"I still think the priestess should get far away from here. I'm surprised we are all still standing, but that won't be the case any longer if we keep this up. They surely will send more hunters after the first two groups had failed, now they know what they are dealing with. On the other hand, we still don't know anything about the shadowhunters. We don't know how many people they have, what they are capable of. We still couldn't figure out how they turn invisible in the dark, who knows what other tricks they've got up their sleeves. Now, they will probably need to regroup before they come for her again, which means she has time to get out of here." Dimitri looks at T'bitha in the eyes. "I wouldn't stay to play this out, priestess. And I think you shouldn't, either."
"I agree with the thief" Tristan says, nodding "They have underestimated us once, but they will not make the same mistake again. We will have all been marked as aiding and abetting T'bitha, but I doubt they would commit resources to chase each one of us if we were not with T'bitha. With that in mind, how about we each hire a carriage and ride out of town in a different direction. Three decoys would force the drow to split their force, and we could agree on a place to reconvene at a later date."
All of Tristan's prior alertness seems to have faded as fast as the strength from his power. His arms lie limp at his sides, his eyes surrounded by dark rings that make his pale complexion skeletal.
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“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"I would have preferred to try to close the matter with the leader of the drow, the one who is responsible for this hunt, once and for all..." Khessa sighs "because I don't like to leave unfinished business. But I know, I know... mine are not 'plans', but 'gambles'... " (is there a hint of irony here?) "plus I effectively understand your point of view. If you don't feel ready to risk one last fight, so be it, we'll avoid it".
"After all," the blonde arcane warrior takes comfort, "we've already killed twelve of them. Maybe thirteen, if the one Ozemon shot at the mansion is also dead. That must be a pretty big blow to their organization. I mean... it's not like we're in the immediate vicinity of the Underdark. How many of these elite hunters might they have sent, to hunt down just one (at least as far as they knew) not too powerful priestess? Apart from their boss, there must not be more than one or two left... In so few, it will be more difficult for them to spy on us, to seek information... and perhaps they will be even more afraid to attack us, given the fate that the others have met. And their leader may also have a hard time asking for reinforcements... If he admits to have lost so many elite shadowhunters to no avail... I think he could risk receiving exemplary punishment, rather than new resources to command! So, anyway, not a too bad result, for a first night of struggle!"
"Now, whether at the moment we embrace Hadi's idea of heading to one of those nearby taverns or not, sooner or later we will have to rest for the night. Shall we do it here, at the den?" asks the tall adventurer "With what's in the cellar, we can barricade the entrance. The windows are firmly closed. We can restore the deadfall (none of those who entered the den survived to warn the others of its existence). And Hadi can restore his magical alarm. If the last shadowhunters dared to attempt one last attack, at least we would have some defense! Or would you prefer to sleep somewhere else? But I don't know where... In a normal inn or at Ozemon's house, in the event of an attack, we would risk involving other people. Outdoors, if we were found, we would have fewer defenses than at the den. So I'd suggest sleeping here in the den tonight. Is that okay with you?"
Khessa, while waiting for her companions to respond, enters the den, where she has hidden the bodies of the slain drow, and searches their bodies, looking both for loot and maybe clues or something of interest.
'One of the fallen was a spellcaster...' thinks the blonde arcane warrior with anticipation 'I really hope he brought his spellbook with him! On the other hand, where should he have left it? He had to be ready to return to the Underdark with the prisoner...'
"I still think the priestess should get far away from here. I'm surprised we are all still standing, but that won't be the case any longer if we keep this up. They surely will send more hunters after the first two groups had failed, now they know what they are dealing with. On the other hand, we still don't know anything about the shadowhunters. We don't know how many people they have, what they are capable of. We still couldn't figure out how they turn invisible in the dark, who knows what other tricks they've got up their sleeves. Now, they will probably need to regroup before they come for her again, which means she has time to get out of here." Dimitri looks at T'bitha in the eyes. "I wouldn't stay to play this out, priestess. And I think you shouldn't, either."
"I agree with the thief" Tristan says, nodding "They have underestimated us once, but they will not make the same mistake again. We will have all been marked as aiding and abetting T'bitha, but I doubt they would commit resources to chase each one of us if we were not with T'bitha. With that in mind, how about we each hire a carriage and ride out of town in a different direction. Three decoys would force the drow to split their force, and we could agree on a place to reconvene at a later date."
All of Tristan's prior alertness seems to have faded as fast as the strength from his power. His arms lie limp at his sides, his eyes surrounded by dark rings that make his pale complexion skeletal.
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"I would have preferred to try to close the matter with the leader of the drow, the one who is responsible for this hunt, once and for all..." Khessa sighs "because I don't like to leave unfinished business. But I know, I know... mine are not 'plans', but 'gambles'... " (is there a hint of irony here?) "plus I effectively understand your point of view. If you don't feel ready to risk one last fight, so be it, we'll avoid it".
"After all," the blonde arcane warrior takes comfort, "we've already killed twelve of them. Maybe thirteen, if the one Ozemon shot at the mansion is also dead. That must be a pretty big blow to their organization. I mean... it's not like we're in the immediate vicinity of the Underdark. How many of these elite hunters might they have sent, to hunt down just one (at least as far as they knew) not too powerful priestess? Apart from their boss, there must not be more than one or two left... In so few, it will be more difficult for them to spy on us, to seek information... and perhaps they will be even more afraid to attack us, given the fate that the others have met. And their leader may also have a hard time asking for reinforcements... If he admits to have lost so many elite shadowhunters to no avail... I think he could risk receiving exemplary punishment, rather than new resources to command! So, anyway, not a too bad result, for a first night of struggle!"
"Now, whether at the moment we embrace Hadi's idea of heading to one of those nearby taverns or not, sooner or later we will have to rest for the night. Shall we do it here, at the den?" asks the tall adventurer "With what's in the cellar, we can barricade the entrance. The windows are firmly closed. We can restore the deadfall (none of those who entered the den survived to warn the others of its existence). And Hadi can restore his magical alarm. If the last shadowhunters dared to attempt one last attack, at least we would have some defense! Or would you prefer to sleep somewhere else? But I don't know where... In a normal inn or at Ozemon's house, in the event of an attack, we would risk involving other people. Outdoors, if we were found, we would have fewer defenses than at the den. So I'd suggest sleeping here in the den tonight. Is that okay with you?"
Khessa, while waiting for her companions to respond, enters the den, where she has hidden the bodies of the slain drow, and searches their bodies, looking both for loot and maybe clues or something of interest.
'One of the fallen was a spellcaster...' thinks the blonde arcane warrior with anticipation 'I really hope he brought his spellbook with him! On the other hand, where should he have left it? He had to be ready to return to the Underdark with the prisoner...'