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The Lands of the Demon King (Chapter 1)

As Paega struggled to get her assailant's clinging grasp off her, she was able to push the woman back just far enough to get a good swing at her, slamming her pommel to the temptress' head. The woman winced, a thin stream of blood trickling down her face. "Fine, alright, hard way it is." She grabbed at Paega's arm, pushing it up as if preemptively trying to deflect another pommel strike. But it soon became apparent she was trying to create an opening, throwing a heavy punch into the knight's less armored underarm joint.

The two men assailing Elise and Illyana were beginning to slow down, clearly running out of steam. No doubt the blood loss from their various lacerations was draining their stamina quickly. It was almost without effort that Illyana and Elise scored blows against the younger man, although the elder remained just cautious enough to avoid Elise's dagger. Still, that caution took him too far to easily retaliate, and Elise had no trouble dodging his wild swings, even as the younger man threw haphazard blows at her and Illyana. As his fist passed through her illusion once more, his shoulder slumped, though his face was still twisted with rage. It seemed as though only spite was keeping him on his feet now.

Paega:
--Basic Attack: Sword Slash against Thug, rolls 10 vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage
--Basic Attack: Sword Slash against Thug, rolls 4 vs Finesse defense, miss

Illyana:
--Basic Attack: Invisible Rapier against Young Thug, rolls 11 vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage

Elise:
--Basic Attack: Slash'n'Stab against Young Thug, rolls vs Finesse defense, 22, 1 Strength damage
--Basic Attack: Slash'n'Stab against Old Thug, rolls vs Finesse defense, 8, miss

Mistgrove Thug, Woman:
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Paega, 14 vs Strength defense, 1 Strength damage
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Paega, 7 vs Strength defense, miss

Mistgrove Thug, Younger:
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Illyana, spends inspiration to cancel disadvantage, 11 vs Will defense, miss
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Elise, 4 vs Will defense, miss

Mistgrove Thug, Elder:
--Passive Ability: Dogpile triggered
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Elise, 9 (w/advantage) vs Finesse defense, miss
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Elise, 7 vs Finesse defense, miss

Damage Totals for Round
--Mistgrove Thug, Female takes 1 Strength damage
--Mistgrove Thug, Younger takes 2 Strength damage
--Paega takes 1 Strength damage

Melee Groups:
--Paega, 1x Thug
--Illyana, Elise, 2x Thugs
 
Sir Paega uses her other hand to hit the woman back, while circling her wrist with the sword in her held hand. Trying to not let go of the steel, she also tries to swipe the edge against the woman now. The knight was also ready to use her head or knee to disorient her attacker, not comprehending why and how a peasant without weapon was able to almost subdue her. It was like her armament and training did not counted at all, or a mere peasant woman was more trained against armored opponents as any peasant or woman should be.

If only her body was not trying to betray her!
 
Illyana felt emboldened now that the two men were bleeding so much, and was tempted to go for the finishing blow. Then she remembered that a couple of lucky hits from the two men could still knock her out, and Illyana would have no idea what could happen. Illyana went with the tried and true method of Stabbing the young man with an invisible blade, and making another illusion of herself.

Basic Attack: (Invisible Rapier)-- Roll +(Will) to hit. Deals 1 Strength damage. On Young Thug.

Special Action: Mirror Image—Grant self or ally disadvantage on next enemy attack. On self.
 
Without the woman's insidious hands continuing to molest her, Paega found it easier and easier to focus on the battle at hand. The heat still lingered in her body, but the fog was clearing from her mind, and her knees were beginning to steady themselves. And with the woman shifting tactics, Paega was now being engaged on her own terms. She quickly displayed the difference in skill and experience between the two, driving the woman back with blade and gauntlet, defending easily against the peasant's unsteady blows.

As Illyana swung her hidden rapier at the young man who had been so keen on fondling her before, he scrambled back, gaining enough distance that no matter where the blade really was, it wouldn't make contact. But with his attention completely focused on the changeling, he was not sufficiently aware of the feline behind him; his face went pale as a dagger slipped into his side with a slightly wet thunk, and he toppled to the ground.

The older man bellowed with rage and fear, surging forward with a new rush of energy to assault the woman who had dropped his companion. He caught Elise off guard with a heavy blow; it was almost luck that the dazed feline stumbled out of the way of his followup attack.


Paega
--Basic Attack: Sword Slash against Thug, rolls 12 vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage
--Basic Attack: Sword Slash against Thug, rolls 16 vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage

Illyana:
--Basic Attack: Invisible Rapier against Young Thug, rolls 5 vs Finesse defense, miss

Elise:
--Basic Attack: Slash'n'Stab against Young Thug, rolls 17 vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage
--Basic Attack: Slash'n'Stab against Old Thug, rolls 6 vs Finesse defense, miss

Mistgrove Thug, Woman:
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Paega, rolls -2 vs Strength defense, miss
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Paega, rolls 3 vs Strength defense, miss

Mistgrove Thug, Elder:
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Elise, rolls 18 (nat 20) vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage
--Basic Attack: Brutish Blow against Elise, rolls 6 vs Finesse defense, miss
--Gains inspiration for natural 20

Damage Totals for Round
--MIstgrove Thug, Female takes 2 Strength damage
--Mistgrove Thug, Younger takes 1 Strength damage and is defeated
--Elise takes 1 Strength damage

Melee Groups:
--Paega, 1x Thug
--Illyana, Elise, 2x Thugs
 
One down, two to go. Now that there was only one nearby enemy, and Elise was still nearby, Illyana decided to forgo making an extra illusion, and made two attacks with her invisible rapier to the elder thug. Between her attacks and Elise’s attacks, she felt confident he would not get an opportunity to strike back.

Basic Attack: (Invisible Rapier)-- Roll +(Will) to hit. Deals 1 Strength damage. On Elder Thug. x2
 
"You are strong, woman!" Sir Paega grunted, having to turn her sword against an unarmed female did not sit with her conscience, but when words had no effect... "Desist! Give up and flee, or you will need days, if not weeks to get back onyour legs!"

Sir Paega then tried a double slash in a big X to keep the thuggish peasant away, and hopefully send her fleeing or to the dirt, finally.
 
With his attention focused on Elise and her daggers, the old man didn't seem to grasp Illyana's tricks, or the danger she posed as she closed in on him. Before he understood what was happening, he was down for the count.

As the woman reeled from Paega's skilled assault she turned away for just a moment. "I could use some help over--" Her words cut short as she saw the two men laying at Illyana and Elise's feet. When she turned back to the knight, her eyes no longer flashed with bravado, her cheeks no longer flushed with desire. There was only loss, regret, and fear, and all of it too late for Paega to stay the blade that was already swinging downward at the woman. With one gash across her chest, the peasant crumpled, without Paega needing to follow through with the cross slash.

And with that, the area was still. There were only the three warriors, battered but standing, and the three thugs, bleeding silently into the dirt.

Illyana:
--Basic Attack: Invisible Rapier against Thug, rolls 22 vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage
--Basic Attack: Invisible Rapier against Thug, rolls 17 vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage

--Weakness triggered for Mistgrove Thug, female: Pack Mentality

Paega
--Basic Attack: Sword Slash against Thug, rolls 19 (w/advantage, nat 20) vs Finesse defense, 1 Strength damage
--Paega gains inspiration

Damage Totals for Round
--Mistgrove Thug, Younger takes 2 Strength damage and is defeated
--MIstgrove Thug, Female takes 1 Strength damage and is defeated

Combat is ended
 
Trying to help the bleeding peasants, now that the fight was over, Sir Paega tried to sense all of the present people's innate evilness, if it could be felt over the ambient badness of the place... Sir Paega even considered healing any of the wounded with laying her hands on acceptable places if any of them who culd not be helped by everyday means... but only if they did not felt evil. Including the two other woman with her. [and if it counts as this scene]

"Attacking people does not pay in the long term, just an earlier grave.... Be calm, and live, or be evil, and perish by my blade!"
 
Once it became Clear the fight was over, Illyana leaned on the building she was near, cleaned her blade, and caught her breath. In truth, Illyana hated killing, even if the man was thoroughly repugnant. She took a moment to compose herself, and looked at her new companions. “Thank you both for your help,” Illyana said gratefully. “I don’t think I could have gotten out that all by myself.”

After the knight finished his prayer, she gestured to the building they were standing besides. “These streets do not seem safe. We should go inside and see if we can share a room while we plan what to do next.”
 
With the heat of the battle past, Paega was able to focus on the auras of the fallen. Even in the best of times, her power would not have revealed anything so petty as the wicked heart of a mortal, and in these desecrated lands, a miasma of demonic power permeated her senses like a fog. Even so, she was able to sense something from the woman, a faint concentration of dark power, localized to her hip. A cautious investigation revealed a brand, much like the one Paega had found on her own flesh--but larger and more elaborate, as if it had spread across her skin.

The woman, it seemed, could be saved, as long as she were adequately bandaged. But there was nothing to do for the other two. Elise and Illyana, without the protection of heavy armor, had not had the luxury of being so gentle with their attackers, and the men were dead. Similar brands could be found on their flesh, but these no longer emanated an evil aura; it seemed whatever power might have been in the markings had perished along with them.

As the ladies approached the large building, the door cracked open, and a woman of about fourty looked out, glancing around at the scene. She gave a weary sigh. "Well, suppose you'd better come on in. You don't want to be around when the Magistrate finds out about his lackeys--not that I'll hide you from him, if he comes asking. Not sticking my neck out that far..."
 
Sir Paega prayed for the woman, and bandagedger wounds from the cleanest material of the fallen men's clothes. Also, this gave her a cause to subtly look for their markings too. As an extra, using her dagger to help with the bandaging, she tried to break the lines of the mard on the woman's hip, by praying and carving her God's holy symbol over it, then healing her with her holy magic... And bandaging over the carving too.

Not seeing great wounds on her two so called companion, she used the remaining healing on herself, before leaving the scene.

"Thank you, woman, I would not stay long, just want to know more about the lay of the land, these magistrate and his lackeys, the generals, and his lordship." Sir Paega almost spit at the end of her words, but being among women, she stopped herself. Only if she got as much information as she could did she ask "About the brands, or sigils, what can you tell us? Who could tell more?"
 
Illyana went inside the building. “Thank you, kind woman,” she said gratefully, with a curtsy. “My name is Illyana. I have the same questions as my companion, and if you could answer them, I would be happy to assist you, where I can. Just please, let me know how I can repay you for shelter, and information.”
 
"You can repay me with money. This is an in of sorts, after all." As the woman led the trio into the building, they could see a bar with a handful of patrons drinking, a low table with battered couches surrounding it where a few more locals were playing a game of dice. Near the back were a few more couches, where men and women with more makeup than clothing seemed be at the ready. Some, especially the younger ones, were more tense, while others seemed almost bored, but all were keeping their eyes on the rest of the patrons. And not far from the door was a staircase leading upstairs, from which the heady smell of sweat and perfume wafted.

"If you don't have money I've got work for you. The rest of my patrons might like a change of pace, and the rest of my whores might like a night off. But don't think I'm offering you a job. I wouldn't be allowed to keep you."

The woman stepped behind the bar, muttered somethign to the bartender, and pulled a bottle down from a high shelf and turned to the newcomers. "You have a lot of questions, but you're not the first new folks in Mistgrove to have them, so let me get you all straightened out. You asked about the brand; it's just what it sounds like. A cattle brand. Property of Lord Astheriel. Everyone's got one, you just get used to it. But as long as you're the King's property, he might put you to work. Nobodies like us in Mistgrove, we're not useful enough to bother with. We get left to our own business more or less, long as the magistrate gets our taxes and all. But you lot?" Her gaze swept across the three women. "Good looking, and I'd wager talented. The King's men aren't going to leave you in a shithole like this; you're going to get put to work on something much more important. I wouldn't fight it; like I said, the King already owns you, and there's no getting out of that. Struggling just makes it worse."
 
Illyana thought to herself that this town is clearly a shithole without saving. Illyana still had no idea why her Fae Lord sent her here, and hoped it wasn’t just as a sacrificial lamb. Still, she put on her best smile, and pretended to be content with the situation.

“We have money,” Illyana said with a smile. “Sir knight, do you mind if we share a room the two of us? This place does not seem the safest of sorts, and I would feel Better knowing you were beside me when I rest.” As she said this, she gave the knight a kind smile, and gently touched her arm. Illyana wasn’t above seducing the knight, but she figured that would not be necessary, given her character.

Illyana looked back at the woman, “can you give us a table as well, with a hearty meal. Taste is not as important as it being filling, today.”
 
"Slow down, witch. Why didn't you bunk with the cat? Lets eat first, and see if our coins are any good here, before getting in anyone's room or any kind of bed." Sir Paega replied in a lowered voice. Then she turned to the woman whowas telling them these things. "Tell us more about the village and the surrounding area then... please. I would rather do something than to wait for someone to notice me."
 
"Just hold a minute..." The woman took walked towards a small doorway, pushing aside the tattered cloth hanging from the frame as she stepped into a back room. A muffled conversation could be heard before the innkeeper came back out. She nodded her head at a table--empty of patrons, although hardly clean. "Food'll be served there when it's ready. I expect the coin up front, though. Now, as for your question," she turned to the knight, "I've never left Mistgrove, nor looked at a map. Geography's not much use to someone stuck in one town all her life. But I'll tell you what I do know."

She leaned against the wall behind her, gazing towards a window. "Forest goes for miles in every direction, but when people come to town, it's either newcomers up from the south, or king's men down from the north. So if you want to do something other than sit around and wait, north is the way to go I s'pose. Or if you want to get things over with, there's king's men right here in town. Not that the magistrate answers direct to the King, or even to the General. I'm sure there's two or three folks between him and the Master of Beasts, but even so I'm sure he'll get you into the hands of someone who'll want you."
 
Illyana handed the women some coin. “This should cover it,” Illyana said, before turning to the knight. “Let’s get a table. I will help you fight anyone you want, but we both need to eat. It has been a hard journey for both of us.” Illyana sat at a table that was empty, and waited for the knight to join her, and for food to be served.
 
Sighing, Sir Paega followed the other non-native woman, but kept her distance. She tried to sit with her back to the wall, to keep an eye on the door and most of the room. "You are right. Everybody need sustenance and rest, maybe it is time to find out what makes this demon lord tick... This must be its home..." she grumbled mostly to herself. "Witch! ... Illyana... Did you came from the south too? Maybe we should first check out how people get here, before going north and have to dodge or fight the king's men in our search of answers. .. Unless you have other plans and more information?" Sir Paega would accept the food, but only ate what others did, and waited before she took a bite to see how Illyana reacted to it.
 
Illya started eating. If she died from poison, that would be better than starvation, which was the only alternative at this point. “Yes, I came from the south as well. I do not have any plans or information, but I was told that after arriving in town, I would receive additional information from my liege lord. For now, I am happy to follow you. There is strength in numbers.”
 
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