The Monastery (IC)

[Blue56]

Priscilla sheathes her sword after a swift, decisive victory. She turns to Gustuv, ready to resume their journey, only to find him abusing the corpses of the fallen ropers like a petulant child. Yes, the ambush was a bit annoying, but creatures were only behaving as was a part of their nature. It was unsightly behavior on Gustuv's part, so Priscilla occupied herself surveying their surroundings to ensure there were no other enemies lying in wait until the mercenary is finished. She simply nods and climbs atop his horse again, riding in silence for the rest of their short trip to the fort.

Priscilla had never seen Fort Claymoor before, though she had heard of it and General Ironblood back home. This fort had always been a friend of the church, and so it was Priscilla's fervent wish that this could all be resolved without bloodshed, though she wondered if Gustuv felt the same or if he would deliberately provoke the general into a fight. Arriving at the gate, Priscilla dismounts along with Gustuv, letting him handle the guard. "My name is Priscilla." She introduces herself when the time comes, simply and a bit more curtly than she had intended, but her mind was occupied with her current predicament and she was careful not to indicate any allegiance with the Monastery as she did not yet know what would come to pass here.

Priscilla ignores the lusty stares from Gustuv's men, had they always looked at her like that and she simply hadn't noticed it? She had been too naive the first time she met these mercenaries. "Yes, let's hurry up and get this done." She tells Gustuv, following after him. "What exactly is the plan here?" She inquires as they walk.

[RandomRoninKitten]

Magz had already suspected that the Monastery may be under attack when she encountered the soon-to-be-dead men on the road, however she couldn't have guessed the scale of the attack just from a few not-yet-corpses. A scream from nearby made her discard her current thoughts before hurrying her way over to the source.

Magz was only further enraged when she saw one of her Paladin sisters on the ground, then brought to her boiling point the moment she noticed the man in the stupid clothes strangling a Priestess. When she saw the Paladin either dead or severely wounded, she was already intending to slaughter the next enemy seen without a word, this sentiment was only further compounded when she saw the man strangling a Priestess. Regardless of whether she knew who it was or not, this action would cost this Butt-Pirate his life.

Without a single word, Magz un-sheaths her sword as quickly as she can, and charges the Butt-Pirate, fully intending to cave in his skull when she reaches him. She didn't even have to consider the situation, the man would no doubt kill the Priestess regardless of what she did or did not tell him, so killing him before he can hurt her is the best option. If he's about to have his skull caves in, he can't waste even a millisecond strangling the Priestess.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Righteous Charge on the Butt-Pirate

[Mark3000]

Time: Day Phase 2
Iona

Ruby lets out a gentle growl as Iona runs her hand through the Dire Wolf’s Fur. Her tail wags in delight under the monk’s touch. Meanwhile, Ruby gives Charlotte a mean side before returning her attention Iona. “Yea I hope so as” Charlotte said as she looked up at the sky. “The Three Wanderers are three goddess that people worship either together or individually. There is Steorra the Star Traveller who lays out stars to guide people through the night. Then there is Soliellia the Life Bringer who ensures a plentiful harvest and bountiful love life. Finally, there is Seleneria the Night Warden who taught humans how to fight monsters.”

Once Ruby gives her seal of approval, Charlotte takes the man up on his offer and takes a few of the berries. “Your loss Iona. Royal Berries are unbelievably rare.” She said as she popped a few in her mouth.

“They have a short growing season and tend to spoil quickly after being picked. The name comes from the fact that most aren’t found in the wild but cultivated by nobles. It was a pain to get my family to let me plant a bush outside our summer home.” The man said with a jolly tone. “Oh right! I never introduced myself. My name is Kensington Livingston the 3rd. I was just visiting my family’s summer home and came out to pick a few berries. If you aren’t busy, why not come by and rest your feet” He said. Though it became obvious that he was ogling their bodies. Though it was less like a seasoned predator and more like a horny virgin.

Priscilla

“Gonna play things by ear” Gustuv said with the utmost confidence as the two of you strode into the command office. There you saw a man standing at the head of meeting table. His hair was short and grey. His face grizzled and aged but still so full of life. His body was covered in as many scars as he had wrinkles, but his muscular body was still a sight to behold.

He had just dismissed two guards leaving Priscilla and Gustuv alone with General Ironblood and his right hand man. A man suited up had to toe in heavy armor.

“Aw you must be Gustuv” General Ironblood said with a deep commanding voice. As he spoke, he slid a letter onto the table. “I’ve received the letter from the king to accept your men hear at the fort. Though if we are to be working together I’ll have to ask you keep your men in check.” The general said.

A grin spread across Gustuv’s face. “ Seems like you’re caught up on what’s going on. Well in truth the king made a second decree. He asked that you step down and give control of the fort to us” He said pulling out a second letter with the seal of the royal family. Sliding it to Ironblood, he read it over. However, his expression never changed as he merely putting the letter down after he was done.

“You and your men can still serve the king, it will merely be under my command” Gustuv said as he approached the general. Ironblood pondered for a moment before answering. “... While pledging our loyalty to the heretics of the Black Ocean.” He said with disgust. Fort Claymoor isn’t just a military outpost. It’s a symbol of the White Flame’s Strength and Bulwark against the followers of the Wild Gods”

Gustuv shrugged. “Yes your prowess in the Third Suppression was is legendary. But times are changing and you gotta change with ‘em. Or else you might get left in the dirt”

It was at this moment that Priscilla noticed Gustuv and Ironblood were within striking distance of each other. Ironblood’s attendant had also moved closer to her as if anticipating a move from the paladin. The tension in the room was palpable. A fight could break out at the drop of a pin.

Magz, Meredith and Harper

The battle started with a bang as Magz charged in the the stranger assaulting the mage. “Wha!!” was all he could yell before he was knocked to the ground by the enraged Paladin. Charging in, Morgaine lept and tried to attack the downed foe. Unfortunately, he managed to roll out of the way. That didn’t stop Magz from continuing to cut the stanger with her blade.

Running through the halls, Meredith, Harper and Sydney finally make it to the Western Gate to find Magz fighting off a man in foreign garb. Harper would immediately recognize him as the man from the forest.

"You're Late" The strange man said as he tried to regain his breath. At first you think he's taking to the new arrivals from the Monastery. Then two new figures appeared from the shadows. One was dressed in a Black Gi with golden trimming. The other wore a long robe with a hood covering his face.

"My apologies Prince Guo. Please accept our assistance as penece" the hooded spellcaster said with a bow. With all the players on the battlefield, the fight truly began. Almost immediately, Guo’s body became looser, almost snake like in his moments. Swaying to and fro, he looked to be preparing for his next attack. The Monastery's defenders got to work as. Harper took her time to examine the recovering prince. Sizing him up, she noticed a strange glint in his eyes. It was almost snake like and it hinted at something dangerous to come. Meanwhile Meredith filled the battle field with song as she bellowed the hymn of retribution. It was then that Magz, Morgaine and Sydney attacked. With his limber body Guo evaded Morgaine’s attack as an arrow from Sydney’s bow grazed his cheek. But that was all a prelude to Magz’s powerful swing cutting the martial artist’s thighs.

His companions weren’t standing idly by either. The Shadow Fang Martial artist tried to attack Magz from her blindspot, but Magz managed to duck out of the way at the last minute. Meanwhile the hooded spellcaster worked to revitalize his young ward. With a clear look of frustration, Guo glares at Magz and her cohorts. His eyes turn a piercing yellow as his pupils become snake like. In an instance, Sydney, Morgaine and Magz felt their bodies freeze up. Morgaine had no time to react before Guo extended his arm out to puncture the adventurer’s shoulder. Morgaine’s screams of pain were cut short as she was pulled towards Guo and then planted into the ground with a swift kick. When the dust cleared, Morgaine was left bleeding face first into the ground.

In the immediate silence, Meredith shouted “Focus on the Shadow Weaver!”. With that command, Sydney seemed to sink into the shadows. Meanwhile Harper protected everyone using Mirror Shield to protect them from harm. All the while, Meredith called for Ki’ra’s judgement to strike down their enemies. The one person unable to move was Magz, still paralyzed by Guo’s previous attack.

Guo’s attendants continued to put pressure on the girls. The spellcaster pointed his staff at Magz causing an ephemeral cobra to wrap around her body and sink into her skin, she could feel a dark presence inside of her draining her energy.

Weaving through the storm of lights descending upon the battlefield, Guo ran towards Meredith. “Enough of that!” He shouted. But before she could respond, Guo cut a slab of flesh out of Meredith’s throat. Blood squirted everywhere as the wound bleed profusely. Barely able to breath, Meredith stumbled around trying to regain balance. She could feel something else, a toxin working its way through her body. Despite this, Meredith did not let up the attack can continued to call upon her goddess’s judgement. As if to reward her faith, an arrow flew past her and hit the spell caster right between the eyes. As his body fell, Sydney reappeared behind Meredith.

“Priestess! You have to move back before…” Blood dripped from Sydney’s mouth as she looked down to see Guo with his hand buried deep in her chest. The light disappeared from her eyes as the young prince pulled back his hand. Blood flowed freely from the open wound as Sydney fell backwards to the ground with a loud

Just as the Shadow Fang attempts to capitalize on the shifting flow of battle, Harper’s Mirror shields show their worth. His attack is stopped by an invisible force and then the shock is reflected back at him. Distracted by this mysterious entity, he doesn’t notice Magz as she charges and impales the man with her two-handed sword.

In desperation, Guo takes new stance. It’s a low stance with his hands in the shape of fangs. A dark energy surrounds them as he slides his front foot forward. ”Let’s see if your little shield can handle this. FANG OF THE SERPENT KING!” A flash of light dashed towards Meredith as his two fists collide with the mirror shield. An explosion blinds Meredith for a moment as the mirror shield begins to crack. Just as it appears to break, the force of Guo’s attack is reflected back at him. “What the!” Guo shouts rolling along the ground. Before he can recover, Harper pelts the prince with vial bombs. They miss, but they provide Magz the cover she needs to get close. Turning around Guo and Magz face each other as the paladin runs her sword through the prince.

His body goes limp as he clings to Magz. “D-Damn it. I just wanted to …. Claim what is mine.” He said slumping over. As he does, a letter fall out of his breast pocket. Looking down, Magz is able to spot the crest of King Rudoulf van Sandsburg the third. If you opened it, it reads as follows:

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

To Prince Guo Xuegang:

We thank you for gracing our kingdom with your presence. We hope this will forge a new relationship between The Kingdom of Ravenborough and the Confucius Isles. Regarding the issue you asked about, my agents have discovered that Lei Xiulan has been teaching at a monastery located between Fort Claymoor and Basinburgh. Semiramis even promised to have some of her little assistants help find your her. You have my royal permission to bring your forces onto our land. And if you find any women to your liking, they are my gift to you.

King Rudoulf van Sandsburg the Third

Sasha
Sasha and Emma arrived at the cathedral as a few of the women treated Heidi. As Emma approached, a few of the paladins stood at attention and saluted. “Report!” Emma shouted at her two pupils. “Yes Ma’am! North, South and East gates have been secured. Meredith Strong, Harper Vampris and Sydney Bliss have gone to secure the Western Gate.” Emma flinched at Harper’s name. But she focused and turned her attention to Sasha. “Sasha! Head to the Western Gate and check on the situation.” She said in a commanding voice.

[RandomRoninKitten]

When Guo clings to Magz after she had finished running him through with her blade, and says he just wanted what was his, Magz is briefly confused. "If you wanted something, you should have concluded that people would be far less willing to cooperate with you after violence is introduced." She says, before she lifts an armored boot and gives him a rough kick, to get him off her blade, letting him fall where he may. After she had loosed her blade from the man's chest, she crouched to pick up the note, then immediately read it as she straightened up. The discussion on the paper is barely a concern to Magz, when she reads it, as no amount of worldly authority could excuse such actions. Now that she knows who is responsible for the suffering and death of her sisters, and by extension the invasion of butt-pirates, it looked like it was time for the Justice Train to kick down his door and show him the errors of his ways, using her blade.

Once Magz has finished reading the letter and contemplating her next course of action, she recalls that the Scholar who had shown up, with her powerful shields, had been valuable in defeating the enemies in the pajamas. Once she ensures that all of the wounded are brought to medical care, she'll seek out Harper and share the note with her, then ask for her assistance in delivering swift justice to those behind the attack.

First thing is first, Magz quickly moves over to the first Paladin she had seen as she engaged the Butt-Pirate. If she finds her wounded, but alive, she'll use Lay On Hands to try to heal her. Once that's done, or if she's dead, Magz would move to the Priest, then Morgaine and the probably-dead-girl with the bow.

[MiscChaos]

An affectionant smile crosses Iona's face as Ruby happily lets her pet the Wolf's fur. She's really not 100% sure why Ruby has such a hate hard-on for Charlotte given that by the time Ruby entered the fight, Charlotte was knocked out but she figures the three of them will be traveling together for a long time. Differences in personality can be worked out in time. Her thoughts are more preoccupied with the new Goddesses she's learned of. Ones that actually sound useful rather than creating the world and then sitting on her ass all day judging people. And it's not a religion that she's been indoctrinated to hate like the Black Ocean. She thinks that if she were to worship them, she'd take them as a package. A guide, a bountiful love life, and fighting monsters? Basically the ability to wander as she pleases, love how she wants to, and beat down the creatures who would prevent her from doing so. It sounds pretty perfect for her life style. She wonders how they relate to Ki'ra since that Goddess tends to look down on or despise every other Goddess she knows. Well, it's something to look into later, she guesses.

She's actually rather shocked that the berries turn out to be benign. She supposes Royal Berries aren't something she knows about because of how poor she grew up and how anti-worldly attachments she guesses the White Flame is. It explains why the man was eating them by the handful if they have an extrememly short period where they're edible. She just assumed there was an addictive quality to the berries that compelled him to eat. That or they were a berry that didn't kill immediately. Well, either way if Charlotte knows what they are and is willing and eager to eat them, they can't be that bad. Especially with Ruby's seal of approval. Still, it'd look weird if she took some now after refusing so she'll just have to experience them another time. Speaking of experience, it's pretty clear the man in front of her, Kensington Livingston, has none when it comes to ladies given how he's staring down her and Charlotte's bodies like they were cups of water in the desert. It wouldn't surprise her if Charlotte got more of the leering though. While Iona is pretty cute and maybe exotic if you don't see many with her skin color, Charlotte is what one would envision when thinking of a classic beauty. Soft skin, hourglass figure with a large rack, and more classic colors.

Still, his offer is a viable one. There's still a bit of sunlight left, but they probably won't make it to Clayshell Port by night fall. And they've already travelled through the night once before. They got lucky and no dangerous encounters came of it, but she really should be careful since Charlotte is a noncombatant until Iona can get her a weapon or an instrument. Preferably the instrument since Charlotte has proven she's a mean hand with one of those. And this man is rich enough that a) his family has a crop that's apparently pretty exclusive to nobles and b) he has a summer home. She's betting that there will be an instrument for Charlotte in that house. Given the pervy nature of the man in front of her, she's betting one of them will be doing him a "favor" if they go through with it, but if it happens she'll take that hit. Charlotte just stopped living as prostitute and Iona isn't going to make her unless she really wants to or Charlotte forces her hand by showing she doesn't care for Iona's amicable nature. Besides, dealing with a complete virgin would be one of the gentler ways to knock the dust off after over a decade of no dick. "We've got 3 or 4 more days to get to our destination and we've already traveled through one night. I haven't a problem taking him up on his offer if neither of you have an objection." She says, looking to Charlotte and Ruby to see if either of them have a reason not to take a break.

[Littlemankitten]

(Collab with Mark and Ronin)

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Magz went to the aid of her sister in arms. At first she seemed to be dead. But leaning closer to her chest, Magz could hear the faint sounds of breathing from the young paladin. Taking a closer look at her face, Magz recognized her a one of her former sparing partners, Lisabella. She was a spirited young woman about the same age as Magz. She would always be the first one to volunteer when Emma needed a target to display a new technique. But she always wore a smiling expression no matter the circumstance.

That bright smile had been twisted into a grimace of pain as her armor was in shambles. Her limbs bent in inhuman directs as she clung to life. A small cough leaves her as Lisabella slowly opens her eyes. "Uhggg, Magz? What are you doing here? Where is that strange man? " She asked with a groggy expression

Magz gently takes takes her hand in her own and uses the other to stroke her head "Lisabella, I'm so glad that you're alive. I had thought you dead when I initially saw you here on the ground. The Monastery suffered heavy losses as the men in the stupid-looking robes attacked us. Don't worry about the leader, however, I plunged my blade through his chest, as well as those of his cohorts. He now lies dead in a puddle of his own blood. How do you feel now?" she asks, checking her to see if she needs her to use Lay on Hands again.

A Magz continues to heal Lisa, the paladin beckons her to stop. "Save your strength Magz, It's best to let the priestesses take it from here. " She said giving Magz a soft smile. "You really are something Magz. I'd say you're almost as strong as Ferrier" Lisabella added as she tried to laugh, only to cough up a bit of blood. " The man kept asking to the Monk Headmaster, saying she was his property. We tried to slow him down but he was too strong."

Magz looked up from Lisabella and called for a Priestess to heal her and the other wounded, then looked back to Lisabella "I saw the note he had, and I know the culprit..." she leaned closer to Lisabella's ear and began whispering to her "King Rudoulf told him that he could come here and kidnap whoever he liked, calling us his gifts. I'm intending to show the note to a select few and recruit them to come with me to bring Great Justice down on him... once you're fully healed, I'd like you to be one of those people. Once I make sure that you, and the others are fully healed, I'll see about recruiting a few others. Will you come with me?" she asked. If the Priestess doesn't come, she'll use Lay on Hands again to stop her from coughing up more blood. A horrified look filled Lisbella's face. "So the rumors were true. " she said taking a moment to process what she'd heard. "I knew the White Flame had fallen out of favor with the King. But for him to allow even this. It's too brazen" She said as her horror slowly morphed to anger. "This can not go uncalled for. I will need time. But when you go count me among your first recruits."

Magz nods in understanding, then gently rests Lisabella back down on the ground "We'll leave as soon as you're rested and healed. Just come to me and let me know when you're ready." she says, gently stroking Lisabella's head one more time before she gets up to check on the others. She first goes to the girl with the bow, since she's almost positive that girl is dead. She gets down on her knees and uses one hand to check her pulse while she uses the other to check her heartbeat, also leaning her head down near her mouth to feel for breath. If she is indeed dead, she'll quickly make her way to check on Morgaine, going through the same process to see if she's alive.

Magz approaches Sydney and takes her palm. There is absolutely no sign of a pulse. More over the wound Guo inflicted is grizzly. Looking closer, it appears his hand pierced Sydney's chest and slid between her ribs to reach her heart. The hole was so deep, Magz could see Sydney's punctured heart. Morgaine had fared a bit better. She still had a pulse and was still breathing, but she was knocked out cold. Even with a small shove, Magz wasn't able to wake her.

Looking over Sydney, Magz concludes this disgusting act cannot go unpunished. Looking into the wound only fills her with more rage. She uses two fingers to close her eyes and mutters a silent prayer. She thanks her for her help in defeating the enemies, then moves to Morgaine. When Magz checks Morgaine, and finds that she's only knocked out, she decides that she can wait for the Priestesses to get to her and wasn't in need of Magz' poor healing skill. She next makes her way over to the Priestess that Guo had been attempting to strangle before Magz beat him across the head.

The priestess was curled up into a ball as she quaked in her uniform. She had a thousand years stare. Magz can still make out the strangle marks around her neck. Unlike her and the other fighters, the priestess didn't seem accustom to battle. It takes a moment for her to realize Magz was actually there. "He said ... He said we'd have to take her place if we didn't bring him Lei. He would , they would ....." Before she could finish the priestess breaks down and cries.

Magz got down on her knees and gently rubbed the Priestess' back "It doesn't look like anyone's taking Lei's place, nor does it look like he's taking Lei... since he is very much currently a corpse on the ground. It'll be alright, you're safe now." she then wrapped her in a hug to calm her further. When she quiets down, Magz will break the hug "I need you to go see to the wounded, there are several people here who got hurt protecting the Monastery and those therein, and your healing is likely stronger than mine." he explains. Once the Priestess agrees, Magz will finally seek out Harper to discuss her battle plan.

Harper was perhaps a bit to surprised that the battle seem to be won, not that she didn't trust the capabilities of her colleagues, but because she figured the assailants wouldn't be stopped by a simple magical barrier. Regardless, it seemed because of her efforts most of her colleagues got away mostly unscathed... Most being the keyword. A few of them were certainly not doing to well, and looked like they would never get back up again. One of the paladins checked up on her, and their demeanor confirmed her fears. Harper's shoulders slumped, it seems she wasn't fast enough to help protect them all. She crossed her arms over her breasts and gazed at the scene with a look of guilt, as if what she did was not enough. That look of guilt turned into apprehension as she saw the paladin approach her. No doubt coming to yell at her about not doing a good enough job and being unable to save Sydney. She instinctively flinches away from the Paladins gaze even though it was immediately hostile, as the paladins were always the most suspicious of her.

Magz put a hand on Harper's shoulder gently, looking as though she didn't notice the woman flinch away, though she had actually just ignored it, as everyone can be expected to be on edge due to the large battle that had just taken place, in which multiple people had just died. She looked directly into her eyes, a neutral expression on her face, as was usual for Magz. "You were extremely valuable in this battle, your defensive powers greatly diminished our casualties." she begins, punctuating it with a nod as if to enforce the notion that she truly meant it. "I have discovered the individual behind the attack, and I'm gathering a team to seek him out to deliver swift and great justice upon him... I'd like you to join me." she says, slowly using her other hand to thrust the note she had found into the woman's hands.

Harper was certainly not anticipating such a gentle display as the paladin put her hand on Harper shoulder. At first she wondered if it was to have Harper let her guard down, but when the paladin displayed her admiration of Harper's defensive abilities, she was mostly confused. "What?" She responded before quickly shaking her head. "Clearly not, we still have dead and the gravely injured. I was not fast enough to save everyone." She reads the note the paladin gave her, grimacing as she does. "I fail to see why you'd want me on the team you mention, there are plenty of better choices than I. I have not even been past a 5 mile radius around the monastery, let alone all the way to where the king resides. Are you sure we even have the power to take him on? He will have among the best trained guards, and more of them."

Magz lowers her head, showing her grief for those that were hurt "If not for you, more would have died. Should we want to succeed, we will need such powerful defenses to protect us from those highly trained Guards when we go to bring this man to Justice. I need to pick my team carefully, and I've witnessed your power first hand. If we want to bring our entire team back safely, or as many of us as possible, we MUST have your strength. I'll be going, regardless of how many people agree to come with me... I would, however, like you to be one of them." she said, showing the woman a look of sheer determination. "Such evil acts cannot be allowed to stand. Don't you agree?" she adds.

Harper purses her lips as the paladin speaks, no one has ever really wanted her around before, let alone to have her on a important mission such as this. She shifts around her body uncomfortably, completely caught off guard by the situation that was unfolding. "I-I do agree that justice needs to be served. B-but there is not point if its a s-suicide mission right? And what if the monastery is attacked again while we are away?" She spouts out reasons to possibly not go not really because she doesn't want to go, but because she was really nervous at this point. "B-But if you get permission and everything... I... I uh guess I could j-join you." Her voice progressively gets quieter as she talks, she didn't exactly know how to say no either.

Magz starts to smile as the girl makes up reasons not to go, but finally agrees. Now that she had her agreement, she determines that there's no reason to refute her excuses. Only one thing remained "Hmm. Would you go if we DIDN'T have permission, though? Justice should be served regardless of what authority may say, hence us serving that justice to the king." she decides that if the woman does not agree to going without permission, she would simply tell her that they had permission when it was time to leave. That would make it easier, and Magz had already decided that it was imperative that this woman went with them.

Harper looks around her, a little distressed at the paladins remark, but eventually shakes her head. "If I left the monastery without permission I dont think any of the heads would be happy, you'd need to explicitly state you're bringing me along to. It's different for you not just as a paladin but as a..." She trails off before returning her gaze back to the paladin. "m-my name is Harper by the way..." She says as she realized that she has yet to tell the paladin her name, and that she didn't know the paladins name either.

At that point, Magz decides she does indeed have to either confirm that they are allowed to leave... for whatever reason... or trick Harper into believing this mission was okay. "I'll make sure you don't get into trouble, I understand." she says, nodding slowly and giving her a friendly smile. "My name is Magz. I'll let you know when it's time. Until then, please make sure you rest so that you're ready when we leave." she says, gently rubbing her back before she leaves, deciding it's time to look for her other team members, looking for 1-2 more people to recruit.

Harper nods slowly, replaying the paladins name in her head multiple times until she's sure she's got it down. Magz, what a strange paladin. Perhaps this is all some very elaborate, extended trick, yet even Harper didn't think they'd go through such lengths just to make Harper feel a little more miserable. "O-ok." She states as Magz leaves, she looks around one last time, if there was nothing else that anyone proclaimed or wanted to say to her, then she'd go and check on Heidi's condition to make sure she was at the very least still alive.

[mrblah]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Silence befell the battlefield as the final body of their enemy hit the ground, and Meredith simply allowed herself to breathe and relax, the tenseness in her stance fading but not yet disappearing fully. "..." She was silent as she surveyed the scene. One life lost, one beaten nearly to death, and multiple wounded including herself. She'd kept a hand on her bleeding throat wound the moment she'd gotten it, healing it when she could chance it throughout the fight while struggling to continue battling. It was certainly a difficult feat—the wound would prove fatal if not treated right, but... it was better than what Sydney got.

Meredith glanced over to the heartless corpse, looking at it with blank eyes. She was used to lives falling in the line of combat... but it didn't make the guilt any lighter. Never would she shake the feeling that she could've saved that life somehow. It was just another skeleton to put in her closet. Another name to haunt her for however long she'd live. As she always did before, Meredith muttered a silent prayer for Sydney, holding up one hand while she healed her throat with the other. "... Thank you. May your soul rest easy." She mouthed the words instead of speaking them; damaged as her throat still was, talking much would be out of the picture until she healed it enough. It seemed her fellow combatants were already on the move to engage in cleanup, so Meredith took a short breather to recover.

... Done. She'd taken a little longer to heal herself due to just how pesky the wound was, but Meredith was able to speak clearly, and that was enough for now. With others wounded and an uncertain siege situation, it was imperative they move the wounded to a safer spot and heal them there. Of course, were any of them in critical condition, she'd have to fix that first. Meredith looked to the remaining survivors and tried to pick out the ones not too wounded. She'd need help carrying the rest.

Despite the pain from the wound to her throat, Meredith had managed to stop the bleeding. Whatever poison was in the blade had also somehow worked it's way out of her system. The question now would be if there would be any kind of lingering aftereffects.

In terms of overall condition, the two in worst shape were Morgaine and the paladin who had been laying on the ground at the start of the conflict. Magz, the paladin who arrived with the head master, had managed to administer a bit of her own healing magic, but she still needed the attention of an experienced healer. The other priestess that was on the scene was still shellshocked as she slowly made her way to the Head Mistress's slide.

Meredith headed to follow the shell-shocked priestess, coming to Morgaine's other side and looking over to the woman with a searching gaze. "... Are you alright?" As she spoke, Meredith looked down to Morgaine to re-assess her injuries and work to stabilize her condition. She worked her healing magic, starting with the most worrisome wounds to at least put her in a condition to be moved. "I understand you went through a shock. If you need a bit longer, I can stabilize these two before we move them."

The Priestess face lightened up when she saw Meredith approach her. "Meredith!" she cried with an exasperated expression "I thought I'd never get to see you again" She said as tears ran down her face. It took Meredith a moment to recognize the young priestess. Her name was Justine if she remembered correctly. She had always been an energetic young woman with a zeal for the goddess and her doctrine. So to see her in such a state was frightening.

"I'm so glad you and Lady Evaline have returned, all the other Priestesses have been worried. Where is Lady Evaline?" She asks with a curious look.

Justine, right. Wasn't a particularly close friend of Meredith's, but she appreciated the young priestess's enthusiasm and energy. Seeing the young woman so elated to see her... was odd. She must've been a little more happy to see her since she assumed it meant Lady Evaline would be back. Meredith didn't see herself as anyone so important as to cry over. "Well..." But Justine asked a hard question, one with an unhappy answer. Meredith looked to the side, feeling some repressed grief returning to the surface and briefly fighting it to remain calm. Could she really tell Justine the truth, and crush her very clear hopes like so?

"Lady Evaline... is indisposed at the moment. Please don't worry about her Sister Justine. She'd rather us focus on our task here, wouldn't you agree?" Not a lie, but not the truth. Meredith carefully schooled her expression. Justine would know later, but no distraction could be allowed for now.

A flash of disappointment ran across Justine's face, but it quickly faded as she listened to the rest of Meredith's word. "You're right. I know Morgaine could really use you're help" Finally getting a chance to reassess the downed adventurer, Meredith finds her condition to be far worse then expected. Several broken ribs, massive bleeding from her head, not to mention a few older wounds that must have reopened in the heat of battle. It was amazing the Morgaine was even alive. Getting to work, the priestess enveloped Morgaine in a healing aura trying to mend the most pressing injuries. With a cough, the adventurer finally began to open her eyes. "W-what happen? Where is that freak in the robe?" She asked with a dazed expression, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the sky.

Meredith didn't even bat an eye at the headmistress's battered condition. It wasn't the worst she'd ever seen on a woman, and it most certainly wouldn't be the last time she'd care for someone so grievously injured. The worst injuries, she'd learned, were the ones not so physical. These were much easier. "He's dead, headmistress." Meredith spoke up to answer Morgaine's question, following in the younger priestess's footsteps and healing the worse injuries first. That head bleeding had to stop before it could cause long-term issues. "Him and his ilk fell in battle, but not before doing serious damage to us. We're stabilizing your and the others' conditions now before we transport you back."

It'd fall silent from there. Meredith would work on Morgaine, then switch to the other wounded ally, then work with the others to head back to the monastery.

[Blue56]

Priscilla frowns as they enter the command office, it was perhaps expected that Gustuv was essentially winging it, but it was still disappointing as that made it more difficult to manipulate this encounter in her favor. Without knowing the brutish mercenaries plans, she would have to just wing it herself. Once they are greeted by the formidable looking General Ironblood, however, she replaces that frown with a practiced polite smile as they are greeted and the meeting commences.

Priscilla's mind races with possibilities as the two converse, she still listens on, but it becomes difficult for her to focus as the atmosphere in the room grow heavier while relations steadily devolve into what seems like inevitable violence. She had never been in a situation like this, where the lives of everyone in this fort depended on her actions here and the pressure was immense. Priscilla could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her breathing become labored. What could she possibly do here? Assisting Gustuv in his takeover of the fort was seemingly unthinkable. She could never show her face at the monastery again knowing that she had contributed to the downfall of one of their stalwart allies. Perhaps the three of them could team up on Gustuv and bring him down before he could signal his men to attack, but she had seen the mercenaries obscene strength first hand back in the goblin caves. The general may be a strong fighter still, but he was likely to be well past his prime.

Priscilla couldn't do this, the weight was too much to bear. How could she handle this situation when she couldn't even best mere goblins in combat? She needed to stall for time. If she could convince the General to stand down for now, she would be successful in her work for Gustuv and could return and gather forces to help liberate the fort again. The trick here would be to try to communicate her intentions to Ironblood while ensuring that Gustuv was no wiser to her ploy. With a plan in mind, Priscilla took several deep breaths before turning her attention to the General. His assistant was of no concern to her at this time, he was not the one who needed convincing and if she were successful, he wouldn't be attacking her. "General Ironblood, if I may interject a moment." She begins, raising her voice slightly to ensure that Priscilla would have his attention. "Your service to this kingdom is well documented and shall never be forgotten. Ki'Ra knows all and your service to her shall never be forgotten as well, not by the Goddess herself, nor by her followers in the Church of the White Flame." Priscilla tells him, hoping to appeal to his pride with that while also signalling her allegiance, something Gustuv wouldn't find strange since he already knew she was one of Emma's students. "However, as my employer here has told you, times are changing and the tide has turned in favor of another. As a veteran General, I'm sure you know better than any that sometimes it is best to simply weather the storm until the tide has turned back your way once again. There is no need for bloodshed this day." Priscilla had been careful to leave many subtle hints in her speech, now all she could do was hope that the General had picked up on the message she was trying to convey. And that Gustuv had not.

[Mark3000]

Time: Day Phase 3

Priscilla

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Priscilla: 4 + 17 = 21
General Ironblood: 6 + 9 = 15
Gustuv: 9 + 17 = 26

Priscilla commanded the attention of the entire room as she tried to reason with the old general. He nodded as if to say he understood the gravity of the situation. “I could tell when you walked in. You have a noble heart and a pure soul. Two traits wasted on a scoundrel like him” the general said as he looked up at Gustuv. “Alright, I will grant you command of Fort Claymoor. And nothing more” He said grinding his teeth.

Gustuv actually looked a little disappointed as he took his hand off his hilt. ‘Good to see you finally come to your senses.” He said patting Ironblood on the shoulder. “Hey you!” Gustuv yelled at the guard standing close to Priscilla “Gather the other soldiers. We’ll announce the transfer of power from the balcony. We gotta make this offical” Confused, the guard turned to Ironblood who merely nodded. With a salute, the guard left leaving the three of you alone for the moment.

“That was very convincing Priscilla” Gustuv said as he turned to the paladin. “ ‘weather the storm until the tide has turned back your way once again’ Inspirational if I do say so myself.” He said patting her on the shoulder. It took a few minutes, but all three of you began to hear chatter from the courtyard. The guard from before returned to the room, clearly exhausted from running the length of the fort. “The men … have gathered” He said trying to catch his breath. With his signature smirk, Gustuv made for the balcony with Ironblood and Priscilla in tow.

“Men! Attention!” Ironblood shouted as he saluted. The stationed soldiers stood at attention and salute. Most of the mercenaries continued to chat and mill about until Gustuv came into full view. “It is a heavy heart that I must inform you that this will be my last day acting as your commander. The king has asked that the command of this fort be given to Gustuv Major and his band of sellswords.” There was an audible gasp from the crowd, followed by a rowdy cheer from some of Gustuv’s men. Raising his arms he tries to quiet the crowd. “Now men, while the orders come from a different mouth Fort Claymoor will forever stand as a bulwark against the kingdom’s enemies and…”

Just as he is about to continue, Gustuv unsheathes his sword and lets the edge brush against the side of Ironblood’s neck. “What is the meaning of this? You got what you came for!” Ironblood said in disbelief. The gasps and murmurs in the crowd became louder. “Indeed. But I came for something else as well, to hunt heretics. And it appears I’ve found. General Ironblood, as my first act as Commander of Fort Claymoor I find you guilty of Heresy. You may have given me the fort, but you never pledged your loyalty to Hellea and the Black Ocean. Thought it’s not to late, renounce your former allegiance to the White Flame and I will find you innocent of these crimes.” Gustuv gloated. Ironblood said nothing but the look of defiance on his face said everything. “Very well, to the shackles with you. Lets see how some of the criminals you’ve captured will treat their former jailer.”

Just as Gustuv finishes, the shocked gasps have turned into shouts of a full blown brawl. No one saw who started it, but many of the fort guards were scuffling with the mercenaries. “I guess you’re men aren’t as well trained as you thought” Gustuv said with a laugh as he approached the edge of the balcony. “Looks like I’m going to have to show them a bit of discipline. Priscilla, keep an eye on the old man and make sure her doesn’t go anywhere.” He said before leaping off the balcony and into the crowd.

Iona

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

When Iona suggests taking some time off, Charlotte breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank the goddesses. I was about to keel over.” Charlotte said as she fanned her collar. Ruby let out a few short barks of agreement with the idea of resting. Or she was just pleased to get a chance at more food, either or. “Excellent, I’ll lead the way back to the summer home” Kensington said as he lead the way down the dirt path. As you traveled, it became obvious that it was Charlotte he had his eye on. He gave Iona a passing glance. However he would quickly turn away to avoid staring .

Finally the summer home came into view. Charlotte let out an audible gasp. It was more of a two story mansion then a log cabin in the woods. The masonry was expertly done with a coat of white paint and two white pillars framing the entrance. “It’s not much but it has the esscentials. A stocked pantry, a library and study, a music room and more.” the pudgy noble said as he reached for the door. Inside you are met by a tall, thing man in a suit. His black hair was slicked back he wore a monocle attached to a chain. “Welcome back, Master Kensington” He said as he looked over Iona, Charlotte and Ruby. “Don’t worry Sebastian, these are just some friends I met in the forest. Aren’t they so interesting.” Kensington said with a playful ton. “Quite, though I’ll have to ask that you leave your dog outside.” Sebastion added as he approached Ruby. Once he got close, Ruby bared her teeth and began to growl. Sebastion backed away, though he never lost his stoic expression.

Meredith, Magz, Harper

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Once most of the combatants are up on their feet. Everyone gathers around Sydney’s dead body. Morgaine kneels down and puts her hand on the archer’s chest. Everyone could see the seasoned adventure tear up as she grieved her student. “You deserve better than this Sydney,” she said as she stood with Meredith’s help. “We’re going to have to take some time to move the bodies. But for now, we should get back to the Cathedral. That’s where the safe room Evaline and Emma setup is right?” Morgaine asked.

Justine nodded. “Once we’ve regrouped, we can go after the people who did this to our sisters.” Justine said as her shock was slowly morphing into anger. Morgaine gave the priestess a puzzled look. “First we gotta figure out who it was who did this”.

“It was the King!” Lisabella shouted. “Magz found a letter on the strange man that said the king gave him permission to attack us!”

Morgaine was taking this new revelation in strides. But it was obvious that she was still shaken. “Alright, we’ll talk about this one we return to the cathedral.” With the matter settled, you all travel to the safe room. One you get close you find Emma at the centre of a large group of students. This was the first time Magz or Lisabella had ever seen Emma so beat up. There were still recovering wounds covering her body and her sword arm was bandaged in a sling. Even still, she directed the Priestesses to look after the injured students.

Though there were other students helping out as well. First there was Ferrier. She had always been a big sister to the other Paladin trainees. Helping them through drills, taking care of most of the major chores. She was widely seen as Emma's star pupil. She had a modest air to her that seemed to mask her sharp skills with a Rapier.

As always, close to Ferrier was Belladonna. Unlike, Ferrier, Belladonna was rather flighty. She was always skipping out on training to spend tie with the other girls. And Every time Emma would catch her. Some how she and Ferrier were close friends. Belladonna's more defensive nature balancing out Ferrier's offensive skills.

Next there was Kai. One of Lei's Monk students, Kai tends to keep to herself. Though she did draw a large amount of attention then the Monk and Paladin head mistresses decided to host a joint training session. Kai was able to disarm three of the paladin trainees with ease with merely her fists. She's also quite popular with the priestesses as well.

Those three were the only ones out of the group that still looked to be in fighting shape. She would have to do a bit more looking. Luckily it seemed as though most of the girls were here in this room.

The minute they arrived, Emma had eyes on their entire group. She gave Harper the dirtiest of looks, as if just barely keeping herself from berating the albino girl. Instead, she turns her attention to Morgaine, Magz and Meredith. “You three, I need a status report on what happened at the western gate.Meredith, I need to know where Evaline is. Same with Iona Morgaine.” Emma said with her standard gruff attitude.

Harper(New):

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

As Emma addressed Magz, Morgaine and Meredith, Harper managed to sneak away to find Heidi. The Cathedral had become a makeshift hospital as the girls from the panic room came out to help those who had been injured fighting at the gates.

It doesn’t take long for you to find Heidi, surrounded by some of the other Scholar students. Once you got close, some of the girls tried to block Harper from seeing the headmistress. But you could hear her faint voice asking them to move aside to make room for her. Once Harper was able to get closer, she could see that Heidi had been patched up as best as they could manage. Even with the priestess’s healing magic, there was still a large scar across her neck.

“H-Harper, you’re here. I’ll assume you managed to defeat that monster” Heidi said with a weak voice. “I’m just glad to see you’re safe. Have you learned anything about this attack?” As she asked, Harper feel the eyes of the other girls on her as they waited for her to answer.

[Blue56]

Normally, such success in her endeavors and words of praise from others might cause Priscilla's heart to swell with pride. At the very least, she expected to feel some relief after navigating such a tense situation, yet her heart still felt heavy with dread. Priscilla had accomplished what she had set out to do in convincing the General to surrender, so why did it feel like she had failed? Surely these people would be better off living under Gustuv until she could rally reinforcements back at the Monastery than they would be shedding blood needlessly, or so she tried to convince herself. Priscilla says nothing in response to Gustuv's praises, simply choosing to wait in sullen silence until the soldiers could be gathered and she can be on her way back to St. Lily's.

As General Ironblood addresses his assembled men, Priscilla pays him little heed, her gaze turned downwards as she only half listens to what is being said. It's not until she hears a collective gasp from the gathered crowd that Priscilla finally looks up to see Gustuv's blade at the general's throat. She's just as confused as everyone else. She had convinced the general to surrender, so what meaning could there be in this? As Gustuv explains himself, the realization begins to dawn on her. She hadn't taken him to be a follower of Hellea, showing that the King's influence ran deeper than she thought. Or perhaps the mercenary was simply looking for an excuse to start a fight. Everyone in this fort, Gustuv included, knew that Ironblood would never renounce his faith, and the General did not disappoint in his refusal of Gustuv's demands.

Priscilla could feel tears begin to well up in her eyes as she watches the courtyard beneath her erupt into violence. She had tried so desperately to prevent this, and yet here it was all the same. Another failure to add to her shame. And yet, Gustuv had still left her with some way to redeem herself. Leaving the General alone with Priscilla was a foolish mistake on the mercenaries part, and it was an opportunity that she did not intend to waste. Quickly wiping her eyes, Priscilla turns back to face the General as soon as Gustuv left them. "I apologize for my actions earlier General, I thought this would be the best way to resolve things peacefully. I can only pray that my mistakes do not cost your men their lives." She begins telling the General, her mind racing to form a plan even as she speaks. "I... I shall be your sword now for the time being. Command me as you would any soldier. Just know that St. Lily's Monastery would welcome you with open arms and aid with the reclaiming of this fort, should you wish me to guide you there. Whether we retreat or fight, I shall remain by your side." Priscilla swears to the General. She fervently hoped that he would see the value in retreating for now, and yet... Priscilla's intuition had caused nothing but trouble thus far. Perhaps for now, it would be for the best to trust in the wisdom of a veteran general.

[mrblah]

Meredith remained quiet as the others spoke, seeing no need to add her two cents as Morgaine was able to speak her exact thoughts, though she agreed with Justine in her vote for vengeance. The lives lost today were numerous... far too numerous to ever be excused. It reminded her so much like in the war times, back when she was much more naive about these things. Unlike Justine, she instead wished to grieve the lives lost and try to rebuild from there, but... no healing could be done so long as the knife stays in the wound.

A brief memory of Evaline flashed in her mind, and she was reminded of the one she could still save right after this current debacle. Distracted as she was, however brief it was, Meredith almost missed the mention of the king's part in this. "The king?" She repeated with surprise and shock, her expression telling of the betrayal she felt. The king... the same fool who'd so clearly had been falling to darker temptations had finally gone this far? She grit her teeth, nearly cursing his name under her breath. She was boiling with frustration. It all had to be his fault, of course. Evaline's fate... this attack... it all stems from his allowance of the Black Ocean and all of their ilk. She'd heard the rumors as everyone else, so she'd been suspicious that the king may have been working with the Black Ocean... but in her mind, this attack all but confirmed it. She'd need to see the letter later.

For now, Meredith continued on with the group, heading back to the monastery's safe room that was kept in times of crisis—which this no doubt was. Many familiar faces were inside the room, but she hoped to see more. Even more animosity grew in her heart for the king that allowed this. The awful fool who sought this destruction and evil instead of peace.

Emma was within the room, which was both fortunate and unfortunate. While Meredith had respect for the woman, she was one of many who lacked understanding in the White Flame and antagonized poor Harper for being born as she was. She was simply too judgmental, too. Meredith didn't like Emma, but she still respected the woman for her position and strength. Though, she had to suppress a flinch at hearing Evaline's name, and mentally sighed in annoyance as the issue came up at a terrible time. While she'd love to get help and immediately head to Evaline, they were under attack and had to make sure this problem was dealt with before they could reliably do anything. But...

"Head Mistress Evaline... was captured by a priestess of the Black Ocean named Morgana. She stood behind to allow me and a paladin trainee to escape, but in the process..." Meredith trailed off, choking up just a bit as she spoke but struggling to remain professional.

[MiscChaos]

Iona smiles as her decision is locked in. With both Charlotte and Ruby in need of rest, then who is she to stand in the way of that? "Well, looks like that's settled. Lead on then, Kenny." She says, mostly teasingly but somewhat to attract Kensington's attention. She sees how he's eyeing up Charlotte and would rather keep that to a minimum. Unless the musician shows that she likes the attention. Then she won't stand in the way of the woman having a good time playing around with a virgin. It'd probably be a world of difference from her usual customer and most certainly what she'd want after the brutal session she had the night before Iona acquired her. Unless she likes ruthless trains being run on her. Iona hasn't the foggiest what Charlotte likes when it comes to sex and she doesn't think they're good enough friends for her to ask. She's still working on making sure Charlotte doesn't just bolt in the middle of the night for fuck's sake! Asking what she likes in during the horizontal tango seems a bit far.

She's distracted when she sees the summer home finally. She's used to a cramped place more like a hut than a house or a flippin' monastery crammed with a bunch of other women. This is probably the most wealthy home she's ever had the pleasure of staying at. If this is what she could come to expect, she might not have minded what her parents were doing if it hadn't come with the minor downsides of losing all her freedom and being married to what would probably have been an old creep who would have her be a broodmare. She has to hold back a stunned expression when he then has the gall to say this isn't much. What the hell is he used to if this is just a quaint little getaway for him!? She snaps out of it when Ruby starts growling, however. "It's probably a poor idea to approach a Dire Wolf like that, Sebastian." Iona says, just as teasing as Kenny was earlier. "I don't think she'd necessarily enjoy being separated from me. We're rather attached to each other at this point." She's not 100% sure if she's lying out of her ass, but it's whatever to her. She doesn't really want to leave Ruby while in an unknown's home since the extra layer of security could be all that lies between her and being enslaved or something. "Is there any way to accommodate for that? I swear Ruby's quite the smart cookie." She says, kneeling next to the Dire Wolf and running her hand through the wolf's fur. She doesn't think she'll ever get tired of the texture of the stuff. If she had an outfit made of some other wolf's fur, she could just die happy. "Still, you've got some guts. I've seen dudes flinch for a lot less than being growled at by a Dire Wolf. You didn't even change facial expressions."

[RandomRoninKitten]

When Emma asks what happened at the western gate, Magz gives her a calm look "Ma'am, men in robes attacked, however I, Meredith, Harper, a now-dead woman with a bow, and Morgaine killed them. The man leading that group is now very much dead, and so are his comrades that were with him." she then pauses before continuing "When I stabbed the leader of that squad, Guo, he dropped the note which we gathered... what Lisabella told you." she explains. She then realizes that Iona has been missing completely, and recalls leaving her with Morgaine, and how she neglected to say anything about her when they left the city. She wonders if Iona escaped... or if Morgaine let her go. She feels somewhat interested in what Morgaine is going to have to say on the subject, given it was her responsibility to keep an eye on her.

Mentally, she noted the individuals in the room with her, concluding that she'll want to ask Belladonna, Meredith, and maybe Morgaine to come with her on her mission to bring justice to the king. Belladonna's disregard for 'the rules' would make her more likely to join them, and Meredith's part in helping to personally fight off the attack would make her more likely to join the group. Morgaine, however, is a bit difficult to read. On one hand, she seems less invested in authority, while on the other hand, her position may make her less likely to help her. Magz then realizes that in all of the chaos and confusion, she had forgotten to turn in the bounty money to the appropriate individuals. As soon as they're done here, she'll speak with Belladonna, then Meredith, then Morgaine, before turning in the money for the bounty.

[Littlemankitten]

Harper stood quiet as the other's talked, not wanting to interrupt what they were saying. This silence only became more defined once Emma arrived, whos gaze caused Harper to flinch back. Thankfully, Emma didn't refer to Harper directly and instead focused her attention on the others, taking their attention as well. With everyone now busy explaining what happened, it was a good opportunity to go find Heidi and make sure she's alright... It took a small bit, but after a while she finally managed to stumble upon where Heidi was. Even in the small moment she had to see Heidi before the other scholars blocked her view, she could see Heidi was in a very bad place. Harper barely reacted to the stares and attempts to block her, she was quite used to it after all. She rushed over to Heidi once they parted and kneeled next to her. Frowning as she saw her grievous injuries. "Y-yes, we defeated him... A-Apparently there was a letter on his body, one from the king himself, telling him to attack here... The others were telling Emma about it before I went to come see you."

[Mark3000]

Time: Night Phase 1

Priscilla

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Helped up by the heavily armored knight, General Ironblood gives Priscilla a hearty nod. “St. Lily Monastery? That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. I appreciate it young lady.” He said as they reached the door. “Now listen, Fort Claymoor’s outer walls are completely connected.” Ironblood said as he looked out the door. “We should be able to reach the guard station adjacent to the east gate and escape to the Monastery. If we’re spotted, just act as though you’re taking me to the Interrogation room. Understood?” He asked waiting for the Paladin’s answer.

(PM to set up Collaboration)

Iona

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

For her part, Charlotte didn’t seem bothered by the noble’s advances. She actively laughed at his small quips and got closer to him. Every now and then, she would even nuzzle her smooth arm against his. It was clear she was trying to work her charms on him, and they seemed to be working.

At the summer home, as Sebastion withdraws his hand he turns to Kensington. “It should be alright. If anything happens, you can clean it up before Mommy and Daddy come by” He says with an innocent smile. As refined as ever, Sebastion nods in agreement and steps aside to allow you all to enter.

With the way clear, Charlotte takes Kensington’s hand. “I heard you have a music room. I’m actually a trained musician. If you lead the way, I can give you a private show” She said letting the last words she spoke linger for a moment. Once Kensington understood what she was implying, he nodded feverishly and guided Charlotte inside. Just as they left, the enslaved musician gave Iona a wink as if inviting her to join in. Though you were also free to just explore the rest of the summer home, with Sebastion’s supervision of course.

Meredith, Magz

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Neither Meredith, Magz or Morgaine had ever seen so many emotions flash across Emma’s face. Anger, sorrow, guilt, shame, were all evident as Meredith and Magz gave their reports. “You did well Magdalene. As did you Meredith. I’m sure Evaline would be happy just to see that you made it back safely.” Just as Morgaine was about to give hers, Emma raised her hand. “On second thought, there’s no need for you to tell me what happened. Given that girl’s predisposition, I’ll guess she ran off while you weren’t looking?” She said, shaking her head. But Morgaine spoke up “No … I let her go myself after sending Magz to collect a bounty we had gone after. You know as well as I do just how unhappy Iona seemed here. Not everyone is cut out for the secluded lifestyle. So I let her leave to find her own path”. The Adventurer was preparing for a viscous tongue lashing, but Emma merely scuffed.“Good riddance, a holy site like this is no place for a harlot like her”

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t speak ill of my student!” A voice said. Turning towards it, everyone locks eyes on Lei as one of the other monk students carried her over.

“Ex-students it would seem” Emma quickly responded. But Lei merely shook her head. “The bond between teacher and student is not so easily severed. But more to the point, I overheard most of the conversation. Losing Evaline is a mighty blow, I can’t imagine how the other girls will take it. After this attack, I doubt they’ll feel safe here anymore.”

“However, we’re in no condition to move. And I doubt that this will be the last time that we’re targeted by members of the church of the Black Ocean, especially after they’ll done with Evaline” Morgaine added. At the last part, Emma and Lei shoot a dirty look as if she said something she shouldn’t have.

“I may have a solution to that” Emma said as she pulled out a parchment with the seal of the White Flame on it. “It’s a request sent from Cardinal Abeline herself. I had requested the main cathedral in Whitemore to send protection for the Monastery. While in Basinburgh I got their response. They will be willing to send us support if with manage this one job.”

“So they want to see if we’re still useful before committing to our protection” Morgaine said in a dismissive manner. But Emma continued. “This is an important mission, They are requesting that we travel to the Crystalcairn to escort Emilia van Sandsburg, the sister of the current king to Whitemore. She was next in line to the throne after King Rudoulf and is still loyal to the church. Both these facts are inconvenient to both the king and the Black Ocean and word has it that they are planning something. If Emilia were to disappear, there would be no-one in the royal family to oppose the rising of these heretics.”

As she finished, the head paladin turned to Magz and Meredith. “You two have proven yourself more than capable. Due to the attack and my injuries, I’ll need to say here at the Monastery to protect the grounds. However, I would like to leave this mission to the two of you. Bring a team of at least five to travel to Crystalcairn, retrieve Emilia and bring her to Whitemore.”

Harper

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Heidi didn’t seem surprised that the king was somehow behind these attacks. “I see, so that’s the way the tide has turned.” She said as she turned to the other girls. “Could you all leave me and Harper alone for a moment?” She asked in her weak voice. Though hesitant, they eventually agreed mainly out of respect for their teacher.

“Lean closer in” Heidi asked Harper once the two were alone. “I’m not as devout as Emma or Evaline. My loyalty is to the knowledge held in these halls, and the students who study it.” She said before pausing. “Things are going to get worse before they get better. It would be a shame if anyone of these bright minds were lost to the horrors of this world. If you wish to flee the Monastery I would understand. However, if you wish to protect it you’ll have to gather your courage and talk Emma. I know how she thinks of you, but she’s also the only one capable of protecting us.

”

[RandomRoninKitten]

Magz, outwardly, showed no emotion as the others discussed Iona, however inwardly she was happy to be rid of her, even if she was making the wrong decision. This, however, was of less importance to her, which left her impatiently waiting for an actual important subject to come up. Luckily, the Emma soon pulled out a parchment and stated that Cardinal Abeline wanted to ensure that they were still useful, by having someone escort a girl to Whitemore. Her status didn't matter to Magz, she only cared that this was a mission... then she turned to Magz and Meredith and informed them that this was THEIR mission. This somewhat put a damper on her initial plan, annoying her, as she had hoped to get to it quickly to solve the problem they were facing with the Black Ocean, but as a Paladin she was bound to take on this task for them, especially since others weren't viable options. "I'm honored that you've selected me for the mission, you can consider it done, ma'am." Magz said, giving her a crisp bow. She then makes her way over to Meredith "How does Harper, Morgaine, Lisabella, and Belladonna sound?" she asks her, quietly, ensuring that, aside from Harper if she's close enough, the others couldn't hear her discussing their potential part in her mission.

[Blue56]

"You can thank me once we've reached safety, General." Priscilla replies, perhaps a bit more curtly than she had intended, but she was still feeling a bit tense in this situation, and she doubted things would go as well as she hoped. The General's plan seemed as sound as any, so Priscilla simply nodded her understanding. "Very well then, we should look the part if that will be our cover." She says, drawing her sword and keeping it at the ready. "Stay in front, you are more familiar with the layout of this fort than I am, and it will look more like you are still my prisoner that way."

Nodding, General Ironblood kept his hands behind his back. He couldn't bring his own sword, but he did have a hidden blade in his boot in the even that the plan broke down. "First things first we have to get down stairs to the connecting hallway" He said as he led them you to the stairway. The moment you get a few feet from the room, you run into three of Gustuv's mercenaries. They were mulling around the area with their weapons out as if they were looking for a fight.

It didn't take long for them to notice you. "Huh? Hey your the Captain's new girl aren't cha." One of them said. All three of them were varying degrees of unkempt. The one talking to Priscilla now had an eye patch and his hair held back in a messy ponytail. "What you doing with the old man?"

Priscilla followed quietly behind General Ironblood, keeping a tight grip on her sword and a watchful eye on their surroundings. Regrettably, it was not long before they encountered enemies, and with nowhere to hide they would have to try to bluff their way through. "Let me do the talking and I will signal if we need to attack." She whispers to the General as they approach the three mercenaries.

When one of the mercenaries called out to them, Priscilla first turned to the General. "Halt." She ordered in a harsh, commanding tone, letting her sword rest over his shoulder and near his neck. Keeping up a believable act would be key to getting them through this and hopefully the General would understand. "That is correct, my name is Priscilla. Sir Gustuv entrusted me with keeping watch over the General and taking him to the Interrogation Room for the time being." Priscilla addresses the mercenary with a nod. She was loathe to be known as Gustuv's 'girl' but would suffer to bear it for now if it got them through this. "What of you three? Has the riot been quelled already? Should you not be assisting Sir Gustuv?"

" Naw Gustuv can handle himself. And the riot is still going strong. We gotta show these pampered knights who's in charge now!" He said with a hardy laugh. "We're just looking for any stragglers trying to hide out. Who knows, we might find ourselves a nice piece of ass while we're looking." As he said that, all three of them laughed. "You should relax, that old coot hasn't seen a battlefield in ages. But we won't kept. Maybe after you're done, we can have some fun?"

"I see.... Preventing stragglers from escaping does seem like an equally important endeavor." Priscilla replies with a nod, struggling to keep the disgust from her face as they laugh at the idea of finding some poor woman to rape. She would love nothing more than to gut the three of them if she thought she could get away with it, but there was more at stake than just this. "I would not want to be the one to explain to the Captain that I lost an important prisoner. I will 'relax' when I am free from that burden. However..." She explains pausing before eventually faking a small smile for the mercenary. "I would not be opposed to sharing a drink once the fort is ours." She tells him, hoping that responding affirmatively would get her out of here faster. "If you'll excuse me then." With that she would lower her sword to just behind the General's back and nudge him slightly with the flat of her blade to signal him to walk forward, and attempt to keep going if the three would allow her.

Once the three mercenaries are out of ear shot, Ironblood whispers to you. "You did well Priscilla. Just a little bit further." He said trying to comfort the young lady.

Once down the stairs, Ironblood motioned for them to turn left down the hall lined with suits of old armor. They can't take a step before a voice calls out to them. "Where are you going little missy?" Turning to confront the voice, Priscilla is meet by another three men. Two of them look like the mercenaries she'd seen before, ugly and unkempt. But the third stood out among the other. "You taking the General out for a walk?"

Priscilla gives a nod of thanks to the General's reassurances, but remains silent as she dares not speak just to be on the safe side. They make it down the stairs, but no further before they encounter another trio of mercenaries. Two of them looked the same as all the rest, but the third.... He was clearly different. A lieutenant of Gustuv's perhaps? Priscilla let out a sigh and indicate for the General to stop, just as she had before. "Not exactly." She tells the man. "As I just finished explaining to the three upstairs, Sir Gustuv has asked that I bring the General to the Interrogation room for later. Tell me, is there anyone out there trying to put down the riot, or are we all just wandering the halls in search of hidden stragglers?" She asks, not having to feign the exasperation in her voice. She had hoped that the battle would allow her to move about unnoticed, and was quite frustrated to find that that was not the case.

"Cap has things covered out there" The red haired man said as he rested his lance on his shoulder. While he seemed relaxed, Priscilla could feel his eyes probing the paladin. What was he looking for? Signs of deceit, openings for an attack? She didn't have time to focus as the man continues talking. "We were just taking care of rounding up the merchants. Can't have a source of revenue get hurt in the exchange of power. But if you're handling a prison of Ironblood's caliber, I'm sure you could use some assistance."

Priscilla was starting to wonder if Gustuv really was out there fighting on his own against the soldiers of the fort, based on the way his men talked about him. More pressing, this red haired man seemed to be a bit sharper than the rest of these dull witted mercenaries. His offer of assistance was possibly more than it seemed, and she needed to consider her response carefully. Obviously, she couldn't let him accompany them, but she needed to convince him not to. "Thank you, but I can handle this." Priscilla tells him with a confident smile. "And more importantly, I would like the Captain to know that I can handle the tasks he entrusts me with, if I am to have a successful future with this group."

Despite her insistence, the red haired man walked beside her. "No worries, I'll make sure you get all the credit when we talk to him" He said with a smirk "Besides, I'm kinda interested in getting to know you. The Interrogation Room should be down the hall." The man said as he pointed to the stairway at the middle of the hall just before the guard station near the gate. "We haven't been properly introduced. Names Miller Dragonfleet"

Priscilla can scarcely contain her desire to scowl as the man ignores her wishes and walks along with her anyway. "Very well. We'll go to the Interrogation Room together then. My name is Priscilla. It's a pleasure, Miller." Priscilla says, mostly for the General's benefit so that he would hopefully catch on to her idea. Trying to persuade him further would be more likely to arouse suspicion. Their only way out of this now would be to kill him. It would be better to do so in isolation, rather than right here in the hall where there seemed to be an abundance of mercenaries ready to join in on the fight.

Just before your group can leave, Miller calls over on of the other mercenaries to his side. "Hey the more the merrier, right?" He said as you reach the stairway down to the Interrogation Room. "After you" He says as he steps back to let the paladin go first.

Lovely. Just lovely. The addition of another mercenary gives Priscilla pause for a moment. Was Miller on to her plans? Overly cautious perhaps? She couldn't figure out why he would do this otherwise. Nonetheless, she had come to far now to back down. Surely a two on two fight were not such insurmountable odds. "Such the gentlemen." Priscilla comments as she is allowed first entry, keeping her tone free of the sarcasm she might have used otherwise, as she makes her way down the stairs towards the Interrogation Room.

Arriving at the Interrogation Room, it was shockingly empty. Most if not all the cells were empty. There weren't even any guards on site. "Yea the captain wanted us to offer the crooks under here a second chance. If they offered up their services, we would let them out." Miller said to Ironblood's horror. "Damn boy do you know what you've done?! The men you've released." Miller merely smirked. "You gonna let your prisoner talk to a brother-in-arms like that. Put him in his place then stuff him in a cell. Gotta get this place filled again soon."

The General was horrified to see that the Interrogation room was empty, but this was actually perfect for Priscilla if she wanted any hope of salvaging her plan for escape. When Miller asked her to put Ironblood in a cell, she returned his smirk with one of her own. "No. No, I don't think I will." She said, turning her already drawn blade on him and hoping that the General would do the same. "If you want these cells filled, then I suggest you drop your weapons and get in there. Do so, and I shall be on my way and leave you unharmed. I'm sure your friends will let you out soon enough, once they're done with... whatever they're all doing out there." Priscilla orders, hoping that her betrayal and commanding tone would catch the mercenaries off guard and they would surrender peacefully. If not, well... She was confident that with a seasoned General on her side, they could prevail.

[MiscChaos]

While Iona is somewhat suspicious of Charlotte using the noble virgin to gain enough leverage to get away from her, she decides to just be happy that the woman doesn't seem to mind being gawked at. She seems to even be touching Kensington of her own volition. It plays into her theory that soon she'll be getting an offer to buy Charlotte off of her or she'll be fighting off an attempt to take Charlotte's contract by force, but she's not in the habit of beating people to paste just because she's suspicious. It's not like she'd really care if she had to, but that seems like it'd be a pain in the ass down the road since it'd result in things like "bounties" and "terrible reputations" and "oh god, the Monastery is hunting her down to correct their horrible mistake". Those are all things she'd really rather avoid, so not attacking random civilians it is. She smiles and continues petting Ruby as the wolf gets permission to stay. She doubts she has to worry about any embarrassing messes, but at least she isn't gonna be responsible for cleaning it up if it does happen.

Iona sees Charlotte's wink and feels a small smile cross her face. She knows the woman is a mean hand with a flute in combat, but she's interested in what else she can do with an instrument. And if it turns out to be a trap, well, Charlotte's hers to do as she pleases. She already warned the former prostitute that misbehaving would end in unpleasant things and also told her that she has no desire to inflict them, but she can't have the woman taking advantage of her kindness. What kindness she has, anyways. Given what she did to someone who trusted her, she doesn't think she can really call herself a kind person. But that's old news that she really shouldn't be dwelling on right now. Right now, she just follows the nonverbal invitation and follows Charlotte and Kensington into the music room.

[Littlemankitten]

Harper was a little surprised at the lack of reaction from Heidi. Though Heidi was always extremely smart being the head of the scholars, so perhaps Harper shouldn't of been to surprised Heidi had deduced this would happen at some point. When Heidi sent the others away and told Harper to get close, she blinked a few times, a little stunned before complying. Though what she heard caused Harper to recoil back for two reasons. She grimaced for a few moments before taking a deep breath and shaking her head. "I-I would never leave this place. Despite my treatment by certain people, this is the nicest place I have ever lived and most likely ever will live. This is my home, and I don't want to abandoned it now." Harper paused for a few moments, pursing her lips and looking towards the door before sighing. "I will speak to Emma... I... I do not know how she will take it though." Regardless of her apprehension about talking with Emma, it had to be done and she knew it. So if Heidi had nothing else to say to her, she would go and try to speak with Emma and see what she could do to help in this horrid situation. She believed Magz was with Emma anyway, so Magz could vouch for her hopefully.

[mrblah]

Meredith remained respectfully silent as the headmistresses spoke, simply listening in as her leaders planned and only offering a stiff nod at Emma's praise. She appreciated the words and the sympathy, but she couldn't muster up much joy when she was still wracked with guilt and sorrow. The reminder of her failure to Evaline and the subsequent events afterwards left her with a hollow ache in her chest and the caustic taste of guilt biting at her from the inside. A keen eye would notice the slight tremors as she tried to remain composed and her deeper breathing, but it wasn't entirely due to grief. Questions floated by her head as the headmistresses' conversation seemed to never reach where she expected. When would they speak of mobilizing to save her..? Iona's desertion hardly mattered as much as saving Evaline! And of course the other girls wouldn't feel safe after this mess, hearing of Evaline's fate would just be the unfortunate icing on the cake—

The priestess froze, her slight shaking halting entirely as she registered the next sentence in the conversation. What... did she just say? Meredith shot a cold look over to Morgaine, repeating the woman's words in her mind... those words lacked the intent to save the head priestess from her fate. It sounded more like she was intent to simply leave her, with no thought or action made to help. Surely... the others? Their conversation continued to speak of how they'd save themselves. About this princess who'd oppose the king, and how they had to protect her before the Black Ocean tried something to her. She hadn't listened to closely as one major fact preventing her from thinking any further on the topic. They made no mention of rescuing Evaline.

Not. One. Thought. Meredith ignored Magz' approach as she stepped forward, clutching her staff tightly and straightening her back as her expression frosted over. "Headmistress Emma, I would highly prefer to be on the team sent to save Headmistress Evaline, if I may be so bold as to say." It was disrespectful to both talk back and question the orders of a superior, but Meredith would throw the whole book of manners and proper decorum away if it meant getting to what mattered. "If not, then I'd at least like to know of whom you'd be sending?"