Back in the Day (Chapter I) — Legacy Forums

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#201

Outside the cave

--The fight was vicious but short-lived. The true familiar finally crunched the imposter's eye in its maw triumphantly. The faux-familiar wriggled, then died.

Dujek stood back and looked upon the gladiatorial combat transpiring on the sands below. His new familiar had warned him that it would not stand such impertinence, and insisted upon slaying the creature, before it would agree to grace the necromancer with its considerable companionship.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#202

Now that that's done, we should move on, don't you think. The thing was barely able of thinking boyond it's next meal, unlike me. Mmm, is that as cricket over there?

Grabbing up his gear, and the body of the imposter, Dujek stepped into the cave. Lighting up his torch he walked to the branch in the tunnels, and thinking that he heard screams and death in southern tunnel he turned and headed down the northern one.

OOC: The choice has been made, Cthulhu help me if you two get slaughtered by a couple of guards.
Opps, damn me and my horrible sense of direction. Even in an RP. I meant to head off to Talia and Aerex, them being the group of two.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#203

Aerex set his sights on the moustachioed bandit. He watched the man's movements carefully, staying hidden from the flickering torch light. That's right, he thought. Nice and easy, crim. The tip of Aerex's rapier slowly raised. Steady. Muscles tensed and flexed silently. Easy does it... Aerex's right arm drew back, the rapier pointed squarely at the brigand's chest. Now. Without uttering a sound, Aerex bounded forward and thrust his weapon at the man's heart.

(OOC: A Backstab, naturally. :D)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#204

"Friend Moruz," whispered Aethelstan, "Whilst I check for passageways secretly dugge afore the passage's bend, t'would be a kindness most undeserved if you would take these spikes of mine and my rope and lash together a grapnel of sorts that we may throw to trigger yon obvious trap."

Moruz nodded at Aethelstan's suggestion and quickly lashed two spikes to Aethelstan's rope. He paused at another sound, and peered above. "Is there any way we could get a bit of light up there...?" There most likely was nothing, but Moruz didn't like assuming things - he wanted to be certain there was nothing but the earthern roof above them. Also, he studied each wall - including the ones without the boulders as close as he could without actually touching them. "When air moves where it should not, there is usually a mage to blame. Could this be a Fiati... er, an illusion?" he skipped on his common tongue for a second. He recalled that book they had read the other day saying something of a Magician... Ballinkor, or Bassilbore or something was his name.
"I am prepared to test these boulders with your 'grapnel'. I will throw use it when you are both ready. Remember; it is possible that this is designed so people WOULD get suspicious and make mistakes such as this..." He raised the rope as indication as to what 'this' is.

(OOC: Probably won't get a chance to post again before work, so if Moruz sees nothing out of the ordinary, and if not stopped by any of the other companions, he will throw the trap-finder once they are a safe distance away.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#205

It was at that moment Moruz saw the dead end in a new way. The earth and rock slowly turned into a hazy dust, and then to nothing at all, right in front of his eyes, in the torchlight! Beyond, Moruz could see a wide tunnel, not dissimilar to the one they were standing in now. He could see three crouched figures thirty feet away in a straight line, kneeling with $%@#ed crossbows. He could see rather clearly in fact, as a hanging lantern was lit on the other side, but even the lights caress did not permeate the earthen wall, until Axtrami had smiled on the warrior! Fieti! Even the light could not be seen through this sorcery! The tunnel floor, between the earthen illusion and the three crouched figures on the other side was twenty-five feet of featureless packed dirt and stone.

Moruz’ last thought was, they have not yet noticed I see them. Or they haven’t yet heard my warning to Vee and Aethelstan? He wasn’t sure. He was sure that thirty feet away, three crossbows were poised to fire upon them. The figures must see us, he thought, but they seem to wait for something. Or they don’t yet dare act, as they are unsure whether or not we have dispelled the blasphemous veil of Fiati from our eyes.

It came from nowhere, a, black, oily mass, the size of a large hat. Vee saw it first, Moruz did as well, but it did not matter who had seen it first. A black shroud descended on Aethelstan’s head, covering him helm, face and throat. It must have come from the ceiling but its surprise lunge was too swift to prevent. For a moment, Moruz forgot even the Fiati and crossbow men, poised to fire.

Both men stared at Aethelstan in disbelief for a moment. Covering the priest’s head entirely was what appeared to be a dull black executioners hood of squirming membraneous flesh! It was when two tiny eye holes, materialized in the black, deadly head mask, that Vee and Moruz knew Aethelstan was in trouble.

The priest made a painful “Mrwwmrph” noise and lurched, instinctively drawing one arm to his head, as he shook it. In the other, St. Senren bless him, he still held his torch aloft. Aethelstan began to suffocate. He could feel fibrous strands squeezing his head like a vice.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#206

Just as he realized the peril that waited for them beyond the phantom wall, a solid mass of blinding black matter descended over his head, choking the life out of him! Aethelstan tried to speak, tried to breathe, but the hideous thing’s folds blocked off his mouth, his nose! He could feel probing tendrils eagerly trying to dig into his scalp, suckers and tiny clawed protrusions fastening solidly into his flesh!

Dropping his torch on the floor, the cleric frantically began pulling at the thing, trying to break its strangling hold around his neck, but nothing worked! Anything that struck at it would also strike his head!

He had to collect his wits! There must be some other way to loosen the thing, to break its iron grip! He pulled at his battered satchel and began fumbling blindly through the bag, searching it by feel. His questing hand pulled out crumbling dried rations, a rusty iron spike (“How many of those did I buy?” he wondered for a moment), his map case and finally settled on the flask of Methyglyn he had started on a few days before. Struggling to get the cork off, he fumbled the bottle to the ground and it rolled beyond his reach. He fell to his knees, feeling desperately for the flask of fiery spiced mead!

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#207

--For the first time in many hours, Kadarin could hear some commotion above. He tensed. this did not sound like the usual food bucket patrol. The weird albino boy, gazed nervously with saucer-wide eyes at Kadarin. A few prisoner stirred. Bound and squirming meekly, on the damp earth floor. A rat paused in chewing an empty boot, and looked up as well.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#208

Talia had seen and understood Aerex's signal, and had doused her torch in the dirt of the tunnel floor. She drew back against the wall, wishing that the ancestors had not seen fit to grace her with white hair. Granpapa had once told her that it was a sign of good fortune, but right now, she'd have been just as glad to have black hair. Still, nothing to be done about it. She stayed still and silent, letting Aerex creep up on whoever was up there. If he got into trouble, she wasn't far away, and she could still see him. But she'd much rather kill these two silently; less troublesome.

(Hide in shadows)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#209

THe sudden appearance of the creatuer was most startling, and the its dark mottled flesh was repuslive. More alarming was the strange choking noises that Aeth was making as the creature decided to be his hat. Letting the crossbow drop to his side (I imagine it has some sort of sling or strap that it hangs from) Vee flourished one of his knives to deal with this foul creature. He grabbed a fistful of the things flesh and then stabbed the point of his dagger into one of it's cruel eyes.

(Immobile target, not attempting to do aggressive damage, but want to make it hurt SOOOOO bad that it lets go of Aeth to escape. Follow with shoving Aeth out of the line of fire so that hopefully the duo aren't pincushioned by the guards)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#210

Moruz was also moving in aid of Aethelstan, his hand reaching in his pocket for a sharp glass piece to prise the creature from the priests face, but when he saw Vee move in aid also, he paused. Moruz noticed the bottle of Methyglyn rolling along the floor, and nudged it towards Vee with his boot, "See if you can make use of that!" The torch that Aethelstan had dropped was burning nearby - perhaps fire would make the strange creature lose its grip, then a heavy douse of water from one of their water skins to douse the excess flames. Still, Aethelstan was in Vee's care now, and Moruz turned to charge towards the trio of marksmen - It was either him changing the focus of the archers' aim, or all of them getting mown down while trying to prise that living mask off.
Hand still in one of his pouches, Moruz grabbed a large handful of sharp glass shards - his leather gloves the only protection from his hands getting lacerated - and flung the transparent pieces forcefully at the three archers before bringing his Ouzala down in an impaling position, weapon aimed at the left-most archer as he powered towards him. The deathly silence and steeled expression of the Ouzquin Dremorix was more unsettling than any battle-roar could be.

(Glass shards would probably not do much damage to the archers, only surface wounds and light cuts [Unless the glass got in their eyes, of course.] and the throwing of the shrapnel was more an attempt to distract them long enough for Moruz to be able to close the gap on them)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#211

Northern tunnel

--Aerex lunged and a third of his blade dug into the brigand's chest, bursting his heart instantaneously! The man's eyes bulged, but only a whimper escaped his lips. It was over in a second, and the man slumped unceremoniously, as Aerex ripped his blade free, while positioning himself to attack the second man.

Talia watched the eyes of the second bandit, the youth, who looked as if he was about to thrust his torch at the surprising assailant. "Hanno!", he yelled once, watching his companion drop, and while he seemed intent on burning Aerex, his other hand went instinctively to the whistle hanging on his chest.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#212

Aerex quickly tried to position himself between the youth and the fresh corpse. "You're under arrest," he growled, waving his rapier toward the youth. "Surrender immidiately or face a swifter and more bloody justice than the courts will give."

(ooc: Intimidate check to try and make the kid surrender.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#213

Dizzy from the monstrosity’s vise-like constriction around his neck, Aethelstan could barely feel his hands as he searched the dirt floor, seeking for his dropped bottle. His blind quest proved futile; all he achieved was to burn his hand on his fallen torch!

Desperately, he grasped the torch’s shaft, hoping to burn the thing that was choking the life out of him! As he began scorching the thing with the fiery brand, his comrade’s hand roughly grabbed his shoulder and threw him aside. He could hear some muffled speech through the creature’s crushing embrace, but he couldn’t make out what was being said. A dim part of his oxygen-starved mind realized that the ambushing crossbowmen had now entered the fray!

He felt a point poking him right next to his eye and would have shouted, "Stop!" if he could have, but all he could do was frantically twist away from the prodding blade.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#214

Southern tunnel (where things are not going as swimmingly)

--Pulling the “things” skin back proved nearly impossible. Its grip was truly impressive, Vee thought as he began to panic. He stabbed, somewhat daintily at the Executioner Hood’s eye,afraid to hurt Aethelstan, but felt the blade touch something hard. The creature’s skin was no more than an inch thick, and it was suctioned to the priest’s head.

Aethelstan let out a distressing and muted noise, and Vee withdrew the blade again.

Now, Vee noted grimly, the priest was bringing the torch to his own head in desperation.

Aethelstan lurched again from the overbearing pain, as the creature continued squeezing the life from him. He could barely breathe now. He did not even know if his eyes were open or closed, but all he saw was darkness..

--Moruz charged through the illusionary wall, his silence more profound than the loudest battle-cry. In a second he was through the wall, and out to the other side. He continued going forward, barreling towards the crouching figures his Ouzala leading the way. Quite supple and light, Moruz thought strangely at this moment, the laurel wood had proven a good choice.

As he charged, he saw the three “crouched” figures for what they actually were. Thirty feet ahead three heavy crossbows were mounted on stands, three crates behind each one for the shooters to sit upon. Moruz could only see one shooter though, sitting astride the middle crossbow, aiming the huge bolt at Moruz. The other two weapons were unmanned.

The man’s eyes, Moruz noticed, showed a mixture of fear and excitement, at that very moment.

Suddenly, the ground gave way below his feet, as Moruz ran, and he felt the strange sensation of falling! Axtrami’s Wrath! Fiati!

His “fall” was short-lived, however, as he slammed, crotch first, against something hard, causing the warrior’s eyes to fill with stars. Moruz stumbled to his side, feeling more open space and hard wood with different parts of his flailing body. He was on some sort of grid of intermittent wooden planks, he suddenly realized, but not before his leg gave way and he fell lower.

At the last moment, stopping what would have been a much longer fall, he guessed, Moruz stuck the Ouzala out and across. His fall was interrupted. He was hanging now, arms extended, feet dangling, holding on to his weapon, and feeling nothing but air below him. His ouzala was stuck lengthwise between the bars above. The good news, Moruz thought grimly, is it would be quite difficult for the crossbowman to get a shot at him now. He also now realized why the shooter hesitated at first. He was waiting for Moruz to plunge into this latest illusionary pit.

Moruz dangled, fully stretched out, hanging on with both hands to his Ouzala, which was caught horizontally between the wide spaced bars.

--Kadarin noticed two dangling legs suddenly hanging down from the ceiling. A man was holding on and flailing!
this was DEFINITELY not the bucket feeding hour! the young mage thought.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#215

Dagger aside, Vee grabbed the next thing he could reach, Aethelstan's bottle of methyglyn. A sudden dose of the stuff could take the breath from an unsuspecting drinker, and he hoped that this unholoy terror was unsuspecting. He opened the bottle and dumped its contents out on the mantle like creature and Aethelstan's head. Vee would owe him another bottle, if Aeth and Vee survived...

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#216

Somewhere in the Southern tunnel.

--Krip ran hard. He hoped he was in time to warn his fellows of the breach. He had to get to the northern tunnel! Perhaps there were more men there. And where the hell was that next shift anyway? he thought.

He had left Tuckley behind to deal with the brazen trio. That heavy crossbow, Tuckley's aim, that foul creature which dwelt in the nook, and the illusionary floor, should slow them all down, if not kill them outright! Krip allowed himself a smile as he ran.

--Dujek ran hard, hearing bizarre sounds coming from the winding southern tunnel. He hoped he would get there in time to help his companions. Suddenly he felt himself slam into something...someone?! running full steam in the opposite direction, as he made a turn!!

His nose gushed blood, and both he and the other man, Dujek could see him now, had barreled into each other full steam. They were now both momentarily sprawled out on the floor.

The lizard took this opportunity to pontificate. "Cant you look where your going, master?"

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#217

Northern tunnel

The youth thought for a moment, indecision clouding his eyes. He looked to see Talia approaching him as well, a deadly look in her eyes. The youth glanced at Aerex again, and raised one hand in a sign of surrender, holding the torch with the other.

"I yield", he cringed, and stood motionless, now looking down, at the blood ebbing from his erstwhile companion's corpse.

Noooow, now thought Aerex for the first time, since this mad venture was undertaken by the companions. Now, we're getting somewhere.

He eyed the scared brigand, and noticed a wet spot appear on the youth's trousers. The boy was peeing himself.

A proper interrogation would now need to be conducted, conluded Aerex, pleased with himself.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#218

That hurt...

Moruz was in midair, gasping for breath and wishing oh-so-much that he had worn that golden Cod-piece right now! The force of his drop had unhinged the man's Zunouza from his belt, which dropped like a spear to the ground below, sinking deeply into the moist earth below. The jarring stop also caused a littering of broken glass shards to fall down all around the weapon, however, creating a sharp field of pain for anyone barefoot who wished to obtain that weapon.

It took Moruz some time to regain his composure, and it was fortunate the crossbowman wasn't able to fire at him from here or he'd be skewered by now. It seemed he was in a predicament - going up meant facing the sharp end of a crossbow bolt, and Moruz wasn't sure he could climb out and dodge an arrow at the same time. Going down meant falling some ways with little hope of climbing back up, but staying here was hardly an option either!
But wait...! He felt a weight on his shoulder and reached with one hand to grab at it - Aethelstan's Spike-on-a-rope! Quickly, he lashed the rope over the left bar, tying it securely and allowing the rope to dangle down into the pit. Now that he had a means of getting back out, he could go down there. Holding tightly onto the rope, he turned his Ouzala to fit it between the bars, then began descending. He had to wait until that crossbowman was otherwise occupied before he could attempt to go back up that way!

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#219

Kadarin jumped as a wicked glass-bladed weapon landed near him.

Jeeks! he thought.

Then he saw a rope unfurl down without a bucket. Rescue? Who knew I was here????? Ah well, this is as good a time as any thought Kadarin. He sprung his bonds, grabbed the strange weapon and headed over to the other prisoners, intending to cut their bindings...
the more the merrier

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#220

--As Vee began dousing Aethelstan's head with the stout liquor, for the first time he noticed the creature squirm, as if repulsed by the substance. It still held its deathly grip on the priest however, but it seemed momentarily sluggish in its deadly squeezing of the Aeth's head. The last of the liquor spent, Vee now wished he had brought some wineskins along. He desperately looked around. "What, expecting a bar rack somewhere, Keykold?, he chided himself. He had to do something!

Thats when he noticed the crossbow pointed directly at him from thirty feet away, beyond the now non-existent wall, but more importantly, if that was possible, a cask of what looked like something which could certainly be some sort of alcohol, was propped up against a crate next to the shooter. Could he make it there?, Vee thought. Aeth's life may depend on it...but then again he would be running directly at a flying bolt most likely, which was now probably seconds away from impaling him at it was.

Also, there was the Moruz situation. The Glass warrior attempted to run through, and had now dissapeared through the floor!

What to do? Vee had to think fast.

--One at a time thought Tuckley, one at a time. The mad spear runner was no longer a problem. Now, he decided he was going to kill himself a hat-wearing, whip-carrying fellow! He certainly didnt have to worry about the priest, he sniggered to himelf. Tuckley swiveled the heavy iron bow into place.

Steady, Tuckley, steady...Ready, aim, FIRE!

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#221

Below

--Moruz landed with a thud on the earthen ground, upright and immediately mobile. He briefly looked around. It was an earthen holding pen of sorts. It was dark, Moruz could make out bound captives, some looking up at him with begging eyes, some ignoring him, lost in their own miseries. One figure approached the warrior however, the same figure who had just been darting back and forth among the prisoners, and the same figure who was now clutching his zounaza!

The stink of human sweat and the pungent odor of urine and fesces was strong.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#222

Quickly reversing grip, careful not to cut himself..

"Oh, is this yours? "

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#223

"I love you too you sack of scales"

Reaching into his cloak Dujek grabbed one of the bottles he'd rigged together the night before and threw it at the ground by the prone brigand. Setting off sparks as best he could he watched the alchohol burst forth into flame.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#224

As the stifling abomination continued its torturous constriction, the increasingly desperate cleric found himself almost out of options. His mace wouldn't do any good, he thought. He'd brain himself, like as not. He could feel the methyglyn as Vee poured it out onto him, but it didn't seem to affect the creature enough, merely weakening it.

Stubbornly trying to find a way to kill the thing before his air gave out, Aethelstan thought of the jagged stone of the adjacent walls. Finding one of the crevices with his hands, he began scraping the thing against the jagged stone. If they couldn't cut it off, maybe he could abrade it apart!

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#225

Aerex squinted at the youth. As Aerex sheathed his rapier and reached for the manacles, the boy eyed Talia and her fans uneasily. The constable firmly locked the boy's hands in the cuffs. "By the authority of the Imperial Royal Constabulary, you are hereby placed under arrest," he said with an air of importance. The boy swallowed hard. "Sit down," he ordered. The boy obyeed, sweat beading on his forehead. "Now," Aerex said, his hands clasped behind his back. "Tell me everything about this place I need to know. Layout, traps, guards. Everything."

(ooc: Gather Information check, please.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#226

Talia glared at the boy. "You're lucky he reached you first," she hissed. Aerex had arrested him, which meant he had taken responsibility for him, and Talia would not kill someone under the protection of an ally. She considered for a moment. Just because he was manacled did not mean he was helpless. And it couldn't hurt to scare the boy a bit more. She snapped her fan closed, then used it to cut the cord the whistle hung from. She looked at it for a moment, then pocketed it. With a final glare at the boy, she stepped away.

She knelt down next to the corpse of the other man, and pulled out a scrap of paper. Then she repeated the same process she had gone through outside of the cave. Three. How many souls will be at rest now? Making the blood-charms wasn't strictly necessary, but it helped. She hadn't had time to make them when she had escaped the first attack, but the spirits would understand the extenuating circumstances.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#227

Aerex was in his element now and peppered the lad with questions. Whenever he felt the boy was “holding back”, he’d brandish the sabre, or make veiled, sinister references to what Talia could do, and had done in the past, to men, with those wicked fans.

The brigand broke down like butter left out in the sun.

--The cave is used by the bandits to rob unsuspecting travelers on the road coming to and from Ganse, and otherwise skulk around, as well as using it as place to hold prisoners the brigands are not yet sure what to do with yet. Since neither the city-guard of Ganse, nor the nomads of the Hobuluska Hills care too much, the gang operates with impunity in the area, using the cave and tunnel system a mere six miles from the wretched town, for their nefarious schemes.

--Jervoe leads the gang. He is the unquestioned leader. An alpha type, by the way the lad describes him. Ollie (the boy’s name) only joined the gang recently, “cause ma’ brother made me”.

--The gang’s actual hideout is not in the caves but in the Laurel Forest, some ways east. However, the very tunnel they were now standing in, led to a dead end thirty feet further down. According to Ollie, this “magic wall”, as he calls it was “made” by Bassilinor, along with a few others in the cave system, erstwhile mage of Jervoe’s gang. Erstwhile, Ollie claims, because a new mage has won Jervoe’s ear. Some unpleasant man named ‘Hamako’. According to Ollie, this Hamako is currently trying to impress Jervoe with his tales of the arcane, but has thus far failed to show the bandit chieftain anything overly impressive. Hamako, Ollie says, keeps petitioning Jervoe to bring forth the mage’s “servant”, some albino boy Jervoe has locked up in a cell in the other tunnel of this very cave. In fact, one of the orders Ollie and Hanno were bade this very night, was to bring back some sickly albino mute from the holding pen. (I will skip a detailed explanation of southern tunnel, as it is already ‘explored’, via your companions)

--Up ahead, after the illusionary wall, there are some trip wires for the unwary, which sound jingling bells of warning, farther down the passage. The passage itself leads to the “Lake of Steam”! Ollie claims. Not a true underground lake, but a wide, slow moving river of sorts. From here, one may take a moored boat, slowly winding along the gentle underground flow, until one emerges forth, above ground, a half hour later, at the bawn of the Laurel Forest and the Bandit Encampment!

--From Ollie’s count, which could be dubious, he estimates thirty to forty bandits, and a dozen gnolls of the Gray Impalers Tribe make up the ‘gang’, though he can’t be sure. He claims that sometimes, Bassilinor created “magic men”, which looked and acted like the other brigands. This was often done, when prisoners were first brought in to the cleared forest camp, to properly impress them, and in case any escaped, they would say their were “hundreds of them”. Mingo, Jervoe’s brother, leads the bandits on sorties, as did the fearsome dwarf, Red Hatchet, until he was murdered.

--Recently, Jervoe had “discovered” a wizard’s tomb, hidden in the misty hills, and found a powerful and dreaded artifact (or so Ollie tells it.) He claims that Jervoe posseses a small mahogany box, from which emerge, whenever it is opened, countless scorpions, each the size of a man’s hand. Jervoe fills “fun pits” with these scorpions and enjoys throwing in prisoners and occasionally, some of his own underlings into these pits.

--The Forest encampment is not overly defended, since as mentioned, the bandits operated with impunity, and the little visited Laurel Forest, did not get many visitors to begin with. Jervoe and his men were growing “too fat”, Ollie claims Mingo always said.

--Half way down (fifteen minutes) the Lake of Steam, is a boat ramp and guard post, where there can usually be found three or four guards, but because Jervoe was having a big celebration tonight, guards were shabby in numbers at the present time. Ollie claimed that only two men were at a small dock this night.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#228

As the boy told all he knew, Talia came to a decision. Clearly, this boy was only doing what he was told out of fear. She could let him go, in the end. "Do you know who decided to raid the gypsy caravan east of Ganse a few days ago? And who decided to slaughter them, as opposed to just robbing them?" To be sure, there were probably other questions she could ask that should probable be asked first. But those were the questions that mattered to her.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#229

"Thats because Red Hatchet and Mingo led the gnolls on that raid! Only the Hatchet could control those mongrels, and only Red Hatchet would kill everyone. Mingo likes taking prisoners to torture later.Thats what he likes to do," the boy concluded. "May I go now?"

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#230

Southern tunnel

Dujek’s bottle blasted Krip’s face. He shrieked like a cat, but somehow rose and went running down the tunnel, past Dujek, clutching his face with both hands and whimpering loudly as he did.

Dujek ran on, and soon found himself staring at a bizarre scene unfolding. Aethelstan was seemingly grinding and scraping his own head against the jagged stone of the wall in limitless agony. His head was wrapped in some black, revolting hood.

There was a dead end he noticed. They were all in a closed off nook. Dujek could not see Moruz. Vee looked to Dujek like he was about to lunge into the dead end wall. Were they all mad!?

“These are your companions, master?” the familiar thought with contempt

--waiting on Vee

--waiting on Moruz and Kadarin

--Aethelstan is busy

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#231

"No." Talia considered. "Answer honestly, have you ever killed anyone? I'm not going to kill you for your answer." The boy shook his head vehemently. Well, if he was lying, it was on his head; she'd done her part. She glanced at her companion. "Have you any other questions for our little friend?"

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#232

Moruz took only a couple of seconds to take in the prisoner scene before him when Kadarin crossed to him and offered his weapon back, "Oh, is this yours?"

The glass warrior grunted shortly in reply and moved to grab it, but at that time he heard the whiz of a bolt go flying past the cage above - the crossbowman was firing at the others! No time - take the opportunity! "Keep it for now - follow me!"
Moruz climbed that rope quickly and pulled himself up through the bars - Seeing as how the crossbowman had just fired, he assumed he was now focussed on other targets, and probably reloading.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#233

The heavy bolt shattered against the far side of the cavern, it's force harmless against the stone wall. Vee uttered a whisper of a prayer as he raised his crossbow. He took sight and let the bolt fly. Working with a bow as big as the brigand had, even a flesh wound would slow him down, but a clean shot through the heart or skull would do well enough too. If the gods showed him a bit of favor and let him copy Inspector Matare's gnoll-shooting technique, this would be very much easier.

(Vee will advance, perception check to determine path around the pit, follow with an attack with the throwing axe, it will likely miss, but hell, it might hit! Will advance to secure the container)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#234

Dujek looked at the end of the tunnel, and at the priest, and at Vee aiming at the wall. Suddenly he saw a bolt come whizzing through the wall and shatter against the wall behind him. Understanding what was going on at last he looked to the priest trying as best as he could to scrap a black bag off of his face. Running over to him Dujek stuggled for what to do. If he slash at the thing he'd hit Aeth like as not, and if he set the thing on fire, well that wouldn't end to well either

"Wha' do I do? Ca'mon you doghearted lizard, help."

"Well," responded the lizard, "He doesn't seem like he can breathe, I'd think you'd notice that."

"Oh, can't breath, thanks, you're a load of..."

Suddenly Dujek pulled out his knife, grabbed Aeth's face and stabbed at him where his mouth should be.

OOC: Not trying to hurt the poor critter, just trying to cut open an airway to stop the choking.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#235

Thinking it was pretty dumb with crossbows firing, Kadarin followed.
At least he's going first....

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#236

tit-for-tat, Vee cursed, as his own bolt sailed wide. But now Vee was moving along the edge of the pit, drawing closer to Tuckley.

The crossbowman cursed. I never miss! Instead of reloading another foot and half long bolt, Tuckley jumped over to the already loaded second of three crossbows. He began swiveling and pointing at the advancing Vee. He had the man's forehead in his sights, but then a momentary indecision cost him the shot. It seemed that blasted warrior, survived the fall, and his head was now poking out of the floor. He had climbed back up. The blasted man was climbing out.

No matter. First things first, thought Tuckley. He let lose another bolt.

Vee flung the dwarf's axe and it sailed wide as he had anticipated, but now he was ten feet from the shooter. A whistling bolt ripped through the air. For a moment Vee wasnt sure what had happened. He only felt a sensation like someone had just gut-punched him. He fired his own crossbow again. It struck Tuckley, in the temple. The man slumped in his crossbow chair. Just like that, Tuckley was dead. Vee was by the crossbows now. He noticed some weapons lying in a corner and that cask which had caught his attention.

Now to get back to Aethelstan, Vee thought, but suddenly slumped over, confused as to the pooling blood in his midsection. He felt feint. Moruz watched him drop, behind one of the crossbows.

Moruz watched it happen as he carefull balanced himself on the bars. The heavy crossbow bolt had went through Vee's stomach and came out the other side! Vee had not even noticed yet. The bolt ripped through him!

Moruz called out to his companion.

Dujek stabbed, Aethelstan let out an awful, muted gasp.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#237

Moruz took in the situation with one, deep breath. Crossbowman; dead. Vee; midsection torn out, wine cask next to him. Dujek; stabbing Aethelstan. Aethelstan; kissing the executioner's mask. Beautiful.

His decision made, Moruz glanced quickly to Kadarin who was only now just finishing his ascent from his prison. "You! Use cloth from the crossbowman's clothing! Stanch that bleeding!" Moruz pointed fiercely at Vee whilst running over to him, but only to snatch the cask of wine from his loose grip - take care of the living, and send the dead to their afterlife later: That priest is probably the only thing that could allow Vee to live now, anyway. Moruz dropped his Ouzala to carry the flask in both hands. Now aware of the pit below, Moruz skirted around its edges before running hastily towards the priest.

((Off to bed, so no postage from me for a while. Current orders are to get that wine over Aethelstan's head ASAP. If he's conscious, get him to go heal Vee ASAP. If he is unconscious, breathe air into his lungs until he is either revived, or it's obvious he's not coming back.
Oh - and he'll shove Dujek out of the way with force, if necessary - especially if he keeps poking and prodding with that dagger ^_^ ))

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#238

Taken aback by the sharp order, Kadarin moved quickly to the fallen crossbowman.

That's a LOT of blood...

Moving over to the dying warrior, he ripped strips of clothing to bind the ....wounds? It punched through? Nothing short of a miracle will save this guy.

Ah well, try anyway

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#239

Athelstan felt the blade score his face again and grabbed at the dagger. They couldn’t see that the thing was constricting around his neck, choking him as well as stifling him!

If he could just use it himself, he could shred the monstrosity, tearing it in places where the steel of his helmet would shield him!

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#240

Aeth grabbed the dagger from Dujek and then started attacking himself. Dujek saw Moruz come though the wall and start running over and backed away, let him try to pry the thing off of the priest's head.