Imogene, Merek, and Thomas stand near Karim, an opulently dressed slave trader, standing by a cell wherein are held a number of slaves including 'Bahri,' who might be of interest to Dio Seraceni. Peri, meanwhile, has orchestrated the transport of some of the weapons crates to an abandoned outpost on the poorer, eastern side of the great market, while Count Orrin Seliki has been speaking to Arvani sailors, who seem willing to join in an uprising against the slavers of Isle al'Aswaq.

Karim smiles and places his hand on Merek's shoulder. His four jeweled rings glint in the light. "A good buy, my friend," he says. "That will be twenty five hundred Arvani silver." Glancing toward Imogene, he shrugs. "Should've bought him while you had the chance." He nods to one of the six nearby guards, who takes a key ring from his belt and unlocks the cell, shouting uncouth words in Eurusi at the boy, and grabbing Mona by the hair and dragging her to her feet. "I could sell you some chains and collars if you like," Karim offers to Merek, "or I'll throw in a rope noose free."

Imogene checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 9 lower.

Merek looks to the slave as they are pulled back from the cells, then he dips a nod to Karim, while he takes a moment to consider it. "Perhaps their bargaining is a little... Uncouth, I would like to buy them all," he mentions then to the slaver, while he takes a moment to lift up a coin pouch, stepping in front of the others. "I will even take the chains and collars. Name what you wish for them, let's... Haggle," he offers a smile.

Merek checked charm + etiquette at difficulty 15, rolling 32 higher.

Imogene's eyes take on the glimmery look of ice as Karim yells at the boy and manhandles Mona, and she can't manage to keep her fingers from curling up into not-quite-fists. "My dear man," Imogene says, in a tone as crisp as her glinting eyes, "I don't what this Captain Gibberish of yours offered to pay, but I am sure I can do far better than he." She gives a little stamp of her foot, lifting her chin as if she's prepared to argue in the most demanding and drawn out and aggravating way, which also has the helpful effect of making it so that she doesn't have to look directly at Mona. "I simply /must/ have my Jamira!"

Peri, meanwhile, is working out details with Dio's crew. She's hopes to hear a rallying cry soon.

Thomas checked command + intimidation at difficulty 30, rolling 11 lower.

Karim's green eyes open a little wider and he smiles slowly. "I will sell you seven of the eight. As I said that one," he says, pointing to Bahri, "has already been claimed - and no price you name could be equal to what I've been offered, though," he says, looking Imogene up and down, after she speaks "if I were to sell him to anyone, it might be for the hand of that fiery beauty beside you." His gaze rests thoughtfully on Merek for a moment and says, "How does six thousand Arvani silver for all seven sound?"

Karim's dismissive attitude over the matter of Bahri does not sit well with Thomas, and the Lycene swordman's steely eyes glint. "I would think you would approach this matter with a little more respect, considering the coin we are flashing," He growls...but there is likely a little too much bitterness in his tone instead, and his face is flushed.

Two of Karim's guards step to his side with their hands on the hilts of their sabers. Karim waves them off. "I understand, my friend, and I apologize. It just that I cannot go against my word, even if were not being sold to Captain Genrik."

Merek checked wits + linguistics at difficulty 15, rolling 25 higher.

Imogene's hand twitches as if she's thinking of giving Karim her hand IN HIS FACE, but in the end she only makes a huffy little sniffing noise and tilts her chin further in the air. "You simply don't know a good deal when it looks you right in the eyes," she huffs. "Who in the world is this Captain Genrik that makes him so special?"

Thea eventually steps forward at the tones of voices. Nothing loud, but enough to make her presence known as her gold-flecked green eyes look to Karim's guards.

Merek looks over to Thomas, then to Imogene, while he takes a moment to change his language, his bearing in becoming a new man in whole. He leans forward with a nod to Karim, and speaks Eurusi, he even tries the accent a bit. "I will accept this, in fact I will bring you... Eight thousand, in addition to that, my friend. Well, my mother... As she is, from the Desert Kingdoms, a beauty to behold. She told me that only the best would do for me and mine. Now, you speak of price, and consideration, but my friend... I have deals that would make you look at mere silver as a... Toy." He grins.

Merek gets 15000 silver from a belt made with black leather, and small compartments.

Karim chuckles. "You have not heard of Captain Genrik? I suppose you've never heard of that bastard Dio, the godsforsaken Selikis of Pearlspire or the Kennex brothers either." He sighs, and continues to Imogene, "It's cute how foolish you Oathlands women are. I should really own one."

Karim looks long and hard at Merek when he speaks. He tries to smile, but it's more of a twitch. He doesn't answer right away, apparently wrestling with some inner greed.

Imogene checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 3 higher.

Peri checked perception + war at difficulty 15, rolling 35 higher.

Orrin checked perception + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 70 higher.

Merek takes a moment to open his coin pouch, while he casually offers ten platinum dukes to Karim, like one that was handing the price of the daily grocery to him. He then places his fingers together, while he steeples them in thought. In Eurusi he speaks, "I shall fetch from my pack, for your... Examination," he offers, then he nods to the new slave, the two he has, all of them he has. Then he makes his way to open up a little box he keeps with him, while he takes five ingots from it, all in scarlet like it were cinnabar itself. "Hmm, no," he speaks back in Arvani, "To simple for your tastes I presume?" he offers then to the man.
He is playing him up. "What does strike your fancy? Tell me, do you worry about your safety if the Captain knows he was sold? What if you could buy your safety, even... Buy your captain. But, if you won't even consider it."

Peri snags one of Dio's crew for to walk with her back to Karim's stall while discussing plans for a dicing game wherever there's a bar. (It's a ruse). "That Thmoas guy owes me." She points, "There he is." And they walk over. "Why don't you go back to the game?" She tells the crew member. "I'll be there shortly." And Peri is back!

Imogene's lashes drop just the tiniest bit over her eyes, but the very faintly ominous look of this is smoothed away entirely by the smile of purest condescension she gives Karim. "I truly doubt a man like you will ever enjoy that pleasure, but sometimes delusions are all one has." She gives another little sniff and a toss of her head, turning away from Karim. "But I dare say you'll come to see what a dreadful mistake you've made this day, and rue it." As she turns she subtly gives "Bahri" a searching and almost pleading look as she tries to catch his gaze, as if attempting to convey some measure of hope to him, and then looks with wrinkled brow to Merek, as if wondering what in the world he's up to.

Thea lifts her eyebrow at Merek, knowing full well what he's doing. Smart man, giving him an actual smile.

Merek checked charm + seduction at difficulty 50, rolling 27 lower.

Orrin, meanwhile, off... who the heck knows where? Is also people-shopping. In earnest, though - he's looking for a few good people to do a job, men that aren't the sailors he conscripted to barricade the presumed guard barracks. He weaves through, chatting amiably with a few - away from the actual slave trade he doesn't have to check his temper every 31.7 seconds, and can turn on the charm, find out who's got a smooth, easy, convincing way with people. He finds a red-haired young woman, a captain of a merchant vessel, who... maybe he chooses her for evoking his daughter, or maybe it's the conversation he has with her, rife with approving nods from his quarter. He also finds an older man, injured, who manages to draw a smile from him all the same. Hushed murmurs follow. He speaks with each of them, separately, telling them to seek the crates with the marking of their expedition, and to whisper in the ears of those bound. Was this plan B? Was it... ever going to be plan B?

"Hmmm..." muses Karim, and he says something to Merek in Eurusi. When Imogene drops her lashes, and lashes him with her wit. His olive skin flushes, and his green eyes shine with renewed lust. "Perhaps," he says to her, "but not anytime soon, I suspect. It is a shame you are angry with me. I would love to make it up to you in my lodging. It is not far from here," he says, seeming to forget about Thomas for a moment, and reaching for Imogene's shoulder with his bejeweled hand.

Thea checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + legerdemain at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Thomas is contenting himself with a white-knuckled grip on the hilt of his rapier as Bahri seems to drift further out of their grasp, his hard face locked in a scowl. But when Karim reaches out for Imogene, he is not so lost to frustration that he forgets his role. He steps dexterously between them in a blink, leaving the man's hand hovering inches short of his jerkin, and clears his throat. "Please do not try it again," He says, tone flat and eyes on Karim's. "I do not think any of us will enjoy where that particular mistake leads."

Just as fast as Karim's hand goes to touch Imogene, Thea appears at her side, keeping him away. She smiles coyly at at him,"That--kind of you I'm sure,"eyeing his hand. "But I think we have other plans..."

Peri checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 5 higher.

Imogene checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 2 lower.

Karim takes a step back and clears his throat, glancing from Thomas to Thea. "My apologies. I am a man of passion as well as business. I only wished to make things right with your Oathlands lady. Forgive me, but the hour grows late." He turns to Merek and asks him something in Eurusi.

Merek takes a moment to look at another case, then he lifts his brow to Karim, "Hmm." He hears those words, but he's all smiles. He then stands up while he twirls a duskstone and dawnstone about his fingers, "Are you sure?" He then sighs, speaking in Eurusi, "I am sure you are thinking about it." He nods a bit, while he takes a moment to think about it. He motions to the eight platinum dukes, then he wiggles the gems, while he motions a bit to the rubicund, he thinks about it a moment and lifts another case with his foot, and opens it up to show two iridescite, palming that. "My offer." He flicks his fingers with a smile.

Maybe her eyes didn't manage to catch those of Bahri, but there are certainly other slaves behind the bars who gaze at her with varied combinations of desperation, dullness, pain, and deadened hopes. A deep flush creeps into her cheeks that seems to arise from a combination of her frustration at not being able to do anything as well as Karim's salacious words, and she simply gives him a look of the deepest scorn and turns her back on him in the highest dudgeon, aided by the intercept of her self-assigned bodyguards. "We ought to be headed back to our ship," she sniffs disdainfully.

Peri watches Merek attempt to buy the slave, nay, /all/ of the slaves. She eyes the three he's already bought and starts to get a little antsy but quells it. "I will take these three back to the ship," she explains to Merek and Imogene. "I do not think that pissant of a merchant is going to give you a deal on that one." She jerks her head at Jamira. Unless stopped, she'll encourage the slaves to walk with her, explaining how she is part of a highlys killed crew and that they will get training to be able to Climb High in the rigging.

Orrin wends his way back to the group, stopping by a food cart to get what he was - in pretense - after all along. A man his size just can't go-go-go on ship food. He arrives just in time to hear Imogene say they should be heading back, and he gives a nod. "Business concluded?" he asks. He moves close to Thomas to show him the food he found, and murmur to him about the delightful things that *aren't slaves* available on the island - or, you know, that's what can be heard before his voice is too quiet to hear.

"Tempting as it is, I must pass. My coffers will suffer for it, but with Genrik as an ally, I'm making a long term investment," replies Karim to Merek in Arvani. He nods, and his guards usher all the slaves except Bahri out of the cell. The lone slave remains where he is. He doesn't even lift his head when the others are led out. The others however, give apprehensive looks to Merek, as they are fitted out with collars and chained together in a long line.

Karim smiles at Thomas. "You may need to beat them a little at first to show that you are a strong master, but I'm certain they will bring you great profit."

Karim's green eyes narrow at Peri, but he shouts to his guards a quick command in Eurusi, and then leaves, heading back towards the auction block.

Thomas checked composure at difficulty 20, rolling 14 lower.

Thea watches quietly as Karim leaves and hangs back for now.

"This fellow is too stupid to know when he ought to change his mind," Imogene tells Orrin disparagingly as he returns to the backstage area of the slave auction, waving one hand dismissively at Karim without even giving him the benefit of another glance as he goes out. She does fix another, appraising look at Bahri, not in the manner of someone sizing up merchandise, but rather as if attempting to fix the slave's image in her head should she ever see him again. "I'm sure we must be ready to go now, and get back to.. well, /other/ business." Slave revolt business, the best kind!

Merek nods a bit to Karim politely, then he looks to them a moment, "I need to attend business," he mentions, taking a moment to walk his way on, then he looks to the slaves, nodding to Peri, remanding them to her. He has work to do.

A long sigh of resignation, and Thomas nods to Imogene's suggestion. "You deserved a higher class of treatment than this man could offer, my lady." At Karim's words, his face hardens and his teeth grit tight, the muscles in his jaw flexing. "Do not forget your place in telling us our business, merchant. You will never see our coin again. It will only grace the palms of your betters." As they all form up and march out, Thomas is taking several practiced breaths when Orrin approaches. Whatever the man whispers, it does more than those exercises ever could -- his cold blue eyes gleam with excitement, the bitterness of the encounter forgotten.

Merek checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 30, rolling 3 lower.

Thea checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 30, rolling 7 higher.

Merek finds the place he is looking for, but finds it well guarded from stealth, while he takes a moment to check all his gear, then he considers for a moment. He then nods while he maneuvers to find a place to set up a distraction.

With all the graceful sneakiness the young Malvici has, Thea moves past guards and furnitures. She is careful not to bump or knock anything. Seeing what she knows is Karim's wine, Thea reaches into her satchel and pulls out a small vial of poison and pours it inside--waiting for him to drink it. Her gold-flecked green eyes watching as he dies.

Orrin, Peri, Imogene and Thomas find Anne, and they paddle the small boat back to the Osprey. Dio himself helps them up the rope ladder to the deck, with a burning cigarillo in his lips. Once all have assembled on the deck, he frowns slightly, as his eyes pass over the new arrivals. He turns to the group and says, "Did you manage to locate Jamira, at least? Or was my information wrong."

The deck of The Osprey seems much more crowded than it had been, and a number of salty men and women are seen sharpening sabers and hatchets. For anyone who glances past Dio to the far side of the Osprey, they will notice six boats tied to Dio's ship that handn't been there when they arrived.

Merek checked willpower at difficulty 25, rolling 13 higher.

Orrin climbs aboard, yes, finishing off his delightful snack. "I think they did," he says, glancing aside at the others; he cares about One Particular Dude about negative 17 percent, really. "There are a number of pieces in place -" a pause, then a glance at the extra boats. "What are these?" he asks.

Imogene stalks across the deck to Dio in the manner of a deeply offended cat, back straight and head held stiffly. "Oh, yes we found him, or at least, someone very much like him who responded to his name, but-- ah, bah! The man selling him was such a wretch. He said Jamira was claimed by a Captain Genrick already and he wouldn't change his mind for anything, the stupid jelly-for-brains!" She throws up her hands in despair for this stupid wretch of a man, stamping her foot again.

Dio grins at Orrin. "The Seraceni have no love for slavers either, Count Orrin." The glow of his cigarillo glows like a demonic fire in his dark eyes. "We'll be raiding these betrayers of Skald as well as freeing the slaves." The Marquis turns to Imogene when she mentions Genrik. "Genrik's here?" he asks.

"You got a fleet together for us?" Ah, how sweet. Peri looks like she got a pony. a sea-pony.

Orrin - who looked faintly testy with Dio before - pauses to look at him for a long, long moment. "I've put a number of pieces in place," he says. "There's a group of Thrax sailors here who are going to barricade the guard barracks to reduce the force met - I'd not worry were it us alone, but many of those bound are not in whole condition, would fare poorly against a whole force. I've marked the symbol of their guard - a black serpent coiled thrice on a green field. There are men moving through the slave population, telling them where they'll find arms and to await our signal. Climb high." That isn't just for Dio, of course; it's for the rest, too. "We'll do better with more hands," he says, glad for the extra help.

Merek makes his way back to the ship, while he nods a bit to those that are about. He offers a map which shows the prime location of a few slaves, and numbers, then he finds a place to settle in.

Imogene hesitates at Dio's question, frowning a little, and waits for Orrin to relay his own details before she says anything else. "I-- I don't know if Captain Genrik is here or not. Karim -- the loathsome slaver -- only said the Captain had offered more than we could possibly hope to, and wouldn't even /listen/ to another offer. And said that it was a-- a long term investment to have him as an ally." She rocks back and forth on her heels, nudging one finger at the hilt of Dio's sword still tucked in her sash. "Who is he?"

Thomas is among the last to board the Osprey, and once his boots hit the deck he paces with a relentless energy he can't seem to contain, checking the straps and buckles of his leather armor and drawing out his rapier to give it a little flourishing swing, as if the keen sound of the point parting the air brings him some comfort. He sheathes it again a little more forcefully than is strictly necessary, and nods firmly in answer to Dio's question. "Indeed, my lord," He grunts. "The man bought our Jamira right out from under us." That's...an embellishment, given that poor Jamira was already sold before they arrived, but his frustration is evident. When Orrin goes over the details of the plan, he actually manages to slow his stride to a stop, listening intently, and by the end he offers an impressed nod to the Count. "The sooner we can cleanse this foul place, the better," He remarks with a growl."

Peri has untied and unchained the slaves Merek bought and she fills them in on what is happening. "Father has the plans in place. Follow his lead."

Thea clears her throat a little as she quietly tells the group, her southern accent thick,"Karim at least will not be an issue anymore,"listening to the others.

"Aye, m'Lady," replies Dio to Peri. He glances back to Imogene, and he says, "If Genrik's here, he's probably after Jamira also. He's a..." Dio hesitates a moment. "A rival." He turns back to Orrin, and nods to the count, clearly impressed with his preparation. "That's far better than I would have expected. We start with the guards with the keys. Open the cells, and slay any wearing the serpent sigils along with any slaves willing to take up arms."

Thomas's enthusiasm brings a maniacal laugh to the Ishcian pirate. "Ye have the spirit of a warrior indeed, Lord Thomas! Aye, let's cast many a slaver to the Queen, and take everying they've got!" A lound murmur of approval runs through Dio's crew. The marquis then glances towards his wife. "You're staying here."

"It needs to happen. And the less we wait the better - I expect the people rendering assistance will spread word quite effectively, but anytime word is meant to pass it can pass to the wrong ears. We should move as quickly as we can." That's Orrin's assessment. He nods at Dio's amendments. Guards with keys first, unless there are impressive blades aimed to run them through of course.

Imogene nods doubtfully to Dio at this meagre information on Genrik, and then turns and blinks her big indigo blue eyes at Thea following the Lycene woman's news. "He won't? Why won't he?" Her eyes widen a little more. "You didn't..." she begins, allowing the words to trail off suggestively. Her mouth tightens in a look of grim satisfaction rather at odds with her ordinary demeanour, and she simply gives Thea a tiny nod. She then blinks again at Dio's command, and whirls around to face him. "But--!" she exclaims, breaking it off as she bites her lip. "I.. What am I to do then?"

Dio's dark eyes remain on Imogene. "Stay safe," he says. "What you do on shore? Join the rebellion?" Though it seems the marquis's words were meant to mock the supposed innocence of his wife, perhaps for the benefit of the cutthroats on either side of him, there is an unmistakable concern in his voice, that causes Anne to glance in Dio's direction as she returns her knives after a quick inspection to their sheathes.

Imogene checked composure at difficulty 10, rolling 13 higher.

Orrin glances between Dio and Imogene, lips pursed. "My lord, we can use someone with her skills. If we are to rally men who've long been deprived, we're going to need someone with the talent for inspiring. Don't you think? I'm sure she can manage to keep herself with someone who's got something sharp, and out of harm's way. She's clever."

Dio frowns. He glances from Orrin to Thomas. "Lord Thomas, will you swear on your honor that you will die before you let harm come to my wife?" he asks in a tone of iron forged among the most dangerous men and women to sail the Saffron Sea.

Imogene inhales deeply, then lets it back out again in a careless breath. "Well, darling, it's true that I may not be much good in a an actual /scuffle/." She manages to make it sound as if they're all about to head out into the midst of a schoolyard altercation, though the look of icy determination in her eyes may suggest otherwise. "But yes, there are all these other very capable men and woman about who've done just so well at keeping me out of trouble so far. Surely you don't doubt /them/? And just think how--" She squints over at Orrin, then beams back to Dio. "Yes, just think how /inspiring/ I'll be!"

Imogene checked charm + manipulation at difficulty 15, rolling 37 higher.

Merek takes a moment to place on his belt cape, while he shifts his black leather about himself, then he checks his longsword which is within the back sheath, unsheathing the weapon with a light shimmer of reflection.

Thomas's lips split into a hard, foxlike grin at Thea's announcement, and he offers her a swift bow, coming to the same conclusion as Imogene -- though he seems darkly delighted, rather than shocked. (Hey, he's Lycene too, after all. Poison might as well be the Hundred Cities' favored passtime.) But when Dio suggests Imogene come to a disagreement, that smile fades a little. Orrin's suggestion that she will be needed earns a swift and supportive nod, and when Dio asks him to put the Marquessa's life before his own, he does not hesitate. He offers them both a grand bow, arm sweeping out. "I swear it by the gods, my lord. You both have my blade without question, and I will stay at her side."

Thea gives both Imogene and Thomas a wink, pretty much confirming their thoughts. She even offers Anne a smile, because well--yeah. Listening in on Dio and Imogene, Thea speaks now,"The Marquesa is clever and quick witted. I agree that she would be helpful have no doubt she would be protected."

"Mangata's fury," hisses Dio at Imogene's frankly inspiring speech, and Thea's support. He throws his cigarillo overboard and nods to Thomas, a slight smile spreading on his lips. "I am in your debt, My Lord." He turns to Imogene, "Stay by his side, Imi." Then, turning to the pirates on deck, and moving among them Dio says in a low voice, "Count Orrin has spread word that the people of the Isle al'Aswaq shall taste of freedom tonight! Let the slavers taste death! Slay the black serpents, and loot their holdings. Any slaver's treasure is yours. When you hear my call, return to the ships, or you'll be left behind." A variety of murmurings of 'aye' escape the lips of the pirates, and they begin to descend into the boats. Dio turns to Orrin and Peri. "We'll get in position. You give word, and the uprising begins."

Imogene darts a look of swift gratitude at her backers, then tosses off an insouciant salute to Dio. "Aye-aye, Captain Dio," she says blithely. "I will stick to Ser Thomas until he's convinced I am nothing but the world's largest bur." She gives a reassuring pat to her/Dio's sword, more as if the sword needed it than herself, and positions herself with ostentatious docility by Thomas's side. But as she turns a glance back out across the water she's nibbling at her lower lip with an unwontedly serious look in her eyes.

Dio takes his sword back from Imogene, with an exasperated look. He nods to Anne, who gives Imogene a small, but sharp dagger. "Don't die," says the first mate, and she places her tricornered hat on Imogene's head. "For luck, m'Lady."

The pirates and adventurers from Arx board the boats and row for shore. They are met by the guards when they land, as before, and Dio explains that after Merek's successful purchases, the whole crew's headed to drink in the market. The guards are suspicious, but as the crew moves on, those guards are quietly dealt with while the crew moves in a double file to disperse themselves into the market near the highest concentrations of enslaved people according to Merek's map.

Orrin checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 4 higher.

Orrin checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

Dio wields a Lycene assassin's blade.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

Dio checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 31 higher.

Thomas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 55 higher.

Peri wields a diamondplate wavedancer longsword.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 27 higher.

Orrin wields diamondplate battleaxe with trident stylings.

Thea wields Skystrike, the finely crafted diamondplate kopis.

Merek wields Torean Nightsong.

Orrin studies the map and casts it against his own memory - who he saw where. He's trying to find familiar faces, in a secondary sort of way; people already helping are easier to manage. He waits until he's near one of the cells he saw his redhead whisperer go toward first, and slips up, his trident-like battleaxe in hand, and takes out the guard nearest, the one with the fat ring of keys. It's once the cell is open that he tells the people within: "Climb high." They should already know what that means. Go go battle freedmen. That's a 'pass it on' kind of call - keys are handed off so someone with less weapons experience can do that work - and he stands to defend those less capable, leading those who find arms to higher places to deal with the guard they find. He's not after treasure - only lives.

Taking the knife and shoving it in her sash to replace the confiscated sword, Imogene sweeps her hand up to clap the tricorne more firmly onto her head, gives Anne an appropriately roguish grin, and heads quickly to the nearest boat with a faint air of triumph which only fades as the little war band nears the shore. There, serious business awaits them, which even a naive oathlands lady distinctly feels the gravity of. She does in fact remain true to her word and follows closely behind Thomas, though she keeps patting at her knife hilt and her hat in a flutter of nervous excitement, particularly as the guards are taken out.

As Orrin sets to work freeing those in the cell near him, Dio walks casually but swiftly towards the guard of Jamira's cell, and without a word draws his blade and buries it to the hilt in the large guards chest. He sweeps up the guard's keys and finds the longest one, and opens the cell. He frowns to see that Jamira has been chained even inside his cell. He glances to Thea. "Is that diamondplate?" he asks with a grin.

Merek's longsword takes a moment to lift up while he maneuvers forward, a shift of the hip while he impales one of the guards with a slash. Above the scarf his eyes seem to carry no emotions, he is a machine when it comes to his duties. He then lifts a foot to the guard to push into him, knocking him off the blade while he picks up the keys to work a few slaves free with Orrin, then he twirls his weapon while he stalks into the fight. He simply flicks the blade while blood splatters off the metal onto him and upon the floor. He looks then to Dio with a nod.
He is a man who has seen a lot of war.

Peri jumps from a row boat onto teh shore with a satisfying crunch against the ground. She works with Dio's crew towards the market and points Dio to the market stall where Karim met his death, and sticks close should he need assistance. At some point throughout this, the rallying cry becomes audible. There is critical mass. She pulls a conch from her hair and blows on it. A huge resonating roar emerges and then she shouts "CLIMB HIGH!" Encouragement.

There's a snort from Thomas as they settle into the boats, wry acknowledgement of both the Marquis' probably-for-the-better exchange of weaponry and Imogene's dry response, and as they board the boats he leans forward to say, "Even a burr can topple a king in the right boot, m'lady," with an appropriately solemn and sagely nod.

When the boats drive into the sand and the party has moved into the market, Thomas casually strides over to one of the key-bearing guards, lifting a hand to hail the man and opening his mouth as if to ask a question -- and then with a vicious gleam of white-diamond he has drawn Shining Talon in an eyeblink, the razor-sharp blade lancing into the man's throat and out the back as if passing through hot butter. Thomas flicks the sword back out in a thin splash of gore, and the slaver collapses to the street with a strangled gurgle; the Lycene pauses only to grimace, before snatching up the keys on his belt, before moving across the square with Imogene in tow and tossing his set to Orrin as the Count begins to open the cells. "CLIMB HIGH!" He echoes Peri in the hard bark of a soldier.

Peri checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 4 higher.

Thea swiftly goes with Dio, taking down another one of the guards. She smiles at Dio aside,"Yes. It was my grandfather's." Her eyes look over to Jamira and see the him still chained,"I think Karim had keys on him.

Orrin's chosen ones have done much to inspire the spirits of those who have been so long oppressed and hopeless to take back an opportunity for a life of freedom. Peri's positioning of the weapons from the Brother Felx's apprentices proves an efficient way to arm this new army flooding the streets of the market, where a short time ago they had been treated as property.

When Peri and Thomas's voices echo through the market, it is met by thousands of resounding shouts! Freedmen and women grab weapons and turn on those who kept them in cells, who sold their family, who thought their lives so many coins to be traded. They are joined by the Arvani sailors whom Orrin had inspired to fight, and by Dio's pirates, who descend on the slavers like sharks on a dying whale.

Thea checked charm + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 28 higher.

Orrin checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 78 higher. Orrin rolled a critical!

Imogene's cheeks pale and her breath comes a little sharper on witnessing these killings as they're performed with such ruthless efficiency -- it's entirely possible this is the first time the young woman has seen anyone killed at all, let alone at such close range and by people she /knows/. But her eyes are bright with a fervent gleam, perhaps from simple excitement, perhaps from the nature of their mission, and as the growing numbers of newly freed slaves begin to flow by, she exclaims to them, "Skald is with you today, and so are we! Be as brave, all of you, as free men and women can be!"

Peri checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 21 higher.

Dio grins and nods to Merek. Turning quickly to Thea, he says, "Not sure we have the time to look for the keys, Love. Try your diamondplate on the iron." He stands in front of Jamira who stares at Dio in disbelief. Dio pulls the chain taught for Thea.

"Open every bar! Break every chain!" Orrin roars, slicing where needed but he's on a holy mission here, you know he is. "Pick up your lives and take back your names!" A weapon picked up from a guard is hefted to a kid who did not know what to do a minute before but here brandishes it like it's her birthright, determined. "Today win freedom!" It's his great-grandfather's words issuing from his mouth, like a memory from the day before. He marches with them, looking and probably feeling unstoppable. It's what he was meant to do.

Peri continues to shout encouragement at the newly freed slaves. "Let the sound of their death cries and the breaking of chains be the song of your freedom!" She stabs a guard as exclamation.

Thea smiles a bit at Jamira, her gold-flecked green eyes unyielding,"You'll be fine. I promise,"lifting her kopis. Thea swings now, heavily listening as the chain shatters with a loud clank!

A large bell in the western watchtower begins to ring loudly, and the guards in that part of the isle begin to organize. A number of spearmen and women rush in, fighting with a desperate fury to put down the rebellion.

Amid the chaos, two rush towards Imogene as she shouts encouragement to the newly freed.

Thomas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 11 higher.

Thea checked strength + medium wpn at difficulty 20, rolling 33 higher.

Thomas checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 30, rolling 35 higher.

60 inflicted and Thomas is harmed for moderate damage.

Imogene checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 16 lower.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 24 higher.

Peri checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 22 higher. Peri rolled a critical!

With Dio's help holding the chain, Thea continues to cleave at the metal FINALLY breaking through, the links sliding away off the slave named Jamir. Thea looks at him, her brow a gleam of sweat,"There you are.."a brief smile.

Thomas is shouting the oath of the Gold Order as he spins to confront the spear-bearers charging Imogene, his blood-soaked rapier up in a guard as he turns to the side in a fencer's deadly stance. "THE LIGHT THAT GUIDES! THE FLAME THAT CLEANSES!" He roars, darting forward to lance the first one in the heart. His flashing eyes dart to the woman moving to impale the Marquessa, and he leaps into the path of the blade, which scores his arm through the silk, staining the white shirt red. He grits his teeth but brandishes the blade again, his furious eyes meeting his foe's. "IN THE GOLD OF DAWN, THE DRAGON COMES!"

Orrin checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 11 lower.

70 inflicted and Merek is unharmed.

70 inflicted and Merek is harmed for moderate damage.

70 inflicted and Merek is harmed for moderate damage.

Orrin checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 37 higher.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 3 lower.

60 inflicted and Orrin is harmed for serious damage.

Thomas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 8 higher.

30 inflicted and Orrin is unharmed.

45 inflicted and Orrin is harmed for minor damage.

Dio checked command + intimidation at difficulty 30, rolling 24 higher.

Merek checked willpower at difficulty 20, rolling 1 lower.

70 inflicted and Dio is harmed for serious damage.

After the last of her dubiously-inspiring rallying cries, Imogene's mouth remains open in a small 'o' as her attention is caught by the onward rush of guards towards hers and Thomas's position. She lets out a squeak of alarm that seems as much inspired by Thomas's bellowing and stabbing and getting stabbed in turn as it does with the fact that someone is trying to stab /her/ too, but whatever fear she feels doesn't prevent her from swiping ruthlessly, and not very accurately, at her assailant. She winces as the strike just misses, and ducks behind Thomas with a rueful look for his injuries.

After blowing on her conch a second time Peri drops it on the ground as she leaps to stand between a slaver who was yanking at a child's arm, thinking to get away in the chaos. She guts him and he howls as he falls, his attempts to hold his wound futile. She is set upon by his enraged partner and they exchange many blows and Peri is pressed, but eventually she slices the woman's arm and is able to go in for the kill.

Merek steps through into the slavers while he looks up to them, then he twirls the weapon while he cleans through them, blood splattering with each slash and swing into them. A spear glances along his black leathers, while another few manage to cleave into it and spill his blood. He lets out a growl while he does seem affected by it, though he begins to pull a spear to him by the hand which comes to him.
Then he impales the slaver on his sword, kicking them and also spear away, while he slashes the hand off the other one with a spear on him, then he slashes back to cleave them in the stomach. He looks from the dragon helmet, and nods while he motions for more to come at him, blood rolling up along that armor of his.

Oh, Scythia is going to be cross with him about that. Orrin takes not one but three spears as he's merrily (merrily, gosh, um, /with purpose/) cutting down guards. That's what you get for prioritizing silly things like 'making sure the defenseless have time to get away'. He roars in anger at the last comer, anger and blood, because though perfectly inspiring there's no such thing as a bloodless revolution, and he knows it. He's checking at every turn that people who can't fight are getting away, and that people who can have what they need, because he also knows that a single man alone doesn't win anything at all.

As the slave uprising rages all about, the slavers fight with all their fury and might. Many of the freed people fall fighting for their lives, but many more begin to gain the upper hand, so inspired are they by the words of Orrin and the Arxian freedom fighters.

Dio moves throughout the market like a fiend, shouting to the slavers, "Down to the Abyss with ye, slaver scum! Demons will feast on yer souls in the depths! Bleed! Fall! Die!! There is no hope for any who would make any soul a slave!!" Just then, a gleaming throwing axe spins though the air, and hits Dio in the chest, knocking the marquis to the ground, and sending his hat flying. Blood erupts from his chest. As he gasps for breath, a blonde bearded warrior races towards him, clearly intent on finishing him off.

The spearwoman's blade darts a hair's-breadth past his stubbled jaw, and Thomas can't help a vicious smile as he rolls along the haft of her weapon, razor point singing as he slashes the razor point across her eyes and then stabs nearly the entire length it through her middle as she reels back in agony. Another slaver charges forward, swinging a single-edged blade with some skill, and he and Thomas dance back and forth through the chaos without cease, swords clashing and singing as Thomas keeps himself swiftly between his foe and Imogene.

It's the slaver who makes a mistake first, stumbling when a slave darts past and slams a shoulder into the man's back -- and Thomas does not waste the opportunity to put the tip of his sword through the scum's eye. When he spots Merek through the churning melee, he raises his voice again. "In the Golden Scales, We Bring Hope!!" He cheers as his fellow knight fells his opponents.

Thea checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 61 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 20, rolling 22 higher.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 10 higher.

Dio GM Roll checked dex(4) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 30, rolling 20 higher.

Peri cries out "It is our duty!" swing "To fight!" kick "For our freedom!" shove smack "It is our duty!" fall back push forward "To win!" Peri dances back and forth with guards in the frey calling out words of empowerment.

Thomas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 3 higher.

80 inflicted and Merek is harmed for moderate damage.

Thea checked dexterity at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Thea checked dexterity at difficulty 20, rolling 2 higher.

Imogene looks on with wide eyes as Thomas engages the spearwoman who tried to spear /her/, small stifled noise escaping her lips with each blow exchanged. All the colour drains out of her face as the knight slashes his blade across the guard's face and down across her torso, and the marquessa sways a little on her feet, one hand pressing to her mouth even as she attempts to stay near her defender. She doesn't even see her husband go down.

Dio coughs, and blood runs from his mouth. "Get him out!" he gasps to Thea, as he struggles to grab his sword.

Orrin checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 18 higher.

Peri checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 8 higher.

Merek intervenes between Dio and a man coming for him, then he takes a clean strike, while he swings back at him. He nods a bit back to the sailor while he shifts his attention forward, still looking like he's prepared to fight though a bit wounded.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 50, rolling 2 lower.

Merek checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 28 higher.

Thea looks over to Jarin, speaking hurridly,"Come..quickly!"using her free hand, cutting down several guards as she moves, her kopis making clean sweeps as the blood sprays everywhere. She looks over at Jamir, making sure he is still with her as they fight their way through.

Dio's eyes open wide as Merek steps in front of him, saving his life. "Genrik," he says, slowly rising to his knees. He places his hand on the axe and pulls it from his own chest, wincing and coughing violently.

5 inflicted and Dio is harmed for minor damage.

"Come, Marquessa Burr! Do not spare these /dogs/ your thorns!" Thomas snarls, his white blade spinning around them in a flashing defensive arc, driving several of the guards back in alarm, arms raised instead of their blades. This is their fatal mistake, because Thomas is among them in a heartbeat, Talon darting and slashing as their bodies tumble around him. And then he's dancing back around to Imogene's other side, the steel in his eyes hard as he engages several more, his cold fury possessing him and giving him such a fierce countenance, coated in other men's blood, that they stumble back and away -- and again they fall.

The sight drives a cheer from several of the slaves fighting desperately nearby, and they drive into the remaining guards with renewed vigor.

It seems their foe is breaking.



Jamira nods to Thea, and stays close by her side as they move towards the boats. A crewman waits near the beach, and waves Jamira towards him, nodding to Thea.

Dio GM Roll checked dex(4) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 50, rolling 8 lower.

Dio GM Roll checked dex(4) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 30, rolling 1 lower.

Peri cheers as the guards start to flee. She joins her father in fighting another slaver, but he turns to flee with the others back to their tower. Peri's eyes widen as she sees her father's wounds -- she has not seen Dio's yet -- and she calls "Thea!"

Merek pushes in on Genrik while he twirls his longsword, taking a moment to slash into the man's arm, blood spilling from it while he begins to press his advantage. He keeps protectively in front of Dio while he does, blood spilling from his wounds as well while he shifts the weapon a little bit. When he tries to fall back, he steps back a bit, just enough so he can harry defensively.

Orrin pauses when the guards begin to retreat, only long enough to do an assessment - who's here, who's up, who's down. Dio's state is cause for concern - but Peri's on that, calling for Thea. He turns to Thomas and any armed slaves lingering. "We should sweep the streets, route any surprises," he says. "And see they don't get their barracks open, double our problems if not more. Then we can start getting these people on ships and out of here."

Dio GM Roll checked dex(4) + athletics(5) at difficulty 30, rolling 32 higher.

"You're a dead man, Dio Seraceni!" yes Genrik as he flees, blood flowing from the wound given him by Merek. Cheers and chants are now wildly springing from the lips of the freed people, who are finishing off any slavers who haven't managed to make it into their tower. Seraceni pirates are running through the markets with arms full of silks, weapons, jewelry and any and everything else that looks valuable.

Thomas's words put a little colour back into the marquessa's cheeks, and Imogene swallows hard and gives the brave knight a small grim nod. Turning her gaze back out to the crashing tide of slaves and guards all around her, she brandishes her diminutive knife at anyone remotely in her vicinity and belts out, "DEATH BEFORE SLAVERY! DEATH TO ALL SLAVERS!" What it lacks in inspiration it does make up for in volume.

Thea watches as Jamir runs to the boat. Making sure he's safe, she turns to the unmistakable voice of Peri--running,"What is it?"the young Malvici asks. Thea pauses and looks about, realizing,"Who all is injured?"her voice loud.

By this time it is very obvious that Dio needs Thea's help. "What the everloving fuck were you thinking pulling out that axe! Help him!"

Dio rises to his feet, gritting his teeth like an animal in the direction of Genrik, but he quickly slumps to the ground, face first.

"See to the Marquis first," Orrin says, gesturing with his axe, taking a moment to breathe, remaining wary. "Peri - we should go see to the people. There will be more slavers - I'm certain. We should -" huff. Puff. He eyes Dio. "Gods above. Burn that perverse marketplace. Pray with the freed. Have the names of the dead. And get the living on ships."

The man apparently can't take an actual break from leading, it's... how he is.

Merek looks then to Dio and rubs his face while he settles next to the man and shifts him onto his side, while he places a bit of material onto the wound, keeping that from doing bleeding while he nods to Thea, "I will hold up on the flow," he says, waiting for physicians to get to him.

Merek checked intellect + medicine at difficulty 15, rolling 20 higher.

Orrin checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 28 higher.

The freed persons are now gather in force in front of the door of the tower, and some are taking ladders to the sides in order to reach the windows. It doesn't seem long before the last holdouts will be eliminated.

A wild celebration has already begun on the streets.

After the celebrations start, Peri starts wandering the market looking for a woman. The mother they saw at the start of all this.

Thomas is fairly liberally painted in crimson, spattered across his face and chest, but aside from the slash on his arm, none of it appears to be his. As Imogene shouts, he raises his bloody sword and barks "AYE!" as hard as his lungs can manage, his eyes alight as the cheers and chants begin around him. But then those eyes fall on the wounded Marquis and their comrades at his side, and he reaches up to put a hand to her shoulder to draw her attention, and nods Dio's way. "My lady, I will join Count Orrin and Lady Perri to make sure we catch the last of these fiends. I am deeply impressed by you and your lord husband...I hope you will call upon me again, should you need my blade." With that, he's moving through the crowd towards the tower, eager to join in the last of the righteous work.

Thea rushes over to Dio and actually scowls, her voice unimpressed,"What ass pulls an axe out? Dont you know you cause more injury that way,"already pulling supplies out.

Peri is overheard praising Orrin.

Peri is overheard praising Thomas.

Peri is overheard praising Thea.

Peri is overheard praising Imogene.

Peri is overheard praising Merek.

Peri is overheard praising Dio.

Thomas is overheard praising Dio.

Thomas is overheard praising Imogene.

Thomas is overheard praising Orrin.

As the tide of battle crests and breaks, and it's clear that the newly freed men and women have gained the upper hand, Imogene lets out a final cheer, flashing a somewhat wan grin at Thomas and wobbling a little under his hand. "Oh, yes, what?" She glances around at the knight's direction, blinking sharply as she realizes her husband has actually been struck down. She gives a quiet gasp, then immediately hastens over to his side. "Oh, Dio," she murmurs, her face going completely white as she looks at the huge gash in his chest that the healers are working on.. and then she shifts sharply to side, and is very noisily sick on the ground.

The people deserve a celebration - they do. Orrin directs the attention of those resolute souls who still have fight in them to clearing the towers and sweeping the streets, searching for holdouts. When the island is clear - no slaver left, no living soul left chained - then starts the work if identifying the dead. He sets any literate souls to the task of writing their names and what is known of them; not necessary, but something Peri seems familiar with. A Seliki thing, perhaps. Prayers for Gloria and Skald, for the Sentinel's justice, for Death's care for those who died with honor and bravery. And for Lagoma: both mercy and the cleansing fire they set to the marketplace, which will have to be rebuilt before it can host slave-trade again.

Merek looks then to Thea and nods, "Alright, I am going to keep press on this wound and work to clean it," he mentions. She knows what she is doing, so he just tells the woman what he will be assisting with. He's quite skilled in medicine it looks like, making this easier for the woman while she treats the man with him. He looks then to Imogene, "He is going to be fine," he says, while he nods a bit. His calm will keeps even after the fight.

The mother is found. Peri tells her what happened to her son and reunites them. "All who are now free! Do not think you have no home for you have a home in Pearlspire!"

The freed persons, under the direction of Orrin, turn from bloodshed, to mourning and holy rites. There are many tears, both of joy and sadness, but the feeling on the entire island is one of joy and liberation, and the thrum of possibility is felt in hearts of everyone who is present.

Orrin hears Peri and nods his head. "Pearlspire is home to generations of those who've broken their chains, and we welcome you to a man. But you will never be bound, certainly not by us. If you wish to make your home as freed men elsewhere, we will see you where you wish to be."

Dio manages to sit up with help from Thea and Merek. Anne is watching and gives him a nod, as a few new necklaces gleam in the light of the markets torches. "I feel better; thank you," says Dio to the healers. He turns to Imogene, and smiles to see her - not seeming to care in the slightest the way her body reacts to the sight of such violence, blood and gore. "Seems I owe Lord Thomas my thanks as well. The knight's honor and skill is beyond reproach." He reaches a hand to Anne, who helps Dio to his feet, and he moves to stand beside Imogene, while Anne collects his hat, placing it on her own head.

Thea mumble as she nods to Merek,"Pulling axes...Stupid,"pulling the needed supplies from her satchel and immediately gets to work on Dio's chest. Stitch, tug, pull, repeat--,"No training or anything either Marquis Dio..."

Dio's dark eyes shift to Thea, and he closes them, nodding to her. "Aye, it was foolish - more instinct than aught else. Gods, that fucking Genrik," he says in a low voice opening his eyes again. He takes his hat from Anne's head and sets it low over his face. "Thanks again, My Lady," he says to Thea. Glancing to her he says, "We got Jamira...?"

Imogene just nods wordlessly to Merek's reassurance as she fumbles to untie her headband and does her best to wipe her mouth as genteelly as possible with it. But at the same time the tears begin to spill from her deep blue eyes, and she sobs, "Oh, my gods, my gods.. the suffering of all these people.. can they ever be happy again? Oh, Dio.." She chokes back another sob as her husband stands, and rubs roughly at her reddened eyes as she quickly gets up again too, looking down at the ground and appearing rather ashamed of herself. "I.. I think I'm a very poor pirate, darling," she confesses with a tremulous smile.

When finished, Merek begins standing up while he nods a bit between them all, offering a hand to Dio and looking to the place. "Looks like our friend took a nice hit to his arm, he won't be in fighting condition for a while."

Through the jubilant crowd, Thomas returns to the side of his comrades, his face flushed -- at least, that appears to be a flush, he's managed to wipe at least some of the blood free -- and he can't help but grin in sheer delight as he sees Dio alive and (relatively) well. He claps a hand to Merek's shoulder, and bows his head gratefully to Thea before looking into each set of eyes with fierce pride. "We did well here, my friends," He says quietly. "I thank the Gods you all came to this Isle. And I am sure the people here will always carry us in their prayers." At Imogene's shaky confession, he shakes his head sharply. "Nay, Marquessa Burr," He says firmly. "You showed your colors just as well as any of us."

Dio almost laughs, but the unusual paleness of his complexion in the current moment quickly arrests his mirth. "No,' he says to Imogene, sounding a little exhausted, as Anne accepts her hat back. "No, you were most inspiring as you said you would be." He sets a bloody hand affectionately on the back of Imogene's neck, and kisses the top of her head.

The marquis nods to Merek. "You saved my life, Mate. I won't forget it." Dio manages a smile at Thomas's words to Imogene, and he bows his head to the swordsman saying, "Thank you, for protecting that which is most dear to me."

Dio is overheard praising Merek.

Dio is overheard praising Thomas.

Orrin eventually comes back around to be seen to - sitting heavily on a crate. Not so wounded he can't walk or anything, but - energy does flag, eventually. "They'll be happy again," he tells Imogene. "And their children have a chance to never see this horror at all. I've found no work more worth doing than this."

"We come from a long line of happy people," Peri says. She walks over to her father and starts crying big sentimental sobs.

"If you want to pay me back, don't pull out the axe," Merek teases, then he nods to Dio, and shifts up a little sigil he keeps with him, "It's my honor, as Knight of the Hundred Cities, a pleasure, I am glad you're okay." He tucks that away while he looks to Thomas, "Well fought." He does look to Imogene, "You alright? I apologize, I really wanted to kill that Karim, but... Had to keep to appearances."

Thea climbs to her feet and directs Dio to the boat, where his men had been waiting and where Jamir had ran. Her tan face is speckled with blood, her forehead glistening with threat, but her demeanor energized as she looks at the people came came with. A brief smile appears on her on her lips.

Dio grins when one of the crew mentions that Jamira's safe aboard the Osprey. He glances at Thea and raises an eyebrow. "Did... did you just smile, Lady Thea of House Malvici?"

Imogene gives Thomas a look of gratitude for his words as she dabs at her nose with her wadded up bandana. "Thank you, Ser Thomas. And for saving my life, and the lives of so many of these poor people. Thank you." Her expression lightens a little as Dio's hand comes to rest on her, however bloody it may be, and even if tears keep leaking from the corners of her eyes. She nods to Merek too, reassuring him, "I am fine, Ser Merek, and thank you too for everything you've done here. So many thanks to all of you," she adds, turning around to include everyone in this. Finally, she looks to Orrin, bowing her head as he speaks of the future of the freed slaves and their children. "Gods willing," she says with a quiet fervency, "it will be so."

Peri's bout of sentimentality has stalled. After some sniffing she says, "We should set up some regular patrols so that this does not become another slaver haven. I will look into the logistics."

"I could have. Though I suppose if you had to ask, that may be a sign of old age Marquis Dio,"Thea mentions, joking a little.

Orrin reaches to grab Peri's shoulder and give it a shove, at that. From one moment to the next, always thinking, planning. He's a proud dad.

Peri checked intellect + war at difficulty 15, rolling 27 higher.

"Marquis Dio, it was an honor," Thomas says firmly, sheathing his blade and offering the wounded man a deep bow, one arm sweeping out and the other rising to tap the brim of his broad hat, which has somehow stayed atop his head amongst all the leaping and stabbing. "If ever I can help you again, I will do it in a heartbeat." At Imogene's thanks, he grins again, sharp and foxlike, and shakes his head. "You needed little saving, m'lady. I don't think I'd ever risk facing the pointy edge of that dagger of yours." He watches the exchange between Orrin and Peri with a rough chuckle, clearly touched, and nods. "The same goes for you, Count Orrin, Lady Perri. The Selikis can always call on Hawkmour, should they need it."

Orrin reaches up a hand to shake Thomas' hand, giving him a bow of the head. "That goes both ways, my lord," he says. "When these people are seen to and settled, you should travel to Pearlspire - see how they fare. See what you've done." A pause, then, louder: "All of you."

Peri puts a diamondplate wavedancer longsword in a sword belt.