Alden

Alden listen to Artur and shakes his head affirming what the druid is saying. 

"Sound advise. We shall leave before first light." he states. 

Alden pauses for a moment, taking in the surroundings and listening to the crowd then turns to Artur. 

"Yualkid is your best protection here, I believe, and he will protect you at any cost, especially if your cure works for him."Alden says. 

Alden regards the new comer for a moment. "I suggest you prepare yourself for an early morning. I think it best we go when the workers start getting out and about. It will be less conspicuous that way."

Alden suddenly realizes what Thalion and Yoric are up to and winces a little, shaking his head. "Subtlety and secrecy are neither of their strong suit." he says absently.

Alden then turns to Nevlav. "What are your suggestions for this next step in our journey?" he asks. "I know we are far from your comfort zone in this , my friend, and would like to know what you feel what our best course of action for the next few days." Alden 

"I don't like the fact that it seems that some in our government is turning on it's heroes but we need to get out of the city and end this. That witch in the woods should be our goal straight away. All for the King," Nevlav says empassioned.

Keaton has been listening, observing.  The dynamic between his new friend and these two new allies of his seems... tense at best.  He waits quietly as they discuss freeing Yualkid, and quietly agrees with Alden's assessments.  "There may be no other option," he quietly mutters, "Troublesome alliances in dire times.."  

When he's addressed, Keaton says "I completely agree, that would be the most inconspicuous way to leave.  I am truthfully not picky on the how or when as long as it is before Stairclimber and his new pet dwarf return.  I am not so much worried about my safety as I am this crowd.  They've been good to me.  I think I'll watch a couple of the bouts and get ready for an early morning once we are done here.  There's some to coin to be made in bets first, though."

When Nevlav says "For the King," Keaton's eyebrow cocks.  An interesting thing to say, considering that it seems we are trying to undo the king's work here.  Ah, well, there will be time to unpack that later.  In the meantime, Keaton will watch his words.

Alden

Alden smiles slightly after Nevla excalims "For the King." but holds his tongue. 

"Agreed then" Alden says. "We best let our friends know and then find a place to hold up away from the crowds until morning. I am assuming we need to get a room if we can and have a watch."

Alden will turn to try and see if he can locate Yoric. 

Yoric is calling out the fight’s events in rapid fire, transatlantic accent.

Hes pretty easy to find just outside the fight ring

In the Pit 

Topip sidesteps Thalion's strike and drops his own weapon a dagger with a curved blade instead. "It seems I misjudged you, old sock. I need to forgo style points for now and go straight for the blood. Pity that, but them's the breaks, I suppose." He makes a kissy face towards the buxom female gnome that accompanied him and without even looking at you Thalion, goes to dig the dagger into your ribs.

Attack: 23 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.

As the blade sinks through your armor into your ribs, Topip leans in close and you can see how strained he looks, like he's barely holding onto consciouness. "Just go down, dammit! I'll make it worth your while, man." He whispers between clenched teeth.

Upstairs

Artur Felix grunts noncommittally at Nevlav's declaration. "Curing the sovereign may be the only way to end the Committee's hold on the throne. If the King passes, and Neskor takes the throne, there's another war, far greater than the previous one, in all of our futures. In the meantime, a cure for a black dragonborn crimelord. Huh. This city never ceases to surprise me." 

The druid goes upstairs, hugging his satchel very close to his body once more, seemingly mumbling about some sort of herbs he needs...

Alden

Alden will watch the druid go but say nothing.

Alden will make his way to the innkeeper and say "I need a room for the night. Do you have one?"

Thalion quietly lamented his decision to switch to his blade as he felt the cocky gnome's knife slip past his armor and into his skin. But then his overconfident opponent took a moment to speak to him, to plead with him, and he laughed.

"HA! You expect me, Thalion Strongbow, hero of the Redwood Forests, hated enemy of hags, villain of Valance, to let you win?" he says with a snarl on his lips. "My honor will not be besmirched by the likes of you!"

On that final word he lashes in a downward arc toward his smaller foe, his usually bright, boisterous tone turning into an animal growl.

Attack: 12 Damage: 13

Keaton remains seated for a time, pondering the nature of his new situation. He watches Thalion continue to fight.  Thalion and Yoric seem quite the pair.  

What to make of the other two members of the group?  Heading to the pit, preparing a few bets, Keaton thinks to himself,  "Bah, I will have plenty of time for introspection later.  This will be my last night in the city for quite a while.  Might as well enjoy it."

Huto looks you up and down Alden, and back at the Pit. "Two rooms left. Is five silver each. Free if you take part in Pit fight. One more space available. Big prize. Tough half-elf like you could go far in tournament."

In the Pit

Topip is surprised  by the strength of your latest thrust, but he throws a handful of dust at you that blinds you just long enough for your thrust to go wide. Topip grins at you and strokes his pencil thin mustache. "Time to finish this. They don't call me Topip the Ripper just because I rip bodices, mate."

He will slash at your throat with the dagger and then Disengage as a bonus action and go back to his whip.

Attack: 16 Damage: 6

 Thalion, you move your shortsword up to block Topip's dagger, but you misjudge and the gnome slices you right across the fleshy part of your arm.  There is a gasp from the audience as Topip now draws blood from you. He uncoils the whip and grins, showing off a mouthful of rotten teeth.

Thalion makes a guttural grunting sound as his blood leaks from his cut throat, blinking through the haze of dust kicked up by the crafty gnome.

Finally he sees the greasy pallor of the yellow-toothed scoundrel again some distance away from and now the gnome was brandishing that damned whip again. Wanting to get back on equal footing again now that he had tasted the bite of Topip's dagger, Thalion drops his shortsword and runs back to where he left his bow.

He was prepared to feel the lash of the whip on his back as he ran but he pounded through the bloody dirt regardless and grabbed his bow. Feeling reassured with it in his hands he fires a feathered missile at the miniature fiend.

Attack: 14 Damage: 11

Alden

Alden will let out a small laugh "I have already had my arse handed to me today so I am not in any shape to be rough housing around." he says.

Alden will give up 5 silver. "I'll just take a room and I suppose the luxury of a hot bath is out of the question?" he asks.

At the Bar

Huto grumbles a bit but takes Alden's coin, and she cackles at Alden's suggestion of a hot bath. "Woo hoo, Mr. Fancy wants a bath. Huto knows several fancy bathouses in the Park District that may suit his Lordship." She drops a small brass key in front of you and starts to move on. "You is in Parapets District. You is lucky you has a room to yourself."

(Keaton, Felix, and Yoric already have rooms; Thalion and Nevlav would have to share, or one of those with existing rooms can offer to share.)

In the Pit

Topip chuckles lustily as Thalion breaks for his bow and he cracks the whip towards the ranger.

Attack: 10 Damage: 4

The blood and sweat streaming into the little gnome's eyes makes it harder for him to see and the whip snaps harmlessly into the air a good 10 feet from where you are standing.

Thalion, this gives you ample time to take a deep breath, notch an arrow, draw it back and send it hurtling right towards the gnome. Your aim is true and Topip staggers backwards and finally passes out. A large half-orc bounds over and starts to drag Topip out of the ring. The cheers come in furiously, as Strongbow seems to have won more than a few admirers for  the gritty display he put on.

Next to Yoric, Togs the kobold leans forward in her seat, eyes as wide as dinner plates. "YES! Big elf is tough. What a fight!" She grips Yoric's shoulder, her little claws digging in as she whoops in excitement. "Togs wishes Mama would let her fight too." She says wistfully.

Thalion lets out the breath he had been holding as he drew back the bowstring. He lowers his weapon just as he hears the telling thunk of the arrow embedding into muscle and bone. Suddenly the sound of the crowd hit him like a surging wave as his eagle-like focus on his downed prey subsided.

He tears a bit of cloth from his bloodied forest green jerkin's sleeve and wraps it around his wounded neck as he walks over to his shortsword. He sighs. Not a drop of blood on the blade. He was still far more comfortable with a bow, but he still gave quiet and equal thanks to both Errk the aarakocra and the elves who had trained him to shoot.

At last he turns to the crowd and raises his brawny (for an elf, anyway) arms high in victory. He basks for a moment in the glory before exiting the pit. He winks at Yoric and says to the nearest kobold, "Who's next?"

Togs looks you Thalion up and down and nods solemnly. "Elf do okay for first round. Topip tough customer and one bad gnome. Elf got not good draw though. Togs feel sorry for poor human girl. If Mama let fighters kill one another, big Hobgoblin Ordorn would be using girl's bones as toothpick. They fight next He and Petgolor BIG favorites. Most people bet on them."

She looks you over. "You go see medic now. Not good for elf to enter final round bleeding. Final fight always grueling. Very bloody." The young kobold sounds faintly excited about this possibility.

Keaton goes to Yoric, knowing he has connection to the fighter. "Where do I go to place a bet on the elf here?'

The nauseous dizziness of blood loss hit Thalion all at once when Togs mentions a medic. The cloth around his neck was steadily becoming soaked with dark red blood and beneath his armor he felt the cool sensation of it drying on his skin.

He nods once and staggers off to find a healer. He stops and grins fiercely at Keaton, bowing his head slightly to him as he passes him by.

Quote from jabritton82 >>

Next to Yoric, Togs the kobold leans forward in her seat, eyes as wide as dinner plates. "YES! Big elf is tough. What a fight!" She grips Yoric's shoulder, her little claws digging in as she whoops in excitement. "Togs wishes Mama would let her fight too." She says wistfully.

Yoric will wave everyone to silence with a few strums of his harp. “Blood is spilled for coin! So get yours out and buy Strongbow the Strong Arm a drink! And me as well, if you’re generous.”

 “Tell me your weapon of choice, dear?” Yoric gives Togs the up down.

He will turn to Keaton amidst this and call loudly: “Oh I can take bets right here! Bring your coin, win some coin! Right here!”

Alden

Shaking his head, Alden takes his key and heads up to his room. Once there he will set his pack down and secure his door. After that he will settle in to get some rest before the morning comes. 

Keaton, getting wrapped up in the spirit of fun, plops a handful of coins into Yoric's small hands.  "10 gold on the elf.  Let's see how he does in his next match."

He asks Huto for a stout ale and settles in to watch the fight.