Justice, an elegant hunting falcon, Stormy, a silvery gray hunting hound arrive, following Reese.

2 Grayson Guardsmen, Alejandra, a snowy white hound, Planchet, a young valet, 2 Iron Guardsmen leave, following Ainsley.

2 Grayson Guardsmen, Alejandra, a snowy white hound, Planchet, a young valet, 2 Iron Guardsmen arrive, following Ainsley.

Reese puts rose hued leather arm guards in a backpack adorned with delicate roses.

Reese puts rose hued leather leggings in a backpack adorned with delicate roses.

Reese puts a white and rose hued leather jerkin in a backpack adorned with delicate roses.

Reese puts a cowled, offset leather jacket with burnished buckles in a backpack adorned with delicate roses.

The sun has slunk over over the horizon and the cooling summer day has faded into a tepid summer night. The activity at the docks is beginning to slow down, nightfall signaling the end of work for the day. However, a different sort of activity has started now. Revelries out to enjoy the ocean at the docks, merchants hocking food and wares, and people disembarking from their ships...

A merchant with a wheelbarrow filled with muffins is currently attempting to sell said muffins to a group of people who are dressed not /strangely/ but differently.

Leather armor in the style of the southern islands, heavy wool robes. They stand out. Prodigals probably.

Two of them have darkly furred dogs in leather harnesses, and black leather muzzles across their faces.

Killian gets Forest Green Travelling Cloak from Rugged Leather Backpack.

Reese arrives along the dockyards and is adorned in her Iron Guard cloak. It seems likely that the princess is here because she is on duty and is patrolling. Her gray hounding hound is close at her legs and a falcon is perched upon her shoulder. She is drawn to the muffins first. "Oh, those look good." She says starting in that direction. She glances over the prodigals and their canines briefly, giving them a nod. She seems a little concerned by the muzzled animals, but not super concern. Actually she is more distracted by muffins at the moment.

Conker, the Ornery Red Squirrel, Dame Barkley, a chocolate tri beagle arrive, following Joslyn.

Karadoc is wandering along the docks, his thumbs hooked in his belt loops, his expression just this side of smug. He's humming to himself as he wanders down toward the Prodigals.

Killian isn't an often visitor to the Lower Boroughs, but of late he has spent more time down in them than usual. A cloak of dark green does little to conceal that the man is heavily armored as he moves through the streets, making his way towards the docks. A nobleman and one known to be more than passingly attached to the Iron Guard, he's on his guard as he heads down towards the docks. A moment, a brief fluttering of two hearbeats in which he doesn't move at all, passes in an instant before the man stands entirely still. His gaze sweeps the dock from beneath the cowl of his cloak, looking about in silence and watching.

Walking along with the smell of salt and the sounds of the ocean, Joslyn is simply walking along, having exited from one of the boats on the dock and slowly meandering along, just looking around for a moment. She's in dark silks, hair done back in an elaborate crown braid, held in place with ruby rose hairpins.

Sorrel is leaning against a building, trying to shake a rock out of her shoe. It's not entirely clear what her business here is, but it is a pretty clear that there's a rock in her shoe and she's none too thrilled about this. She looks quite a bit concerned as she peers into her shoe, clearly uncertain as to whether she has actually managed to make her boot comfortable as yet.

"See to it that we're ready to sail in the next days." @ ticks his head and turns from the two Darkwater marines and a sailing captain, finishing up a conversation, who then depart the opposite way into the deepening gloom towards a ship moored farther away. The Darkwater Lord, though, walks along with his stern features drawn and brooding as he heads along the dockside.

"See to it that we're ready to sail in the next days." Darrow ticks his head and turns from the two Darkwater marines and a sailing captain, finishing up a conversation, who then depart the opposite way into the deepening gloom towards a ship moored farther away. The Darkwater Lord, though, walks along with his stern features drawn and brooding as he heads along the dockside.

Ainsley GM Roll checked command(2) + intimidation(2) at difficulty 15, rolling 8 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked composure(1) at difficulty 15, rolling 12 lower.

The dogs with the Prodigals bristle when Stormy and Reese approach. There is a low, snarling growl given from beneath one of the puzzles. One black furred dog stepping between its master and the silvery hound. Heckles raised. The man looks down at his dog and makes a sharp whistling sound that has the dog backing down. Though it doesn't look happy about it. Both muzzled dogs keep their eyes trained on the silvery hound. For her part the silvery hound lets out a sharp whine and shimmies backward, clearly intimidated by the other dogs.

"Apologies, dima. Hounds don't like other hounds." The voice is heavily accented. Mourning Isles, perhaps. Or maybe somewhere in the Saffron Chain, or down toward Setarco...

Joslyn checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 31 higher.

Reese checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Karadoc checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 10 higher.

Sorrel checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 6 lower.

Darrow checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 0 higher.

Reese seems concerned as her hound whines. She makes a soft soothing noise in the canine's direction. She now looks over to the man with their muzzled dogs. She keeps rather close to Stormy as if wanting to show the animal she is not here alone. She then nods in response to his the man, not seeming all that offended. "No worries, just keep them under control and its all good. I'm Princess Reese, member of the Iron Guard." She says toward the man. She then starts to notice the others and well Reese knows them all, Karadoc, Killian, Joslyn, Sorrel and Darrow are given a polite smile of greeting turn.

Killian checked perception + investigation at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

Karadoc smiles sudden and brilliant and swaggers toward a couple of men cornering a dockhand. He gives Reese a nod as he passes, faint, distracted, and his swagger is all wrong for the docks. He has a noble's roll to his body, an arrogance appropriate for the salons.

There's a moment of hesitation in Joslyn's step as she notes the activity in the docks, the dogs and their addressing of Reese, and thoug she begins to turn her path to see that she moves herself closer to them, her attention seems to be a little elsewhere. "Princess Reese," Joslyn says as she gets a little closer. "Patrolling the docks today?" She asks, reaching behind her head to scratch at her head, tugging one of those hairpins from her hair, and twirling it casually along her fingers, leaning in to murmer something to Reese.

Darrow is nearly checked by a figure moving northwards, but glances up in time to note him. The dour knight doesn't move, but the man skirts around. His head turns a bit to watch him pass, his typical frown on his features, and then he continues along in his path. He's alone, and a bit distant yet from the rest, but the distinctive armor of Reese and the growling of the dogs does catch his attention as he approaches at his wraithlike pace.

Sorrel is fairly unaware of what is going on. She squints down an alley, frowning, then looks back to her boot, still frowning, then shrugs and shoves her foot back into her boot, tamping it down to get it to sit more comfortably. She takes a couple of hesitant steps, then seems satisfied that she's gotten the rock free. Only then does she nod in acknowledgment of Reese's greeting, offering the princess a smile.

Wilhelm the Iron Messenger arrives, delivering a message to Reese before departing.

Killian stops, looking around quietly, his gaze focusing into the crowd before he suddenly curses in a low breath..in Nox. He reaches down and yanks the gauntlet off of his left hand, followed by the vambraces, doing the same quickly to his right and pushing the underpadding up to examine his hands and arms, looking a bit wildeyed.

"Iron guard." The man repeats in his strange accent. A small tilt of his head is given and he glances toward the others with him before turning back to her. "Ah, yes." A shake of his head is given and he says, "We are looking for someone. Maybe you can help?" An eye is given toward Joslyn and her hairpin but he doesn't seem concerned.

Meanwhile since Sorrel has approached as well, one of the others turns toward her. Smiling and showing off strange teeth, this one in a robe, steps toward the Wyrmguard, "Pretty, pretty dima, you help find sister?"

Another eyes up Darrow as he approaches, giving the dour knight a dour face right back from beneath his hood.

...and meanwhile still, Karadoc has swaggered toward one of the ships. A dockhand there seems to be being questioned by two men in similar grab to the other Outsiders. They turn to him and one of them demands of Karadoc, "Whatcha want?"

Reese leans into Joslyn, listening to her words and giving her a nod. She then turns to the man who spoke. "Who are you looking for?" She asks, while seeming protective of Stormy and a bit wary both.

With a glance towards Reese and the men, Joslyn begins meandering closer to the warehouses, non-chalantly looking around, unconcerned for the moment as the man doesn't seem to be addressing her anyway.

Karadoc's smile, if anything, is smugger. He threads his hands at about the level of his waist and says, "Dock supervisor. I ask the questions. Is there a problem here?"

"Sister? What sister?" Sorrel wonders, a little taken aback by the question and the approach of the strange man. She glances briefly towards Reese, trying to gauge the situation from the princess's point of view. "Who're you seeking?"

Killian looks around, but ceases his muttered cursing. He flexes his hands a few times in front of him, before hooking his gauntlets on his belt and slips his bracers back on. He flexes his hands again, before his attention moves around the area once more, eyes searching in silent observation. He doesn't seem focused upon anything in particular as his gaze shifts about.

Darrow draws up to the group. Though dockworkers and prodigals would normally not be spared a second glance, the clumping of others around the group and their question to Reese gives enough reason to slow: of course, it may be the prodigal staring him in the face that draws his own baleful glance back, his pale blue eyes icey at the man, silent, the only question voiced whether or not the other man can maintain the staring contest.

"Shay-- Shy-- Ssshhyle?" asks the man of Sorrel, squinting at her a little bit. "Don't know her name in your tongue." He holds up a hand to about shoulder height and says, "Stands this tall."

Meanwhile the one talking with Reese eyes Joslyn as she walks away, but turns back to the princess, "Don't know what she's calling herself these days, but she's our younger sister. She ran off with some man and we're concerned for her safety."

The men talking to the dock hand shift, and now flank Karadoc. One of them briefly pressing a palm to the bone-white hilt of his sword. "Whatcha want. We just friendly questions."

Joslyn nears the eastside of the dockyard by a warehouse just in time for a young woman to shout at a man in leather armor, "I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING GODS LEAVE ME ALONG YOU PUSHER!"

Hearing the shout of the woman, Joslyn drops her aloof act and turns to face the pair, moving to close the gap between them. With an eye on the young woman and tahn the man in leather armor Joslyn squints towards him. "Is there a problem here?"

Reese seems concerned by the entire situation. She looks over to the warehouses and then over to Karadoc and then finally toward the man speaking with her. "That isn't much information. Finding someone based on that will be like trying to find a needle in the Haystack. However, I think that heading down to the Iron Guard office and filing a report would be best. We can file under missing persons and have all the guards look. I would be happy to escort you there now." She says and then gives Sorrel glance that suggests the princess suspects trouble.

Killian doesn't seem to be paying much attention to the most of the goings on, as he wanders around through the crowd. He passes near some kids and stops to talk to them, all smiles and cheerfulness, and it looks like he might press a few coins on them before he moves on. He filters about, chatting people up and making brief small talk, all the while keeping a smile on his face.

Karadoc doesn't dare look over his shoulder for back up. He's strolled into this, he'll have to stroll out of it. "Are you threatening me?" he asks with surpassing mildness and just the shadow of amusement. "I want to know what you're doing with that dockhand. Next time, you might say you're just asking friendly questions before your hand goes to your sword." He waves over his shoulder, again, without looking. "I have a dock full of witnesses."

Darrow does not seem to take too much offront at the presence of the prodigal men, or their mannerisms, or whatever they have to say to the rest. However, the one staring at him continues to get the baleful eye. "You're in my way."

"Look, man, most girls are that height to me," Sorrel replies, putting her hands on her hips impatiently. "That doesn't really give me any information. You're going to have to give us more to go on if you want this Shayle back. Did she change her name or something? Why wouldn't her name be the same in any tongue?"

The man lifts his eyebrows and says, mildly, "Decline." And that apparently is take. A few coins are handed over to the muffin man, and muffins are taken. They group then turns to move on, headed east out of the dockyard."

Meanwhile the ones staring down Karadoc laugh at his words. Big and overly friendly. Smiling at him with strangely sharp teeth, "Is okay! We joking. We just asking friendly questions, yeah?" A shake of heads is given and they say, "We go on down, no answers here."

The one talking to Sorrel glances over his shoulder when he sees the other leaving and pauses for a moment, looking torn. He shrugs and says, "Eh? It's hard to say. Hard. Shayle not ... right. Shyla?" A frown and he shrugs, "Bright hair-- but we're leaving, best go." He turns to leave...

At the same time after Killian's been moving through the crowd anyone not currently /working/ seems to also be well, leaving. People dispersing and heading out.

Reese seems far from surprised when the man declines her offer and she gives him a nod. She looks in eastwardly direction in a manner that suggests she is thinking of following him. She starts in Killian's direction, speaking softly with him. "I have no idea what is going on." She says softly, hopefully too softly to be overheard. "Do you think we should follow them?" She adds, still talking softly.

Karadoc smiles and laughs in turn, with his everyday teeth and his standing swagger. "I'm so sorry you didn't find what you're looking for! Less commotion now." He steps back, facing his conversational partners. Get toward someone else, preferably with a sword. Reese and Killian look likely.

The man Joslyn approaches snorts at her a moment and says, "Move along little gir." He makes a shooing motion but also leaves the young woman he was speaking to alone, now, turning to aim to meet up with the group of men who are leaving the area."

With a little glance towards teh woman, Joslyn gives her a nod. "What was he asking you?" she asks, not taking her eyes off of the man, a small frown gracing her lips. "You have somewhere safe to go to?" she adds, she'll wait for an answer, but is ready to move to trail the man as he walks away.

Killian glances towards the direction that some of the strangers seem to be heading, and then towards Reese as she approaches. He pauses only one moment, considering the situation before he looks back towards Reese, "We can't follow all of the groups, especially in the Lowers. We'll have to hope that the local elements keep their eyes on them," he determines, before he looks around and motions towards the largest group, "we should try and bring them in for questioning though. And as many of the others as we can lay hands on."

Reese looks toward Killian, giving him a nod. "Okay, sounds like a plan." She says in his direction. She looks over toward the two still on the docks. "Lets start wit them?" She murmurs softly. Reese tries to wave Sorrel over to hr and Killian. She gives Karadoc a nod. "Staying by us is good. We will keep you safe."

"Those two! Hostile, with sharp teeth. Perhaps they sharpen them, hm?" Karadoc provides as he joins the fine, swordly cluster.

Sorrel promptly heads over in Reese's direction, nodding firmly. "A girl named Shyla, he said. Wasn't too sure of her name though. Seemed about average height for a woman, though, give or take. All I've got is vague." She shrugs once but seems fairly game for adventure.

Presumably after asking a few questions, Joslyn makes her way over to join the rest of the assembled group, she looks between them all, giving a little nod of her head. "So they're all just looking for this Shyla?" Joslyn asks. "Anybody able to place where they're from?" she wonders.

Darrow steps over towards the group, watching the dispersing men with a frown. "Sailors stick together. They are dispersing."

Killian glances towards the two that Reese points out, "I'll leave them to you," he says as others approach. "I'll go try and slow up the larger group until you can get these handled." So saying, he's slipping away and striding towards the cluster of seven, his hands loosening the swords he wears in their scabbards. He reaches up as he walks the docks towards them, taking hold of the clasp of the overcloak he wears and undoing it, letting it fall away without a care to reveal the armor and heavy leather cloak he wore beneath. "Excuse me folks, I understand you are looking for someone?" he asks as he approaches, "Perhaps I may be of help, I've had some luck in the past managing to find missing persons and other misplaced items.."

Reese looks over to Sorrel, giving her a nod. "Yeah, that all seems very odd. They seem to have unclear information for her being a sister." She then turns to Joslyn. "I'm not sure where they are from." She adds before, glancing to Darrow and giving him a nod. She then turns to Killian. "Alright." She says. Reese then starts toward one of the men still on the docks.

...the groups of Outsiders continue on their way out, soon the largest group will be around a corner and out of sight.

Joslyn frowns thoughtfully, and moves with Reese as she starts towards the pair on the docks, looking around and really seeming as harmless as ever, hairpin harmlessly twirling between her fingers.

Karadoc threads over with Killian. Buddy system!

Darrow shadows Reese like a slim, menacing specter. His expression doesn't betray suspicion, exactly, but he's got a squint on his features at the slight off behavior of the men.

Reese looks toward the two on the dock still, choosing one to draw close to. "Stop. I need to take you in for questioning."

Sorrel flanks with Reese the better to achieve her goals. She seems prepared to do soldier business, if that's what it takes.

The words 'bring in for questioning' reach the men on the docks. They look toward Reese and then Darrow behind her. Laugh a moment, both stepping back toward the docks, feet against the wood of it once more. "Why? We do no crime..."

Meanwhile the group with Killian look him, one reaching down to pat the head of one of those dark dogs. They say easily, "I suggest you get out of our way." The group of seven of them fan around Killian, surrounding him.

(Plus Karadoc, Karadoc is also being surrounded.)

Reese looks toward the men. "Well if you have done no crime, then you can just answer a few question and go on your way. But I must escort you in now." She says, giving a quick glance to Sorrel and Darrow as they are close to her.

"Well, if you've done no crime, than you'll be released quickly," Joslyn says simply to the men as she flanks Reese, opposite of Sorrel. "This will all be over rather quickly," Joslyn suggests, giving him a sickly sweet smile.

"Oh, don't even worry. It's just a few quick questions, completely painless, easy breesy," Sorrel agrees to the two men with a charming smile and a friendly tone. She actually manages to sound sincere, too. Maybe she is. "Really, it's for your safety. And your sister's."

Killian tilts his head to one side, stretching the muscle before rocking it back the other way, smiling slightly at the man before him. The one that spoke on behalf of those moving to surround him, "That sounded suspiciously like you just threatened me for trying to be helpful. How do you expect to find who you're looking for, if that's how you behave?" He glances towards those dogs as they get to their positions. Before the men can settle he takes one step backwards and spins, trying to give Karadoc as hard a shove back out of the ring as he can, "Run!" is his instruction as he moves to draw his swords.

Karadoc is all lazy smiles and broadly spread soft hands. "You might stand to be less hostile to figures of authority. Limerance watches, and Gild, too!" He seems about to continue on this vein, but then Killian's trying to shove him out of the surrounding ring, but then swords are drawn. He does his best to get out of the way.

Darrow at this point, drifts away from the two, his interest waning as Joslyn and Reese attempt to arrest them, since they're giving not trouble. "Well. Let me know if I'm needed, Princess." He starts moving along his way, but seeing another clump of people, he adjusts his angle slightly, starting to bring him closer to Killian and Karadoc.

Joslyn has rolled a critical success!
Joslyn checked dexterity + brawl at difficulty 15, rolling 13 higher.

Sorrel checked dexterity + brawl at difficulty 15, rolling 2 higher.

Karadoc checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 4 lower.

Reese checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 45 higher.

Reese checked dexterity + brawl at difficulty 15, rolling 22 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + athletics(4) at difficulty 17, rolling 43 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + athletics(4) at difficulty 17, rolling 41 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + athletics(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 25 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + athletics(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 9 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + athletics(4) at difficulty 37, rolling 1 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + athletics(4) at difficulty 37, rolling 4 lower.

Killian has rolled a critical success!
Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 37, rolling 125 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 37, rolling 1 lower.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 37, rolling 1 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 37, rolling 3 lower.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 37, rolling 6 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 37, rolling 1 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 37, rolling 12 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 99, rolling 60 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 36, rolling 0 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 38, rolling 1 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 34, rolling 53 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 43, rolling 25 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 38, rolling 8 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 49, rolling 1 lower.

Being surrounded is bad.

Killian takes serious damage.

Karadoc takes minor damage.

Killian shoves Karadoc and the man doesn't quite manage to dodge very well, he ends up on the ground in the middle of a sudden melee. Swords come out and Killian finds himself completely surrounded. Seven swords are slashing out at him. The majority of them missing or clinking against his armor. But one sword in particular seems to cleave down hard into his chest, cutting through metal and causing blood to spray out.

Meanwhile... one of the man swings down hard, misses, and drops his sword in favor of grabbing a strap on the side of one of the dog's muzzles.

And at the docks? The two men step back even further and it's clear their aim-- jump in to the water.

One manages to dodge past the hands grabbing for him, and disappears under the night-black waves of the sea. While the other dodges out of the way of Sorrel and Joslyn straight into Reese.

Darrow sees the group swarm the two, and he breaks into a run, and as the swords come out around the men, his own maul is unhooked from his back.

Killian is a master swordsman who trains with some of the best in the lands, but it appears that individually the men surrounding him are easily his equal, and facing seven of them, it looks pretty hopeless. To make matters worse, his desperate ploy to get Karadoc to safety appears to have knocked the man down just behind him, still inside the ring of circling steel. He coughs up blood as it flows freely out of his armor, and fights with all his strength just to keep those swords off of himself and the downed non combatant.

Grabbing at one of the men and missing, he seems to land right into Reese and she shouts. "Grab him!" Though it seems Reese has that all well in hand. Her attention shifts back to the commotion. So, with the man in Reese's hands, Joslyn says the only other thing she can think to say. "Fuck!" Before darting off towards the giant melee, the second hairpin tugged from her hair as her braids come undone in her sprint, the split in her skirt showing off bared legs.

Karadoc is pressed down on the docks, his hands braced in front of him and his knees under him. Close enough to be spattered by the melee, surrounded enough to have nowhere to go but the hedge of legs roundabout him. He -- contracts, like a cat on top of a pillar.

Presuming that Reese has her man in hand, Sorrel is going to look into pulling Killian out of the fire, at least metaphorically, because it seems his problems involve swords and dogs. "BELAY THAT!" she shouts across the docks, and then, just in case they aren't familiar with nautical terms, "CEASE AND DESIST! I MEAN STOP THAT RIGHT NOW JERKFACES!!!" Her hand goes to her sword and she heads towards the melee.

Karadoc checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 2 lower.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 44 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 10 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 27 higher.

Karadoc takes minor damage.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 18 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 13 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 70, rolling 17 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 36, rolling 0 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 53, rolling 1 lower.

Reese has ahold of one of the men in question. She looks over to Killian and appears to be quite torn, between holding onto the man and going to help Killian. She attempts to keep ahold of the man and draw her blade at the same time. She will try to give him a knock out blow with the flat of her blade, when she can.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 44, rolling 26 higher.

Karadoc, cat-curled, tries to skirt away from the surrounding legs and the unmuzzling dogs, and manages to crawl out of the melee, if not without any number of bruises.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 39, rolling 19 higher.

Reese checked strength + brawl at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked strenght(4) + brawl(3) at difficulty 18, rolling 24 higher.

Killian is still being surrounded and while he doesn't quite see an opening where he can get Karadoc and flee-- he does at least see Karadoc has made it out of the fray, though the man has taken some licks for it. Meanwhile, Darrow is skidding over to the group just in time to see two muzzles come off of the dogs. Who let out a bone chilling howl ...

...and their maws are visible... and they are *not* dog mouths. Inside of those maws are rows and rows of jagged, sharp, teeth all the way down...

The man struggles with Reese and manages to break free of her, aiming to leap into the ocean after the other one if she doesn't grab him.

Karadoc checked composure at difficulty 15, rolling 0 higher.

Reese has her silvery pink blade drawn. When the man tries to escape, she doesn't reach for him again. The Princess seems very distracted by the dogs and the other men. She starts in that direction, moving as quickly as she can. "Come here puppy." She says, making growling noises at the dogs and attempt to lure them toward her and away from Killian if she can.

Sorrel checked mana + performance at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

Karadoc points at the nearest of the tooth-throated dogs, his eyebrows hiking all the way to his hairline. His clothing is torn in a half-dozen places. "I don't think that's natural." He's helpful.

Joslyn is sprinting as fast as she can in silk skirts with hairpins in hand. She bites her lips as she sees the dogs and charges forward anyway.

As her sword is drawn, ringing as she sprints towards the brawl, Sorrel begins to sing, "Cease and desist! It's worse when you resist! Here we come! We'll save the day! Doubt no one! We're on our way! Stop these unlawful a-a-actions! You'll regret facing our unified fa-a-ction!" It's a considerable song for someone running into battle, spontaneously composed.

Killian continues to swing that pair of swords of his, not trying to strike out at any of those who are pressing in at him, but instead just trying to keep things at bay and keep turning the swords aside. "YOU THINK!?" he calls out at Karadoc's comment, "now get up and run!" He then continues to curse in Nox, trying to get out of the ring if he can find a way to do so.

Darrow checked strength + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 41 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 21 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 50 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 12 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 16 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 41 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 29 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 10 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 47, rolling 4 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 76, rolling 0 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 38, rolling 11 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 42, rolling 18 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 47, rolling 12 higher.

Karadoc does not run. He doesn't have the frame for it. But he does withdraw, calling out at high volume that there is an attack, an attack, an attack, by demonic forces. He can do this much.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + brawl(5) at difficulty 55, rolling 14 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + brawl(5) at difficulty 36, rolling 25 higher.

Darrow flicks his flail, the heavy chain and tear-drop heads thudding into one of the men's hauberk, battering him down. Whilst Killian backs up, nimbly avoiding most of being sliced to pieces, the simple presence of people bearing blades seems to make Darrow's countenance improve. The heads of the flail hang down, paused for only a moment. "And here I thought I would have to sail from Arx to kill more of you Shav'arvani."

The melee continues. Karadoc manages to get far enough away that he'll no longer be being kicked in the spleen or squeedlyspooch. Darrow's barrelling in manages to knock one of the men over, causing him to have to climb back up to his feet. But those dogs? They focus on Killian still, biting and snapping at him. Meanwhile, the men continue to go after the Ashford lord. His armor is going to need quite a bit of repair soon... because it's taking quite a hammering. The group does shift about with the arrival of Darrow, Joslyn, and Sorrel.

Reese checked command + animal ken at difficulty 50, rolling 21 lower.

Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 45 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 38 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 30 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 17 higher.

Karadoc yells himself hoarse. It's probably not doing any good.

Joslyn checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 53, rolling 15 lower.

Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 58, rolling 3 higher.

Sorrel checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 45, rolling 13 higher.

Sorrel wields Sorrel leaf-bladed oathlands steelsword.

Reese wields Devotion, a silvery pink alaricite short sword.

Killian wields Bringer of Dawn, a shimmering alaricite long sword.

Joslyn wields Ruby and Rose, a pair of alaricite hairpins.

Darrow wields a deadly flail with three spiked steel teardrops.

Darrow has rolled a critical success!
Darrow checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 95 higher.

Sorrel checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 18, rolling 1 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 99, rolling 62 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 44 higher.

Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 72, rolling 0 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 19, rolling 45 higher.

OW OW OW

Sorrel takes serious damage.

Karadoc departs from the docks, still shouting for guards and telling wild tales of throat-toothed dogs.

Joslyn checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 1, rolling 47 higher.

Joslyn checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 26 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 26, rolling 11 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 31, rolling 19 higher.

Killian has rolled a critical success!
Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 36, rolling 56 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 41, rolling 10 lower.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 46, rolling 8 lower.

Joslyn checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 15, rolling 50 higher.

Joslyn checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 20, rolling 45 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 65, rolling 10 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawl(5) at difficulty 65, rolling 5 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawl(5) at difficulty 37, rolling 28 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + brawl(5) at difficulty 50, rolling 8 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 38, rolling 10 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 92, rolling 26 lower.

Darrow manages to engage not one but two of the men. Dodging one attack so well that he manages to turn his weapon around and go after another one. Sorrel manages to cut a giant swath of pain across one of them. Blood splattering into the night air. While Joslyn's hairpins catch the attention of several one of the men and his dog-thing. They turn on her. The dog snapping that awful maw at her, while the man tries to stab her. Killian's armor keeps managing to take the brunt of his hits. It's going to be /so very bent/.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 28 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 38 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 40 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 34 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dexterity(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 25 higher.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 40, rolling 6 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 34, rolling 24 higher.

Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 28, rolling 43 higher.

Joslyn checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 38, rolling 17 higher.

Sorrel checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 25, rolling 10 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 37, rolling 1 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 42, rolling 7 lower.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 8, rolling 38 higher.

Darrow checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 35, rolling 4 lower.

Darrow checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 40, rolling 13 higher.

Darrow checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 2 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + medium wpn(5) at difficulty 11, rolling 41 higher.

owies (also I'm never leaving my house again)

Killian takes moderate damage.

doggone

Darrow takes serious damage.

Killian sees reinforcements at hand, in the form of pretty much everyone, and breaths a sigh of relief. "Gods am I glad you're here," he says, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. The front of his armor has a huge gash in it, and the rest of his armor looks like he got stampeded over by every horse in the royal stables. He suddenly shifts, moving very suddenly to switch from a defensive stance to an attack as he spins his blades up. Hawks talon batters aside the first of the attackers swords before Bringer of Dawn slams up into the fellows chest. "CRAP! I forgot we need one to interrogate, someone keep one alive!" he calls out as he shoves the rapidly stilling corpse off of his sword in time to get attacked by two more of the strangers.

Darrow swings his flail in a level strike, the heads thudding sequentially into the neck of one of the Shav's, twisting it at an odd angle. He turns, plants a foot before the other man can land a strike, and brings his teardrop-flail into his chest with a squelching crunch. Before he turns back, though, some of the sharddogs are on him, snapping and biting at his armor and flesh.

"The gods are with us!" Sorrel sings between bleeding profusely and working to cut down one of Killian's attackers. "We shall not fear! The gods are for us! Victory is near!" It's meant to be inspiring, and perhaps it is. It certainly seems to give Sorrel herself a measure of resolve as she tries to save Killian.

As the dog... thing, comes at Joslyn she flinches back from that things terrible maw, grimacing. "What the /fuck/ is that?" she shouts, stepping back to position herself for a counter attack, dodging the blade and glancing at the man with a squint of her eyes, she charges the man, her hairpins striking vitally at every bit of exposed skin she can find, alaricite tips piercing deep, and kicking him away before any of the blood might stain those silks. "This is what I get for not wearing aeterna," she grumbles, eyeing Killian and Darrow, Joslyn charges at the dogs that have beset him.

Reese charges into the fray with her silvery blade drawn, striking at one of the nearby foes and inflicting a wound. She was going after the dogs and will continue to do so.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 21 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 26 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 15 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 4 higher.

Ainsley GM Roll checked dex(5) + dodge(4) at difficulty 28, rolling 36 higher.

Killian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 36, rolling 15 higher.

Joslyn checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 26, rolling 44 higher.

Sorrel checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 29 higher.

Darrow checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 21, rolling 27 higher.

Reese checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 4, rolling 63 higher.

The men and the dogs continue their attacks. Scattering a bit to try and get a wider variety of attacks in. But between Darrow's skill, Sorrel's inspired-stabbing, and the Alaricite being used ... well things aren't going well for them.

Killian spins his blade, trying to use the flat of the sword to knock the fellow coming at him across the side of the head, in an attempt to render him unconscious. It's obvious though that the knight didn't account for just how un-soft alaricite really is, and just how hard he's swinging with all of the 'oh gods I'm dying!' adrenaline flowing through his system. The man's eyes practically pop from his head as the side of his skull is caved in by that sword, causing him to fall to the ground with a rather disgusting *schkplurk* sort of noise. "Damnit," Killian observes in a frustrated mutter.

Perhaps Joslyn went a little too hard on that little demonic pup, but as she charges to aide Darrow, Joslyn's hairpins find their newer target, charging in hard, stabbing and grimacing as she roars out a battlecry, and so it is that she finally stops and looks it all over, and she eyes Killian from where she is and sighs then. "They're all dead, aren't they?"

Reese continues to fight, the princess focusing her attacks still upon the dogs. She looks over to Killian with an expression of concern, but she doesn't go over to him yet. Instead she continues fighting, intending to try and take down dogs.

Darrow rolls away from a scrabbling, snapping jaw, pulling his flail up from the ground and whipping it back, across the maw of the mastiff. He breathes, heavily, looking around at the men and dogs fallen in puddles of blood. "Killian. I didn't see it was you." He nods soberly to Reese and Joslyn, standing to his feet.

Breathing heavily and in pain, Sorrel turns to Killian and fixes him with a piercing green stare. "Don't split the party!" she exclaims, sounding frustrated. "Gods, man, you could have been killed! Did you see those animals?!"

Reese stops fighting the already dead dogs! She sucks in a soft breath, looking between the wounded. "We need to get you seen too." She says mostly to Killian and Sorrel." "Um..first I will field bandage you unless anyone else knows medicine? And then we take you to the house of Solace for real healing." She then hmms. "I will send the guard to clean this up too."

On further investigation it appears that the one Sorrel downed appears to still be breathing... though he isn't at all conscious... All the rest are dead /or gone/. ...how many are out there in the city and who is this Shayle? Shyla... Shayla? They are looking for...

Killian is wobbling, quite a lot actually as he sheaths his blades and turns back towards the others. "Don't worry..I think I can..track.." he takes two steps towards Reese, his eyes unfocusing for a moment before he looks at her, "Oh..Hi Reese.." he says, a goofy looking grin on his face. His very, very pale face..he's as white as his hair at this point, and seems to have mostly stop bleeding from the massive hole in his chest. He wobbles and looks around, taking two more steps towards Reese as he asks, "is it time for the missio...." and with that, he tumbles towards the Princess like a rag doll.

Reese gets Fresh Bandages from a first aid pouch embroidered with a candle flame.

Reese gets a small bottle with clean water from a first aid pouch embroidered with a candle flame.

Reese gets a small vial with a strong liquor from a first aid pouch embroidered with a candle flame.

Reese gets a small tin pot, labeled 'Wounds', with a waxy ointment from a first aid pouch embroidered with a candle flame.

Reese gets Bottle of Blancbier Healing Salve from a first aid pouch embroidered with a candle flame.

"We've gotta get him to the house of Solace," Joslyn says to Reese, and looking around she squints for a moment. "And somebody... get him tied up, delivered to the Iron Guard. Or, fuck, I don't know, the inqusition maybe. What the fuck were those things?" Joslyn grimaces moving to the downed mans side. "You better not fucking die on me. You'll tell us what you were doing."

Reese looks over to the still breathing man, noticing such now. "We will need to get him stable and back to the Iron Guard for questioning too." She says, talking to the group here. She then heads over to Killian and starts to treat his wounds. She has field medicine and not mercy like medicine, so it is a bit rough. Reese will also try to see to Sorrel and the downed man. "Um, we need to get report the Iron Guard and the Inquisition both on this. I can do that. We probably need to step up patrols here." She says, talking to everyone here, despite them not all being in the guard.

Darrow looks between the group assembled, then towards where the group of prodigals originally were. "Somebody mind telling me why I had to kill all these men? Did one of them say they were looking for 'Zhayla'?" He frowns, squinting off into the dim forest of masts. "Their...sister?" Darrow's certainly one to assemble the facts after the swords, but his brow knits together. "There was another sister pursued through here..."

"Oh, it might be Zhayla." Reese says toward Darrow. She looks concerned. She makes sure to not leave the unconcious Killian alone.

Looking a little pale, Sorrel sighs heavily and eyes the others. She frowns a bit at Darrow. "These men died because they chose poorly and we reacted poorly," she states seriously, as seriously as she gets.