Her Biggest Fan (Part 1)
Adventurer's Guild, afternoon
The rain falling outside the guild's roof comes down in waves, cold and clammy and unpleasant. It's the sort of day for curling up before a fire or sipping hot tea with a good book. But needs must, and a plea for aid has come to you. Pardoner Gareth, an Althean inquisitor, is sitting with a very distraught husband in the meeting room. Gareth nods politely to Dirk, recognizing him, before offering a bow to the rest of you.
"Daniela was going to visit some of her family in Marniar'nir," Piotr Vernhand is a tall, rangy man with shaggy dark hair and worried eyes. It's clear he's desperately concerned about his wife. "When she didn't arrive, the Mythwood sent a patrol at the family's request. Her carriage was ransacked, with her maid badly injured. Daniela... wasn't there. Her maid said it was brigands, but they were well equipped and were looking for her, specifically."
"Anya -- the maid -- said that after she got hurt, she overheard two of the ruffians talking, and they mentioned Folson's Folly -- but I've never heard of such a place." Piotr looks hopefully at the adventurers to see if it rings any bells for them.
GAME: Murder rolls knowledge/local: (12)+4: 16 GAME: Dirk rolls Knowledge/Geography+2: (9)+11+2: 22 GAME: Corey rolls Knowledge/Local: (14)+7: 21 GAME: Karasu rolls Knowledge/Military Theory: (12)+12: 24
Dirk takes a moment to shuck his dripping cloak and tricorne, hanging them up to dry. His little white-faced scops owl, Lulu, perks her head out of his cloak's inner pocket, giving a soft hoot before winging her way up into the rafters. Despite the inclement weather, the burly old snowbeard has a warm smile and a hearty handshake for Gareth. "Came as soon as I got the message, Pardoner," he says. "Hope young Master Gwyllin is doin' well in yer goodly church."
Once pleasantries are taken care of, he settles in to listen to the assignment. His expression turns dour when he hears the situation. "Beards o' me fathers, those poor lasses," he growls, his beard all a-bristle. He gives that beard a tug, his shaggy white brows furrowing in though. "Folson's Folly... aye, that's up 'round the Farseen Fool. Nae much in the way o' useful minerals up there. Just loads o' fool's gold. But there's plenty o' places fer a band o' brigands tae hide." He puffs up his burly chest. "Well--if I can pick up their trail, I can find 'em, nae sweat. I'll make certain that poor lass gets brung back safe an' sound!"
"Hmmm." Corey, paladin of Gilead, looks thoughtful as he listens to Piotr. He rubs his chin a little before looking at Karasu (his fiance) and his other allies, Dirk and Murder. "It really is a shame that this happened to poor Daniela. I really like some of her grandmother's work in her Volcano Heart series. A whole dynasty of writers! It's not that far from some of the sildanyari families of writing tradition that produced the great epics--"
Corey then remembers that he's on an adventure, not in his room with Karasu and Wuya, where the poor man (and poor raven) is forced to listen to him blather on and on about one of the many things that personally fascinate Corey. "Right. Point being, Daniela is from a respected family. And she's made a name for herself with her own novels. There hasn't been a ransom request or anything?"
The Goblin is in an irritable mood, and clomps into the Guild noisily. She frowns as the story progresses, and she's only slightly mollified by news of the maid being rescued /and/ able to provide useful information.
"The woman is a writer, and her police procedurals are very popular. It's all chicken scratch to me, but the nobles and commoners alike enjoy it. Her parents, gran'parents and great-grans were all good writers, and unlike the Crimson Pen, they wrote far classier..."
Murder eyes Corey for a moment, rolling her eyes at him having read one of the woman's books. "Pfff. Maybe she'll reward you with an autographed copy of yer fav.."
Karasu keeps his peace, his eyes thoughtful and dark his expression unreadable as he listens to the explanation about what occurred, but this isn't unusual in any way. He might have looked similarly if being read a menu or being described the scene of a bloody crime. He does catch the eye of Cor'ethil briefly to indicate that he has some information to share, but he doesn't break into the conversation at large to share it. He's simply not that rude. Besides, its clear that the family is quite upset about the loss of their family member. Or at least displaying that kind of emotion.
Wuya sighs heavily on his shoulder, nudging his ear to try and get him to be more sympathetic, but... it's probably a lost cause.
Piotr shakes his head at Corey. "There's been no ransom demand, no letters... nothing. And... it's not like we're nobles. We're well off, but I can't imagine why someone would kidnap Dani. For Althea's sake, she writes city watch novels and I run a haberdashery. She may be the world to me, but... it's not like we're on the council or something."
Pardoner Gareth clears his throat. "Without knowing their motives, all we have is speculation. Regardless, since Dirk here knows where this hideout may be, the Guild -- and Daniela's family -- is requesting you to ride to this Folson's Folly place and see what you can pick up." He offers a hopeful smile. "If you get lucky and find her there, so much the better; but if you find the brigands... we will need answers from them as to Daniela's whereabouts."
Dirk has a warm smile and a hearty clap on the shoulder for Murder. "Good tae see ye again, lassie," he says. Corey and Karasu are new faces to him. He stumps over to them, offering up a meaty dwarven paw to shake. "Dirk Stormgrip. I see that ye serve Gilead. Well an' good, laddie, well an' good, I serve the Green Word meself. We're goin' tae get along great!" Once his introduction to the rest of the team is completed, he looks back to the Pardoner. "Right. Let's strap up an' head out. That lass is waitin' fer us tae come save 'er. Time tae be big damn heroes!"
Corey smiles brightly at Dirk as he introduces himself, taking Dirk's hand and shaking it vigorously. "Pleased to meet you, Mister Stormgrip! I know that we will. Almost any follower of the Green Word is a friend of mine." The Warden is utterly cheerful. "I'm Cor'ethil Cari'thana, but you can call me Corey for short." Then he gestures to Karasu. "This is Karasu Himura, my betrothed, and his raven familiar, Wuya."
He has all of the sunny disposition that Karasu does not. "I think that we're good to go from here. Although we'll need to approach carefully. And... Stealthily! See, you'll like this just fine, Karasu."
As Piotr speaks on their situation, with no explanation as to possible motives for his wife's kidnapping, Murder's expression softens, the grumpiness evaporating.
"I am going to go out on a limb here, and suggest that she may have written a fictional situation in one of her books that hits to close to the bone of a real situation. The brigands were spooked, thinking she knows something, and took her to keep her quiet." The Goblin shrugs her shoulders.
"We've already had a Crimson Pen writer end up in a uhm... similar situation, and we had to read through so, so, so many puns about sexual positions, and words for uuuh lady and man-bits. So while it's just a guess, it certainly works as a reason for her kidnapping." She blinks at Dirk a moment. "Lassie?" She eyes his leg up and down, her gaze settling on the knee. "My name's Murder. Lassie is a dog's name."
Karasu looks blankly at Dirk for a moment. "Right. As Cor'ethil said. I serve Vardama." He politely offers a low nod of his head to the dwarf and then returns his attention to Cor'ethil. Who seems... ready to go. He sighs. "It seems we are ready to go then." He doesn't argue, he just settles his gear and gets ready to leave. He does *not* like this just fine.
Wuya whirrs unhappily.
GAME: Karasu rolls Stealth: (10)+21: 31 GAME: Corey rolls Survival: (1)+14: 15 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Dirk rolls Survival+6+2: (3)+20+6+2: 31 GAME: Corey rolls Stealth: (20)+3: 23 GAME: Dirk rolls stealth+2: (4)+20+2: 26 GAME: Murder rolls stealth: (9)+8: 17
Two days later.
The foothills of Alexandros are a pretty good place to hide. During the invasion of Heth, Alexandrian forces used them as a staging grounds to launch attacks on the wights and other undead. And for every patrol of soldiers or kill-team of adventurers that cleans out a nest, another is established by someone or something.
Dirk's instincts and hard-earned skills are tested and not found wanting, aided by Corey. A track left here, a broken branch there, a bit of trail-marking placed by someone not realizing a dwarven ranger was on the prowl. All clues that lead the group towards a narrow ravine, as the group approaches slow and steady. More tracks, recent ones, can be seen -- and then suddenly the air is rocked by a scream of agony. Not a woman's voice, either. A man in intense pain.
Dirk rumbles a soft chuckle at Murder. "I know yer name, lassie. Ye were there when we fought that gorgon bitch. The one what turned me tae stone. An' -all- lasses are lassies, nae just dogs!" Once the final preparations are made, he heads out with the rest of his crew and saddles up on his shaggy highland pony, Thistle.
For two days, he follows the trail, leading the way up into the foothills. This is familiar territory to him--perhaps not the depths of the forests he prefers, but he has his dwarven genetic memory to guide him in the rockier terrain. Corey's help is welcomed as he picks out the signs of the bandits' passage. Eventually, their path leads them up towards that ravine. He swings out of Thistle's saddle, tying off the pony's reins by some brushy scrub to help provide a little shelter for the animal.
He goes to one knee, one hand gripping the stock of his magicked thunderbelcher, while the other skims fingertips over the fresh tracks. "Aye, we've -got- tae be gettin' close. They cannae be--" But he stops up short when he hears that scream. He leaps to his feet, swinging up his thunderbelcher to his shoulder. "Careful, mates!" he hisses. He sweeps his gaze around, pointing his rifle left and right as he gingerly approaches that ravine. But is he able to spot the poor soul crying out in pain?
Corey frowns intensely as he hears the man screaming. "Well..." he murmurs. "At least that's not Daniela. Or I _hope_ it's not Daniela. If anything, I hope that Daniela is trying to engineer her own escape plan."
He looks over at the others. "Do you want me to go in first? Since I've got the armor and all? I'd feel horrible if any one of you got hurt instead of me." Corey's silver eyes shine like he might actually cry at the thought of it.
"Unless ye want to be known as One-and-a-half Legged Dirk... ye call me Murder." The Goblin woman does puff up a little bit though. "We showed that gorgon though!"
Perhaps mercifully, Murder is quiet for most of the tracking time. Every last detail is given a look over by her, and she sniffs her approval each time. Grudgingly.
The scream causes her to draw her sword, the blade as long as she is tall. She looks Corey up and down a moment as he suggests going in first. "No. While we should hurry... let Dirk sneak up and see what's going on. Rushing into a bandit nest without knowing what's going on could be trouble... and possibly lead to the lady's death."
Karasu automatically palms a dagger as he hears the sound of screaming. He does not in the least trust that the sound of screaming is 'some poor soul' in danger. "Be on your guard." He warns. He at least is unwilling to be caught off guard and attacked by 'brigands'. Wuya flaps his wings but a single stern look from Karasu settles the raven. "And you plucked from the sky like an obvious spy." He huffs.
GAME: Corey rolls Perception: (9)+21: 30 GAME: Karasu rolls Perception: (2)+18: 20 GAME: Murder rolls perception: (4)+21: 25 GAME: Dirk rolls perception+2: (20)+20+2: 42
The group moves with caution, but the screams continue... perhaps quickening their pace a touch. When they reach the mouth of the ravine, suddenly things become clear.
A short distance into the ravine's scrubby-grass floor, an arcane circle has been burned into the turf, the markings disturbing and angular. Along the walls of the ravine hang a dozen men dressed in tattered rags, each bearing deliberately non-mortal wounds. Blood spatters along the stone walls suggest they've been bleeding for a while... far longer than normal. Discarded weapons and gear litter the ravine floor as well.
Standing by one of the captives -- the one who is screaming -- are a trio of nine-foot tall horrors. They seem to be some monstrous blend of multi-armed creature and golem, radiating malice and madness. Barbed chains hang off them like decoration, and they rasp to each other in inhuman voices. "This one refuses to succumb. Fascinating. Perhaps he is worthy?"
Then one of the creatures turns -- its body a spherical node with a single, oversized eye in the center surrounded by its limbs. "Brothers," it whispers. "We have guests... and new test subjects."
GAME: Corey rolls Will: (9)+18: 27
The first of these misshapen horrors stalks forward with surprising speed. "Yes," it whispers. "New subjects. Let us touch you, friends. Pain is a teacher and we are all its students." Indeed, judging by the blood on its bladed limbs it has been teaching a number of people. The body whirls to show a screaming, bloody skull with staring eyes, the gaze reaching out to Corey. A sense of -- not fear, but disgust and disconnection -- starts to creep into the paladin's heart, but it fades before his resolve.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (7)+20: 27 GAME: Karasu rolls Acrobatics: (11)+21: 32 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (14)+20: 34 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8+7: (2)+7: 9
Corey draws his rapier as he begins to move forward. "I'll keep everyone safe!" he calls out. Then he murmurs a familiar incantation to himself.
"Exceedingly sharp, bane to dark: I call on Cen to bring the spark." <Celestial>
The paladin of Gilead narrowly avoids an attack from the horrific figure in front of him, his rapier sparking to life with holy magic.
Karasu is not usually one to see something and make a judgment, but this... is not a normal situation. He draws his weapon and immediately rushes into combat knowing that Cor'ethil will not be able to ignore these things. The paladin will have to fight them. It goes against his nature to ignore such pure evil. "I am with you!" He tells Cor'ethil. Telling the other man seriously that he is not alone even as the horrific monstrosity draws his blood. It is a small wound. He is used to bleeding.
GAME: Murder rolls will: (20)+10: 30 (CRITICAL SUCCESS)
The third horror strides forth, bladed limbs and chains swinging around it. "Oh, you have taken the larger ones... and this one is kind of small." The single staring eye blazes, as it glares at Murder... who simply glares back. "Oh," the monstrosity hisses in a bemused tone. "Is this one a paladin too? Or is she too stupid to be afraid?"
GAME: Karasu rolls Will: (8)+11: 19 GAME: Karasu rolls Will: (16)+11: 27
The second horror tsks. "Stop trying to instill fear into the warriors, they're always so stubborn. Now, this one... I smell blood, and more... what IS that I smell?" The scuttling thing approaches Karasu, a trio of eyes popping out to look the man over... but the gaze does nothing to faze the assassin. "It's in your blood. I simply -must- learn more about it!"
GAME: Murder casts Dragon's Breath. Caster Level: 15 DC: 17 GAME: Murder rolls bloodrager: (9)+15: 24 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+9: (14)+9: 23 GAME: Murder rolls 12d6: (51): 51 GAME: Dirk rolls Knowledge/The Planes+2: (4)+3+2: 9 GAME: Dirk rolls Knowledge/The Planes+2: (7)+3+2: 12 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot: aliased to Ranged+2-4: (12)+17+2+-4: 27 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-5: aliased to Ranged+2-4-5: (8)+17+2+-4+-5: 18 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-10: aliased to Ranged+2-4-10: (12)+17+2+-4+-10: 17 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg+2+2d6: aliased to 1d12+2+8+2+2d6: (11)+2+8+2+(8): 31 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg+2+2d6: aliased to 1d12+2+8+2+2d6: (8)+2+8+2+(12): 32 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg+2+2d6: aliased to 1d12+2+8+2+2d6: (3)+2+8+2+(9): 24
The Goblin watches as Corey springs into action, followed closely by Karasu. "KICK IT'S ASS!", she yells out, raising her little fist to the air. "Angoron guide your weapons!"
She stares up at the horror that approaches, and glares at her. Stare long enough and Murder, and she will stare back. Murder grins as it blinks first. A toothy frown presages her anger. "AFRAID? I AM MURDER AND I AM NOT SCARED OF THE LIKES OF YOU!" Angelic wings suddenly burst out of her shoulders, and she takes to the air. She flies around above the horror, and inhales a long breath. Her little fingers trace out an arcane symbol in the air, and her little maw opens.
A long gout of FLAMES burst forth from her mouth, engulfing the horror in cleansing draconic fire.
"HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?"
The scene is horrifying, and one Dirk has seen all too often, even in his long life. His face goes as white as his beard as he sees the poor souls being bled out over that profane diagram. But then, his gaze alights on the three horrors. His beard bristles with rage, and he narrows his eyes. "I don't know what you are," he snarls, slamming his foot down to firm up his stance. "But I know -right where tae send ye-! GILEAD, GUIDE MY HAND!"
He racks his thunderbelcher with a firm CHK-CHAK! and sights down the barrel. As his thumb pulls back on the hammer, the golden ivies filigreed into the stock light up as though pulses of sunlight were racing along their length, while golden runes offering praise to Dana and Gilead race down the barrel. CHK-BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Three times his weapon fires, kicking mightily in his grasp as each shot strobes like blasts of sunlight. The bullets blast three glowing holes in the horrific entity. "YOU MADE A -BIG- FUCKIN' MISTAKE COMIN' HERE, YE CLEAN-SHAVEN SHITS!" he roars, ejecting faintly glowing and smoking shells from his weapon's breech.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (4)+20: 24 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (14)+20: 34 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (7)+20: 27 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (10)+20: 30 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8+7: (7)+7: 14
The horrific creature SCREECHES loudly, louder than the men it was tormenting screamed. A limb is actually blasted off it, falling to the ground and twitching disturbingly as it hisses. "Alright then, lovies. You first, Warden, let's see what's inside that metal skin of yours." The blades come in, fast and vicious, but Corey's armor and blade fend off the strikes, only one drawing blood -- the wound leaking crimson as it hisses, "I'm going to add your arm as a replacement for the one your friend took!"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6: (4): 4 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4+2: (1)+23+4+2: 30 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4+2: (7)+23+4+2: 36 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4+2-5: (8)+23+4+2+-5: 32 GAME: Corey rolls weapon1+4+2-10: (12)+23+4+2+-10: 31 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+28: aliased to 1d6+8+28: (3)+8+28: 39 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+14: aliased to 1d6+8+14: (1)+8+14: 23 GAME: Corey rolls damage1+14: aliased to 1d6+8+14: (1)+8+14: 23 GAME: Corey rolls 2d6: (10): 10 GAME: Corey rolls 2d6: (7): 7 GAME: Corey rolls 2d6: (6): 6 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6: (2): 2 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+13: (4)+13: 17 GAME: Karasu rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16
"Karasu!" Corey calls out, even as he, too, bleeds. It spurs him into action, his dark brows knitting together in concentration as he prays silently to Gilead to bless his strikes, and then he reaches out with his blessed blade and needles the horrific creature full of holes. "You'll get _NOTHING_!" he shouts.
The creature dies on his blade, and Cor'ethil huffs as it's done. He's bleeding. He'll fix it later. His allies' safety is far more paramount at the moment.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (2)+20: 22
Karasu waves a hand to Cor'ethil to let the other man know that he is well and continues to provide a distraction to one of the monstrosities. Without Corey as backup he isn't much use in combat, but he can keep it busy. He can keep it focused on him. Besides, they seem interested in his blood? Strange as that seems to be.
The third horror yelps, swatting at itself as the fires cling to it. "Ach! It burns, like those girls in the Hells!" Gauging the distance between itself at Murder, the horrid thing instead springs forward, zipping under Murder as it charges Dirk. "Naughty naughty dwarf, playing with noisy things." A claw comes back, slamming down... just short of Dirk's feet. "Hmmph!"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (3)+20: 23 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (7)+20: 27 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (17)+20: 37 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (11)+20: 31 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8+7+1d8+7+1d8+7+1d8+7: (8)+7+(7)+7+(8)+7+(8)+7: 59 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8+7: (1)+7: 8
The second monster's blades parry away Karasu's stabs. "What is that glorious scent-- wait, I know! Kitsune! You positively -reek- of kitsune!" The horrid thing snarls. "I hate kitsune." Then the claws come in from all sides, slashing deep wounds into Karasu, leaving him swaying and bleeding profusely from multiple cuts. "I'm going to carve the kitsune right out of you," the fiend purrs.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (18)+20: 38 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8+7: (6)+7: 13 GAME: Murder RAGES!, gaining +3 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 45 temporary HP GAME: Murder rolls weapon43+7: (20)+29+7: 56 (THREAT) GAME: Murder rolls weapon43+7: (9)+29+7: 45 GAME: Murder rolls damage43: aliased to 2d6+15: (8)+15: 23 GAME: Murder rolls damage43: aliased to 2d6+15: (11)+15: 26 GAME: Murder rolls 2d6: (8): 8 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot: aliased to Ranged+2-4: (20)+17+2+-4: 35 (THREAT) GAME: Dirk rolls shoot: aliased to Ranged+2-4: (14)+17+2+-4: 29 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-5: aliased to Ranged+2-4-5: (15)+17+2+-4+-5: 25 GAME: Dirk rolls shoot-10: aliased to Ranged+2-4-10: (18)+17+2+-4+-10: 23 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (10)+2+8: 20 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (11)+2+8: 21 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (3)+2+8: 13 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg: aliased to 1d12+2+8: (6)+2+8: 16 GAME: Dirk rolls 2d6: (8): 8 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg+2d6: aliased to 1d12+2+8+2d6: (6)+2+8+(6): 22 GAME: Dirk rolls dmg+2d6: aliased to 1d12+2+8+2d6: (7)+2+8+(3): 20
The Goblin sighs as she notes that the creature she happily roasted with the breath of a Gold dragon, is slowly healing. She perks up as Dirk's thunderbelcher scores some solid hits. "Hey, we invented those, Dwarf! You're welcome!" Cackling, she eyes the fiend as it is considering its options. Murder lets out another sigh as it decides to go for Dirk.
From her position on high, she takes a look around. A frown forms on her face as Karasu seems to be in a spot of trouble. With her angelic wings flapping hard, she drops down towards the fiend, ending up practically in its face.
Her eyes flash RED as she moves in with her sword raised up.
"GRAAAAAAAAAHHH!", she yells as she brings her weapon down, scoring a great gash in its chest as he weapon flashes brightly with a holy LIGHT.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6: (6): 6 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (10)+20: 30
Dirk's eyes get wide as that horrific creature lashes out at him. "HEEK!" He leaps backwards, firing in midair one-handed. BOOM! The entity staggers as it sprouts a glowing golden crater. It swings its filthy chains, but the nimble old ranger's a step ahead. Dirk leaps high, turning a horizontal flip as he fires again. BOOM! A second hole appears. Landing in a three-point crouch, the burly old snowbeard snaps his head up, his gaze simmering just visible beneath the brim of his tricorne. "Go tae -hell-!" he snarls. Rising to his feet, he swings up his rifle and draws his bead. BOOM! The final shot explodes the exoplanar's head like an over-ripe tomato. Dirk chuffs a breath through his nose, ruffling his beard. "I am Dirk Stormgrip, an' I hunt yer filthy kind fer -fun-!" he snarls. He looks over his shoulder to see Karasu in a bit of a pickle. He wheels around, his cloak flaring dramatically behind him as he brings up his thunderbelcher, ready to continue the fight!
GAME: Corey rolls 7d6: (17): 17 GAME: Karasu rolls Acrobatics: (12)+21: 33 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (10)+20: 30 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8+7: (1)+7: 8 GAME: Telamon damaged you for 8 points. 16 HP remaining. GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+17: (13)+17: 30
The dramatic spill of blood from Karasu sends Corey scrambling to his beloved's side. "Please, please, _please_," he begs. He begs it of fate. He begs it of Gilead. He begs it of all of the gods. Let him get there in time...
And he does. He places his hand on Karasu. "Gilead, O White Stag, grant me your aid that I might heal my beloved," Corey murmurs fervently, tears budding in his eyes. Thankfully, the healing comes through, and Corey expresses, "Thank you," as some of Karasu's wounds close.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (4)+20: 24 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (17)+20: 37 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d8+7: (2)+7: 9 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (3)+20: 23 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+20: (3)+20: 23
Karasu can feel his body's life on the verge. His limbs are shaking. There's blood on his clothes from a multitude of wounds. Bleeding injuries and bruises that he can feel slowing him down. He can feel Cor'ethil's hand touching him. Healing his injuries. Helping him rise to his feet. (He would have risen anyway.) He's stubborn like that. Karasu smiles the small smile that drew Corey to him once long ago and he tries to draw away from the creature but it slaps him away from it's body carelessly. Another blow and he barely feels it. Everything is growing numb.
Blood seeps from around his black eye as he looks at the monstrosity before him and wishes ill upon its very creation. It is more powerful than he, but he can still bring it down a little. Can still weaken it. Can still make it stumble and falter. "Weaken." He whispers the word, and he feels Wuya's claws in his shoulders as he falters against the wall behind him. He's bleeding. There's not much strength left in him.
Another loud screech is heard from the second horror as Murder piles into it, its attention suddenly drawn away by three feet of raging goblin in its face. "Ack! Pfft! Get off me, you bug! You nuisance! And you, paladin of the stinking woods! Learn your place!" Claws hiss and slash at Corey and Murder, the blades bouncing off Murder's armor, and only one drawing another line of blood from Corey as the creature tries to force its foes back.
GAME: Murder rolls weapon43+7: (2)+29+7: 38 GAME: Murder rolls weapon43+7: (9)+29+7: 45 GAME: Murder rolls weapon43-5: (15)+29+-5: 39 GAME: Murder rolls weapon43-10: (10)+29+-10: 29 GAME: Murder rolls damage43: aliased to 2d6+15: (7)+15: 22 GAME: Murder rolls damage43: aliased to 2d6+15: (10)+15: 25 GAME: Murder rolls damage43: aliased to 2d6+15: (9)+15: 24 GAME: Murder rolls 2d6: (10): 10 GAME: Murder rolls 2d6: (5): 5 GAME: Murder rolls 2d6: (6): 6
Once more, the Goblin takes a glance around, though her vision is greatly tinged with red. A little voice in her head cheers as Dirk downs the beast that had called her small, and stupid. The fiend charged the Ranger when it should have run away. Who's the dummy now?
She cackles madly as the fiend has focused on her, and Corey, leaving Karasu to extricate themselves from danger. "YOU ARE THE NUISANCE", she scream, opening up a new wound with a swing of her terrible, swift sword. "AND I SHALL SEND YOU BACK..." Another wound is opened, and the creature falters. "TO WHATEVER HELL SPAWNED YOU!"
The fiend drops to the ground, gurgles out a final moan, and dies. The Goblin lands a few moments later, her legs wobbling, and she ends up on her behind with a grunt.
With the last of the monstrous fiends torn to ribbons by Murder's assault, the battlefield becomes quiet again, save for the moans of a few of the men hanging on the ravine walls. Hung there by chains and cruel hooks, there's a lot of work to be done gently removing them, and laying them out to be tended.
Indeed, it seems the fiends had lingered over these poor fools for more than a day, torturing them only to mend their wounds, only to wound them once more. Some are catatonic. A few cringe away from you, fearfully. It's clear they've been sorely used.
And suddenly as you look around, you see a figure standing at the mouth of the canyon, draped in robes. It gives no sign of concern, and indeed, it raises a hand to beckon to you...
To be continued...