Riverveins

[hedgeknight]

Cookie smiles and nibbles on the biscuit Oak saved for her, while Yarl gives instructions to his crew.

True, give cover until the wounded get across then haul ass. Rest of you lot, those that can move help them thats slow. We gotta get inside fast. Me and Mouse will cross first and make sure the door is open. Once we signal then get over an in. Fast and quiet. Got it?.

Without reply, the Rivington Rats help their wounded cross the street and approach the blue doors of Harborside Hospital. Assembled near and around the hospital doors, Yarl tries the handle and finds it locked. Cursing under his breath, he knocks and waits. It doesn't take long to get an answer...but it is not the answer he is hoping for.

flaming fist guards.jpg (8.26 KiB) Viewed 835 times

Three guards of the Flaming Fist emerge from the fog, ready for trouble. "Well now, what have we here? Nothing but a bunch of filthy rats. Care to tell us why you are on this side of the wall? What brought you out of your stinking warren?"

[dmw71]

Oak, instinctively, steps in front of Cookie, guiding and holding her behind him with his right arm.

He waits.

[Computer +1]

Yarl doesn't hesitate. Thank the Gods you are here! We have wounded that need help. He waves his people over. That young one got lost in the sewers and we went through hell to find her. Yarl does his best to sell the story. He knows he is covered in muck and he motions to his own wounds while mentioned the hell they went through.

Yarl looks over at Oak, See there, thats the worried father.

[dmw71]

"Yes, please!" Oak pleads, rather convincingly. Perhaps proving that the growing affection he has for the girl is genuine.


"She needs help!" he continues. "Quite urgently, I'm afraid, so please, make haste! Either help us, or get out of the way."


Rolls

[hedgeknight]

Between Yarl's storytelling and Oak's powers of persuasion, the Flaming Fist soldiers buy the tale and the speaker orders the other two to help with the wounded. The blue doors finally open to the urgent shouts and pounding, and a startled acolyte quickly ushers in the wounded Rats, including Cookie who is still nibbling on her biscuit.
Oak pauses at the door, turning to see the Flaming Fist captain step up to Yarl. "Glad we could help...erm...your friends. But why come all the way here? Ain't there a temple or healer in the Outer City closer by?"

But before Yarl can answer, there is a loud whoosh about a half a block away and the world turns orange and crimson!

explosion.jpg (77.38 KiB) Viewed 831 times

Screams fill the air along with debris and curling black smoke. Yarl rolls over, having been thrown to his back with the explosion, to see the Flaming Fist captain likewise picking himself up off the ground. "What the actual fuck was that?" the man says, gaping at the flames engulfing the building.
Figures can be seen moving through the smoke...figures with swords, spiked clubs...figures beating others. Glass breaks and folks cry out in alarm and in death. It's happening! The Faithless are making their move!

[dmw71]

Oak, looking to avoid unnecessary violence, helps shuffle Cookie inside the hospital. "Do whatever you can for her," he urges the startled acolyte.

[Computer +1]

Yarl picks himself up and is shocked with the voracity of the sudden violence. On some level he didn't really believe that the Faithless would actually go through with it all....
He turns to the Captain and decides that he doesn't want to see the man get hurt after he helped take in the injured Rats. Captain, get your men inside and bar that door. You keep mine in there safe, we'll see to the outside.

[hedgeknight]

"The hell with that!" says the Flaming Fist captain. He blows a shrill note on a whistle he takes from inside his armor and commands his men, "Take the looters! Kill anyone who gets in your way!"
Two figures break off from the looting and charge the Flaming Fist guards...and the guards cut them down as if they didn't even put up a fight. Another whistle cuts through the chaotic din...more Flaming Fist are converging on this position.

Actions?

[dmw71]

"I won't leave your side," Oak assures Cookie as he continues to seek assistance for her within the hospital.

[Computer +1]

Yarl hisses at the Rats who are outside Split up and distract the Fist. Try to get a whistle an get em to chase shadows.

Yarl himself hesitates at the door of the hospital. He doesn't want to leave the wounded in case the riots get out of hand.

[hedgeknight]

"I won't leave your side," Oak assures Cookie as he continues to seek assistance for her within the hospital. Tears running from her eyes, leaving clean rivulets through the dirt on her cheeks, Cookie grips Oak's hand as tightly as she can. "Oak! Where's Yarl? Is he okay?"

While outside, Yarl is knee-deep in sheep...er...shit. Split up and distract the Fist. Try to get a whistle an get em to chase shadows, he hisses, staying close to the hospital door, not wanting to leave the wounded.
Trueshot gives him a nod, draws an arrow...and fires it directly into the ass cheek of one of the Flaming Fist guards! The guard howls and goes down in the street, while his companions look around for the archer.
Trueshot grins and draws another arrow...but stays his hand as cloaked figures emerge from the darkness.

faithless.jpg (69.57 KiB) Viewed 818 times

The Faithless move in, taking no prisoners, killing all three of the Flaming Fist guards ruthlessly. Blades dripping blood, they look toward the hospital, and seeing Yarl...the spring to attack!
"Die you fucking piece of rat shit!" one exclaims as they charge!

There are four of them...Actions!

[dmw71]

Oak wrests his hand free from Cookie's grip and passes her hand to the startled acolyte that opened the doors to the hospital and ushered them inside.

"Anything happens to her, and you are going to need a hospital -- understand?" he says forcefully.

"Finish your biscuit," he says to the lass. "Stay with him."

In his condition, barely clinging to life himself, he doesn't want her to see the fear in his eyes so he doesn't turn back to look at her. "I'm going to go get Yarl," he says. "I'll be right back," he probably lies.



Peeking out the front door, Oak spies Yarl.

Then the approaching quartet of Flaming Fist guards.

Closing his eyes, a string of images and memories race through his mind in a flash. In order:

His parents.

His betrothed.

His business.

His eyes open.

He slides up to Yarl's side. "Let's do this," he says shakily, but determined.

He struggles to even raise his rapier, but wills himself to defend the hospital -- and Cookie -- at all costs.



Rolls

Initiative: [1d20+1]=15+1=16
Attack with Rapier: [1d20+3]=17+3=20, [1d8+1]=2+1=3 Piercing

[Computer +1]

Yarl yells as they close You stupid fucks, Sticks sent us here!!!

Once in melee range Yarl doesn't hesitate, he snaps his club out at the first attacker up high looking to throw him off balance.


He follows close behind with a thrust of his short sword in his left hand



You Faithless fuckers gonna stab us all in the backs now??!!

[hedgeknight]

Blood in the Streets

Oak wrests his hand free from Cookie's grip and passes her hand to the startled acolyte who had greeted them at the hospital and ushered them inside. "Anything happens to her, and you are going to need a hospital -- understand?" he says forcefully. The acolyte swallows hard, sweat running down his face, and nods vigorously.
"You're leaving me? Oak, you promised you'd never leave me! Don't go, Oak! Don't go!" Cookie pleads, biscuit forgotten, her eyes welling with tears.
"Finish your biscuit," Oak says to the lass, gritting his teeth with determination. "Stay with him."
"But...Oak!"
Not wanting her to see the fear in his eyes, Oak turns his back to Cookie.
"I'm going to go get Yarl," he says. "I'll be right back," he probably lies.

Outside, all hell is breaking loose in the streets and alleys near the hospital. Screams of pain and death fill the air, as well as the clash of swords. Oak opens the door and the smell of blood and fear almost make him choke. Peeking outside the door, he sees Yarl.

You stupid fucks, Sticks sent us here!!! Yarl roars, and Oak follows his line of sight and sees the approaching figures. Oak gasps, recognizing them as the Faithless.
As images of all the things he holds dear flash through his mind, Oak slides up to Yarl's side.
"Let's do this," he says shakily, but determined, as he raises his rapier, wincing with the effort.

The Faithless say nothing, but move in quickly, swords and daggers flashing in the reddish glow of the fires behind them. Seeing the sagging Half-elf as a potentially easy target, one of the figures moves in for the kill...and finds a rapier in his throat! Oak jerks the thin blade back, blood spewing from the neck of his foe who staggers back, trying to staunch the flow of his life's blood. But then his body jerks as Trueshot buries an arrow in the side of his head, literally pinning him to the side of the outside wall of the hospital!

The other Faithless charge and Yarl is waiting for them. He strikes at one with a club, but he follows up with his short sword, digging deep into the rogue's ribcage. Pulled in close, the rogue slashes Yarl across the thigh with one dagger and drives another to the hilt in his guts!

Critical hit: [1d4]=2

"How'd that...f-feel, you fucking piece of rat shit?" the rogue spits, bloody phlegm spattering Yarl's tortured face.

The other two Faithless are swarmed by the remaining Rats as the clash of steel, the slinging of insults, and the blood of men and women spill in the streets...

ACTIONS!!

Yarl - down 27 hp > fighting one of the Faithless
Oak - stable at 1 hp
Cookie - stable at 1 hp
Trueshot down 4 hp

[dmw71]

Oak continues to wince through any effort and struggles as he works to withdraw his now-bloodied blade. He attempts to assist Yarl in his battle against the Faithless foe, and can only hope his weak effort will at least prove distracting.



Rolls

Attack with Rapier: [1d20+3]=4+3=7, [1d8+1]=4+1=5 Piercing

[Computer +1]

Blood is pounding in Yarl's ears and there is darkness at the edges of his vision. He can feel the heat burning from his skin as he fights for his life.
Pressed in close there is no room to swing so Yarl drops his club and uses his strength to wrap his arm across the faithless rogues head and wrench it back violently.

Its more of a grapple so do I roll for damage?
With his opponent thrown off balance he roars and follows with an overhead swing from the short sword trying his hardest to cleave the man in two.

[hedgeknight]

Blood in the Streets, Rd 2

Blood pounding, vision blurred, skin on fire, Yarl Blacktongue fights for his life.
With little room to get an advantage with his weapons, Yarl drops his club and wraps his arm around the Faithless rogue's head, wrenching it violently, hearing a loud "crack" as the man's neck snaps.
With a roar, Yarl attacks the man next in line, the one Oak tries to hit, but feebly misses, and cleaves the man from neck to nuts with his short sword! Trueshot and the rest of the Rats make short work of the Faithless, and try to catch a moment to breathe...but alas, that won't happen any time soon.
A patrol of the Flaming Fist rush onto the scene, take one look at the Rats standing over the dead bodies of the Faithless, while also taking in the dead bodies of their fellow Fist, and the Manip in charge points his sword at Yarl and yells, "Kill those fuckers!"
But...just then shadows emerge from the buildings and smoke and leap upon the Flaming Fist, pummeling and stabbing them mercilessly.
Once done, the leader of the 'shadows' throws his hood back and Yarl looks upon Judas for the first time in hours.
"Saved your ass, Blacktongue! I guess you've figured out by now, Ol' Sticks dicked us over. Lost half my men once we put ashore. They were waiting for us. What should we do now?"


Yarl - down 27 hp
Oak - stable at 1 hp
Cookie - stable at 1 hp
Trueshot down 4 hp

[dmw71]

Oak still doesn't think of himself as being in a decision-making position, at least on this current expedition, but he knows what his next course of action is going to be, regardless of plans made otherwise.

"I need to find Cookie," he says matter-of-factly. After making sure his declaration was heard by Yarl, the half-elf re-enters the hospital to fulfill his promise to his charge, and see to it she receives the care she requires.

[Computer +1]

Yarl lets out a deep breath. Judas, I ain't never been so happy to see you.. Yarl's head starts to pound when Judas confirms Stick's betrayal. Yarl has gotten his gang in a mess they have no business in. Everything is his fault, if he only would have kept his head maybe this all could have been avoided.

Yarl is at a complete loss as to what comes next.

We can't get to Rivington by boat now and those tunnels almost killed us all the first time.... His thought is interrupted by Oak. Cookie... Yarl thinks of his own wounds and of those of who is left.

We gotta get inside and hold this hospital. Ours can't get home so we gotta keep em safe. I say we get in bar the door and kill any faithless fuckers we see. Trueshot on the roof with whoever else has a bow. Rest of us on doors an' windows? What ya say Judas?.

[hedgeknight]

Judas watches Oak slink away and enter the hospital before returning his gaze to his kingpin. He shrugs and says, "Hiding ain't gonna do us much good if Sticks comes looking! My guess is he thinks us too spread out to be much of a threat, and I'd bet my nuts he's going to make a move on our territory. With most of our forces here on this side of the river, we are ripe for the taking. We need to get home as soon as we can. What say ye, Blacktongue? Stay and fight, hide in a church, or defend our home?"