The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Keyo nods quietly, a little sadly. I... well, maybe I'll go north.  To Gwarden.  Maybe to this Pallid Grove the people are talking about.  Maybe I'll find some blue goblins on the way.

Arael hesitates.  I'm going to stay in Port Damali for a day or two.  I might follow and catch up, once we're safely out of the city, or I might take a different path.  I haven't decided yet.  I will miss you all, but... well, I'm good at being on my own.  Maybe I'll head east.  See what there is to see in Xhorhas.

You all make your goodbyes, and for most of you, that means leaving the story at this point.  The narration here will follow Silent as he makes his way out of the city and meets a new travelling companion, so I need to know a little more about his plans - though as agreed, these should in some form involve heading into the Empire.

It's up to StevenDM if you want to go through Pockets' return home here, or in a private DM thread, or just leave the tale untold.

(OOC: Let’s leave it untold. Once Pockets leaves he becomes an NPC and maybe we find out some day down the line.)

After saying his goodbyes Silent will seek out the grimiest dive bar he can find in the Port (probably getting lost along the way thanks to his poor sense of direction). Falling back on an old coping mechanism, his immediate goal is to block out negative feelings with a ton of booze. 

Silent, you find yourself in the Lost Zemnian, located in the tumbledowns.  It seems to cater mostly to exiles or immigrants from the Empire, many of whom are speaking a language, presumably Zemnian, that you cannot understand.  They are not hostile as such, but they are certainly not friendly and you drink alone and unwanted.  You are down a total of 5 gold pieces - in that bar, you shouldn't have been able to spend more than five silver, so you would probably be wondering how you spent it if you weren't lying in the street, face up, being kicked.

Hey.  Hey you.  Orc boy.  Get up.  

You manage to open your eyes, and see a uniformed Zhelezo looking down at you.  Human, young-looking, arrogant.

Oh, we're gonna have some fun with you, orc boy.  Hey, nice sword.  Stolen probably.  Why don't you give it to me.  There's laughter, suggesting that at least one other Zhelezo is with him.

(OOC: Silent only had 6 gold left so I just cleared him out)

Don't want no trouble, friend, says Silent slurring his words. He will attempt to roll over and raise his hands in the air while getting to his feet shakily. Just had a few too many... happens to the best of us, eh? 

Oh, yeah, the best of us.  Right.  I can't remember how many times I've caught the great lords and ladies lying drunk in the streets.  Nah, friend.  We only find scum like you.  I said I wanted your sword.  You got a death wish?

You turn your head to one side; the city gate is perhaps two hundred feet away. As you rise, very shakily to your feet, your head pounding, you think you see another group of Zhelezo approaching from the other direction.

Assuming he's not yet surrounded Silent will take off running in the opposite direction from the approaching Zhelezo (probably looking hilariously uncoordinated), putting a hand to the hilt of his greatsword strapped to his back but not drawing it. 

Silent is not surrounded.  He sets off at an incredible speed, but one of the Zhelezo calls out, Stop!  Thief!  and they and the other Zhelezo start to give chase.

You are perhaps a hundred and fifty feet from the gate.  It's not yet dawn, but the gate is open and a trickle of people, some farmers and travellers setting out, are passing through.  You see at least one Zhelezo standing guard.  The chasing Zhelezo are maybe thirty feet behind you.  You are running as fast as you can, your feet pounding on the street as your hangover is pounding through your head.

What next?

There is an endless stream of creative swearwords coming from Silent's mouth. With his eyes streaming from the hangover, he looks over his shoulder and shouts YOU'RE CHASING THE WRONG GUY! IT WASN'T ME, DAMMIT! 

Simultaneous to this yell, a large translucent shadow shoots forth, holding its hands up at the pursuing Zhelezo. Barely processing this development Silent continues running full-tilt towards the gate. 

(OOC: I believe Silent is unaware that he's become an Echo Knight capable of manipulating Dunamis although he was exposed to Dunamancy teachings before - in this situation he's using a bonus action to instinctively Manifest Echo 15 feet behind him thanks to the adrenaline rush) 

Silent, you have never done this.  You have seen your trainers accomplish it.  You have learned the theory.  You expected that the ability would manifest one day.  But you didn't expect that day to come when you were racing down a slum street to escape the corrupt law of the Clovis Concord.  You continue to race and dash forward as the thought, and then the power, build inside you until you let it free.  Your Echo appears in the street behind you; you cannot see, but you hear the cries of alarm as the Zhelezo see it.  Some slow down, holding back, but your accuser shouts loudly:  It's an illusion, you idiots.  He attempts to run through it, but collides with it and is sent crashing to the ground.

You are now around a hundred feet from the gate.  The Zhelezo have slowed or stopped in confusion, most around thirty feet behind you, unwilling to approach your Echo.

The Echo is a bonus action.  Are you using your action to dash?  And what's your next move?

Yep, his plan is to keep dashing toward the gate until and unless something physically blocks his path. In his current state of mind Silent isn't going to be thinking of calling out for help or attempting to hide anywhere. 

Silent, you dash on, and behind you, unseen,  you feel your Echo... vanish.  You have moved too far from it.  You curse inwardly - you know this, you studied this.  The Zhelezo shout in anger, their fallen comrade picking himself up, and the chase is on again.  But you've gained lots of ground.  You're now forty feet from the gate, the chasing pack fifty feet behind you. 

The gate is... blocked.  Not closed, but two Zhelezo on guard now standing in the middle of the street near the arch of the gate, weapons drawn.  You don't see a way around them.  One of them shouts:  Halt!  Stop where you are!

Silent will Manifest Echo once more, this time having it run right beside him. He draws his blade and raises it above his head, his echo doing the same. He yells at the top of his lungs No - YOU move or you die!   

(He has no intentions of murdering these people but is attempting to be as intimidating as possible under the circumstances) 

Make an Intimidation check.

Intimidation: 22 

You and your Echo barrel past the Zhelezo; one is so shocked, he takes a step back and seems to fumble his weapon - it's possible that he's never used it, or perhaps just never faced someone as large and angry-looking as Silent.  

The other Zhelezo makes an attack against the Echo:

Attack: 19 Damage: 3

It hits, slicing at the image and doing damage which looks realistic, but the Echo keeps pace with its creator.  

You are out, beyond the gate.  The chasing Zhelezo seem to be continuing to chase, however.  What the... stop him!  Them!  Shoot the bastard!  The travellers and farmers on the road are backing away from you, terrified.

(OOC: The Echo has 1 hit point so it would have been destroyed by the Zhelezo's attack)

Silent will continue dashing between travelers down the road. If he sees any potential hiding places or escape routes (like some sort of dense trail heading away from the main road, or a wagon with supplies), he'll try to take advantage of them. He'll also summon the Echo again, having it keep pace. 

(You're right.  The Echo vanished for a few seconds, then rejoined you as you summoned it again.)

One of the farmers, a large burly man, seems to feel he'll have a go, and runs up to grab at you:

Attack for grapple:  11

You push him out of the way.  

Attack: 11 Damage: 4
Attack: 20 Damage: 2

You see the crossbow bolts shoot past, and keep running.  There's nowhere to hide yet, but you see trees up ahead to one side, and the road curves behind them.  You could hide, or at least get out of sight of the guards.

Will you keep running, or attempt to hide in the small woods?

Making a beeline for the woods - he's going to keep dashing after entering them with the hopes that the trees will deter his pursuers. However, he will  have the Echo skirt around the trees staying on the main road (not sure how long it'll stay up). 

You would need to time it just right.  The Echo disappears when you get more than 15 feet from it.  I think that would be an INT check.