Café de Nuit

The two uninjured ruffians who have dropped their wounded friend are now out of the alley, running down the street as fast as their legs can carry them.

Cirdan will go on with his attack, trying to focus the undead's... Diogr... Dragr... Drugar... Whatever! ...Attention on him, so the others get time to launch their spells...

"Come on, hit me!"

Bennedict's eyes light up as he sees the dwarf hurling alchemist's fire. "Capital thinking, dwarf. Yes! That should do the trick nicely!"

Looking at the wounded elf, however, lowers his enthusiasm a bit. If Herr Cirdan goes down, we're likely all dead. Best do something about that. He therefore says the words to a brief prayer to the Morninglord before stepping forward and infusing Cirdan with healing energy.

The burning druagr spins to the left and makes a dash for the street adjoining the alleyway. Sir Cirdan is able to strike it once as it flees, hewing off its right arm. Norzak manages to douse it with oil as it passes him, causing the flames wreathing the monster to shoot up even higher.

It moves swiftly past the alley opening and across the narrow street which runs alongside the Musarde river. The undead monster never slows down, but leaps into the stream! There's a splash and a sizzle of steam and smoke, and the druagr has vanished from view.

The wounded man abandoned by his comrades groans as Dorgio moves to him and begins to attend to his injuries.

The severed arm of the druagr lies at Cirdan's feet, smoke curling from the charred flesh.

The injured man,who is being looked after by Dorgio, feebly gestures towards the other party members, calling out in a weak voice:

''Ohhhhh...help me, please don't leave me....I know where the girl was taken....ohhhhh...'''

ewancummins wrote:The injured man,who is being looked after by Dorgio, feebly gestures towards the other party members, calling out in a weak voice:

''Ohhhhh...help me, please don't leave me....I know where the girl was taken....ohhhhh...'''

Norzak reacts rather swiftly at that remark. He moves next to Dorgio and before any one can do anything, punches the man in the nose! "Talk now, or I rip yer tongue out, mac! And don't think I won' do it, cuz I will! Ask ye pal who's missin' a finger!"

The man's nose is bloodied by Norzak's blow, and he slumps back into Dorgio's arms. He sputters and coughs, blood coming out of his nostrils and mouth. His eyes unfocus and for a moment he looks like he might lose consciouness.

When he recovers, the man looks at Norzak and says,

''Arrrgh! Stop hitting me you lunatic! I'll tell you where the girl is. Unhhhh...how can I talk if you smash my face in?''

The prisoner then pauses to wipe away the blood dripping from his nose before adding,

''I didn't sign on for this sort of thing. Ohhhhhhh.....was supposed to be a simple job.''

"Talk fast, me patience is running thin." Norzak steps back and turning, winks to the others, hand going to his scabbard. He mouthes "Pretend to hold me back" He turns back to the thug as he removes his short sword from its sheath. He laughs an eerie grating laugh then looks at the man with dead seriousness. "I don't think I wanna wait, lemme cut his tongue out now!" Norzak waves his short sword threateningly at the man, growling.

Getting a better look at the prsioner, Norzak [and anyone else who cares to examine the man] will see that he's a human male of twenty-odd years, with a rough look about him. His garments are dirty and torn. He is unarmed, Dorgio having confiscated his club and knife.

The prisoner looks frightened!

He begins to speak rapidly, pausing only to blow bloody mucus from his nose.

''She's on the boat with Monsieur Malreux! He's taking her to his place outside town. It's downriver- maybe a day's sailing. I swear!''

Norzak appears to think a moment as he sheathes his blade. "Get up, bub. Taday's yer lucky day. Git outta here afore I take back me own thoughts n feed ya yer tongue, unnerstood? Now git 'n' tell all ye pals to stay away from the kidnappin bizniss cuz' Imma be watchin n so will me buds." As the boy turns he kicks him on the butt to help him on his way, laughing.

Turning to the others "It's me good deed ta society or somethin', freein' that one. Well, shall we head to this dolt's place up the river?"

Unless one of Norzak's friends stops the man, he limps off , leaving down the right end of the alley [away from the river, and NOT in the direction the other kidnappers had fled].

Dorgio shoots Norzak a disgusted look when the dwarf strikes the prisoner. When Norzak mouths "pretend to hold me back," Dorgio gladly obliges, mouthing back, "I'm not pretending."

When the boy gets up to leave, Dorgio turns towards him. "Hold a moment! That...thing said he wanted the girl fresh," he says, remembering Norzak's words. "Do you know more about that?"

When the boy gets up to leave, Dorgio turns towards him. "Hold a moment! That...thing said he wanted the girl fresh," he says, remembering Norzak's words. "Do you know more about that?"

Norzak looks at Dorgio like he was from another planet. "First off I don't care if yer not likin' me style. I aint changin fer nothin' bub. I get results and that's all that matters. Now about the girl bein' fresh, I ain't got no idea more 'n' you do. My methods might appear barbaric ta you, but I dont care. I aint ne'er kept no one fresh if thats what yer insinuatin'." He looks outside and up the river where the lad said their target was.

"We goin' ta get us a ringleader or sit around like wet rags?" Then looking to Dorgio "Oh 'n' mac, ye kin keep yer holier than thow speeches to yerself cuz I ain't lissenin. I'm waitin outside fer ye all." To which Norzak walks out and awaits the rest of the party.