Back in the Day (Chapter I) — Legacy Forums

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#321

The light of Trigu surrounds me in Glory,
The love of Trigu enfolds me in Bliss,
The power of Trigu protects me from all evil,
The presence of Trigu watches over me continually,
Where ever I am, He is.

Tristan was too busy with his prayers to notice the approach of the gnolls, though he would soon be pulled from his devotion by the sound of combat.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#322

--To the river, master! Hurry! The lizard slid from Dujek’s pocket and ran to the water as fast as its spindly back legs could carry it. Dujek hesitated, unsure of what to do.

--Aethelstan trusted Andur’s justice. But he was also trained to trust his own judgement. The chances of everyone surviving this pitched, frenzied battle were bleak, he thought. The priest knew this in his heart, but advanced, mace raised, determined to at least defend the spell casters. He hoped this new mage, the one they had rescued, would prove useful. He already knew that the resourceful Dujek was a survivor, if nothing else.

--Arex and Vee raced through the now graying night. Vee could barely make out shapes as he ran, but at least he thought, it would be fairly easy to differentiate between his comrades and the huge, loping gnolls. He knew it was gnolls from the yelps and the stench. Aerex advanced quickly and deliberately, attempting to pick out a figure or outline to focus on, attempting to target one of the beasts, like a lioness stalking the night.

--Tristan opened his eyes, as the last of words of his prayers rolled in a whisper from his lips. Gnolls! The left side of his face began to sting with a dull pain, as if on cue. The young priest grimaced, rising slowly and drawing forth his great mace. Trust in Trigu now and vanquish this blighted enemy!

--Talia’s mad rush surprised even Moruz as he tossed a small glass-shard storm into the path of the advancing, drooling creatures. Talia even caught the gnoll she had chosen to attack by surprise. As the dozen, hyena-faced savages sprinted toward the companions like an old-fashioned shield-wall of berserkers, Talia ran directly at them, arcing her deadly steel fan low at one of the two great red flinds, the one that ran slightly ahead of the others. A long dark red line suddenly appeared in the creature’s mid-section, as it stumbled and grabbed at its own, suddenly emerging intestines, while bringing his flind-bar down on Talia with its other, unnaturally long, arm. Talia’s other steel fan met the flindbar head-on, as she extended her own arm to meet the tripartite weapon above her head. A loud, crashing clang sounded, louder than even the gnolls’ disturbing yelping. Moruz raced in Talia’s direction. He knew that the downside of her bold dash was the simple fact that the bladedancer was now enclosed within a swarm of maddened gnolls! She would be attacked from all sides! Talia was oblivious, focusing all her attention on the now thrashing flind, the one she had already disembowled. Now to kill him, she thought, as she danced in the mist, a deadly dervish of whirling steel.

--As Moruz advanced, ouzala leading the way, he noticed that the gnoll which now faced him, one that had ran past Talia directly towards the Glass Warrior, seemed pained. Allowing himself a quick glance, he could now see the fur around the creature’s feet was stained red, no doubt embedded with glass. Moruz stabbed violently at the miserable gnoll. It was the one who carried aloft the banner-pike of the Gray Impalers. The gnoll was using the battle standard as a spear, aiming its wicked point at Moruz, as the flag-like banner twirled in the air. Moruz’s ouzala entered flesh, sinking deeply into the standard-bearer’s chest, puncturing the creature’s lung, missing the heart, but piercing the spinal chord. The gnoll let out an earsplitting death-shriek and fell forward, nearly tackling Moruz, who deftly avoided the falling beast. The standard of the Gray Impalers dropped harmlessly into the muck.

--The skies were now a medium gray. It was finally morning! thought Kadarin, as he realized he could now see rather clearly, despite the ever-present mists. Kadarin’s arcane chant was muted by the many sounds of battle, but was no less effective. Suddenly, five gnolls slowed their charge, and simply sank down into the mud, as if under the effects of some bizarre, unnatural stupor! Pleased, he noticed that two of the four gnolls which were about assault Talia succumbed to his magicks. Five gnolls lay on the ground, not far from one another, but the tide of battle would only be turned, Kadarin knew, if someone could finish the sleeping creatures off, before they simply rose again!

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#323

Feeling the eldritch energies flowing out of the new mage to his left, Dujek saw a few of the gnolls slump over. Seeing his cue, he ignored his lizard and yelled at Aeth, "Cover me." Running towards the big clump of meatbags he pulled out his knife and the second of his molotovs. Throwing it in front of him to try to clear the way he hoped that Aeth was behind him. Ducking down he cut as many throats on the sleeping gnolls as he could reach, sprinting back out the way he came before the wall of bodies closed in front of him again.

OOC: Just throwing the molotov in front of me as I run and the doing the whole coup de grace thing...

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#324

Moruz was aware that nearly half of the gnolls had fallen under some stupor and had dropped do the ground. From the corner of his vision, he also noticed the second mage running into the heat of battle, knife brandished.
The glass shifter decided Talia could fend for herself for the moment, and with a grunt he wrenched his Ouzala out of the already dead gnoll, and turned to swing the weapon in a slashing motion at the back of a Flind which had decided to bear down on Dujek. If Moruz could just keep attention away from that man for a short while, this rag-tag group may actually have a chance of survival here!
In the distance, Moruz noticed Vee kneeling and aiming his crossbow. The warrior hoped that he was aiming at one of the gnolls assaulting Talia.

((Standing orders at this stage are to attack any gnolls who attempt to attack Dujek, and to deflect any attacks made at him with his Ouzala))

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#325

Talia was not unaware that she was surrounded. It had really been inevitable, but this was not a tenable position. If you don't like the battlefield, don't fight on it. She grinned slightly, then gave a little with the fan blocking the flindbar. Hopefully, the flind would overbalance, bringing it's head lower. She twisted out of the way, then vaulted forward, using the flind to kick off. If she didn't screw this up, she'd land behind it. In fact, if she did this right, it would be a perfect position to finish the job.

(I suppose it would be an acrobatics check... trying to launch herself off the flind she wounded, landing behind it, and no longer in the midst of angry gnolls.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#326

“By Senren’s Sword, what is that clay-brained mage trying this time?” thought the horrified cleric, as Aethelstan watched the pallid necromancer dash into the fray. As he moved up to support the insane attack, it struck him: The enchantment that had thrown their rank foes into a dazed stupor must be only momentary in effect!

Seeing no other choice, he joined Dujek in the grim task of executing the downed gnolls.

“Surrender, vermin, ere we mote send thee to judgment as we have served thy kin!” the determined cleric cried out, hoping that this slaughter could end.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#327

Wow. It really does work on these. . Before now, he had only used the spell on a swarm of giant rats plauging the basement of one of his neighbors. Nice to see it worked on larger things...

Watching the necromancer run among the fallen Gnolls, he shouted - "Take care - the enhantment will not last very log - a couple of minutes at best!"

Kadarin grabbed the paddle again and moved up behind the others, being careful to put someone ,anyone between himself and the slavering beasts. He felt a little faint from the exertion of casting the spell, combined with the terrible last couple days. He was not sure if he could draw forth the power again soon. No matter.

If I have to, I can crush a lyrnix or two with this thing... thought Kadarin.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#328

Tristan rose to his feet quickly upon sighting the gnolls, tightening his grip on the newly-drawn mace. With a cry of holy anger, he charged towards the gnollish group surrounding Talia, mace read to smash into an unsuspecting fur-back; someone had to cover the lady's back.

(Charging the second of the two remaining gnolls attacking Talia [the one she isn't attacking])

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#329

Blood and Guts

--It was now the gnolls “turn”, Moruz grimly noted as he veered and sprinted toward the suicidal Dujek. The young necromancer, oblivious to the danger, ran directly towards the fracas, throwing one of his now familiar to the companions, but no less bizarre, exploding, frozen bottles as he did. He dropped to his knees in the muck, sliding toward the first of the gnolls brandishing and then plunging his dagger into the creature’s throat. He immediately crawled toward another gnoll, this one quivering, with its eyes rolled back in its head. Stabbing violently once more, Dujek looked around for a third victim. His was now covered in gnoll blood. He ran toward another downed gnoll, barely pausing as he vomited uncontrollably, from the stench of the viscera.

--Aethelstan’s eyes went black for at least a few seconds. He wasn’t sure if he was standing or lying down, but then the immeasurable pain brought him back to the moment. He had just crushed the windpipe of a second sleeping gnoll with his mace and was bellowing courageous words to his companions, and words of rebuke toward the gnolls. It was then he felt a powerful jolt in his left shoulder. Slowly he glanced to his left and then saw it. A thrown gnollish spear had entered his upper chest and went through his back. Three feet of spear was now sticking out of the priest’s left breast, (thankfully above the heart) while three more feet of spear was sticking out of his back.

Aethelstan staggered. The pain was unbearable, but he yet lived, despite the impalement. The blood flow from the wound seemed hesitant, as if itself surprised at its need to flow.

--Moruz was struck with a long axe. He had raised his ouzala to block the oncoming weapon, but guessed wrong, and now a huge blood-pumping wound, gashed his hip and thigh. He grunted, but could not help but be impressed with the flind’s blinding agility and surprising for such a creature, strength. While the first flind had faced Talia, so the second red-furred abomination was now facing Moruz, who had just dispatched the gnoll’s standard-bearer, and was now making his way over to where Dujek was slitting throats with disturbing abandon and glee. Now his path was impeded by a flind, wielding a wicked long-axe.

First blood went to the flind. Moruz darted to the creature’s left flank and raised his ouzala once more, grunting again, as his hip lanced with pain. The flind raised its weapon to finish the glass warrior.

--Kadarin strode forth, clenching the oar, ten feet behind Aethelstan. He was the first to hear the spear whistle through the air, and he was the first to witness the weapon sticking out both sides of the priest. Kadarin paled, and involuntarily hesitated for a moment. The misstep saved him, as another spear went whizzing by, mere inches from his face. For a moment he froze, staring at the staggering Aethelstan.

--One moment Talia was encircled by three gnolls and a flind. The next, she watched as two gnolls suddenly, but gently, sank to the ground, dropping their weapons. One remained however, along with the reeling flind, whose entrails were now pouring out of his gut. With a backwards vault, one worthy of the Hobuluska acrobats, Talia landed directly behind the squealing flind, brandishing her deadly fans once more, hoping to finish the miserable creature off. The other two gnolls wielded barbed spears and both now attacked the Bladedancer, their slavering jaws, putrid breath, and ear-piercing whooping, only adding to their crazed, fearsome appearance.

--As Tristan advanced, he watched in horror as both spears connected with Talia’s whirling body, one digging into each side. As the gnolls pulled out their spears, she suffered further harm, the rusty barbs shredding flesh, as they exited. She was covered in blood suddenly, from her arms to her waist, yet she spun as Tristan noted, and her steel fans yet whirled. Tristan was upon them now. He raised his mace to crush one of Talia’s attackers, roaring a paean to Trigu as he did so.

--Dujek didn’t see it coming. A studded club, wielded by a gnoll, smashed the side of his head with such force that his jaw bone was completely crushed, what remained of its structure, dangling to one side, as Dujek’s head spun around 180 degrees, while his body dropped into the mud, right next to his third sleeping victim which he had managed to kill.

--Somewhere in the shadows stalked Aerex, drawing closer to his mark, saber held low. Vee picked out his target, breathless from his run, but ready to fire.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#330

Talia felt the impact from the spears, but adrenalin kept her from feeling pain. Really, she was more enraged than anything else. She darted around one of the spear points, rushing the gnoll holding it. It was always safer to be inside the reach of anyone with a pole arm. One fan swung high, aimed at it's throat, the other swung out to block any counter-attack.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#331

Guts spilling out, but still dangerous Vee settled his sights on the wounded gnoll. It wouldn't take much to take it out of the fight. He could see it's guts steaming in the predawn gray, he could smell the coppery tang of blood in the air, and he guessed that when everything went down, human dwarf or gnoll, all the blood was the same color. His feelings of guilt over the dead Pickles...it was a cold blooded murder but if he hadn't followed Aerex...the outcome could have been worse. This was different, this made his blood hot and his heart lurch in his chest both with fear and with the acid rush of adrenaline. He sighted, his lips pulled back in a sneer of determination. He pulled the trigger, firing the bolt to its destination deep in gnoll flesh.

(rolley rolley from the DM, hit FLind, 3 dmg, Flind dead)

The Bolt flew straight and true, punching through the ribcage of the wounded gnoll. Its heart, likely beating rapidly with fear, pain and panic lurched to a stop as the bolt punctured the lower ventricle, spilling blood into the thoracic cavity. The creature's incessant bleating stopped as it collapsed to the moist earth, its entrails becoming it's final bead.

'One down...too many to go' Vee though as he raised the brigand crossbow to set his sights on the next gnoll to die...

(OOC - VEe done for turn)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#332

Aethelstan didn’t actually feel any pain; something told him that was a baaaad sign. While he moved, he carefully kept the spear from shifting with his free hand, trying to breathe, but feeling his punctured lung refuse to work.

Kneeling slowly next to the fallen necromancer, he fumbled for his holy symbol, the pure flower of St. Senren. Shaking with the shock of his injury, he could barely grasp the cheap cast pewter of the symbol, but seemingly endless seconds later, the light-headed cleric managed to begin the curative chant to save the wizard’s life.

(5 HP were restored, bringing him to 0)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#333

(*has recieved roll results*)

Something threw her balance off slightly, and Talia's slash ended up going too low. Instead of cutting its throat, she cut its chest open. She quickly compensated, not letting herself get into a vulnerable position. She was starting to feel a tad dizzy, but dismissed it. A mere annoyance.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#334

One scar to add to legion; Moruz actually smirked at the feel of hot blood pulsing down his leg. It was certainly an injury worthy of notice, but he had sustained far worse in his lifetime, and right now was not the time to succumb to pain. To his right, Moruz head the 'wumf' of one of the necromancer's bottles explode, but he did not bother turning to see if it had struck anything - currently the glass warrior had the problem of a large axe bearing down on him. Recalling his 'luck' with attempting to block Red hatchet's axe with his Ouzala, Moruz instead swung his weapon around forcefully towards the back of the flind's upper-thighs and wrenched his Ouzala sideways in attempts to hamstring the creature - to knock the gnoll to its knees before it could bring that weapon down. Right now, the thought of protecting the mage was at the back of his mind; he was devoted to the battle. Moruz did not see Dujek's fate.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#335

Looking at the carnage before him - it'll be while before the necromancer casts any spells...

That leaves me I guess...

Crouching down to make himself less of a target, he forced his mind to concentrate once more on the arcane techniques of magic....

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#336

OOC: What spell are you casting, pray tell.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#337

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#338

Crossroads

--Aethelstan healed Dujek, though he was revolted by the visceral image of the necromancer’s slack-jawed, dented, blood-splattered face. There was something else disturbing as well. One of Dujek’s eyeballs was further out of its socket than the other, threatening to burst forth, or simply dribble down his face. The necromancer spasmed once as St. Senren’s flower passed over his prone form, but remained unconscious.

--Moruz hamstrung his opponent with the ouzala, slicing the meat right off the creature’s awkwardly bent leg. It yelped with such abandon that for a moment Moruz was reminded of the sound of a dozen women simultaneously in the throes of childbirth. It was the alien, beastly sounds that these creatures were making in fact, along with their horrid stench, which proved disconcerting for the glass warrior. The gnoll’s leg gave way and it staggered sideways, propelled downward by gravity. It swung its weapon as it fell, but missed the now emboldened Moruz. Moruz stepped in for the kill, as the gnoll squirmed in the mud.

--This time Aethelstan felt the pain severely, tears streaming unbidden from his eyes, his scream louder than even the gibbering, high-pitched yelps of the gnolls all around them. A gnoll had smashed the spear, which was protruding from the priest’s back, with its foot, pushing the spear downward through Aethelstans body, rending flesh, and sending waves of unimaginable anguish through the priest’s nerve endings. As it did, the beast also swung down with its long axe and buried the curved, wicked, axe-head into the priest’s other shoulder.

“Ye are on the precipice now, young Aethelstan.” Aethelstan opened his eyes. It was none other than the glorious voice and image of St. Senren standing over him now! Behind the Saint of Saints, the blinding light of Andur pulsed like a heart of pure energy.

“There are other missions which may require your attention, loyal follower. Andur needs more worthy knights in his Blessed Kingdom. Thou art young, yes, but fear ye not. Ye are loved.”

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#339

Capitulation

--The oar would have to wait, Kadarin thought as he chanted. He thought back to the time he had first cast this spell several years ago. He had hoped it would work better on Moruz than it had on his uncle’s swine. That was a day to forget.

----Talia dispatched the wounded gnoll before her, with a dexterous swipe of her fan. She cut the creature’s forearm clean off. He stared pitiably at his own blood-gushing limb and then sank into the muck.Talia managed to slice one gnoll’s face in half lengthwise, the same one who’s chest she had nearly dissected earlier. Nearly severing the skull, before she herself was brought low by another spear stab to her stomach. The gnoll squealed and cursed in its own bizarre tongue, before it dropped its weapon and turned to run. Talia instinctively lunged with the other fan in pursuit, hoping to get a clean kill shot to the creature’s humped back, but her body would not listen. She felt light-headed and dropped to the ground. The last thing she saw was one of Vee’s bolts sailing over her head, and sticking into the mud a dozen yards away.

--Talia however didn’t notice that the fleeing gnoll had ran directly into the arcing mace of Tristan, who had been watching, as the crazed, injured gnoll turn to flee. The sound of Tristan’s mace demolishing the creature’s skull irrevocably was not unlike that of the ripest gourd being smashed against a rock.

--Moruz stood over the hamstrung gnoll. He was poised to finish the creature off, as he lifted his ouzala over his head. Suddenly, Moruz’s neck hairs stood on end, like a frightened panther’s. Something was happening to him. He felt himself being “lifted”(?!). He was now towering over the prone gnoll mewling on the ground! Moruz looked about in astonishment. He stood nearly eight feet, taller than even the flinds! His ouzala was now a small javelin in his grasp! Moruz the Giant plunged his suddenly small spear into the gnoll one-handed, driving it like a huge spike into the beast’s gut. The creature spasmed once, and then lay still.

--The disemboweled flind staggered forth. He had miraculously managed to sidestep the melee. He did not know that the Bladedancer had chosen to attack another, temporarily sparing his miserable hide. He did remember however, feeling her boot kick his skull as she vaulted over him earlier. Hrakap Nizzeghu, the Laughing Slayer, felt himself fortunate, despite the thick, milky-white and blood-red, coils of his own entrails trailing behind him, as he limped off.

Aerex came from nowhere. The sabre severed the creature’s bent spine, and it silently dropped dead to the ground, still feeling fortunate.

--Vee had missed, cursed, and reloaded the crossbow again. As he was picking a new target he momentarily stopped, and stared agape at the scene. Dawn had arrived now, and he could clearly see that Moruz was now a nine foot tall, towering, massive, giant! Vee quickly realized that it must have been Kadarin’s magic, but still the visual was no less intense. He watched as Moruz, stabbed a wounded creature with his ouzala, and now strode forth toward the few remaining gnolls, a titan among demons!

--The battle ended right then and there. As Kadarin looked around for a victim to unleash his oar against and Tristan picked his own new target, the remaining gnolls suddenly dropped their weapons and yelped, mewled, and shrieked in their own insane, guttural tongue. A few words of slurred common could be gleaned.

“Peeeace hoomans. Frrren’d. Frrren’d. No kill! Peeeace”

The strewn bodies of their comrades and now sorcery which had made a giant of Moruz, had crushed their morale completely, and thus their willingness to fight. Moruz bearing down on them had broken the last straw.

Three gnolls now remained, though these three were unwounded. Nine gnoll corpses lay strewn about. The stench was suffocating. The three that were attempting surrender had dropped their weapons to the ground. One gnoll even dropped to its knees in a weird mockery of supplication. The other two, Kadarin noticed, had raised their disgusting stubby tails, and a combination of urine and feces streamed forth, apparently due to their now uncontrollable fear.

--Vee saw something else as well, out of the corner of his eye. He was still forty yards from the others, but a temporary glance toward the bandit camp had frozen him momentarily, and took his attention off of the massive Moruz. Stumbling toward the group, fifty yards away, coming from the direction of the camp, was a small, stout figure, in seeming dismay. A halfling, Vee thought, having seen his share of the small stout folk before. What, by the Infernal Clocks of Nimz, was it doing here?

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#340

--Mouse emerged from his hiding place in a bed of reeds, looking fearful. Dujek's familair now returned as well, scramblin up the river bank. It crawled toward the immobile mage, who was lying prostrate in the mud, and began nibbling on the necromancer's nose. It was hard to guage whether it was attempting to rouse him, or whether it simply had began eating his corpse.

--The gnolls begged and pleaded with high pitched whooping and lilted hollering.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#341

Kadarin moved up to Moruz and whispered "It won't last that long. You know what to do."

"Anyone have any dollor powder?" as he moved to the striken cleric, grotesque amounts of blood covered the ground beneath him.

My gods, these people keep sprouting holes, if anything else comes, we're done.

"You", pointing to the frail young boy "bind Talia's wounds or at least stop the bleeding!"

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#342

--The albino mute blinked his saucer-shaped eyes once, and then made hiw way to the fallen Bladedancer, as he was bidden by the oar-wileding mage. He made a wide circle around the remaining gnolls.

--Slipping several times in the puddle that was Aethelstan's blood, Kadarin did his best to staunch the profuse bleeding. The priest was on death's door, of that their was no doubt. Even if he miraculously recovered, he would be greatly diminished for quite some time.

>

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#343

Moruz lumbered towards the three remaining Gnolls, death in his gaze - but as the creatures dropped their weapons and begged pitifully, the high of battle slowly drained from the glass shifter, and he slowed to a halt. There was no honor in this. The warrior kicked away the three weapons of the gnolls and raised his Ouzala slowly, the point of the spear-end resting centimeters away from the throat of the middle creature - the one that spoke the common tongue. "What were you fleeing from?"
The illusion of his height was already beginning to wear off, however right now Moruz did not need the Faiti to intimidate these beasts; there was death in his eyes.
Moruz had not yet noticed the halfling making his way from the camp.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#344

While the symbolic crystal of Trigu would have been nice in helping to heal the fallen cleric, Tristan was content to simply aid as best he could. Surely these wounds were nasty enough to warrant the asking of divine assistance. Not all wounds were, but this time it was quite bad.

Holy Father, I thank you now for the victory you've given us. Please spare this slightly misguided soul and heal his wounds so that he may eventually learn your Truth.

(OOC: Healing Aeth. Roll them bones and send me a PM Mr. GM!)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#345

Vee spared the fleeing halfling with a moment of dismay. He looked back towards the band, many down and wounded. He wanted to chase the diminutive humanoid, but the wounded called out to him, things could be replaced but the dead were dead. Vee hurried over to distribute the dollor powders he had. He passed several of the packets to Moruz.

"These will offer some measure of healing, distribute them as they are needed, friend." Vee said in a hurry, dropping four of the packs of powder into the glass-shifter's hand. (the one with five fingers!) before bolting again after the halfling.

He ran, reloading his crossbow for a warning shot.

(OOC - dollor powders for Talia, Dujek, Moruz, and Aethelstan. Vee is going to chase after the halfling, He planned to chase as quickly as he could, using the whip to either snare a leg and trip the humanoid, or if things got ugly, to lasso him about the throat and pull him off of his feet.)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#346

--A bolt landed not far from the stumbling halfling. If he noticed the whistling projectile, he did not acknowledge it. He kept making his way toward the river, blindly stumbling toward the group.

--"Docrae Omatu" was all the prostrating gnoll uttered at Moruz' question. The three gnolls stunk of fear, blood and feces. They looked anxious to escape, and kept casting their beady yellow eyes about looking for an escape route.

"Docrae Omatu...badss peopless. We givess silver!" the gnoll that spoke halting common went on, hopeful the greedy humans would take his bait. "Sssilver, yes?"

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#347

"Dock-ray ohm-ah-too?" Moruz shook his head faintly - he wasn't sure if this was gibberish, or if it was just something he hadn't heard of - this damned common tongue was too complex for his liking! Still, he refrained from commenting on the offer of silver for life - he knew too little of these 'gnolls', as there weren't many in the deserts of his homeland. As such, he didn't know whether to trust that they wouldn't be back if they let them live. Moruz wasn't one for questioning; where was Aerex!? The Glass shifter just wanted to inspect the weapons the gnolls were wielding.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#348

Aerex wiped his blade clean in a patch of grass, forcefully swallowing the bile gathering in his throat. "This is worsed than the damned Uprising of '61," he muttered, overlooking the mutilated corpses. The winners looked only slightly better off than the losers. At least no one was dead.

He looked over at Moruz, who seemed to be interrogating the gnolls. Their tongue was primitive and harsh even by Jantirian standards, but their common might be good enough to force out some information. The constable sauntered up toward them, his sword still unsheathed. He thrust it into the soil and leaned forward slightly, peering judgingly at the foul creatures. "Criminal slime," he sneered, spitting at the ground. "You will all be gutted for this." One of the gnolls visibly shuddered and whimpered. Aerex suddenly leaned back and swung the rapier at him, a clod of dirt hitting the gnoll in the eye and the blade resting a centimeter from its throat. The creature shrieked and cringed. "What's wrong? You don't want your entrails littering the streets of the capitol?" The gnoll only stared at him, shaking with his jaw agape. Aerex slowly drew the sword back. "I'll speak in small, simple words so you understand. Tell me where Jervoe is. Tell me where Jervoe's lieutenants are. Tell me how many guards there are and how we can get rid of them quickly." He looked the three over, fire in his eyes, as he planted his blade back in the ground. "Tell me these things, and perhaps - perhaps - mercy will be shown to you."

(ooc: Intimidate and Gather Info checks)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#349

Tristan kneeled beside the fallen Aethelstan, pulling various herbs from his new pouch. Handy this thing was. He couldn't believe just exactly why he hadn't gotten one before. Plants for good healing were everywhere, just waiting for the picking. A soft hymn to Trigu was sung as he went about his work on Aethelstan, then on Talia. Those two wouldn't be up for serious fighting anytime soon, but they'd survive, barring abominable luck. Leave the interrogation to the others. They enjoyed it more anyways.

(OOC: Healing on Aeth, then Talia if time allows)

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#350

Dawn's light shone through the mist. Moruz began searching the corpses for any valuables, and also inspecting the weapons that the gnolls had used. In the background, he heard Aerex shouting at the three surviving creatures.
Moruz didn't want to spend much time here lingering - there was still the matter of the bandit camp. And then there was Percy...

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#351

Vee knelt by Talia while Tristan tended the more seriously wounded Aeth. He unwrapped one of the packets of dollor powder and carefully tapped its contents into her mouth. He placed hiw wineskin to her lips and squeezed in a small trickle. The powder had a drying effect, he had been told, but it wouldn't do any good if she drowned in stale water. He kept an eye on the gnolls, he didn't trust the creatures, and one false move from any of them and they would find themselves skewered with a crossbow bolt.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#352

Silver, eh?thought Kadarin. Hmmmm
Whatever thoughts he had on the matter were shot by Aerex's interrogation of the stinking walking hyenas.

Running? From the Bad Menss? The Bandits?! They must have had a falling out!

Kadarin then began to carefully look in the direction the gnolls came from.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#353

Conclusions?

--Aerex interrogated the gnolls. It did not prove as difficult as he thought it would be. The three creatures were obsequious. In their unpleasant, lilting tongue, along with a smattering of common and the occasional bit of obscene body language, they told Aerex all he wanted to know.

*Jervoe is dead. According to the gnolls, the Docrae Omatu killed him. They explain that the camp was overrun by “badds peoplesss” this very night! If questioned further, the gnolls describe the Docrae Omatu as “bad earth peoples”.

*Jervoe’s “lieutenants” (once Aerex explained the meaning of lieutenant to the savages) were scattered to the winds or dead. His brother Mingo was still alive.

*No more guards! All are dead or scattered. (According to the gnolls)

--As Moruz inspected the devious weapons of the gnolls, one of the creatures began eyeing him maliciously, while the other two “conversed” with the small inspector.

· 2 great clubs (studded), 1 morningstar, 2 iron-barbed spears, 1 banner-pike, 2 flindbars, 4 javelins, 3 suits of poorly crafted leather armor, 1 ritual scythe with a solid silver handle (!), 2 long-axes. (All weapons are on the “larger side”, good for big people.)
· 15 gp, 87 sp, one garnet earring (40 gp value or so), ritual silver bowl (20 gp value), a small statuette, carved of black iron, of Yeenoghu, revolting demon-god of the gnolls, 4 shrivelled, shrunken human heads in a sack, along with a sack of teeth (400-500 hundred of them at least!), one silver necklace (50 gp value or so)

--Talia recovered first among the three downed companions, which was no surprise as her blood-loss was staunched properly, her wounds were not nearly as severe as Dujek and Aethelstan’s were, and finally, the Dollor powder did its job!

--Dujek and Aethelstan would yet be down for a while, despite the Dollor powder administered. Their wounds were dreadful. >

-Kadarin peered toward the direction of the bandit camp. All was quiet. He noticed Vee approaching a strange, smallish figure in the distance, approximately forty yards away. Though it was now morning, the mist still made it difficult to see across long distances. After a few moments, the gleams of silver that Moruz seemed to be finding among the gnoll’s remains caught his attention. The young mage went over to the glass warrior, to "lend a hand”.

--One of the three gnolls continued to leer banefully at Moruz and now Kadarin, as the duo salvaged the gnolls possessions and loot.

--Tristan watched the small but determined investigator, chide, scold, and question the cowardly, but huge, dog-faced beasts. He decided that he liked this man’s character.

--Vee again eyed the approaching halfling, once he had tended to the Bladedancer. Something about him looked impossibly familiar. As he neared, Vee could make out a bewildered look on the halfling’s face, as if he was oblivious to everything around him. Finally, the halfling slowed his staggering and gazed upon the scene. He hesitated, seemingly unsure of what to do.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#354

Talia sat up, still a little groggy. Her sides and her stomach hurt like hell now. She sat there for a few moments, getting her bearings, then she opened up her fans and started cleaning them off. Meanwhile, she listened to the interrogation in progress. One of the gnolls caught her attention. It was watching Moruz inspect their weapons. She frowned. Something... wasn't right. She kept watching him as she finished cleaning one fan and started on the other.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#355

As Moruz sorted, took and attempted to appraise the items of Value, he did notice from the corner of his eye that one of the gnolls was giving him a nasty look, but for the moment he ignored it. Amongst sorting the other items, he strapped the ritual scythe to his back - crossing under his Ouzala - and grabbed the statuette of the unknown god and turned it over in his hand, inspecting it. His eyes rose to the third gnoll once more, before turning to the thief-catcher, "Aerex - ask that one what is wrong."
Moruz shifted to lower once more and continue sorting through the gear, but paused when he noticed Vee nearing on a halfling. Moruz peered closely at that halfling, considering.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#356

Aerex pulled the long length of rope from his pack and began to bind the gnolls' burly hands, linking the three together. "This'll make quite a site in Ganse, eh?" he grinned, looking up at the others.

"Aerex - ask that one what is wrong."

The constable glanced up at Moruz and was about to speak until the halfling caught his eye. He frowned as he saw the short man approaching. "Hey, who's that guy?"

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#357

--"Docrae Omatu!, Docrae Omatu!" the gnolls began to gibber and froth at the snout. They wriggled against their bonds. One gnoll even broke through the ropes with his ferocious, beast-like, strength, born as it was of his fear, and suddenly ran!

--The other two gnolls looked uncomfortable and slithered low to the ground, not going anywhere, but attempting to put some distance between them and the coming confused halfling.

--As the halfling came into view, something could be seen that wasnt before. The halfling's hands were cut off, his fore-arms ending in bloody stumps! A wild-eyed, alien look was on his face, and as he opened his mouth, it was plain enough to notice that he had no tongue, merely a bloody mouth.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#358

Moruz unceremoniously dropped the figurine of the god to the ground and turned, stalking hastily towards Vee and the halfling. The glass shifter nudged his way past Vee and snatched his Ouzala off from his back. He quickly slowed to a pause, however, as he noticed that the halfling was lacking in arms and a tongue.
It was Percy all right... but it looked like he had already been dealt punishment. Beneath his breath, Moruz cursed in his language. He couldn't even ask the halfling where his Ouzquin Hemisa was! Weapon still at the ready, the glass shifter studied the halfling's form as closely as he could without getting in range - was the circlet anywhere visible on his body...?

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#359

--It wasnt, but the realization that the human boy who had robbed him back in Ganse was merely this same halfling in obviously devious disguise, dawned on Moruz surely and evenly! "I wonder how he hides those lamb-chop sideburns", Moruz thought involuntarily, before returning to his feelings of anger and frustration.

--The escaping gnoll was beginning to gain some distance.

Re: Back in the Day (Chapter I)

#360

Aerex, noticing the escaping quarry, drew his bow and knocked an arrow. He leveled the weapon at the fleeing gnoll and fired. With all this shit going on, the last thing we need is a terrified roaming gnoll, he thought grimly.