected and timely distraction.

Then there are surprised words. The announcer! He seems confused by the turn of events, and the Knight's order. It's just possible...

Mourner Ashlee Ciaradh touches the holy symbol on her dark armour as she gets close to Delilah. They'll all need to be close for Donna's trick, but she has enough time for her own. "Feiu of the Tears, let my words get through to him."

Fixing the announcer with a stare she says, "The golem is right. This is an injustice. The crowd will tear you apart. Convince them Norrington will be prosecuted. You can save the city." All uttered monotone and matter-of-fact, helped by being in fact, pretty close to the facts.

Lowlife, indeed.

Bitch.

Elyanna makes her way up the stairs, her dagger held in inverse grip, as Graves tries to get herself to her feet, perhaps to press the advantage..

But, no! Despite the open loathing in the eyes that hold to the tripped guardswoman's form, a distorted reflection of a past she may never fully atone for, the Hobkin continues up toward the sisters and her friend in continuance of the plan.

Well, there is the "Zazzlesplat." she snorts between her fangs in contempt as she makes her way by.

A gaggle of goblins near enough the scaffolding to hear, break into a boisterous chorus of, "DAaaAAAaaaaaMMMMmmn!"

Hurriedly sawing at the strap with the sharp spikes o her knuckles, Donna finally manages to free her sorcerous twin. "Hands on me," she mutters to those clustered around her, as she digs a cape from her satchel, throwing it over her shoulders and resting a hand on Delilah's shoulder. A quick look later and -- there!

POOF

All four women disappear in a puff of smoke and stage-magician sparkles, reappearing on the other side of the Gate, next to a small cluster of horses in Guard livery. "Toldja I wouldn't stop, D..."

The desperate need to get free of this block is palpable on Delilah; she squirms and whines as Donna getes close, until the moment when the strap is sliced through and she's able to recoil from the spot where her execution was meant to take place.

"No! NO GODDAMNIT!" Norrington yells as Delilah gets back to her feet; he elbows Boshter again, and manages to get an arm free just as the twins are forming a cluster with Elyanna and Ashes. He's able to get a hand on Delilah's dress and pulls, but in the end manages to get nothing more than a generous handful of woolen cloth as the foursome disappear. "FIND THEM!" roars the frustrated Knight Captain, while the announcer is busy just trying to get Graves back up to her feet.

Underneath the scaffold, Godswin finds himself under a furious assault from Bannon -- and it seems that close combat is really not the Knight Lieutenant's forte. He's driven back, using his rifle to parry so much he can't get the chance to reload it, until he trips, falls over backwards, and receives a grievous wound. "Enough!" he shouts, holding up one hand in the universal 'Stop I give' gesture.

Meanwhile, the halfling sribe/wizard unleashes a third blast of lightning, finally bringing down the wall of force -- but of course it's too late, Delilah has already been removed. But now guards can swarm back into the space, and they do; several of them move to form up ranks around Godswin, and more crowd the scaffold, while Norrington is yelling at them to go find Delilah.

Merek vibrates with arcane energy.

Elbowed, the ginger human flails his arms, windmilling them. He grabs on a piece of scaffolding as he starts to topple nackwards. Creak. Creaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak.

... oh no...

GAME: Merek casts Regenerate. Caster Level: 14 DC: 21

Merek looks from the hood to all the people on the scaffold when it looks like the people escaped. He nods a bit, he then looks to Boshter, "If you would be kind enough to give me a moment," he will note. Then he walks to where Karlin is at. "No one that does such service to that which is right and holy should be put into a way like that." The man draws back the hood while he shifts away the beltcape, his gauntlet placed to the man, then upon neck.

The man begins to channel the healing energy into Karlin, if anyone tries to keep him away, well they will know what it's like to fight someone that is a master of magic arcane and divine. The spell heals, though it does another thing. Meant for regenerating the limbs of patients, the man focuses that onto knitting the place where he was struck by the bullet, putting all of the energy into it. "IS THIS WHAT YOU ALL SERVE!? THESE PEOPLE WHO WOULD KILL THEIR OWN, AND AN INNOCENT!?"

Edinaz goes a-leaping through and over the crowd, taking these great moon-jumps as he goes. He zeroes in on the small lightning-hurling wizard, jumping closer before landing next to them. He reaches down to grasp the caster's lightning-spewing hand in a rough grip. "Can you not? You're going to hurt someone." His tone is light, firm, and backed up by a clenched fist the size of a small ham.

Bannon takes a deep breath of air in as the Knight Lieutenant falls to his fast swordwork, he takes a step back, bringing his buckler up as he takes a quick look around. The one up top on the scaffold is shouting for the condemned, which Bannon seems to take as a good sign. He lifts his sword in salute to the rifleman, flashing a quick, if pained, smile as the sword sweeps away, "That business is over. Until next time..." He takes a look around and sets off at a hustle towards the crowd and ultimately away from the scene.

Mikilos has wine, beer, mead, gin, whisky, rum, burbon, hot cider, nog, juice, sliced fruit, veggie trays, several types of cheese, breads, crackers, roast beef, ham, duck, turkey, chicken, fish, scones, cake, cupcakes, cookies, hard candies, toffie, taffy, chocolates, spring water, and a wide range of other gastromic delights. But you'd have to stop fighting and enter the magic door to find them. There also happen to be comfortable seats, a warm atmosphere, and private beds towards the back, but really, it's all about the food.

Screw it. Bannon's going there instead.

Outside the gate, Donna, Delilah, Ashes, and Elyanna have appeared. Delilah is still manacled, both wrists and ankles; the back of her neck is bleeding, and enough of the uppoer portion of her dress is in Norrington's hands that her chest is bared on one side.

None of that is really important.

The golden sorceress burries herself against her sister's shoulder, and lets out a loud, relieved sob. "Thank you," she blubbers. "Thank you."

"Not much time," states one of the guards standing by with the horses. "You and yours need to get going before they figure it out."

Figuring it out won't take long -- there are already guards on the walls who are shouting, but it seems like *someone* has pulled the lever on the Portcullis, which has slammed down hard -- might take a while to get that open again.

In the square, part of the scaffold has collapsed, taking Boshter and Norrington with it; fortunately not an injuirious fall, but a painful and embarassing one. The Knight Captain finally disentangles from the Hobgoblin, and stalks off in disgust, shouting orders at people while the guards are busy getting the square back under control -- and with the twins away, most of the commoners are evacuating on their own. Well, except the wounded ones.

Under the scaffold, Godswin is being picked up by his people, and Karlin lays in Merek's arms. As his flesh knits back together, his blood stops running out all over the ground, and his eyes flutter back open; he gasps loudly, desperately gulping in a breath of air.

"You... I... I was..." he sucks in a breath as tears well up in his eyes, and roll down his cheeks. "I saw her," he gasps. "I saw my sister. Tessa. I saw Tessa." He looks up at Merek, "She said she was proud of me."

Donna pulls the cape off her shoulders, to settle it over her sister's. "You're gonna be all right," she murmurs, helping the manacled sorceress to sit sidesaddle on the pillion of her chosen horse. "We just gotta put some space betwen us an' the city for awhile, is all..." As she pulls herself up, she looks back to her Arvek friends. "C'mon. We got a friend who'll be glad t'meet the folk who saved my sister's life."

She starts to turn her horse about, then pauses, frowning down at the Guard. "...These guys know to come back when they're let loose, right?"

"I promised I'd teach you," Ash stares at Elyanna, she's standing on the left side of her horse, facing in. "Right hand horn, left hand mane, left foot stirrup. Jump, pull, lean and roll."

And then she's up, armour and all, seated in the saddle with her khopesh safely out of the way. She takes up the reins. A spell had crossed her mind, but with the portcullis down, it would be gilding the lily.

Elyanna staggers a bit in the wake of the transport. You can understand something intellectually, and yet not have the slightest concept of how the actual experience will go. So it is now. The hobkin takes a moment to process the new surroundings, then takes stock of her companions, a hand absently cradling the area Graves's blade made contact and looks back to the city, then to Ashes as the instruction begins. Clutching the whip in her teeth, and stowing her dagger, she starts to follow the steps while the sister's get their equilibrium.

A closed eyed sigh, "Let us go."

"Well, I'm glad. You did indeed do something worthy. Wait a while longer though, you have a lot of things to do in all of the world," Merek offers, lifting up the man while he nods to Bosther. The others free, he will try to assist in restoring order. Making sure that people are quite alright.

"Oh, don't worry," the guard answers Donna, "They'll be fine, and they'll come back if they get seperated. But keep them as long as you need them, they're good horses." And thus begins a long ride; with the city of Alexandria now a hostile territory behind them and few enough friends outside, it seems a perilous time has just begun -- but with a clear victory in hand, maybe that doesn't sound so bad. Delilah, of course, is openly weeping now that the terror of the execution is over and she still has her head, but her joy at being reunited with her sister is palpable.

Within the square, Norrington is busy ordering the arrests of Merek, Bosther, and Karlin; but that falls through when the three of them vanish, thanks to Merek's magic, whisked away to somewhere safe, and somewhere... hidden. The Knight Captain throughs his hands up in sheer frustration and disgust, before stalking off back to the jails to plan his next moves -- but not before ordering Godswin stripped of his weapons and put on leave, effective immediately.

If there's one point that seems incongrous, it's the reaction of the nobles; those that didn't get smeared with rotten produce and animal feces are the ones who seem all too happy to take Mikilos up on his offer. Afterall, it's important to get some proper refreshment after all this... rioting. Dreadful business, really. Absolutely dreadful.

The halfling scribe looks up at Edinaz, and scowls. "They're gone," she points out. "You let a murderess and her accomplices escape. You should get out of here before someone decides to arrest you."

Throughout the city for the rest of the day, there is of course only one thing that gets talked about. Was Delilah really innocent? Did she murder a noble and get away with it? But the change in atmosphere cannot be denied, and by the time the clouds finally break and rain drenches the city around about sundown, wanted posters for the twins and their accomplices are up all over the city with generous rewards in gold posted.

Wanted...

Dead or alive.

OOC Stuff

<OOC> Delilah says, "It was completely intended from the beginning that Karlin was going to die. But, Merek's pose was so *good* that it deserved that revision."
<OOC> Mikilos does have a simple bit of presidigitation for those who did get splattered... he takes the well being of his guests quite seriously. even those who might be a bit of a jerk.
<OOC> Merek says, "Merek detests leaving people behind."
<OOC> Merek says, "It's how he died... twice and got kidnapped by a duke once."
<OOC> Merek says, "sometimes your fatal flaw is just dying a lot."
<OOC> Merek says, "OH WAIT DOES THIS MEAN"
<OOC> Merek says, "I'm now CANONICALLY WANTED as a criminal?"
<OOC> Merek cheers
<OOC> Boshter says, "I mean, you kinda did those things to yourself, Merek. :)"
<OOC> Delilah says, "Hey, saving Karlin was no small thing."
<OOC> Boshter says, "Thatr's true :)"
<OOC> Merek says, "I enjoyed things greatly with you all."
<OOC> Merek says, "And this time Merek didn't go crazy, so plus."