FINALE

[mighttakeyours]

[The Gentlemen have claimed their fourth victim. Thus far they have paced themselves rather slowly, but they're starting to notice the residents beginning to rally together. They no longer have the leisure of being so choosy. If they want to collect their seven hearts, they'll need to be quicker about it or they will continue to lose their henchmen. And good help is so hard to find.

But first, they must deliver this heart to their hideout. They would hate for anything to happen to it.

The Gentlemen can be seen gliding along the path from the castle and heading toward town. What remaining minions they have with them hobble behind them. They pay no mind to anyone around them. The heart takes priority until it is safe and secure in the clock tower they have claimed for themselves.

Residents may attempt to trail them... if they dare.]

Comments

Action

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine, back to being cloaked by her invisiblity spell, notices the Gentlemen from her position on the roof. Quietly, she transits onto one of the town rooftops to see where they are going.]

[mighttakeyours]

[If they notice, her, they certainly aren't showing it. They glide through the town, down winding, narrow roads and along even broader streets. They're intent on reaching their destination without any disruptions.]

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine has no intentions to disrupt yet. That's for a different team. For the moment, she's willing to watch, report, and wait for the opportune moment.]

[mighttakeyours]

[The Gentlemen coast by slowly as they do, while the minions hobble forward at a much quicker speed. They appear to be heading toward an old clock tower in the corner of the town. One enters through door at the base of it.]

[wizard_redfive]

[Scooore.

Silently, Dairine transits over to where her group is waiting to share the news. She'll be seeing you Gentlemen soon.]

Rangers

[sworn]

[For those who have assembled under Anne's banner as her rangers--bonus!Anne included--Vereesa has led them silently toward the town, following their footsteps. She instructs the others to take to higher ground while she continues on foot.]

OTA!

[ensorceler]

[ Anne, surprise surprise, begins on horseback with black skirts and vail flowing and also an uncharacteristic silver breastplate upon her. Any who would recognize it could see it as Vereesa's, but it was a rushed decision. In her own flourish, Anne adds a cape that showcases the Tudor Rose.

Once close enough she dismounts. She is no ranger, or professional archer. It is just a sport to her, but she is well at it, and gone hunting plenty, and here she is able to participate without being on the front lines. She hopes they won't be needed, and that the princess's scream will be plenty. But who is present to relay such a cry of passion and yearning? Anne certainly could, had she the voice, but she is no princess. Did Arya escape, or did Robb keep her at bey? She isn't sure.

For any here, or any other soldiers that pass by, she will share with them her prayers and her touch, whether or not they acknowledge. ]

[mighttakeyours]

[But what if a henchman passes by? How will she regard him? He passes quickly, leaving only a small gust of wind in his trail as he hurries along, not even stopping to regard Anne.]

[ensorceler]

[ The gust makes her turn of course, though when she opens her mouth to scream there is no sound. Instead she readies her shortbow, and though she is used to still targets, she tries her outmust to aim true. Weapons are useless, but they are after all coated with wrapped oil and fire. ]

[mighttakeyours]

[The arrow narrowly misses, but a bit of the flame licks the minion and starts a small fire upon its shoulder. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, it simply carries on.

At least it now serves as a beacon as it heads toward a dark part of the town.]

[ensorceler]

[ In that case she is firing three more, and praying to God they hit. This is surreal. ]

[mighttakeyours]

[The first falls short just behind him, hitting the road and its flame quickly dying. The second strikes him in the center of his back, but he continues to move quickly, his movements only fanning the flame. The third hits as well, and he becomes the brightest torch.]

[sworn]

[That... is not what she was expecting to see. She watches the creature continue on its path, flames illuminating the dark streets, and her brows furrow in confusion. They will stop at nothing, will they?

She gives a quick signal to Anne, who she catches eyes with, and points toward the living torch. She turns to give the same signal to anyone who happens to join her.]

[Action/journal]

[cant_breathe_no_heir]

[Out on another search, Equius noticed the Gentlemen as they hurried down their path.

Hasitly he took out his journal and opened it, jotting down a message to the castle.

D --> There is trouble
D --> The gentlemen are presently in the town

Flipping the journal shut, Equius set down the path into the town after them. He didn't really care for stealth at the moment.]

[mighttakeyours]

[He has a bit of catching up to do as the Gentlemen coast through the heart of the town. They have ignored every other person trailing them thus far, confident that there is nothing anyone can to do stop them.]

[cant_breathe_no_heir]

[He follows behind, taking great strides to keep up with them.

He doesn't plan on doing anything just yet. He needed to know where they were going.

[mighttakeyours]

[If he follows them long enough, he'll notice that they've come across an old clock tower. The hands of the clock have stopped some time ago, and it has become an ideal place of refuge for the dapper men.]

The Clock Tower

[mighttakeyours]

[The residents have successfully followed the Gentlemen through town, and it seems their final destination is an old Clock Tower, seemingly out of use. The henchmen open the doors at the base of the tower, allowing entrance for their heart-seeking masters.

The door shuts behind them as they disappear inside.]

sneaky/stealth group - anyone who can get to the tower is welcome!

[hellofist]

[Yeah but who needs doors, though? Cass has been tailing them the last few blocks with a few well aimed batgrapple shots reaching the top of the tower is quick work.

Her goal is to find a box and she's kind of hoping that these weirdos operate kind of like a cult does. If they do, maybe there's some kind of altar or something with the box smack in the middle and she can just grab it and escape.

Or, you know, just smash it. Whatever seems best at the time.]

[secondchances]

[Can has another Batgirl, right behind Cass. Holy shit does she miss talking. She follows Cass' lead, apprehensive given how many lives have been lost already.]

[mighttakeyours]

[The Gentlemen are quite unaware that they have some batladies who can scale their way to the top of the tower. Some henchmen that were positioned on the stairs are going to miss some of the action.

The tower is dark, but if they listen closely they can hear the shuffling of feet and rustling of glass jars in the distance.]

[hellofist]

[Well rustling is always promising, so Cass starts in that direction, trusting Steph to follow her silently. She really isn't looking forward to seeing what might be in those jars, though.]

[secondchances]

[Steph falls in step behind Cass, getting a batarang out just in case. Something is definitely ahead, and Cass must hear it, too.]

[mighttakeyours]

[There's an open area just on the other side of the tower. Four tall figures float in front of a table, one of them causing the jars to clank. They stop to clap and praise each other for whatever reason. One of the Gentlemen moves just enough to show that whatever the contents of the jars are, they are blood red.

A minion appears before Cass and attempts to grab onto her. Intruders are not welcome here.]

[hellofist]

[Honestly, this is what Cass had been hoping for. When she's grabbed she grabs back, hands on the minions arms as she yanks it back and away from where all that clanking is.

Her plan is to knock it out without it alerting the others, so she jerks her head toward the group indicating to Steph to go on, she's got this one.]