Alex let him leave without another word, his broken gait unable to mask the eagerness that was welling within the man. It was only once he was on his way and out of range that she let out a relieved sigh. "He should have those catapults ready in time." A bit of a pause was given, and when she continued she spoke under her breath. "And I hope it helps him find some of what he lost..." It was said more to herself than to anyone else, but Aes knew how she felt, and she wasn't about to hide any of that from her Mate.
But after a bit Alex took a larger breath, this one to cleanse her emotions, and once she was more relaxed she turned to her angel. "Well, that's one problem taken care. Let's wander around a bit and see if anything else pops out at us."
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
Aescila merely smiled in response to Alex' hopeful reaction towards Roko, likewise allowing the man to amble off without giving any proper goodbyes.
"Wander? I love wandering!" Aes replied playfully in response to her Mate's suggestion. She would fall into step beside Alex, letting the dragoness decide their overall direction, though there wasn't much of Ochre to look at at this point.
They were in the area largely devoted to private dwellings at the moment, and given how lived in the buildings seemed it was likely that all of them belonged to people who worked in town but not in their place of business. It might not be a great trading hub, but Ochre was lively enough and saw enough travelers that the smaller craftsfolk did good enough business to maintain themselves, and manual laborers and the like who didn't work any of the outlying farms also had to live somewhere. There were still people about, those who hadn't fled while they could seeing to their homes and gardens like their home wasn't in real danger of being destroyed, and those they passed went about things with a sort of nervous tension. Many of the buildings were forlornly empty despite those who remained, their inhabitants having fled before the risk of the oncoming orc attack.
Melody's tower formed a divider of sorts near the center of town, forming a corner of sorts past which much of the town's various storage areas had been converted to a mustering field where the soldiers preparing to defend the town were organized and quartered. The banner of the local guard stood on one end, and the more colorful banner of the Red Crows hung over the other. The unused catapults were sitting nearby, with very little ammunition in stock in the form of a handful of roughly shaped stones stacked in a nearby dirt trough. The militia were busy at drills, the few trained warriors among the townsfolk trying to whip the common workmen into soldiers as quickly as they could. Everyone they passed seemed nervous, frightened at the upcoming battle where some of them might sell their leaves on the chance that they could hold back the orcs. Alex could take a more detailed inventory or armaments and those who were to wield them if she so wished, and while she had no mind for military matters Aes would remain at her side throughout.
Besides the residential area for those who lived in town and the area now reserved for a mustering field, the freshly walled town's main thoroughfare starting near the town's Western entrance, from which they had arrived, and proceeded until it hit the village square which was just beside the base of Melody's tower. Many of the shops and inns meant to cater to merchants and travelers were shuttered, their inhabitants having fled, but there remained a few that were still open. A trinket store lay open, selling odds and ends, though what might be within was hard to say from outside. The apothecary was open, though a glance through the open door would show the only person inside was a young man, barely halfway through his teens by the look of him, sporting a somewhat lost look as he moved around the storefront checking that things were in order. The weaponsmith's shop was closed and dark, but as they walked by it Alex would hear something, like movement going on inside, though only if she had elected to come this way first rather than follow Roko towards the mustering field.
Ah, the random meander. Perfect pastime for those who had little else to do. But sometimes it wasn't quite so random. Ochre itself wasn't all that large, and once the Mates left the residential block they found themselves more or less approaching Melody's tower. It seemed to be the central spire on which the town was built, and as they neared Alex was quick to find the mustering field that served as the militia's training ground. A part of her wanted to head there and see just how well Roko was adjusting to his new role, but it was eventually squashed. If she went it would look like she was hovering over him, and though her protective instincts told her to do so to ensure he would find success the more practical side said he didn't need to be coddled. Especially not right now.
With the training grounds a no go that left the main thoroughfare and the shops that sprouted in its wake. A rather stark number of them seemed abandoned, the merchants and craftsmen leaving town no doubt to avoid whatever grisly fate the approaching orcish horde would bring with them, but a number still remained. They looked harried, but they still remained. So the dragoness took to a bit of window shopping. She wasn't quite interested in spending any more of her money at the moment, but the urge to simply look around had her wandering toward random shops to see what was on offer.
That inevitably led her to the weaponsmith, and as she noticed it was closed she felt a bit disappointed. There was a bit of a question she had for a smith, something relating to her sword, but Fate was conspiring against her. Or maybe not. Though she wasn't directly approaching it Alex still noticed some rather odd noise coming from within. It felt like someone or something was moving around in the shop, and though it could be something as innocent as the smith simply reviewing his wares the woman doubted he would do so in the dark. So she snuck close. She listened. And then she started circling around. If someone was inside then they had to gain entry somewhere, and Alex wanted to have that covered before she would stop and make her presence known. A simple knock would do it, and that would give whoever was inside the chance to clear up any misunderstandings that may rise. Of course it would also alert any intruders that they had been discovered, but it was far better than simply busting in and getting a bolt or bullet to the face. And who knows, maybe she'd end up spooking some thief and get the chance to chase them down. That would probably do a world of good for her aching muscles after that marathon with the goats.
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
Leaning in closer to the door of the apparently abandoned weaponsmith's shop drew a quirk of a brow from Aes, but after pausing to listen she seemed to understand and leaning in closer as well. Whoever was in the shop was rummaging around, muttering to themselves, and though it was impossible to determine what they were saying exactly it sounded distinctly like griping... Specifically like a woman griping. A quick circle around the building while Aescila remained in front, listening, would let her see that there were no windows on the sides of the building, that the back door let out into an alley between shops that was just slightly ajar, its lock quite apparently damaged judging by the bits of splintered wood lying nearby, and otherwise the only entrances seemed to be the windows which were only on the second floor, two in the rear and one up front.
However she opted to plan with Aescila regarding the back door, when Alex gave her single light knock all sound ceased from within the room. For an instant everything was silent, and then there was a slight crash and the sound of hasty motion heading away from her...
Oh ho? Seemed Alex found herself a thief. She didn't know what this woman was planning, but whatever it was left the dragoness feeling a tad more righteous as she suddenly stepped inside and cast a little cantrip to get some light leading the way. It was a minor use of magic, nothing that would tax her reserves, and though she was stepping into the unknown she was confident she could handle whatever was thrown at her by her prey.
But that didn't mean she would go in without a plan. There appeared to be only two exits to worry about, the main entrance that was covered by Aes and this alley exit through which her target had entered. That left the offender trapped. And that could be a bit dangerous. So Alex chose to be cautious. She still moved with purpose, her mind set on catching whoever was skulking around inside, but she made sure to keep an eye and an ear out for anything that could pop up at her. And if given the time she would light her flame. It wouldn't be incredibly potent, she didn't have the reserves for anything drastic, but it would give her senses and her reactions a bit of an edge that could prove useful. I'm going in. Let me know if you think she's doing anything weird.
Enter with Lv1 Fire Magic: Torch, and if nothing really jumps out at her activate Dragon's Pride at X=2
Torch: Allow 15 ft of vision in darkness
Dragon's Pride, X=2 Cost = X-2, Upkeep = X-5 Efficient Wielder: increase a single bonus by a factor of 1 Soul's Strength: increase a secondary bonus by a factor of 1 (free)
--- increase a secondary bonus by a factor or 1 (+1 upkeep per use)
Alexandra Alistar: HP = 80, PP = 64, EP = 18/88, Status = Tired, Dragon's Pride X = 2, Torch
Aescila: Tired
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
The sudden surge of light in the otherwise dark room into which she walked allowed Alex to catch sight of someone in tight, dark leathers with a sack over their back and numerous odds and ends tied to their outfit. Despite their burdens, however, at the sight of her entering and the conjured light they diverted aside and out of sight before Alex could take in any features other than a slime figure and black hair.
She found herself in a room something like a cross between a kitchen and an alchemist's laboratory, with rudimentary accoutrements for both but nothing particularly fancy left lying around. It looked like none of it had been touched in a while, and Alex could see where a few things were missing by the light imprints of dust they'd left behind. The next room over was a narrow hallway in which the thief had been, and across it was the storefront where she could see her Mate peering in through the window, and her single response to Alex's psychic communique came just then. Gotcha.
Alex could hear hurried footsteps, first in the hall and then as if going up stairs over her, and should she follow and make a hasty left she would see the hallway ending at a wall with an empty setting for a lightstone but the base of a staircase starting on the left. The thief was running for it, and fast, but without the rattle and jingle of stolen goods she might have expected for someone making haste. Her own senses sharpened as she followed, allowing her to discern her quarry's exact path even though she hadn't gotten them back in sight. The second floor was fairly small, with an open door in front of her that the burglar hadn't taken and a hallway once more going left, the hall forming a spine of sorts for the building while two other rooms on either side. The door on the left was open, the one on the right closed, but Alex could hear the padded footfalls of someone in the closed door, and had heard over the quiet bangs of the other two doors opening the soft click of the last one opening more discreetly and then closing again.
The thief was escaping upstairs, the small glimpse Alex was given only revealing dark clothes and dark hair before the woman ran off. Alex followed, her pace quickening slightly to not let her quarry gain too much of a lead, but once she hit the second floor she slowed. She had her choices for doors, but the soft padding of feet from the closed one was the obvious target. So that was where she went. Her entire weight practically threw the door open, but instead of entering immediately she paused. And after that slight pause she entered in a ready crouch. Her body was poised to spring into action, the slightest movement getting her to react in an instant to avoid whatever surprise this thief may have waiting, and once her prey was cornered she would strike.
Entering with Full Defense
+6d10 Dodge
+12 Resist defense
+15 Perception vs sneak attacks
Alexandra Alistar: HP = 80, PP = 64, EP = 18/88, Status = Tired, Dragon's Pride X = 2, Torch
Aescila: Tired
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
Rolls
Alex goes to grab ye thief as they jump out the window.
Attack: Hit, albeit barely.
Grapple to escape: Alex wins.
The lock shattered as Alex barreled into the door through which the thief was trying to escape, and while she didn't immediately step through in case a trap was being prepared it still let her once more catch sight of her quarry; The woman turned from the window she'd carefully been lifting towards Alex, and the dragoness caught a glimpse of eyes the color and shape of almonds and skin the color of stained porcelain before they turned and simply launched themselves off of a nearby trunk as Alex barreled in. Their motion sent them at and out the window, which shattered as their upraised arms collided with the aging glass with all of her weight behind it.
Unfortunately for her, Alex was a lot faster than her size and strength might suggest, and while she was initially cautious the obvious intent to try and escape were enough to spur the dragoness to move quickly. Her arm shot out the window and caught the burglar around the ankle, and what would have been a diving roll onto the street became a sort of flop that had her smashing hard into the wall of the shop she'd tried to rob. The jarring impact didn't quite loosen Alex' grip enough to get her to drop the woman, but it appeared that the painful impact hadn't stunned her either as she lashed the back of her ankle into the wrist of the hand Alex was using to hold her. The blows hurt, though she couldn't do any real harm in her position, and in the meantime Aescila walked over to stand under her with an amused look on her face.
A few seconds worth of effort would make it clear that Alex wasn't going to drop her, and when Aes said; "Hello there... You know, that's my wife you're kicking." And she looked up to see the dark angel standing under her with an expression that was the bastard offspring of her all too common playful smirk and a look of murderous rage the thief stopped her insistent kicking. She drew in a breath and heaved a loud, frustrated sigh while the few onlookers who were around on the mostly deserted street started looking around to see what all the commotion was about.
With her captee finally subdued Alex let out her own frustrated sigh. Her earlier caution may have been unwarranted, but with the thief diving out of the window the dragon's heart rate had skyrocketed as she dove and barely caught her prey be the ankle. A moment later a rather resounding thud sounded as the woman ended up crashing into the side of the building instead of rolling to the ground as she intended, but that wasn't enough to keep her down. That earned Alex a few spirited kicks to her wrist.
And they hurt.
That may not have been enough to get the dragoness to let the woman slip free, but with each thrust of that foot against that painfully exposed wrist the beast's ire started to rise. It didn't help that Aes had calmly walked over and simply stared at the suspended girl with her usual amusement, and after a bit Alex was starting to have enough of it. While her look wasn't quite murderous she shot the woman her own glare of rage, and if the angel hadn't spoken the thief would have most likely found herself getting flung out just enough to build the momentum to have her slamming back into the wall.
Fortunately for her Aes had interceded, and now that things were calmed Alex let the woman dangle for a bit. She wasn't sure whether to drop her target or pull her back through the window, but after a bit of thought she came to a decision. "Grab her hand." This was said to her Mate before she regarded the thief. "Don't try to run." This was said with a little more malice, but when Aes looked ready Alex stretched herself out to give her angel a chance to grab her prisoner before she simply let go. The Amazonian woman had little chance to actually right herself before she was dropped, but if she made any effort at escape she would soon find a mass of muscle and scale landing right beside her and looking ready to give chase.
If everything went accordingly Alex would lift herself with as much grace as she could muster before turning around to regard the people coming out to investigate all the commotion. The closest person would get a direct address. "Who do we talk to about the thief we just caught?"
Alexandra Alistar: HP = 80, PP = 64, EP = 18/88, Status = Tired, Dragon's Pride X = 2, Torch
Aescila: Tired
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
Aescila didn't drop her amused look when Alex gave her command, and when it was time to drop the thief her Mate caught her in a bridal carry and then promptly dumped her onto the ground in a heap. Even the tumbling fall's dizzyness didn't stop her from trying to scramble back to her feet, but when Alex landed in a squat with a soft thump next to Aes she just sat back down. Her face was hidden by a black mask, leaving only her eyes and above unconcealed, and her hair even had a black cap on top. "What, were you trying to look as stereotypical as possible?" Aes remarked glibly while Alex got back to her full standing height.
The closest person turned out to be an older man who likely couldn't be called a gentleman anymore. He had a crown of scraggly greying hair, ruddy skin that looked like it often saw exposure to the elements, and when he opened his mouth Alex would see quite a few gaps between his yellow and black teeth. His clothes - blue trousers and a simple black coat - were dirty and frayed, and one of his shoes looked like it had come apart and been crudely glued back together. He peered at Alex through dim, wattery eyes for a moment and then muttered; "Not sure really... Guess all the folks who were in the watch are in the m'litia now, ain't they? Suppose someone ought to go and get one of 'em..."
He trailed off, scratching his chin while staring down at the thief between Aescila and Alex, and after a moment one of the other townsfolk - a matronly looking redheaded woman in a blue dress - would give a frustrated roll of her eyes and turn to rush off towards the mustering grounds. Perhaps oddest about the vagabond would be his apparent lack of concern for whom he was talking to, however. Even in Crolia, Alex and Aescila, both obviously supernatural and possessed of visibly impressive power, would garner a different reaction than a more normal looking sort, or even a normal looking warrior. It wasn't as drastic as it was in Badaria - there the reactions tended to come from the short list including hide, sneer derisively, run, or go for the nearest shotgun - but most people were either openly intimidated or made sure they kept a respectful bearing. This man, however, didn't seem to care.
"Don't 'spose you've got any spare coin fer an older fellah whose down on his luck?" He muttered, eyes darting from Alex to Aes, and then to their captive, before repeating the circuit slowly. Aescila glanced sideways at Alex with an expression of disbelief, but it seemed that the short walk to mustering field taken at a run didn't take long, as the portly local returned with a trio of young men in the garb of the local militia and, oddly, Turoc. The Red Crow captain's expression had been a grin as he'd been approaching, but when he looked past Alex and Aescila at the thief it lit up excitedly.
"Well! Well well well! An I thought ya' din't like meh! An' here yeh catchin a nice lil' present, all wrapped nice n' tight!" He said delightedly as he gazed at the captured thief, reaching up to fondle the assortment of grisly ornaments hanging from his beard. The militia paused briefly as they reached Alex and Aescila, but then went to move past them with irons in hand. Not a one of the trio looked like they'd yet seen their twentieth year, and all three clearly looked nervous.
The man who answered was... well, he was definitely unique. Scraggly hair, weathered skin, teeth either stained by or lost to the test of time, all Alex could call him was a bum. And when he asked for coin a few moments later he proved her right. Good lords, where did this thing come from? But he looked her straight on. No fear, no apprehension, no disdain, none of the usual reactions she felt from the common man that happened to cross either her or Aescila's path. He was either a fool or courageous, and for that simple reason Alex took out three coins and tossed them over his way. It was the first bout of normal behavior she'd seen from anyone on this trip, and whether he consciously did so or not that simple bit of ease should be rewarded.
With that bit done they simply had to wait, and that wait didn't take long. Three members of the militia arrived, and walking beside them was Turoc. That put Alex on edge, but she refused to let it show. She hadn't reacted to him before, and she would not do so now.
But that look he gave the thief was a whole other matter. He seemed to be excited at the prospect of having her under his control. A little too much for Alex's tastes. He even reveled in it, his speech flippant and light even as he stroked the prizes woven into his beard. That would not do. "Sorry to disappoint, but I only wished to report her capture. I will be taking her into custody since I was assaulted." She wouldn't go into detail concerning the capture itself or the fact that the assault happened after the woman was apprehended, but that assault did give her grounds to take more personal measures in dealing with her prisoner, and she was going to use that to her advantage. Should Turoc raise any sort of fuss over it she even had an answer ready. "I am both noble and dragon borne. Neither side takes kindly to insult, so I will personally punish her as I see fit." Her speech was calm and collected and brokered no argument, and once she was done she turned to leave with her angel and captive in tow.
Oddly enough that took her towards the tower. An eye would be kept to ensure the thief didn't try to make her escape, and once they arrived Alex would formally knock on the door. Should one of the golems answer Alex would ask to see its mistress, and should the woman herself do so Alex would ask to come in on the guise of official business. It was only once they were allowed to enter that she would drop pretense and scowl ferociously, and though she looked toward the walking stereotype it would be obvious the scowl was not meant for her. "Consider yourself lucky. That man is not right. No matter what I may think of your behavior absolutely no one deserves to be at his mercy."
Alexandra Alistar: HP = 80, PP = 64, EP = 18/88, Status = Tired, Dragon's Pride X = 2, Torch
Aescila: Tired
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
The bum made to catch the coins but missed one, and scrambled to collect it even though he had no competition. He moved stiffly and deliberetely, and once he'd hastily stowed Alexandra's charity he muttered; "Much obliged, much obliged..." And then simply hurried off without another word.
The look that crossed Turoc's face at Alex' proclamation that she would be taking the thief into custody could most accurately be called annoyed, but a part of his amused grin remained on half of his face as he paused his energetic gestures and turned to face Alex directly. He gazed at her for a moment while the young guardsmen glanced at one another uncertainly and ultimately opted to go about performing their duties, ignoring the brewing disagreement and opting instead to simply clap the thief in irons and get her to her feet. His eyes were actually rather distant for a few seconds, but then the mercenary's grin returned, and he bowed slightly.
"Is that so? Well, standard procedures lass... Gotta book her good n-" He began, only for Alex to cut him off succinctly by calling to her title, but despite her tone of finality Turoc stroked his beard and gazed distantly at her again, his grin widening to the point that some of his own foul smile was on display. "Mmmm... Well, laws out here are... Fluid. I 'spose the local constabulary won't mind givin' off this one. She's yer problem now... And yer responsibility," he replied, and then nodded to the somewhat concerned and confused guards. Caught between two people that they had no interest in crossing, the young trio shared a look, shrugged, and made to walk back to the mustering field, one of them pausing only long enough to pass Alex the key to the manacles securing the thief's hands and ankles.
That left Alex to drag her off in any direction she saw fit, Aes following with a perfectly neutral expression without so much looking at Turoc. The Red Crow captain remained behind, watching Alex and her little entourage go for a moment before turning to converse with some of the locals who had watched the exchange. What they said was too quiet for Alex to hear, however, and she soon left them behind and approached Melody's tower.
One of the golems pulled open the door a moment after she knocked, and after a monotanous but brief conversation Melody was walking cautiously down the steps. Her request to enter, bound thief in tow, on official business would earn a perplexed look, but ultimately she would nod and say; "Of course... Come in, come in." The moment the door was closed and they were inside, Aes let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sigh and turned to walk several steps away. The dark angel began pacing while Alex turned to her newest problem, arms folded over her chest, and the almond-eyed woman's expression shifted into an apprehensive look for a moment as she stared back at Alex defiantly. Ultimately, however, she would give a nod and for the first time speak aloud such that Alex could actually understand her; "I see... Thank you."
With that she fell silent, and both she and Melody looked at Alex quizzically, waiting to see what the dragoness would do next.
Now that she had a chance to truly relax Alex finally dismissed the minor magics she had working, her makeshift torch and the enhanced presence both fading and leaving her feeling tired once again. That only left her prize and the magus to deal with. Aes seemed just as infuriated over the situation as Alex had, but whether it was their meeting with Turoc or the dragon's reaction was still up in the air. Either way she would give her Mate a moment to vent.
So, down to business. To start the woman turned toward the thief in shackles, a moment to taken to give the irons a cursory inspection, then she would start. "All right, first things first. What's your name? Are you local?" As she was doing this she made sure to look through the thieves possessions, those stolen from the smithy and not. She wanted to get a sense for the woman, and this would probably be the best place to start.
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
The thief's hands were bound tightly together, and a chain running from them to the shackles around her ankles kept her from raising her hands above her waist. Her ankles weren't stuck nearly as close together as her hands, but she had still been forced to walk a bit more slowly than a full stride.
The thief hesitated for a few moments before answering, giving the half-dragon an opportunity to glance over her gear, accoutrements, and loot. She was clad in leather that was a mix of black, dark brown, and dark blue, and her outfit covered most of her body. The mask concealing her face was simple cloth, as was the cap covering the top of her head. Several items that looked like they were from the shop she'd robbed were strapped to her body via a series of leather straps on her outfit, mostly metalworking tools and the like. She didn't seem to be heavily armed, though a careful examination of her sleeves would find them lined with short bladed knives.
"Ariendra.... And no, I am not from around here," she answered after a few moments of silence, giving Alex an opportunity to look through her sack. It had a number of what looked like materials for enchanting; crystals and gems both whole and ground up, portions of rare dried plants and fungi, and portions of rarer ores and stone.
The thief answered the questions, but she could have given a little more info then name and 'no'. "Then where?" Still, Alex had the thief's gear, and after taking stock of it the girl seemed to be rather eclectic. The things she stole involved mostly metalworking to some degree, and the collection of rare materials in her possession painted a rather odd picture. "Are you some kind of alchemist or enchanter? Or are you collecting materials for one?" It seemed like the most logical conclusion.
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
"Far from here," Ariendra replied uselessly, but when Alex glare settled on her for her lack of information she said; "I am from Amazonia, but have no been there for many years."
To the half-dragon's second question, the laconic woman would answer; "Neither. The previous owner was not using them, and they would sell well and easily."
So she definitely was from Amazonia. And she was most certainly a thief. The items Ariendra had stolen were removed from her person and placed elsewhere so they could be returned. The other things... There was a good chance that some of those items were also stolen goods, but without proof Alex couldn't rightfully keep them. Then again she was caught stealing, and she did assault a noble. Some form of recompense would be required.
Eventually. "What brings you this far West? Or this far out? I doubt a village facing imminent attack makes for a good mark."
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
Ariandre glared slightly at Alex as the dragoness removed the various tools and items she'd evidently taken, placing them aside to be returned later, but didn't struggle or try to argue in favor of keeping the stolen goods. Where she set the various tools clearly meant for thieving - picks and prybars and her knives - was up to her.
"You'd be surprised," the thief replied, "people who think they're about to die don't often guard their things well... Or care if their neighbor's things are taken. It was... Something to do to make money, I was only passing through."
"But there's still some degree of danger. This town has been targeted, and I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't have a scout or two keeping an eye on us. And who knows who those scouts could be. They could be clanless, and if they spotted you on your own they wouldn't be above capturing a lone woman for some entertainment. Or worse." That said Alex was fine with letting the matter drop. There wasn't much else she felt she could learn about Ariandre, and with the obvious stolen goods separated she wrapped everything back up and took hold of the pack to keep the thief from thieving her way to freedom.
"Melody, do you have someplace we can keep her for the time being? I captured her stealing from the smith, and though I would normally just hand her over to the militia I'd rather not leave her in the hands of Turoc." Hopefully the mage would leave things at that. Alex really wasn't looking to expose the mercenary's tastes to the world, at least not yet, and Melody agreed then Alex would depart to try and find Dingroria. The oni may have some insight into the thief since they both belonged on the wrong side of the law.
Fight Stats
100 militia, 100 lightly armed levy troops
4 catapults
150 Red Crow Mercenaries
20 golems
VS
300 orcs, "mostly cavalry and heavy infantry"
2 dragons
1 shaman
Ariandre shrugged slightly, "Could be scouts out there," she agreed simply, "but I can keep away from orcs easily enough, and better to leave carrying a sack of loot to fence than empty handed. People tend not to ask too many questions about the possessions of fleeing folk unless they plan on taking from them, and I can avoid that lot easily enough too." She too seemed content to let the matter drop, allowing Alex to take her sort of pragmatism however she preferred.
"Uhhh.... Not to hand. Give me a few minutes, I'll make someplace for her in a side chamber," Melody replied, and though she gave Alex a quizzical look the elderly woman seemed less interested in prying about Turoc's tastes or how Alex knew of them. She would depart briefly, leaving Alex and Aes - who was still pacing - to watch over the thief, though Ariandre still made no move to escape. After a few minutes she would return, and lead them to a newly carved side passage into which she would usher Ariandre before a bit of spellwork shaped the stone back into place, leaving only a slit about a foot and a half wide and a foot tall at around waist height.
"She's got a lightstone in there, I'll get a cot for her to lie on and work out some sort of toiletries quick as I can," Melody would explain, leaving Alex to decide if she wanted to watch as much before departing to find Ria or simply be on her way.
Regardless, she would find that the oni was in the bar of their inn, sitting about looking bored.
