Hell's Rebels [IC]

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna's stance relaxes, less poised to run, and puffs herself up a bit. It seemed unlikely Thrune would have tengu working for him, and they clearly hadn't been waiting to ambush them. Taking a slow step forward to address the leader she says, "Not dottari if that's what you're wondering. Far removed, in fact. This is Nyda and Lynera, we've got three other friends here with us too. We're looking to establish a safe house here away from Thrune's prying eyes, we were asked to look for that fellow, Nan, while we were here. Not here to arrest anyone. Or break up your card game there."

She holds a hand out in an offer to shake. "Nice to meet you. Can we talk?"

[Shadowflick]

Nyda glances down at the card game "Yea, Nothing wrong with gambling in my eye. Besides, what ya plain? Might want to hop in myself."

[Hazuki]

"My name is Korva. These are Jay, Maggie, and Treep." She gestures to the other three, who stand no less wary of the group. "We were more, but they were lost along the way," she says with concentrated control. "And...one other. Our sister, Chough. She...is the one who killed Nan."

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna gives a smile and nod to each of Korva's siblings as she gived their names, which falters when she sees the difficulty she has at the mention of Chough. Dropping her hand she asks, "Do you know why?"

[Hazuki]

"She has a fierce temper," Korva says, "and she is not like us. We thought she was when she was born, but...she is not. We were scared, and Nan told us that we would have to wait, after we lost sisters already, and...Chough was the one who killed him, she attacked him from behind, and we did not know what to do. We have been stuck here, locked her away, but..." She shrugs.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda..smirks. An Idea coming to her mind "Don't worry. Were reasonable people ya see. We won't turn you in or tell anyone about your friend's accidental murder. But...we can't do it for free. In trade for our service, you can give us your service? See were starting a little enterprise. A gang of sorts and we need a few members who bring interesting skills. We fix your situation here, and you'll join our crew. Sound fair?"

[AHalfOrc]

Most of Korva's speech passes by while Fortuna thinks of her words on Chough. A family member born different, prone to lashing out with violence, was a familiar story, "What d'you mean 'not like us'? She a tiefling tengu? A tieflengu, I guess."

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Lynera shoots Nyda a suspicious look to let her know that she's coming on way too strong. Then again, Lynera doesn't like proposing plans in general, lest people know they were her idea.

She waits for the birds to answer Fortuna's portmanteau-based question before pursuing her own, though it sounds like their sister went berserk for some reason.

[Hazuki]

Korva goes quiet following Nyda's words. "Perhaps we could do that," she says uncertainly, then looks to Fortuna. "No, she...she is broad, strong, vicious, but not devilish"

[Shadowflick]

Nyda folds her arms "So she's got a hankering for killing folks then? or was she scared? And more importantly, what direction is she and what do you want us to do with her?"

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna fumbles with her jewellery, thinking. When Nyda asks after Chough's location she adds, "You said you locked her up, right? Any chance she could escape? If she's so strong that all four of you can't keep her out of trouble maybe she's best left in out of harm's way."

[Hazuki]

"Well...she is less locked up and more put away for now, not allowed to spend time with us. She's up the stairs in the hall." Korva points behind the group in the doorway. "She does not know how to open the secret door to the pantry."

[AHalfOrc]

"What d'we think?" Fortuna asks, turning to Nyda and Lynera, "We can't use these digs with a scary uber-tengu prowling around. But it's not like there's any law worth a skitter to turn her over to at the moment, not that there ever was. And this is Laria's friend who's been killed, what d'we tell her?"

Turning back to the bird people, "Korva, Jay, Maggie, Treep- which is my new favourite name by the by- what exactly was your business with Nan? We know he was a smuggler. Were you having him smuggle goods, or were you being smuggled out of here?"

[Shadowflick]

Nyda scratches her head, trying to think of a solution "Well. We could always kill The Big Tengu? But I dont think our new friends would much like that. We could also pack them in a box and dump them at the Barracks and let them go on a rampage."

[Hazuki]

Treep adjusts her feathers happily as her name is complimented.

"Nan...he smuggled us out of Riddleport," Korva reveals as she leans against the table. "He was going to pass us onto his contact, so we could go to Wrestcrown, but, this happened, and..." She sighs at Nyda's words. "We were going to put Chough...down. She is not healthy. We would not like her used as a trick. She is still our sister."

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna starts to wander around the room now that it seems that Korva and her family aren't wanting a fight, but spins to look at Nyda, "You've a dark mind, love," and with Korva's comment is even further taken aback, "What, you want to kill her too?! Families are strange."

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Lynera nods.

"Alright, we can certainly help with that. It sucks, but we can't have her attacking the rest of your sisters."

She has other questions about what caused Chough to change, but if Korva knew and wanted to tell us, she would have by now. Such questions are best left for direct observation.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda looks back to Fortuna "Im just trying to use whatever resources we happen to get. But, If you prefer we put her down, we can do that to. Though, we can try just knocking her out maybe? See if we can fix whatever's wrong with her."

[Hazuki]

"Do you think you could do that?" Jay asks, her voice a little shriller than Korva's.

[The Kool]

Arodea approaches from the back of the group, having finished her impromptu funeral rite. "I could not, but I believe one of us here could."

[Shadowflick]

Nyda frowns "I can't make any promises, but we can try."

[Hazuki]

Kyra finds herself as the only one remaining in the hall leading up to the area where the smuggled-in folks are being talked to. Fortunately, she has her wits about her, as she spots something peering at her from the top of the stairs, shrouded in darkness that her eyes can pierce. It's a huge humanoid crow, with glittering eyes and a sharp beak. Its incredibly muscular, like if someone applied a Dwarf's proportions to a Human, with two especially bulky arms and a set of talons that curve menacingly against the floor.

[PersonMan]

Kyra shifts her grip on her polearm. "Hello," she says. "I am Kyra." She keeps a defensive stance, ready to raise and if necessary use her polearm to keep what she assumes is Chough at a distance, but trying to avoid seeming overtly hostile. "There is a large...bird-person, here," she says, raising her voice. "...With large claws." The connection is made in her head, but for the moment she opts to stay on the defensive until the others arrive, even though she's now fully expecting it to attack. If it's what killed Nan, it would probably be hostile to them as well. But the presence of others could mean a diplomatic solution was still possible.

[Hazuki]

Upon being spotted and called out, the creature immediately lets out an angered squawk and readies itself to attack.

The quartet of bird folks in the Southern room look to one another with wide eyes.

Spoiler: OOC

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Combat has started. You go first. The creature is about 50ft away from the South stairs, 20ft from Kyra. We won't need Roll20 for this.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda perks up as Kyra points out the new bird person. She draws her short swords "Oh! SO she's out already then! Lets try and take her alive Maybe!" she runs toward Kyra, getting ready for backstabbary.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Draw weapons and move!

[AHalfOrc]

Fortuna joins Nyda on her way down the stairs, and follows the point of Kyra's weapon with her eyes to lay them on Chough. She's big, even next to the armoured magus. But she can't beat the Silver Ravens, and Fortuna strides as heroically as she knows how, bolstering the resolve of any allies that can see her confidence.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Moves 30ft and action to begin inspire courage.

[The Kool]

Arodea turns and moves as quickly as her restrictive armor allows, drawing her sword as she goes with a bit more practice than some of the others present. Positioning herself between the group and the stairs and slightly to one side, she readies herself defensively to interrupt any attempt Chough may have at harming her less-armored companions.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Double move 40ft, draw sword

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

Lynera draws her sword and approaches the fray at a deliberate pace, staying behind the rest of the group. She doesn't have the protective armor of Kyra and Arodea and wants to keep one eye on the corby's siblings behind her.

[Hazuki]

The dire corby charges at the group and, being at the front of it, Arodea eats the brunt.

Spoiler: OOC

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Arodea takes 4 damage. You guys go again.

[Shadowflick]

Nyda runs in, moving closer to the fray as she tosses one of her daggers up and grabs it by the blade. She raises her dagger, and tries to use it as a makeshift sap to clock the bird on the head!

Spoiler: Rolls!

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Nyda runs another 30 feet to move into a flanking position with Arodea, gonna try and use a non-lethal strike against the bird!

(1d20+3)[5] Flanking Attack! Taking the -4 penalty, +2 from flanking, +1 from Inspire Courage
(2d6+2)[7] Nonlethal Sneak Attack