Tiefling Trouble

November 3rd 2006

Players: Taladan, Vashbav, Arvilli, Shereem, Siriel, Azusa

It is a busy night in the park. Two parties have met here, arguing with drawn blades. The guard has not been summoned, but the noise is almost beyond bearing.

"You took my coin pouch you thief!" a man dressed in a farmers garb yells to a well dressed man. Obviously both are the leaders of their individual bands. "I did not you cock-headed man. Don't go cawing at me because I found a pouch of coins on the ground." It really doesn't help with how he is dressed in flashy clothes, even having a hat with a rather large plume. "How can I trust such a dingy man as you. Look at what you approach me with. Forks, and hoes!" he calls. "I dare not even draw against you." he says in a melodramatic flare. Yes, the man even looks away and does a fake sigh. It seems someone is full of himself.

Taladan enters the park from the north end, hood pulled up and immediately eying the figures gathered there in the park. As he hears the confrontation between the two men, he sizes up the situation and peers closely at the foppish figure. His hand rests easily on his rapier as he does so, and while he makes no attempts at remaining quiet, he does stick to the shadows.

Siriel comes walking into the park having heard the commotion out on the street. She stops and arches an eyebrow as she watches the two men arguing over a pouch of coins. Hand on her bow in case she may need it quickly. She looks around and sees others gathering because of the noise.

Helmed and stalking onward at a quickened pace is Azusa, some pillar of whiteness that couldn't blend into the shadows even if there were a miracle on her side. She doesn't bother to try. "Ho now there.. hey.." Ah yes, the master of diplomacy. Her voice is clear and cool, though filled with confusion. "What seems to be the issue?" She rests on the shaft of her scythe, but makes no menacing gestures.

Perched high upon her mount, Vash rides into the area in time to hear the fight going on. Pursing her lips into a thin line the young woman sighs and strokes her swollen stomach slowly. Straightening herself up a bit more she licks her lips, and for the first time in several months sings in a public venue. As she does, she wraps her talent with in it. Attempting to coax the bardic magic of song out, and lace with her music in hopes of preventing many from being hurt. That is right, the young woman is attempting to fascinate the two parties involved.

Its not hard to hear all the commotion from the two groups, and so, form the south, comes Arvilli. His eyes are narrowed slightly, probably irritated at the interruption once more. A quarterstaff thumps along beside him as he walks, which looks a bit odd. A halfling dressed as a wizard. His cloak folding back from the wings that it was until it becomes a cloak.

It is an odd scene now. As the bardic woman plays the men of work begin to trance and focus upon her, seeming in a daze as they are fascinated. The other party seems unaffected by the music. "Bah, this is not worth our trouble." the leader calls, shifting his hat as his glance goes to Taladan and then to Azusa. "It is not as if I need the coin...this farmer can keep the filthy bits. It be only ten coins of gold. Nothing worth dying over." he muses, throwing it to the dirt before the farmer, urging his men to follow. "Well what a waste of some fun."

Shereem enters the park also, drawn by raised voices. She moves through the shadows and quietly approaches the scene so that she might watch the drama unfold. For those who might be able to see her they might observe her small stature and long flowing brown hair or even the neat braids that bind it from her almond shaped eyes. Her riding dog is nearby, Becka seems to have followed her so for those that know the halfling they might recognize the animal and surmise that it's owner is also here.

Taladan quirks an eyebrow and steps forward to the foppish man. "Good e'en fair outlander. Is there trouble here? Mayhap some sort of trouble I might help resolve?" his voice is quiet and his tone civil, though his hand still rests easily on the hilt of his rapier.

Azusa blinks once as the man's hat shifts, one of her brows lifting quickly, unseen inside the grinning helm that she wears, "Are you certain, friend? If the man has stolen..." She offers in soft tones, head tilting to one side as she moves closer and then stops when Taladan speaks instead. She gestures for him to continue, and falls silent.

Stopping her song, VashBav's brow narrows slightly. She allows her stead to take a few steps closer, not wishing to give up the safety of height over the men. Of course, she slides her sword from its sheathe and moves to pick up the gold with it. "Now then, What...started all of this." she asks quietly.

Siriel glances sideways at the two men especially the one that seems so willing to give up the bag with the gold in it.

Arvilli comes up to the group and then looks around at the two groups of them. "We don't have any problems, do we? And we aren't going to HAVE any problems, are we? I would hate for anyone to go to jail. Or worse..."

As the music stops the farmers come to. "This man bumped into me, and he took my pouch of coins. He said he found it on the ground, but but...he must have taken it." the man stammered with a small sigh. It is then when the foppish man was called outlander does he smile. A dark feeling over takes the park as if something has gone direly wrong. "Well now that you mention it. I found a pouch, and he claims I stole it." taking off the hat to reveal a set of horns about seven inches long, curved back in a wave. It seems thats why he has the outlandish hat, no pun. "I offered to give it back, but he got his friends and they wanted me prosecuted, so I got my friends. I did not steal. I cannot help when we bumped the pouch fell from his belt."

Shereem moves around the group and positions herself behind the man in the plumed hat and fine dress. Shifting from shadow to shadow and leaving her dear pup behind and at a safe distance. Those who might see her may take note of her hand quietly drawing her short sword as she moves behind the horned man that Taladan spoke to. She doesn't advance on him but waits and watches for any sign of aggression.

Taladan nods at the creature and turns to the farmer quietly, "I would suggest you accept the 'gents' apologies and your purse of gold, neighbor. He doesn't wish to do you any harm by it, it appears. A simple mistake - something any of us could've done, no?" he watches the farmer's eyes intently for a moment, waiting for his reaction.

The pouch is presented back to the farmer. "Your money." Vashbav states simply. A tusked grin is offered to the farmer in almost a friendly, but warning way as she slides the sword home to its sheath.

Azusa simply watches, looking from one person to the next as the conversation continues. Icy eyes squint, but it seems she's going to be keeping her thoughts to herself for once. She remains silent.

Upon seeing the horns on the mans head when he took off his hat, Siriel immediately swings her bow off her shoulder in one swift movement and gets an arrow from her quiver like a flash and notches it. She watches for any malevolent movements. She keeps the man in her sight.

It might look comical, if there was not such a serious expression on the halflings face. An assurance of the powers that he wields that makes up for any shortness or weakness. He walks as though he is 7 feet tall. Even though he barely tops 3 and a half feet tall. He looks at the strange 'outlander' and then quirks his head to the side, a bit puzzled.

The horned man sighs, looking upon the farmers and then to the others. "I did not intend to cause a scene, but I will pay a price for it. Here, be it my kindness, or my wicked humor in chance to spite, I will give the man this." throwing a pouch that jingles from coins. "You can call that an apology if you wish or an insult, but I am gone along is my friends." he muses as he turns to just leave, the farmer left nodding to Vashbav and then to the others looking a bit foolish as he then watches the other bag hit the dirt. "I...I." he stutters as the tiefling begins on his way.

VashBav blinks at the sudden appearance of problems and moves to place her horse between the horned one and the ones with the bow, "Enough." she states simply to the group gathered here, "He has done nothing wrong, and further more." she states looking at the goal, "It is far from right that he be over compensating one half the victims of a miss understanding." She states and looks to the horned one, "Please...If you mean no harm, then I assure you Vintermor will return none." She tsks quietly and frowns. Of course the seriousness of her words is interrupted by a kick to her innards.

Taladan turns from the farmer, the commoner already forgotten in his wordless stuttering. He spots Siriel's taut bowstring and motions to her to lower it for a moment with a soft gesture. He turns back to the creature as he turns away and says, "Have you then come to Vintermor for a purpose?" he watches the horned man intently, voice neutral, but his posture is one of tension.

Siriel slowly lowers her bow after Tal motions to lower it but keeps the arrow notched.

Arvilli looks to the man and then smiles slightly. "I would love to have a chance to talk to you, sometime, stranger. But, I don't have a problem with you, and

I don't think that anyone else should either. You should be given the same chance as anyone else that enters the kingdom." Azusa nods toward Arvilli, "I am inclined to agree with my small friend. Speaking with you would be .. fascinating." She squints again, brows lifted, "For example... didn't those things hurt coming out?" Leave it to her to ask the most inane and ignorant question you could. Well, one supposes there are others. "Your horns, I mean.. and furthermore.." She starts, apparently content to rant even with him walking away.

With all the talk and the man trying to walk away, a good twenty feet or so he turns back around with a sigh. "So some think I am a threat, others a thing of interest, and to these farmers...a thief. Can I not just be me? If not, then i best be the trouble maker every says me to be." making a flamboyant movement with his hands before he pats his legs calling. "Here boy's come home to papa!" he calls and oddly, both coin bags begin to move. The farmer gasps and drops it as the two bags take on somewhat lively shapes and prance towards the man. "No one gets any money now." being difficult as he winks. "Now what will happen?"

Taladan rolls his eyes with a sigh and says, "Must we then do this the hard way? If you are what you appear to be then you know that there are rules against thievery in this city, both from the crown and...other...organizations." he rubs a thumb over the beautifully scrolled hilt of his rapier as he looks to the ground for a moment, "Can we not let a nearly resolved situation lie?" he glances back up at the creature, resigned determination on his face.

Vash sighs as the sight of this, "Good sir. you have insulted us who saw you neither as a threat, nor trouble, but rather had wished to become friends with you." she shakes her head slowly and moves out of the way of the potential problems. Of course as she does, the young woman begins a soft, and slow song for those about her..

Azusa does her best not to laugh; after all, this is a serious situation. She clears her throat, and looks toward the ground, resting heavily on her scythe. "Now.. now, I do think that we can just.." She's never really been particularly bright, and has never had to deal with a situation like this. Another clearing of her throat, "The bags apparently wish to go home." Yes, that's what it is. "And he is over the trauma of growing horns.. and so.." She rolls a gauntleted hand, "And none of us /really/ know what he is.. be it thief or.. what have you.." Her brows furrow, "... so.. I have an idea." The cleric smiles, "Take the coins out of the bag, give them to the farmer, and the stranger can have the bags themselves.. since they so seem to wish to be reunited." Logical.. sure.

Siriel stays as she is, bow at waist level, watching the horned man and the dancing bags. She says nothing, just watching, and readying herself.

Arvilli frowns a little at the tiefling. "I was more interested in where you you could have possibly been in your travels. Not you yourself. I know what you are." He then frowns a the bags, and then casts a spell, pretty quickly, and points at the bags. The bags themselves gives a couple of quivering movements, a yelp, and then fold down into bags.

"You killed them.." Azusa whines in complaint.

Shereem waits and watches. Her brown eyes on the purses and the horned man who called them to him. Her little hands itching to help the purses find a new home and save everyone the trouble of arguing over them. In the shadows she stands ever so close to the horned man but doesn't make a move, yet."

Taladan eyes Azusa for a moment when this last inanity is uttered, his eyebrow quirked but his eyes are flat with the heat of anticipated battle. When he's sure she's not going to continue for the moment, he turns back to the tiefling to await his response.

Then it comes. A heavy sigh that shakes the ground. The tiefling clenches his fists and stomps his foot. "I know I cannot steal, that I cannot do things as freely as other places, but I can still try and have fun! Who said I would not give the coins back after I was tired. I cannot....and you killed my lovely pets!" he calls once more. It is all false anger it seems, and even the rumbling sigh a trick of magic. "Thats it, I am leaving. You big guy, deal with them." He calls, turning to walk away as one of his friends pop their knuckles and steps forward. It is then his clothes rip and his body grows. This man as well has horns, but he is much bigger and tougher than his boss.

Taladan immediately whirls into action, a blur of motion, with his cape belling out behind himself, his rapier a flaming length of steel leaping immediately to his hand. He stabs the large creature once, and an ear shattering explosion and ball of flame erupts from the blade within the creature, he whirls in reverse quickly, stabbing the creature twice more. As he moves to recover his stance and prepare for the creature's return attack, he stops dead, a naked look of fear passing over his face. He turns and begins to run from the creature.

Siriel in one swift motion brings her bow up from waist level and gets the large creature in her sight pulling back on her notched arrow, taking a step forward as she evens out her breathing, slowly on the exhale she lets the arrow fly and hits him right in his right shoulder. The creature doesn't even seem phased by the arrow sticking out of him.

Shereem slips out of the shadows that seem to be so much a part of her. Her blade flickers with a flame and explodes upon striking the large thing. He is burned and badly wounded from her first strike but the second is a miss. In the end he is wounded badly but the little halfling either doesn't feel the fear or have the sense enough to leave as her mentor did.

Azusa doesn't quite know what that thing is, but as she watches Taladan run like a girl, she can't help but be a little cautious. Judging from the fact that the thing is still standing after those attacks, it can't be good. Wings open with a spoken word, another and she's up in the air, a hand coming to her holy medallion as she makes a motion and continues her mutterings. It's probably some prayer. Regardless, she seems to have cast something, already well out of the way of the creature. Let the big boys handle it.

Vash growls in her song as she starts to move back. Her bardic music pulls through for her, and laces with the song allowing a bit of encouragement to herself and the teammates. Her voice rises as her crossbow is brought up and loaded. Its fired at the magic man they face, only to pounce harmlessly off the man.

It is strange, the beast is hit from all sides, having no weapon. He sniffles, crying as he is wounded, looking to where his comrades ran, seeming to not have the heart to try and fight any more. These people play to mean, and he does not want to go home yet, no, not home! It is then he takes flight, running across the park after the others.

Shereem moves to hit him again as he starts to flee but her blade seems to simply skitter off him. She blinks as it cries and cants her head.

Siriel already having another arrow notched and ready watches as the big creature runs away, she lowers her bow and scratches her head. Shrugging she puts the arrow back in the quiver but doesn't shoulder her bow just yet.

Arvilli blinks as he didn't even get to do anything to the big guy before he ran away. He then just frowns slightly, and looks around. "Wow...um...glad I was here?" He then chuckles a little and rubs his eyes.

"Aw... look! You made it /cry/!" Azusa floats downward toward the ground, her wings disappearing and reforming the cloak at her back, a deep frown set. She sighs, and as Taladan runs by, she murmurs a spell brushing fingertips across his arm before she continues onward. "You're so ... so.... /mean/!"

Taladan stops as the fear affect passes, shaking his head. He nods his thanks to Azusa and sheathes his rapier, watching the fleeing demons exit the park. He sighs and passes a hand over his brow.

Vashbav shakes her head slowly and sits back in her seat. "This city is growing stranger, and stranger." she states before stroking her stomach slowly.

Arvilli hrms a little and then shakes his head. "You'd think that a tiefling could control his nature a bit better...or maybe he just doesn't want to. I think he might be trouble down the line. But I wouldn't mind hearing about some of the dimensions he might have been in."

Vash sighs quietly and looks around, "If you excuse me." she states to the group. "The child is kicking to much, I should..head to bed." she points out and kicks the horse to head back to Skolrig.

Siriel shoulders her bow now that things seem to have calmed down, she puts her hood up and walks out of the park without looking behind her. Never having said a word.

Arvilli blinks and then looks around at the rest of the group, and then scratches his head as so few said anything except goodbye. "Um, okay..." He then looks at the farmers. "Take your money and go. And next time, leave the justice to those better able to handle it."

"... gone are the days I could say 'nothing' when Sorenson asks what I've been up to.." Azusa murmurs to herself. Heaving a sigh, she looks around for the demonic creatures, still frowning deeply, "I had so many questions I wanted to ask.." She mutters, displeased with the way things went, continuing to complain to herself as she wanders off.

Shereem sheaths her sword once the flames die away. She furrows her brow a bit at the way things transpired. She pats her leg and Becka joins her allowing her to mount the riding dog."Goodnight all."