Back in the Day (Chapter I) — Legacy Forums

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#401

Talia did not sit down. If she did, she'd have a hard time getting up again. "I suppose some people want to loot the camp; I doubt they'll find much resistance. But we need to rest, somewhere dry, if we can help it. We've already lost one; I do not wish to lose another." She glanced over at Aethelstan's body. She hadn't known him well, but he had fought and died on something she had started. That was enough. She'd honor him later in her own way; this was not the time and it wasn't the place.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#402

While the others tended to the wounded and the slain, Vee made his way back to the camp, Jervoe's head slung under his arm. A swath of cloth was wrapped around his masticated hand, and would be looked at later. It could wait, though no one knew if ghouls contaminated with their bites. That would nag at him for a while. He moved deftly through the ruin of the camp. The place was in shambles, all of the tents were down, some burned to ash from falling hot coals. There were bodies everywhere, all of them dead, and most of them not moving. There were a few ghouls still moving, missing legs and such. They seemed to have taken the bandits by surprise, most of them were probably drunk, hung-over, or just asleep.

He could imagine the cold terror, the sudden rushing of the ghouls with their cold hands and bitting teeth, ignoring even instantly sudden wounds and only collapsing after taking severe physical damage. He moved from corpse to corpse in a cold and methodical fashion. A silver piece here, a gold piece there, but it added up, and added up rather quickly. It was no great haul, but there was enough that they would no go hungry when they returned to Ganse. He lifted a few of the bandit's swords, easily a dozen blades, and bound them together with a leather thong cut from the tunic of a dead bandit. He left them in their armor, always leave something for the gypsies, they said back in Nimz, or they will curse you and yours.

One corpse stood out among the others, dressed not in tattered leather and bandit rags, but a blue cloak, now splattered with blood. Vee guessed it was Bassilinor, the goatee seemed to fit his description, and the steep widow's peaks in his hair helped. The look of agony on his face, half eaten, was another matter. Vee pulled a wand from his cold and lifeless hand. Magery was always good money, even if it was dodgy business. The corpse yielded three dark red garnets and a scroll, thankfully in a case, otherwise the blood from the renal artery would have ruined it.

An hour later he returned to where the others were, his hands slick with half congealed bandit blood, he had tried to scrub some off of the grass, but found it as befouled as his hands. The inspector and the necromancer would be pleased, Bassilinor's head dangled gorily from his bundle of swords. The head of the mage and the bandit leader would bring them good coin in town.

Someone said the vengeance was sweet, but this tasted like ash...

(OOC - 48 GP, 73 SP, multiple swords of various quality, a scroll, a wand, and 3 garnets worth 30 GP each, plus the heads of Jervoe and Bassilinor, need to check back in Aerex's book for their GP value)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#403

Upon Vee’s return, and somewhat successful haul, the companions trudged onwards, eager to escape the rain, and most of all…rest. Weary and grim, no one among the group even spoke, as they made their way from Aetheltan’s final resting place.

After fifteen minutes of sloshing about, they neared what appeared to be a field of earthen burial mounds, mud trickling off them in streams from the relentless downpour. The companions paused, unsure of what they were looking upon.

Eerie, there was no other way of describing this place, even in the rain, this site seemed disturbing. The hairs stood up on Tristan’s neck, like bristles.

On the far side of this hundred yard field of burial mounds, stood what appeared to be yet another wide-mouthed, overgrown cave. Only the sound of the rain could be heard, and not much could be seen through the watery walls all around them.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#404

Elsewhere

The dead end cave surprised Vorodon. It had been outfitted with the finest in stolen furniture. Thick rugs covered the beaten cave floor. Fine silk tapestries and masterful seascape paintings hung from the walls, giving the cold cave an almost regal feel. A four-poster bed took up much of a large nook to the south, and nearby stood an oak desk with a matching armoire. Alas, much of the furniture was damp and ruined, spattered and stained with gore, and deeply scarred by swordplay. Against the opposite wall from the bed, stood four massive chests. The combined hoard of Jervoe and Mingo, though only Mingo was now left of the two brothers!

The scarred, pale, red-haired man did not have his brother’s charisma, but what he lacked in people skills, he made up for with an unmatched ruthlessness, most of the men feared Mingo, whereas most ‘loved’ Jervoe.

Vorodon had accompanied the shouting Mingo and his handpicked cronies to the cave. The whole way, the wicked man was perversely grinning, happy to have been rid of his brother, at the hands of these crazed ghouls! He screamed to the impressive hulk, promises of gold and fortune, trying to recruit Vorodon to his cause.

With them were three others, two of Mingo’s chosen and an unwanted, sniveling wizard, who called himself Hamako. The “wizard”, as Vorodon learned by overhearing snippets of conversation during the earlier birthday feast, had charmed his way into Jervoe’s good graces, but was for some reason, reluctant to cast any magic, as proof of his powers, providing various excuses in lieu of arcana.

Tib the Terrible, swung twin horseman flails, in the air, impressed with the whistling sound they generated, as he stood by Mingo’s flank, while the new bandit leader, desirous of new men as he was, fiddled and ogled the four chests, while holding an oil lamp in one hand and his thick, snaggle-toothed broadsword in the other.

Bigbones, a woman who stood a head above six feet, was Mingo’s lover. A huge, fearsome woman, who’s grim countenance was backed up by a formidable bardiche, a colossal wide-bladed pole-ax, which she was now leaning on, while looking suspiciously at Vorodon. She had never seen one bigger than herself.

Vorodon noticed that she did not seem intimidated by him, in fact it almost seemed as if the moose of a woman, was casting amorous eyes in his direction!

Mingo was busy examining the chests and did not notice.

“What did I tell you ogre! Treasure! It is mine now, and some for you as well. Keep an eye on the entrance. I don’t want any more surprises this night! If anything, or anyone enters, you have my permission to slay them.”

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#405

Landlubbers Inn

Slurping from his broth, and eyeing the crowd inside of the Landlubbers Inn from beneath bushy blonde brows, one peculiar man caught Glordren’s attention. A bald individual, with a sunken, fallow, vulture-like visage, perched upon a sinewy neck, which emerged eel-like, from an impressive and foreboding cloak of night-black bear fur.

Glordren made a rude belching sound, as he continued studying the man and slurping from his bowl. He looked dangerous Glordren thought, the kind of man he needed, if he could ever hope to unlock the secrets of the Akhanag-Marato Scroll-Map, and live to tell the tale.

For his part, the bear-cloaked traveler was standing perfectly still, his back to the taproom, peering out the window, into the night, unimpressed by the passing wenches, ignoring the young bravos playing at knives in the corner, while sipping what looked like chartreuse, an olive-green herbal concoction of potent strength.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#406

The Cave

"There it is!" Mingo looked triumphant, momentarily sheathing his blade and reaching into one of the chests, with a thick, meaty arm. He pulled out what appeared to be a small pendant of a lead human foot, no bigger than a large thimble, with little talons in lieu of nails.

“Just drop it on any road, Jervoe had said.” The bandit leader's brother grinned in the shadowy light of his oil lamp.

“Now we just need to get these to the road.” He gestured toward the four chests. “Bigbones and Vorodon, you will need to hall these four hundred yards. How long will it take you? Tib and I will protect your flanks."

"Did anyone just hear something..strange?" It was Tib who spoke, his squinting eyes peeled at the cave entrance.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#407

Something seemed odd...it wasnt over yet. The burial mounds were creepy, but sometihng bothered Vee. Mingo could still be alive...and none of the the dead, other than the man he assumed had been Bassilinor was the other mage...Hamako. They were not among the dead he had so recently pilfered. Where else could they have gone other than the last hide-out on the Dujek-Lizard map. It was not too far away yet. Vee surveyed the hillocks of the barrows, small things compared to some of the monsters back east. Not wishing a repeat of his last cave entrance, ala Red Hatchet's gift to him. He felt the haft of the weapon, the throwing axe that had almost killed him.

Rather than boldly marching along the fain trail between the mounds, Vee skirted ahead of the others, moving in their shadows, staying out of obvious sight. If there was going to be a surprise, he was going to be the one making the surprises. He moved closer to the mouth of the last cave...straining his ears to hear if there was anyone in it.

(OOC - hide in shadows, perception checks, etc)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#408

At Landlubber's Inn

Jjuldae of the Crimson Throat found himself intensely uncomfortable. He would have preferred to be outside, beneath the boughs of the trees and the iron sky; he enjoyed the comfort of these rainy forests, so much like the misty and rain-soaked fjords of his old home.

And yet, here, in the presence of so many of the settled folk, it was probably better to keep up appearances, even in such kaleidoscopic company- strange thieves and wanderers, shiftless vagabonds, freaks of nature, and living teratomatic jokes which could only have been engendered by the mutagenic hand of the Great Ones themselves. He put a pair of fingers upon the chill and wavy glass, staring into the foggy darkness beyond. He sipped his thick brew from a cheap bone cup, savoring its bitter, thick taste, redolent of the resin of the rain-drenched pines and of the strength-preserving idjrukk fern.
He would need his strength.

Jjuldae turned his head slightly, eyeing the room with one orb like an eagle (or, perhaps more fittingly to his appearance, like a vulture). The settled people, only, displaying their various taboos and superstitions. Blind fools.
And yet, there was one, one of the dwarves, stout people of the mountains (so lost to the Old Ones, for so long). How strange that this one dwarf (no different than the others, just like the other settled people) would seem so significant to Jjuldae.

Perhaps, he thought, this was a subtle sign; perhaps powers were reaching out to signify this dwarf.
Jjuldae swallowed the harsh green draught, turning away to face the darkness once more.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#409

The hulking warrior considered the orders the treacherous brigand leader issued and decided that he had listened to these people enough. It would just be less irritation to douse the lamp and murder the treacherous pig in the dark.

Just then, the stupid poseur with the flails noticed some sort of noise from outside. It didn’t take any brilliance for even Vorodon to discern the likely cause. “Those things… may have come back!” he said to the brigand leader. “Help me move the desk to block the way in! Then I can use my darts on them!” He shoved the massive piece of furniture to block the exit and drew forth a pair of his massive darts. If any of the ghouls attacked, the warrior could easily pepper it with the heavy leather-vaned weapons before it could reach them.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#410

Talia hesitated for a moment, then started following Vee. He might need back up. "You might want to get out of sight," she said quietly as she started moving carefully and quietly towards the cave entrance. She was aiming at the other side of the cave mouth, so that she and Vee would be on either side. One fan came out and she carefully opened it, making as little noise as possible.

(I guess move silently and hide checks are in order? Spot and listen, too.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#411

Passing by and near the dripping, earthen mounds was unsettling at best. Keykold made his way carefully, but deliberately toward one side of the huge cave-mouth.

Talia soon followed, despite her exhaustion and trepidation. As she passed the burial grounds of the vile little halflings, she thought she heard an echoing whooshing noise, a disturbing sucking sound, as if some massive, eldritch beast below had just sucked in massive amounts of air in one great inhale or had imploded itself.

Quickly moving along, she soon neared her designated location, on the opposite side of the cave as Vee. If the rogue had also heard what she had, she couldn’t be sure. Instead Vee was intently peering into the gloomy entrance of the cave. It didn’t take a thief however she thought, to hear voices and some commotion coming from within. Almost involuntarily, she glanced back at the burial mounds threw the wisps of morning fog. All was silent, except the unremitting downpour, and the bizarre sounds coming from within the cave.

Vee could hear several voices, and the sounds of heavy objects moving to and fro. He pricked his ears and heard snippets of conversation…

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#412

Conversations in a Cave

Mingo:

To Vorodon:

“What are you doing? We need to escape with the treasure, not barricade ourselves inside! You work for me now, or have you forgotten!”

In a quick, subsequent attempt to mollify the half-ogre, in case he felt insulted, Mingo opened one of the chests, and waved his hand before it, smiling at Vorodon.

“Do you see, cretin? Silver for you! As much as you can carry!” To further drive the point home, Mingo grabbed a heavy silver ingot, marked as it was with the empire’s seal, and gently tossed it to Vorodon to catch. “There is more where that came from, halfbreed! Now move that out of the way. We need to go".

To Tib the Terrible:

“You didn’t hear anything. You are spooked! And if more of those little bloodless bastards do come, you’ll crush them with your flails again! Steal yourself man!”

To Bigbones:

“My love, it will be as we dreamed it!” he murmered to the towering warrior woman, who was now standing near him, and trying the weight of various chests.

To Hamako:

"You claimed to be a wizard? You are a useless fool!". The black-haired, balding wizard sat in the bed. At Mingo's reproach he scowled.

"I need the boy!" he whined desperately.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#413

Vorodon was not the fastest tactical thinker, but he had been trained by those wiser than he. He needed an edge to win this fight. “More of those things coming, Mister Mingo, sir. Flail man right this time! We fight here, I think. Something in tunnel,” said the half-breed as he unhooked the far lantern and brought it to the entrance. The massive warrior held one of his darts ready, gesturing vaguely down the tunnel with the lamp in his free hand. Now all he needed was for that ass Mingo to carry the last of the three lanterns to where he could reach it and he could plunge the room into darkness, crushing one lantern with the other after he smashed Mingo’s lamp.

As Vorodon peered down the tunnel, Mingo started to come forward, suspicion and anger on his features. If only he buys the "I'm too stupid to betray you first" act one moment longer, I'll have him, thought Vorodon.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#414

Landlubbers Inn

As Glordren stared at the back of the olive-skinned man's head, one of the scroll's dwarven riddles began running through his mind. The scroll's riddles often ran through Glordren's mind as he travelled and read from the Akhanag-Marato Map.

Beneath a raging mountain
The First became the Second
The Third fell through the Fourth
The First and Second succumbed to the Third
Once more the Third returned to the Fourth
Yet the Second needs the Fourth to grow.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#415

Finishing the soup and wiping the bowl with a slice of bread (dwarves don't run just on ale!) Glordren picked up his backpack, and proceeded to the bar, placing his most blessed behind on a stool beside the stranger. I ordered a cup of Hot'n'Spicy, goose fat mixed with strong spirits and ground chilli peppers, and spoke to the mysterious stranger after eyeing him for a moment: "In this place of v(r)ain joy and tr(r)ivial pur(r)suits, you seem to be a m(r)an of learning, lu(r)ckily so. See, I am on a quest to st(r)udy a nearby temple of old, to learn of its people's faith - you seem like the r(r,r,r)ight man to t(r)allk to (ter); a scholar I be, Glordren my name."

He reached out with his plated paw, offering it to be shaken, backed up by a hearty dwarven grin.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#416

Moruz was coasting. Dispite the tinge of uneasiness given from this morbid surrounding, the heavy torrent of rain was consoling to him. Instead of trying to shelter himself from it, Moruz's head was raised high to the sky, and Axtrami's blessing trickling off his circlet and pouring down his face. It was still amazing to Moruz how these outsiders regarded the rain so trivially.
The glass shifter found himself thinking back to his homeland - of battles long since resolved. Of art made so beautifully out of glass. Of the shining city of Bareka. He found that he missed the desert. The people who lived out of it always seemed to regard it as a place of only death and desolation, but Moruz - like all of his people - had always found the desert to be a place of trial; a place where one can truly better themselves.
The Dremorix blinked - The group had already made their way through the much of the barrows and an impressive cave stood some ways ahead. Moruz also noticed that both Vee and Talia had gone ahead - at what point in the journey Moruz didn't know - and were now each crouching beside the opposite ends of the cave.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#417

Tristan knew not the proper burial that Aethelstan would have wanted, but he did know that the cleric was deserving of last rights, and so he began the minute long ceremony, finishing as Vee was returning from the camp. He shuddered at the mass graveyard when they continued, looking at the mounds to see if perhaps this was where the ghoulish band had originated.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#418

Aerex hobbled behind Moruz and Tristan, nursing his wounded leg. Talia, Vee, and the glass man would probably be able to handle any ghouls left in the cave, he reasoned. Besides, he wouldn't be much help traipsing in there with a busted leg. He adjusted his hat, now soaked, and pulled his cloak around his shoulders as defense from the rain. "Do you think they came from here?" he asked Tristan as he carefully examined the earthen mounds surrounding them.

(ooc: Search check to examine the graves for anything unusual or interesting.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#419

ooc: BLEJH! Catch up time.

Hauling himself out of the mud as Vee got back from exploring the camp Dujek followed the group, trying to put as little thought as he could into everything. His head felt like all the million and one shades of goodness had left it for better lands and quieter jobs. Trailing behind the group Dujek directed his only thoughts at his lizard.

"You said you knew one that can help me?"

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#420

Outside and Inside the Cave

--Tristan examined the fell mounds as he walked. There was no doubt that this heathen earth birthed the monsters he had earlier banished. The priest of Trigu now had an inescapably sinking feeling. It was as if the very stench of undeath was trying to seep into his soul through his nostrils. He thought of Aethelstan and had now wished the Senrenite was present. One more beacon of Faith in the encrouching, suffocating Darkness.

--Aerex likewise studied the graves as he passed among and between them. Nothing caught the sharp-eyed investigators attention in the relentless downpour; everything was ravaged by mud and rainwater. As Matare limped valiantly along, he noted the disturbed look on the priests face. He didn’t like it. Had he not banished a slew of ghouls! What was he fearful of now? Or was he simply spooked? Out of the temple, and into the real world, and all that. No, that wasn’t it. The priest had proved nothing if not hardened and resilient.

--Moruz was beginning to pine for the desert as he walked, drenched to the bone. His hand, the one missing two fingers was hurting him now, a sonorous, dull pain. Moruz surmised to himself that there was a good chance the cave was empty, and that perhaps the Adventurers-Upon-Return would be finally able to rest. Moruz needed sleep, but pushed the thought from his mind, as he noticed Keykold’s consternated face. Sigh, the cave wasn’t empty.

--Lastly came lame-jawed Dujek, lizard astride his shoulder and Kadarin, with Mouse scurrying behind him, trying to keep up with the suddenly smiling mage. Kadarin could not guess how it happened, but he was sure of it now! His spell powers were surging through him once more, though he was as exhausted and drained as the rest of his new companions. More so, Kadarin thought. They had not been prisoners in a cage.

Quite inappropriately, in lieu of answering Dujek’s question, the lizard chose this time to become perfectly silent, as if the powers of telepathy had left it completely.

--Vee kept listening to the sounds and conversation coming out of the cave. On the other side, Talia was keeping silent vigil, one steel fan drawn. The rest of the group was skirting the eerie fog-filled pits and mounds of the halfling burial ground, and were now coming up on the cave.

It was midday, though the morning mists had refused to give way to the warming air. Most could hear naught but the rain. Vee pricked his ears once more.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What do you see Ogre? Or is it you smell something. Are not your noses akin to those of dogs?" Mingo was now standing next to Vorodon, eyeing him sternly and skeptically.

“Maybe I wasn’t clear. I need you to go lift one of those chests and start lugging it out of the cave. Lugging, that should come easy enough for a lug like you. Look”, Mingo calmed his voice again, “I will make you rich. I already have! Just help me carry the chests to the road! From there I will use magic to get us twenty leagues east in twenty steps! Yes, magic half-ogre! It all starts with you lifting that chest”, Mingo concluded.

Meanwhile, Bigbones had effortlessly heaved a chest of her own onto her ample shoulders and began making her way toward Vorodon, Mingo and the now partially blocked exit to the cave, grunting like a pig as she did.

Tib twirled his flails. He simply loved the sound of his weapons tearing the air. He stood otherwise mute now, awaiting Mingo’s next order.

Hamako still lounged on the canopied bed, his brows furrowed in consternation. Mingo was ignoring him for the time being, but the ‘wizard’ looked worried and edgy despite the lack of attention.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#421

Aerex bit his lip. He hated awkward silences, but disliked emotional confrontation even more. But you've got to say something, a voice echoed in his mind.

The investigator cleared his throat. "He's... in a better place, right?" he asked Tristan, his eyes not leaving the torn mounds.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#422

It was now or never, he decided. As the brigand leader approached him, Vorodon could almost smell the lies Mingo had surrounded himself with. He could delude himself, but the simple warrior refused to be gulled. Mingo was a traitor, prizing wealth more than even his own family! Such men as him didn’t deserve to live. If the Volgottor warrior didn’t stop him now, he might forever remain a servant to the vicious brigand.

Like a dog…

He swung the dart in his hand as if it were a club, smashing at the lantern in Mingo’s hand. Feeling the wooden haft strike solidly, he whirled to smash the other lantern with the lamp he held in his left hand! The broken shards of the lanterns fell to the floor as they exploded into fragments of glass and bent metal. Mingo roared in fury at the ogre’s betrayal, “You lying filth! I’ll see you dead!”

Keep moving or you’re dead, he thought, scrambling to keep from being trapped by the enraged brigand!

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#423

“You lying filth! I’ll see you dead!”

It was all Vee needed to hear. This ragged band of brigands would happily tear itself apart for them. All they had to do was wait and let them thin down there numbers. There were at least four in there, one of them an ogre or half ogre. He would be the dangerous one, but he couldn't ignore the rhythmic sound of chain whistling through the air. He imagined one of the torsion arms on some K'tonian Gyroscope spinning, it's vibration countered by a similar weight suspended on a chain...a chain like a flail.

The light in the cave flickered and died followed by much shouting and hostility. To charge in would be madness, he suspected the ogre fellow of some trickery, considering the way Mingo had spoken to him. His old master back in Nimz had told him that all of the non-human races could see in the dark, so rushing in blind with a creature that could see...just a bad idea. Let them come out into the light and meet arrows and steel fans, maces and swords. Jervoe's loot would soon be in their pockets, along with whatever magical whats-it Mingo mentioned...unless he used it to escape.

Vee gestured to the others to hold their positions, and to not rush into the cave, like he had done with the last cave. If they intervened too soon, the motley band of survivors would likely pull their ranks together to put up a better fight. Divide and conquer, as the expression went.

(OOC - Hide in shadows, hold position until someone comes out of the cave. Mingo, Tib and the chick will be shot on sight, Vee will hold his fire if the ogre emerges first.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#424

Noting all of the attention being made to the cave, and the sudden reaction of those closest, Kadarin moved up closer to where Vee and the others appeared to wait. First dropping the stinking Gnoll Spear, Kadarin rustled through his robe, finding the secret compartment again and drew forth some rosepetals. The words to his spells were as clear in his mind as they were a few days back when he previously commited them to memory..

You never know...

Coming up to Vee, Kadarin began to ask "Whats going..." when the ruckas inside answered the question. Looking about, he sought a good place to take cover.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#425

Vee edged closer to where Kadarin was, remembering the trick with the gnolls. It would be way easier to deal with these hooligans in the cave if the wizard would be able to Sleep them. Vee was certain that awake or asleep, Talia would kill Mingo, but he wasnt too concerned about that. Another head to add to the horrible bag.

Vee pantomimed wiggling his fingers, like a street wizard casting a spell, then he put his hands together next his face, a person sleeping, and then pointed into the cave. He hoped the Wizard understood his idea...not that the wizard wasn't sharp, but that he himself just sucked at charades.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#426

Kadarin noted the charades put on by Vee. Hmm. He wants me to blind-cast the spell into the cave? I really need to know where they are first.

Kadarin carefully listened to the noise from the cave, and waited until he saw something... As soon as it seemed obvious something was existing the cave, he would start his chant, and time it to end when they came into view, even if he had to hold the last syllable for bit.

Here goes...

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#427

--Kadarin could not yet spot a target in the deep, dark cave. He waited, and listened to the great commotion.

--"Kill him!" Mingo bellowed as he violently swung his blade in a big arc, just barely missing the half-ogre in the sudden dark.

Vorodon was quickly making his way to the back of the cave, knowing that soon the brigand's eyes would begin to adjust to the near-darkness.

"Kill him!" he heard Mingo again, and then a shot of pain erupted in the half-ogre's shoulder as one of Tib's terrible weapons connected, while Vorodon ran past the pernicious man with the twin flails. Tib was swinging wildly with both flails in all directions, and blindly struck with one. Vorodon cursed the idiot's luck and proceeded toward the canopied bed, ignoring the pain, lancing from his shoulder, to other parts of his body.

He heard Bigbones dropping the chest she was hauling to the cave floor and the huge woman was now moving in the darkness as well. She was well behind Vorodon, he spied, but heading toward him.

"Com' an' play with me lover!" she screamed, raising her bardiche as she moved.

Vorodon was now by the bed. So far so good, the half-ogre thought. Only a big bruise to show for his sneak attack at the moment. His cousin Gargodin would laugh at him, Vorodon thought, if the Volgottor had called it a 'wound'.

"He's here, he's here! I smell him!" Hamako shouted panicked, but stayed on the bed, too scared to move, groping in front of him, and squinting through the darkness.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#428

Aerex's head snapped toward the cave as he heard shouts coming out of the darkness. He quickly nocked an arrow onto his bow and hobbled forward. "Cover me," he said to Tristan. With his wounded leg, he would have to keep his distance from any combat that proceeded from the cave, but he wasn't going to let himself be useless either.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#429

Well, clearly something was going on in there. Talia didn't really know how many were in the cave, but decided to wait for Vee's cue. Undoubtably, he could hear better than she could. And she'd fought in the dark enough for the time being.

(Hold action until Vee moves in, unless there is an obvious threat. If there is, she'll try to deal with it as quickly as possible.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#430

Moruz stayed outside the cave, but his hands were twisting anxiously on the holds of his Ouzala, "We're losing the opportunity to attack in the confusion! It sounds as though they are all focused on one target, and we could easily gain the advantage in the confusion." Moruz's gaze passed quickly over the rest of the group, "If we lose the advantage of the surprise, we may end up with another fallen. Perhaps Vee and Aerex can move in first and do what they did to the two guards back at the river, then we can come in behind, throw a few torches to the ground to add to the confusion, then quickly move to dispatch what remains."

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#431

“I will never be brigand like you!” Vorodon shouted as he heaved a pair of darts past the wildly flailing Tib and into the bandit leader. As he moved hurriedly away from the bed, “Bigbones” worried him; she seemed able to see better than the others. Could she be Volgotoi? Distracted momentarily by the thought, he blundered into the chest that Mingo had earlier been pawing through, knocking it onto its side! As he stumbled to his knees, the loot of dozens of robbed caravans and murdered travelers scattered and rolled across the chamber’s floor; silver incense burners and bronze plates, ancient scrolls and spools of fine woolen thread; the bandits’ bloody trail of death written in a trail of treasure.

He barely had time to draw another dart before his foes closed on him.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#432

At The Landlubber...

The druid turned his face downward to look into the eyes of the dwarf. In the dim light, his hollow features seemed gruesomely skull-like, his thin lips slightly baring pale teeth like slats of a white fence, his red face paint and crimson-dyed throat offsetting his skin and making his pallor seem all the more corpselike. His voice was slow, deep, sepultural, like an intonation.
"Learning? Mountain child, learning is the settled man's way, and the faith of these people is nothing but a farcical dance. But I have had a long and lonely wandering, and though it goes against my better thoughts, I crave the comforts of companionship."

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#433

Endgame

--Confusion reigned inside the cave. Mingo was screaming and frothing at the mouth. Tib the Terrible swung his flails as he ran toward the screaming Hamako, but tripped and nearly crashed into the mahogany armoire, some ten feet from Vorodon. As for Hamako, himself, he had had enough. The mage crawled under the bed and hid in the musky darkness, silent as a mouse. At that very moment, Vorodon heaved his projectiles at the enraged Mingo, hearing one of them strike home as the bandit's fearsome cursing gave way to a muffled cry of anguish.

Bigbones kept comin as was now upon the Volgottor. His earlier instincts proved correct, Vorodon had time to think, before the woman's gruesome bardiche came down smashing his breastplate head on with the force of five men, tearing through the metal, and into the giant's flesh. Blood from Vorodon's chest wound gushed freely. She did have some mongrel Volgotoi blood in her, Vorodon thought, and now she had pure Volgotoi blood all over her as well. Bigbones snarled and brought her fearsome weapon over her head to strike once more, only briefly noticing all the scattered loot on the floor of the cave.

Perhaps it was the deep thigh wound, which stirred a new plan inside of Mingo's murky skull.

" 'Bones! Tib! Out of the cave, now! The traitorous filth has no where to go!" he screamed maniacally and staggered toward the exit, Vorodon's dart imbedded deeply in his thigh. He left, "You can die like a dog, I care naught for you, Hamako!" unsaid. It was assumed.

"He's busting open the chests!" Tib yelled in retort, "He's taking the treasure!"

"Taking it where you brainless, motherless toad?! He has no where to go! Out of the cave!" , Mingo's voice echoed in retort. The bandit leader was nearing the exit, momentarily bumping, but surpassing the armoire, Vorodon had shoved there earlier. Just get into the light, Mingo thought to himself.

Tib began moving toward the exit as well, stumbling and kicking through the contents of the chest to get to Mingo, in the darkness.

Vorodon's fear was confirmed. Bigbones could see him as he could see her, and worse, she had tasted blood. She had no interest now in leaving the cave, not until her quarry was butchered.

--Vee could hear the maddened bandit leader's approach. The one called Mingo. Twenty more feet Vee thought, and Mingo would make it into the light.

--Quite spontaneously, or perhaps due to some involunatry impulse, both Aerex and Tristan turned back to the burial grounds for a moment. What they saw chilled their bones. A large halfling, a head taller than the previous ghouls had been, clad and wrapped in worm-eaten gray robes and bandages, face unseen, sporting a plain iron crown atop its bulbous head, and carrying what looked like a perverse "rod of office" or sceptre, shaped like a phallus, was quickly approaching the companions, still forty feet away but closing ground with an unnatural speed belying its form. Both Aerex and Tristan, suddenly felt an incredibly strong wave of nausea. The priest paled, but stood his ground. The investigator vomitted uncontrollably, despite being cognizant and in control of his body.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#434

(gotted rolly from DM)

To Talia, at least, it seemed that time slowed. She wasn't too sure what had happened inside, but whatever it was seemed to be driving the occupants out. She only really saw the first one, though. She supposed he must be Mingo; she remembered his face well enough. As she swung her fan forward, she wasn't really seeing the cave or the startled look on his face. She was elsewhere, remembering.

Garreto trying to buy a little time for his wife by standing unarmed against four bandits. Jarel getting cut down trying to defend his aging father, who fell to another attack not a moment later. Xyn screaming in fury as he saw his brother die, and charging like a madman, only to be killed before he could throw a single blade. Asari pleading , promising that she'd do anything they wanted if only they'd let the baby live. The children trying to hide in one of the wagons. Flames and smoke and blood and screaming and crying and death everywhere...

The fan plunged straight into Mingo's stomach, instead of slashing. Hot blood covered Talia's hand, but she only noticed it in the context that she'd scored. She swung her other fan around, higher. "Look at me," she snarled. "I'm the fury of a hundred people or more who never harmed anyone. You made a hundred ghosts that day. It's time you joined them."

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#435

“What is your name, woman?” Vorodon asked in the guttural language of the Volgotoi as he lunged forward past her weapon’s swinging blade and grabbed at her. “Why are you striking at me? Surely you do not desire that puny one? He is fit only as food!”

(OOC: Vorodon hopes to grapple her, even if seduction is not his idiom.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#436

The taste of bile filled Aerex's mouth as the wave of nausea paused but briefly. He could see only one difference between the other ghouls and this one: that wretched rod it carried. "Get rid of it's sceptre!" he exclaimed before dry-heaving again. Even as he disgorged his stomach, Aerex fumbled to steady his bow and arrow at the beast. What I wouldn't give for this thing to shoot flaming arrows... he thought mournfully.

(ooc: Aim'n'fire when Aerex recovers from his barfing.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#437

Kadarin saw the first figure burst forth from the cave, but almost immediately Talia was upon him with her wicked fans.
Too close - Don't want to get her too. Then an odd sound behind him, a gasp, followed by retching.

Turing to see what was going on, he saw the same Ghastly figure that had affected the inspector.

I hope Tristan's still in good with his Liege...though Kadarin, thinking wildly on what to do.

Looking about, he sought to improve his hiding place.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#438

The sound of footsteps charging to the cave entrance shattered any plans of entering that cave, but presented an equally advantageous opportunity for ambush. The first man burst into the light and was immediately stopped short by an enranged Talia, who sheathed her fan inside his stomach and uttered something Moruz couldn't quite make out. Moruz nearly made a move, but paused at the sound of a second lot of footsteps behind the sound of the rain, moving for the exit to the cave as well. There was some commotion behind the glass shifter, and he thought he heard someone empty his stomach, but right now he was focused on whoever was inside the cave. As Moruz stood beside the entrance, he clenched his Ouzala in anticipation.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#439

"Ey, a settle(r)d people we are, though you deem it an insult. Me, I see no shame in it; it's every dwa(rr)rf's wish to ha(r)ve a n(r)ice piece of gr(r,r,r, etc.)ound to call his own, where he can labor(r!) and which he can for(rr)tify and tend to, a need as f(r)undamental as a mountain's heart-r(r!)ock."
Glordren chugged the rest of the Hot'n'Spicy down my throat, shuddering pleasantly. "And, as fer the faith, ever(r!)y one wor(r)ships the go(r)ds closest to him - I see no Elf sing pr(r!)ay(arr) to a go(r)d of cr(r!)aft, fer you know, I know of no Elf close to honest wor(r!)k!"
Having merrily added a bit of (fully justified) racial commentary, the dwarf eyed his strange fellow. "You're a smar(r)t one. Speaking and looking like you do, I bet mo(r)st scum don't bother you the least bit."

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#440

Vee turned to see Aerex empty then wan contents of his stomach, and for a moment Vee had a fear of the Inspector, as much of a pain as he was, turning into a ghoul, then he saw the Hobbit Lord of the Dead. His hand itched to pluck the crown off of it's worm eaten head, but he had other things to deal with. Hopefully Tristan and Trigu could send it into a retreat, maybe even Dujek...he wasnt sure what the necromancer could actually do.

He lifted his crossbow as the bandits started to emerge, and he held his shot as Talia exacted her revenge, that was a personal matter he had no interest in getting into. Vee pointed the crossbow at the next to emerge from the cave (Tib?) and let his bolt fly.

(OOC - Shoot Tib as he emerges. I hope Vorodon can handle 'bones and Tristan and crew can handle the HLotD)