Zoey gets a pair of wavetossed dawnstone hairpins from somewhere safe and close at hand.


As the battle rages on in other parts of the small town during the late evening, fog drawing over the town's walls, the locals panic and quickly gather what they can before pouring out into the town's square. the majority of the town's defences making their way to the battlefield where the Drowners of Caer Morien are making their last stand, those who volunteered to aid the town are ready.

The volunteers find themselves in the city centre beside a small stone well with a golden bell over it. Clammy faced townspeople are running brisk past them towards the main entrance and exit of this low walled town, trying to push and bustle through the gatehouse. The town itself is a patchwork of some important buildings, a tavern, meeting hall, shrine, made of stone while the general population lives in wooden, thatched-roofed homes. In the distance, from an oil dipped arrow, a fire can be seen starting in the bustle of several homes close together behind the stone tavern.

The ground is baked warm mud, clippings of grass in corners, but otherwise a sturdy hard floor.

OOC: Okay! For this scene, there are planned to be 3 main things to fix up. We have?

1. Fire
2. Chaos of leaving the town
3. Cultists nearby

I'll leave it up to you guys what you want to sort out first! Happy to take them in any order, or for you all to split up.

Sunaia wields Moonsilver, an alaricite shotel with wolf and lily motif.

Asher wields a plain dagger of excellent make.

Kaia wields Heartpiercer a black locust wood and rubicund recurve bow.

Aedric wields Atonement, the Blackshore heirloom diamondplate longsword.

Maybe it was because she herself is an archer, but that flaming arrow catches Zoey's eye first. "Oh gods," she says. "Where is the town well? We need to put out that fire before it can spread."

Zoey wields Dawn's Light, an alaricite bow.

Zoey turns around, remembers she is beside the well, and starts pulling up a bucket of water.

There was truth to the woman's words, and so Aedric wasted little time in following suit; he searched their immediate surroundings for any containers that could be utilized to store and transport water from the well to the growing fire. If successful, his efforts would begin immediately.

Sunaia checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 18 higher.

Quenia may or may not have been running drills recently if her city suddenly became under siege. She doesn't immediately arm herself. Rather, she take the time to assess the situation and carefully come up with a plan. She nods at Zoey's assessment. "Won't do any good the townsfolk any good for their homes to be destroyed, if they manage to pull through this mess." Like Zoey she deftly picks up a bucket, but instead of running to the fire she looks at the fleeing townsfolk. "Hey! Fire! Come help with a fire line. You'll want homes to come back to!" This is called out in a leaderly commanding tone, especially as she ends up attempting to thrust a bucket into a unsuspecting passerby's hands and turn them toward the fire as if to open their eyes to the fact that the place might burn down.


Asher's priorities include saving people, before saving buildings. "Aye, that fire will spread quick-like." He's looking around, not for a bucket, but for the whereabouts of the person who fired the arrow. "They've more fire than we have buckets. I'll get folks out of their homes, safe here, and look for the culprit." Best to leave the nobles to deal with wrangling the commonfolk; they're basically trained since birth to do that, right?

Just like her sister, it was that fire that caught Kaia's attention first; however, instead of moving to help with the buckets her icy gaze shifted around in search of the culprits that ignited that flame in the first place. Those would be likely to cause trouble again, wouldn't they? "Hmm...where are they?"

The white Ashford's instincts are on high alert - and, while fire is a certain threat to the town, Sunaia is looking for the sources of danger, lest the town is overwhelmed by them. Cut the sources, cut the problem - and so, the Inquisitor's moonlike gaze flicks around the center of the town, allowing the others to work with putting out the fire.

Asher checked perception + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 3 lower.

Kaia checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 24 higher.


Flicking up from the thatched roof, engulfing one and creeping the threaten a house beside, the tall flames burn. Beneath the house, a few of the locals are there gazing, shocked and dumbfounded by it. Mesmerized by the movements while a man and woman hold each other close with tears in their eyes. The group bustle with buckets of water in arms from the well while others glance for any cultists.

The house is a simple two-floor building, joined up on both sides with another made of solid-looking wood. The door of the building is left open allowing the heat of the fire inside to be felt upon the faces of those nearby.

A commoner, having had a bucket thrust into his hands by Quenia, tosses it up to the house beside, trying to get to the roof before glancing across to the group.

"It's too high! I need. You need... we need to get inside. Please."

From within the group pouring away, to those looking, none seem to match the descriptions of blue robes for the Drowners. None yet quite filling that shifty or slow-moving presence of someone who wants to cause more chaos within the walls.

Zoey checked intellect + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 3 higher.

"Go then," Zoey tells the one who suggested going inside. "But don't run, just walk quickly. You still have time, but you don't want to trip and spill your bucket."

Kaia runs closer to the pale Ashford Inquisitor. Her eyes still moving about. Searching. She gives her friend a quick glance. "Seen anything shifty yet?" she wonders. Still, not having quite found anything particularly incriminating. "I suspect they are blending withing the townsfolk..." she comments. Her gaze back on the crowd. Her eyes focusing on the frozen townsfolk nearby. "Oh gods...what are they doing?!"

Sunaia checked command + survival at difficulty 30, rolling 72 higher. Sunaia rolled a critical!

Holding sword mid-blade with left hand, Aedric enters one of the burning buildings, identifies the nearest source of flames, and tosses his bucket's contents onto the blaze in an attempt to stem its spread. Unless interrupted, these precise and repetitive motions would continue until the fire had been slowed or contained.

Bucket after bucket is dipped into the well, and Quenia keeps passing them off to unsuspecting people, determined to get a proper fire line going. "Pass them down, so those closest can help with the fire, then pass the empties back, so we can refill them." She hears the words of the others wanting to go in, and sees Zoey has it will in hand.


Asher doesn't see anything too 'off' with anyone here, and decides that he'll check out the house in question himself. No running? Pfft. Asher is busting into the newly-burning building, perhaps recklessly, to see if there is anyone inside. But anyone within the building would likely try to get out if they were able to, so he doesn't need to actually call for them. The sensible thing would be to find them before more audible panicking happens. -That- panic could travel to outside, if he's not careful.

The Ashford Inquisitor watches as townspeople stand around holding each other, uselessly. It's not hard for Sunaia to take quick appraisal of the situation, realize how dangerous it is and go into Inquisitor-mode. She strides forward, crisply barking orders at the townspeople in a calmly authorative voice, pointing to the townspeople she sees. "You! Drench the others with water before going in or you'll BURN. YOU! Form a line to the burning building and start passing buckets forward! Quickly!! And if you're not sure what to do - go gather people who are strong and good at climbing! Get moving - Hurry!" She looks to a man who looks strong, "You look strong! Climb up into that next house and open the roof, see if there's a safe way to get across and pour water from the top!" Barking one after another order, the ghostly white woman in albino gator cloak makes quick work to give the people instructions.


"Ye.... yes m-me-m'Lady!"

The commoner by Lady Zoey nods quickly and dashes upstairs with the water, his face a faint lick of soot upon cheeks before grabbing the bucket at the front handed to him by Zoey from the Quenia bucket-passing line that's now straighter with Sunaia's command. Nodding quickly at the suggestion to be wet, he douses himself with a bucket and hands it back to Zoey before heading back up to repeat himself. Slowly, gradually, the fire from the roof begins to die down from his and Asher's water buckets.

The spread, minimal and the rain of fire arrows disappearing as the noise from beyond the city walls heard. The crunching of steel ringing in the air causing some of the town-folk to lift their chins worried. But, the snap of voice hitting him, the stronger commoner nods quickly and dashes to the house. Disappearing within as the flames spread over the adjacent house roof.

Zoey keeps an eye on the fire as she joins the fire line, keeping full buckets going the way they need to and sending the empties back. "If I could see well enough to know I would not hit our own allies, I would fire back at them," she notes to Quenia.

Upon leaving one of the buildings and spotting the line, Aedric takes his place amongst those assembled. Though the townspeople are certainly providing useful assistance, they have also jeopardized their safety. These thoughts are promptly pushed to the back of mind in order to focus upon the task at hand.

"If we can stop the fires entirely, you just might get that chance," Quenia calls out to Zoey. "We got one of the houses put out. Looks like we'll need to move quick to put out the next. I think that'll do it, and then we can move on." At least that's her assessment. She could be wrong! She continues passing buckets and employing people to do work.

Remaining the self-appointed organizer for this impromptu fire brigade, Sunaia's gaze flicks back-and-forth, ensuring Things Get Done and Done Right - entrusting her noble companions to figure out themselves and their own actions, since it's been clear that the townspeople are too disturbed to think properly. She flicks her gaze to the house where Strongman moves, watching with attentiveness for any changes in the situation - since fire is dangerous and it won't take but the slightest spark to float from one house to the others before they're all ablaze. "Drench the thatch, next - even if it's not ablaze!!" Sunaia shouts to the men up on the roofs. "If it's wet, it won't catch fire. YOU!" she points to some straggler. "Get a bucket and go to that house!" She points to another house within the vicinity. "Grab your pal, too, and drench those roofs!"

In the end, Kaia too joins the effort of passing the bucket. "Careful! Don't spill too much of it! Here is another." she would say, as she continued to pass one bucket, then another, and so on.


Gradually, as the work up-and-down the line keeps going, the fires die down leaving a smokey drift across the town. The smell of burning thatch catching the air while that man who was sent up-and-down the stairs several times stands breathless at the doorway and pants to Lady Zoey.

"Th---thank you m... m...M'Lady."

Faintly smiling, he straightens his back and glances past to the gathering and struggle by the gatehouse.

"I best get my stuff and out of here. I'll tell the others!"

Quickly, the man gathers, the bucket passing line breaks out to try and make for the exit where the crowd swells. Struggling to get through the narrow edge. In the distance, but within the city walls, a cry is heard. The sound of steel clashing as people panic and run from the direction of the tavern.


asher, for his part, is trying to ensure that the townsfolk are safe; the burning building is put out, and everyone who may have been inside is now outside. No smoke damage to their lungs, and such. Once he's back out, he's grabbing a bucket to assist as well, but he gets a scrunched-up face like he's missing something; a sniff to the water in the bucket. Poisoned, perhaps? Everyone using it would be such a commotion, after all... But then, the sound of fighting at the tavern gets his attention. A quick test of the water, a small bit on the tip of his tongue, to ensure its safety, before he's willing to go have a good old-fashioned bar brawl.

"Oh, what now?" Zoey finds someone to take her place in the fire line and heads toward the Tavern to investigate and intervene. At the sound of clashing steel she readies her bow.

Sunaia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 16 higher.

Kaia checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 4 higher.

As Sunaia watches the general mayhem, her alert gaze flicking around the square, she pauses, hearing the cries and clashing of steel. "That way!" she calls to the others, "There's trouble!!"

Quickly, she darts in the direction of the trouble and comes upon people in blue robes. Moonsilver in hand, Sunaia viciously whips the glittering, alaricite shotel at one of them, slitting his throat and spilling his blood all over the front of that blue robe - while more spurts up onto Sunaia's white face and the white of her gator-skin cloak.

Quenia wields a diamondplate rapier with phoenix motif hilt.

Combat is where Quenia is ill-equipped. Sure, she's had a few lessons here and there, but only a few. She does draw her sword this time, readying it at least should there be trouble. She sticks close to Zoey though, telling her, "I've got your back." She'd never be able to look Ian in the eye if something happened to his wife. "I go where you go, but let's not pretend I'm as good as Ian, even if he has been giving me dodge lessons," she adds. She then looks to see which way Kaia, Asher, Aedric and Sunaia are going, before turning her attention to the crowd.

With the blaze contained, at least momentarily, the mariner had nearly managed to breathe a sigh of relief -- until the familiar sound of combat emanated from somewhere in the distance. Fearing the worst, and in lieu of the inquisitor's command, Aedric jogs after them, mentally preparing himself for a skirmish.

As the line breaks, and people begin to move torwards the gatehouse. Kaia's gaze surveys the crowd, the scream drawing her absolute attention. From afar, she spots one of those Drowners near the Tavern area. She draws her bow, pulls an arrow from its quiver, aims and lets go. The arrow soars across the air in a flash and lands. Piercing through the culprit's flesh and knocking him down to the ground if only for a moment. "Over there!" she shouts, pointing in that direction, before readying the bow once more.


Bustling out near the tavern, six blue-robed cultists arrives wearing dark masks to cover their faces. In their left hand, oil lanterns are held which threaten to cause destruction the moment from their wild swings, nearly kissing the walls of the wooden houses near the bar.

In their right hand, thin steel swords slash to attempt to catch any of the town's citizens if straying too close. They walk, with purpose, towards the group before one is struck in the chest with Kaia's arrow to drop dead at the scene. Another, too close, is caught by Sunaia's slash reducing their numbers to four.

The tallest one stands forth, pointing his sword out to the group as he growls.

"You'll pay. We'll find the soul here. We'll return our God to the Wheel and bring him back. You'll pay."


Quenia has joined the line.

Zoey has joined the line.

Sunaia has joined the line.

Asher has joined the line.

Aedric has joined the line.

Kaia has joined the line.

Martino GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + dodge(3) at difficulty 15, rolling 25 higher.

It certainly helps that there's a clear indication of just /who/ the bad guys are in this scenario. Quenia smirks at the tallest one and notes to Zoey, "I don't think I need to point that one out." She keeps her sword ready. If any of them get close to herself or Zoey, she'll defend and attack, but otherwise she's acting as a spotter for one of her dear friends.

"Don't kill him! Just disable him!!" Sunaia shouts to her group.

Zoey checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 25, rolling 20 higher.

Aedric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 7 lower.

Sunaia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 4 higher.

Quenia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 44 higher.

Turn in line: Quenia

Turn in line: Zoey

Disable? Really? Okay. "Nope, pretty clear target." Zoey takes aim at the man's sword arm and looses her arrow.

Turn in line: Sunaia

Asher checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 14 higher.

So serious is Sunaia about sparing the life of the leader - but DISABLING him - that she will stand in his way and take hits for him if others of her group try to kill him. She's an Inquisitor; and Inquisitors question - and this man said something about bringing back his God to the Wheel - which runs into Inquisitor territory. She does, however, strike at the leader's face with the hilt of her weapon, ready to strike him in the face. and knock him out, even as she lifts her gator-skin cloak over him to protect his body from strikes the others might make at him.

Turn in line: Asher

Kaia checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 40, rolling 8 higher.

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Sunaia before departing.


The water? Not poisoned. Thank the Gods. But the ruckus at the tavern shows actual cultists, attacking townsfolk, and threatening to burn down more buildings. Quickly, Asher draws his dagger, but hesitates just a moment; Sunaia has stated that disabling is the better option. He rolls his eyes. "They're attacking innocent people! They're like as not to go to the Wheel either way after this, you daft- Guh, FINE!" He takes a few measured steps forward, and SLINGS that dagger forward, thrown with practiced skill, to catch the cultist in the right shoulder, blade embedding itself in the flesh. No way will he be able to use that arm, now. Disabled? Disabled.

Turn in line: Aedric

Perhaps he'd inhaled too much black smoke. The unexpected bronchospasm hits his lungs mid-strike, and Aedric's swing goes wild. Or, as he would later tell himself -- he was simply following Sunai's orders to refrain from seriously injuring the cultist.

Turn in line: Kaia

Another arrow bolts from Kaia's bow torwards one of the cultist's legs. "Well, they don't need legs to talk! Right?!" she muses, with a slight grin, as another thin missile strikes.

Turn in line: Quenia


As the cultists move forward, one is struck in the thigh by Zoey's arrow as Quenia points him out. Kaia's arrow drawn and piercing his other thigh. Gasping he holds onto both, pushing down to snaps it before driving himself forward to narrow the gap between him and Zoey. That is until the loss of blood forces him to collapse back. Quick, the piercing arrow of the two sisters forcing out massive blood loss from the cultist.

One closet to Aedric dodges back from his swing before drawing his own blade up to attempt a ring upon his chest while another attempts to flank him. The leader, meanwhile, takes the dagger from Asher into his arm to drive him back before Sunaia's sword crashes into his nose. Grunting, he arches down to wrap his arms around her sides to attempt to push through the pain and drive her onto her back.

Martino GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + medium wpn(4) at difficulty 20, rolling 17 higher.

Sunaia checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 37, rolling 5 higher.

Aedric checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 37, rolling 6 higher.

Aedric checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 37, rolling 6 higher.

Martino GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + dodge(3) at difficulty 20, rolling 31 higher.

Quenia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 51, rolling 20 lower.

These are only the cultists from the tavern. Not the ones from the gatehouse. Quenia frowns when Sunaia barks that they should spare the lives of the cultists. "Look, if they try to kill me, or anyone else here, I'm not holding back," the Marquessa tells the other woman, emphasizing it with the point of her sword. "These are also not the only cultists. There are others over by the gatehouse attacking people too." She gives Sunaia an odd look when she puts herself in actual danger to protect the life of the leader, her expression incredulous. "Watch out," she calls to Sunaia. She then turns to Zoey and says, "That one there," she points to the one flanking Aedric.

Sunaia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 51, rolling 9 higher.

Asher checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 51, rolling 3 lower.

Aedric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 51, rolling 2 higher.

Zoey checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 36, rolling 11 higher.

Kaia checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 51, rolling 5 lower.

Turn in line: Zoey

That bastard.

A fat lot of thanks Sunaia gets for trying to save a bastard's life, but does it really matter? He lunges with his sword to strike Sunaia, but her brother's albino gator skin cloak (thank you, KILLIAN!) rises up just in time and Sunaia covers the leader's face with it and steps aside, muffling his angry shouts while creating enough of a distraction that the bastard cultist can't strike her. "Just give up - and come with me. You'll live for a few more days, you asshole," Sunaia quips dryly.

Zoey nocks another arrow, aims, and fires at the cultist Quenia points out. She does not think about it, only fires with a gentle exhalation.

Turn in line: Sunaia

Turn in line: Asher

Asher wields Refined Raven Hairpin.

Popping the bastard leader on the top of the head as his face is covered with her cloak, Sunaia's expression - while gory, due to the amount of blood on her face and sprayed in her platinum-grey hair - remains even, stoic. This is business. Just business. Inquisitor business. There's only one she really wants to keep alive - and it's this guy. This bastard.


"Aye, y'see?!" Asher's argument that these people have a deathwish is apt enough. It seems quite true. But now, he's out a dagger. This just means that he needs to pull his two hairpins to wield. They're not amazingly well-suited to the task of using them as weapons, but they're close. When he gets up there, he merely calls out to his group, "Disable if you can, but take no chances! They're out for blood, looks like. Show 'em what the Compact thinks of their drowning ways!" He's not the most charismatic. But he's got a point - this does affect the Compact at large.

Turn in line: Aedric

The nearest cultist's swing was parried and redirected harmlessly onto the floor, edge of weapon kicking up a spray of ash, dirt, and blood. Aedric, carrying newfound momentum, then spun upon a heel and deflected the second assailant's strike. Perhaps seeking to add insult to injury, the mariner quickly seized this unexpected opportunity to deliver a brutal riposte and closed the distance between them, point of blade tilted upward.

Turn in line: Kaia

Once more, Kaia prepares her bow and arrow to shoot at one of the drowners. However, just before she lets go of that bolt, a small stampede of villagers rushing by suddenly seem to become her doom. One of them, a man, running torwards the gatehouse bumps into her. In the end, the arrow didn't go too far, and she now lay on her knees by he ground. Her bow a few feet away, and her arrows a mess spread all around the nearby ground.

Turn in line: Quenia

Martino GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + medium wpn(4) at difficulty 20, rolling 8 higher.

Aedric checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 28, rolling 1 lower.

Kaia wields Elegant Red-Tailed Hawk Hairpin.

Kaia checked dexterity + survival at difficulty 28, rolling 12 higher.

Cultist's sword slashing across his forearm 1 inflicted and Aedric is unharmed.

Martino GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + dodge(3) at difficulty 25, rolling 9 higher.

Zoey checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 19, rolling 34 higher.

Sunaia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 34, rolling 13 higher.

Quenia checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 34, rolling 19 higher.

Aedric checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 34, rolling 8 lower.

Kaia checked strength + small wpn at difficulty 34, rolling 17 lower.

Asher checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 34, rolling 27 higher.


With the chaos of the fight catching the group more unsteady, the cultists use this to move quicker. Having seen a compatriot shot down by Zoey and Kaia's arrows, they remain wary and dodge back. Avoiding Kaia's but Zoey's catches another to take him to the side. The other, charging closer to Kaia, takes the opportunity of the woman down on the ground to attempt to swing his sword overhead and catch her down upon her neck.

The leader, captured underneath the cloak, struggles and slowly submits down into the dirt with a pant. Fingertips gripping onto Sunaia but with the others around, knows he's been surrounded.

"Quick, the one charging Kaia," Quenia calls out to Zoey, pointing off in the direction of the cultist going after the Malvici woman. She keeps her sword ready for defense, should anyone come after her and Zoey, swinging out warning shots here and there to keep people back. Should any step forward to attack, she won't hesitate though.

Turn in line: Zoey

Turn in line: Sunaia

The Ashford Inquisitor's moonlike eyes shine with intensity from her bloodied face as she holds the curve of her shotel at the wrist of the lead cultist while she holds him down with her gator skin cloak covering his face. "Don't. Fuck. With me," Sunaia lowly growls, her voice quiet and serious. If anyone had any question as to if she's going to let this bastard free? They'd be wrong, entirely, about Sunaia. He suddenly grapples with Sunaia's shotel and the Inquisitor bashes his head one more time with the butt of the handle. "Fucking stay down, asshole," she growls again. No, Sunaia doesn't exactly get mad. Yes, she's more coldly vicious because of it.

Turn in line: Asher


Asher doesn't so much as stab the final cultists in the back, as he does make a pincushion out of said back. Really, it's the only one left standing, and the hairpins he uses as weapons... Well, they're sharp. Incredibly so. Puncturing flesh with them is an easy thing to do. And hopefully, that damage is enough to save Kaia from a quick execution.

Turn in line: Aedric

A blow across the sailor's forearm, courtesy one of the remaining zealots, derailed the trajectory of his next swing. Although vambraces had absorbed the brunt of the strike, the tissue would bruise and likely remain tender for weeks to come. Now emboldened by the pain, Aedric became fixated upon punishing the cultist responsible -- but did afford Sunaia and Asher a glance, if only to make certain they did not require immediate assistance.

Turn in line: Kaia

Wide eyed Kaia stares in horror as one takes her moment of weakness to charge at her. In a clumsy, but successful, motion the small lady manages to crawl backwards away from the bastard aiming for her neck. "Ahhh, stay away!" Instinctively, she pulls her hairpin off her braided bun and attempts to slash at the attacker unsuccessfully. "Don't come any closer! HELP!" she cries out to the others.

Zoey readies another arrow. "Take no chances," she says softly. She aims for the head of the cultist threatening her sister, Kaia. At least she can give them the mercy of a quick death. Nock, aim, loose.


With one flanked by Colm and Aedric, the cultist backs up but is far too slow behind the dark mask to be practical against two seasoned fighters. His steel sword, ringing once against Aedric's sword to parry leaves himself open to Colm's mighty swing and drops the cultist down to his knees where he bleeds down into the ground.

The final cultist, narrowing that distance between him and Kaia, swings the sword down but clashes it into the dirt. With Kaia's swipe, he skirts back but falls back into the hairpins of Asher who jabs him hard into the back. Gasping, he kneels down into the floor, hissing hard. That is, until Zoey's arrow whizzes through the air and pierces through the cultist's neck with a clean insertion. Down, into the dirt, the final cultist lands.

The group, glancing around, find the town now mostly deserted with the chaos by the gatehouse having calmed down with the town quieter. The chaos of before, eerie quiet. Beyond the walls, now, the sound of battle having disappeared as the fog drew over the walls.

A few of those who hid from the battle emerge from the tavern. Sheepish to start, before wide-eyed thank the group.

"You... kept us... safe. Thank you. Thank you for... that."

The line has been dismissed by Martino.

"Thank you for being at my side, Marquessa," Zoey says to Quenia with a dip of her head. "I'm going to check on my sister." With that, she goes to Kaia's side to make sure Kaia is not to badly harmed.

When it seems clear that the cultists have been dealt with, Quenia sheaths her sword and looks around. She gives a warm smile toward the villagers as they start to come out of hiding. "You are most welcome." She then looks to Sunaia and her charge. "I'm sure that Count Dominico will want to have a nice, long talk with that one since he seemed to have things to say," she remarks, gently pointing out that the lord of the lands gets first crack at the cultist leader of the tavern group.

With a bit of panic still left in her face, Kaia watches the man fall before her after the team effort of hairpin stabs and that perfect arrow shot. A hand absentmindedly setting over her throat, she lets a gasp out and takes a moment to compose herself. The small woman would be trembling, in a bit of panic, until her sister kneeled by her side. "Oh, thank the gods Zoey...for a moment there I thought I was done for." she admits. Her gaze, then, drifting over to the approaching villagers.

Flashing a wolfish grin at her steadfast and ever-present adjunct, Colm, Sunaia holds the leader of the cultists tight with her cloak still draped over the man's head. "Colm, com'ere. Help me wrap up this gift for The Lads; they'll enjoy a little work, after so much time being puppy-dogs to me," Sunaia wryly orders.

The taller assistant to the Inquisitor sets his ice-blue eyes on Sunaia and steps in her direction, sheathing his own shortsword. "You could likely use a bath, m'lady," he mentions as an aside, helping Sunaia put manacles on the cultist and bring him to his feet. "O'course... it does give ya a bit o' color, I think," he dryly quips back at her with the mere trace of a smirk. Colm's not nice in his manner of moving the leader of this cult around. But then, he's not really supposed to be.

Sunaia glances over to Kaia, concern knitting her brow briefly. "Nobody's going to let you die, Kaia. Least of all, your sister and me," the Ashford speaks, dipping a quick-and-grateful nod to Zoey.


The cultist falls, and Asher tosses the body away from him with disdain. He's then cleaning the hairpins off on his armor, and slipping them into his belt. No way are they going back to his hair right now. His dagger is fetched as well, cleaned, and put back into its sheath. From there, he's looking around to see who is injured among his side. Barely any? Good. "I think that's all of them." To the people coming out, he points a gloved finger at them. "You're welcome. If you've any with strong backs to carry them, the bodies will need to be tossed for burial. Otherwise, there are a lot of homes that will need tending. Water to the roof, and such. Lest they catch fire from a straw fiery arrow. Aye? Nearly over yet, then we can all sit down and drink." He's off to go see what else needs doing, fires stopped or people saved or even broken things fixed, murmuring to himself: "Aye, what a fuckin' day."


"Mar. Marqu--- Marque... M'Lady."

One of the smaller boys starts to speak, emerging from behind his father's legs to Quenia and gives up using her title before adding.

"Can't we burn him? Not even a little bit?"

The cheeky young boy blinks, innocent as ever, before glancing up to his red-faced father. Embarrassed at hearing the question.

A few more of the townsfolk make their way out, holding their worldly possessions in their arms as if they did not expect to come back. Several stop and nod at Asher's commands, considering upon his words and helping to drag bodies aside. Others helping to tend to the general chaos having some order.

The smell of smoke, while likely to cling to the hair and clothes of the group, no longer hangs quite so much in the air. The leader of the cultists who bundled out of the tavern, clamped by Sunaia's manacles surrenders himself to being led about by Colm or one of the other Inquisitors.


Zoey wraps Kaia in a hug and nods to Sunaia. "Not today, Kai." She helps her sister to her feet.

After several long moment of silence, perhaps to ensure that there were no stragglers or hidden cutthroats, the mariner returns longsword to sheath and unclasps left gauntlet to search for obvious wounds. Finding none, the armor is absentmindedly refastened to forearm while gaze inspects neighboring rooftops. As much of a happy ending as the villagers could've hoped for. Sensing the wisdom behind Asher's words, Aedric moves to collect a shovel and find a suitable patch of dirt for digging. One could find meaning in such menial labor.

Quenia glances down at the young boy, offering him a considering look. "It's up to Count Dominico what happens to him, as leader of Caer Morien. It may be he'll decide that as his fate," she tells the child. "But, I can't speak to whether or not that'll be his mind. We'll see, after he comes back from the battle, yeah? I'm sure he'll chose something appropriate that fits the crimes he's committed." She seems confident in that, at least.

Well-bloodied and moving the cultist leader away with Colm, Sunaia glances to the boy and Quenia, but doesn't comment. She has plans for this man - plans that involve a cold room and The Lads(TM), perhaps some tools. Vicious? Maybe. There are some truths about Inquisitors that others might not like to know, but this usually-lily-white Inquisitor is not afraid of public opinion nor what may come down upon her from The Sentinel. She is, after all, the youngest sister to both the Archlector of The Sentinel and to the late Paladin of Ideals - and a sense of justice comes rather naturally to Lady Sunaia Ashford. She strides away, confident and pleased with the group's work - and, the good thing about blood-stained faces? At least she didn't get sunburned in all of this activity out in the hot southern sun. It's remarkable what one can use for sunscreen.


Aiding several of the final stragglers around the town by putting parts back together, the group aid with mending the streets and setting the corpses aside. The doors of the building that took the brunt of the fire, boarded up.

Aiding the final stragglers out of the town, the group finds themselves on the other side of the gatehouse. The remaining patrols taking place around, skirting the edges of the town's walls for any other trouble before swiftly dispatching of it.

The town's people gathered not too far beyond their home, have set up something of a makeshift camp to welcome the group with light applause. Their cheering, their adoration for the group heard as they welcome them in to sit. Rest. Eat.

While a few, really-really-really want to burn the captured Cultist. Generally, when you are a scary Inquisitor and a Marquessa... and a party that just took out several others. You don't mess with them.