[b]Co-GM IC:[/b]

[b]The Keep - Second Floor, 10 PM [/b]
[hr]
As Balthazar walked through the halls of the keep, he could not help but feel a little worried. Normally, when the Sending Stones are used, the recipient of the message can send a reply if they so wish. Without a reply of acknowledgement, the old man could only assume the worst, and that the assassins were at least somewhat successful. This worried the man; how could he return to his Emperor-- [i]his friend[/i]-- knowing that he had failed to uphold his promise?

Still, the man took a deep breath. If Leonidas had even a fraction of his father's resilience, a bit of poison wouldn't be the end of him. It was, of course, exceedingly problematic that the Orc Warband not only had a non-orc advisor, but a group of assassins, too. The fact that they were willing to go as far as to attempt to take the life of such high-profile individuals showed how dangerous this group could truly be.

...even if the assassins in question were not as competent as their master would like.

The spymaster spotted an unassuming man walking down the corridors-- presumably in search of him. Their eyes met, and the servant called out to him. Balthazar remembered this man from before: he was one of Duke Manuel's attendants... 'Morgan', the old man believed his name was. The butler was first to speak, politely bowing before the noble in question, before speaking.

[b]"My lord, the Duke has fallen victim to assassins!"[/b]

"[color=#239C89]So I've heard. Where is he now?[/color]"

[b]"In his bedroom, my lord. The doctor is treating him as best as she can."[/b]

"[color=#239C89]Good. I need you to locate one of our companions-- a cleric of the Sacred Order known as Lady Turash. See if she has recovered from her fatigue enough to wake. Her healing skills may prove essential soon.[/color]"

[b]"As you wish, my lord."[/b]

The two parted ways soon after, walking splitting off at an intersection. Morgan went to find Drana, while Balthazar moved towards the master bedroom to check on the Duke's condition. The old man found the correct door soon enough, took a sigh, and knocked twice before entering the room. The man nodded to the healer in the room, before slowly approaching the incapacitated man in bed.

"[color=#239C89]Duke Karstilli.[/color]" Balthazar said quietly. "[color=#239C89]How does he fare?[/color]" He asked the healer, though the pause in the air gave the Duke in question enough time to respond, if he so wished.

[b]The Keep - Courtyard, 10 PM[/b]
[hr]
Manald easily disabled the assassin that he had grabbed. A few broken bones, and a massive kick to the groin is all that was needed to truly put the man down. Still, although the dagger stung more than a little bit, and the poison felt somewhat painful... a poison that was potentially fatal to a regular humanoid could not even hope to overpower the hardiness that a lycanthrope provided. Still, it was more than a little annoying. If they had the ability to use more poison, or perhaps a stronger one, then perhaps he'd truly be in trouble.

Merik's quick action also helped prevent his friend from becoming injured. The crossbow-wielding assassin couldn't help but let out panicked screams as the eight-foot-tall lizardman pounced on him. At this range, he had no hope. With a few strikes to vital areas, the man was quickly subdued.

The pair of beastmen didn't know what these assassins were here for, but it was certainly nothing good. Now all they needed to do is haul them off to the dungeons, or hand them off to the guards.

[b]The Keep - Stables, 10 PM[/b]
[hr]
Zatana's initial approach was quite successful-- even with the man having freed his cloak from that wicked mare, the enemy assassin was not able to anticipate the feint. As her blades opened up the man's inner thigh, and cut a slash across his dagger hand, her attacks only compounded his injuries. With his injuries from the previous battles, and his exhaustion, this fight was as good as finished. It was clear that these assassins were not anticipating such resistance.

But the Drow was nothing if not thorough. She easily disrupted the man's footwork with a sweep of the leg, causing him to collapse onto his (comparatively) better knee. This is all it takes, and Zatana's ruthless, calculated barrage of fists to the man's various vital points easily incapacitated the man. He let out a long groan of pain as he quietly curled up in a ball to avoid any further damage to his nethers (and the rest of his body).

It was clear that the assassin wasn't going to be able to move for a while, even if he wanted to. A quick survey of the area reveals that it is relatively safe-- though the mare seemed to want in on the action herself. Regardless, one thing was for certain: Zatana had the man at her mercy.

[b]The Trade Square, 10:30 PM[/b]
[hr]
The Crown Prince now thoroughly unconscious, Acrius hefted the man onto his shoulders and called for help. Thankfully, Petyr, who was nearby enjoying the festivities, was nearby to help. Together, they carried the Crown Prince to the barracks. Many guards gave the trio strange looks, but once they realize that the Crown Prince needed assistance, moved aside to let them through.

A healer was dispatched to help assist the Prince, and although the doctor was not able to cleanse the body of the poison, he was able to stabilize Leonidas and prevent his condition from deteriorating further. Soon enough, a carriage and an armed escort of guards would come to bring the Crown Prince (and any other members of the Crown Guard) back to the Keep, where it is safer for him to recover.

Naturally, after word of the Prince's poisoning had gone around, the festivities were put on hold. The party was dispersed, and an impromptu curfew was imposed. Everyone was to return to their homes.

[b]City Streets, 11:00 PM[/b]
[hr]
Rudolph, Fullar, and Gordon quickly neutralized the saboteurs walking the streets before looking amongst themselves. Were there more? With one dead, and another unconscious, they had little recourse. The guards would bring Clarisse to the Keep for questioning, while Captain Helt had ordered the remainder of the guard to sweep the city streets for assassins and saboteurs.

They would not find any more.

...but at least, they have managed to prevent further damage to the city's infrastructure. The amount of damage truly done would not be evident until the next day, when the people of the city would go out to draw water from the well. In the end, it was only a single well, so it wasn't that bad, but the fact that these opponents would go so far as to attack infrastructure was... troubling.