Jamenas sits on the ground, exhausted from fighting with low oxygen. Thank you.
We would've been dead without you. Jamenas pauses. We should've listened to Darwin...
"Those are words I will never tire of hearing."
"I couldn't hit her in cold blood...I really couldn't. And this is what my hesitation cost us..."Krogar's voice trails off. "No. We're not done yet. Darwin is right, we must search the castle."Krogar declares.
Don't get used to it, Darwin. Jamenas says with a chuckle. He takes up his sword and shield, stretches a bit, and walks out of the room. Hurry up. We got a castle to search!
"We are all tired of hearing words.. We need more loot."
"Abu, my small friend, you mind is exactly where it should be. We have again lain siege to an enemy fort, so to us go the spoils of war!"
Turning to the new arrivals, Darwin will add "Ahh, but before I am remiss, who is this vision of beauty that brought low even the very earth upon which we trod?"
"I wouldn't say spoils of War,"Krogar says, slightly uncomfortable, "but I'd make better use of it then the previous owners, sending money to my clan."
"Champions, a moment before you plunge yourselves in the depths."
She looks at you, flanked by her guards.
"Do you swear loyalty to me, and to our organization? The power and wealth that awaits you if you do will be as countless as the winds in a winter storm. What say you?"
"I can't or won't speak for the others, but I'm a mercenary. I get paid to do a job, and then I move on to the next one. I can swear that if you hire me I won't betray you while I'm in your service, but that's about as far as I feel comfortable going."
"Nothing personal, I like my freedom, and I've seen what happens to people in my profession who tie themselves down to one employer."
Abu nods. "Owing one person our complete service... Is somewhat dangerous to business. What if he does something foolish and endangers us all?" thinking to himself for a few moments. "If the pay is good, I won't aid in anyone venture that will be harmful towards you, nor will I aid your foes. I do want the option to take on contracts and missions from people other than you as long as they don't interfere with our contract."
She chuckles to herself.
"If the pay is good? Have you forgotten the ceremony, the acceptance of the order? Such vows are not retractable. So I ask you once more..."
Her voice grows cold, dangerous, and her eyes glint with malice.
"Serve me." She demands, indicating you all should bow.
Feeling the shadows of dreed loom over him, Abu gulps. Why did I follow you guys here again. he whispers before kneeling down. "I still want to be able to get side jobs if I wished to."
"Now, now. There is no need for hostility. We're all friends here, right? I mean, my cohort and I are heroes, and you helped us out, so that makes you a hero too."
Darwin pauses for effect and then continues "Besides, what good does threatening us do? Wouldn't you much rather share a drink and a laugh then bash each other with magic and weapons? It's just silly."
Jamenas grows more wary. Now, now. We don't need to get uppity. Like my friend here said, it would be much better to not fight. He turns to the party. And guys. Remember what she said a moment ago? Wealth as countless as a winter storm? Still not convinced that their diplomacy will not do any good, he gets ready to call on his god.
You hear the echoes of laughter behind you and a young man with face as smooth as porcelain step forward, a smile still on his lips.
"I see your rise to power has done nothing for your air of superiority." he says, he examines the stone work and the remains of his cultist and creature.
"I must say, I am rather surprised by your work. For adventurers, you've gotten farther than I anticipated. Come work for me, and the gems of the earth will be as grains of sand under your boot."
The mistress of the winds obviously does not take kindly to this appearance, and a sudden gale begins to form, surrounding her entourage, his entourage, and your party.
feeling a little bit relieved, and the pressure on his soul lessons. Abu stands up and behind his friends. "Guess I'm stuck with you guys." he says as he slowly moves his hands to his swords.
"You know, I don't really want to be involved in all of this. I just want to bring the one who harmed my kin to justice."Krogar answers.
'I don't know if any of them are on the side of good, or do they each have their own agenda' He thinks to himself.
Darwin picks up his bow and puts it back on his pack and says "Perhaps you two have something you need to figure out. We'll just get out of your way." nodding as he looks about to make sure he's collected all of his belongings, Darwin then starts towards the door.
Jamenas shakes his head. Another one? We need to get out of this somehow...
Jamenas warily advances behind Darwin. He looks around nervously, ready to strike out at either one of the hostile groups if they try anything.
Abu watches the two powerful people fight over this ragtag group of misbegotten fools. If we make it out of here, i`ll owe you a beer or two.
"In Moradin's name you shall let us pass or I will call his wrath upon you." Krogan declares. He then draws his quarterstaff.
"I think it's pretty clear they have no intention of allowing that to happen Lord Ironfist."
Darwin moves towards the woman who broke the wall and says "Too bad, too. We could have had some fun instead. Now, unfortunately, your zealotry will be your undoing."
Darwin moves as he talks, much quicker than he seems to, so that it almost seems like he teleports next to her, unsheathed blade in hand. Taking no chances, he goes on the offensive, launching a barrage of attacks.
Abu moves in, getting behind one of the foes if possible and striking.
Jamenas grins as the power of his god overtakes him. With a shimmer, a celestial warhorse appears, glowing with a bright, yellow color. He hops on.
In a blinding whirl of steel and skill, Darwin and Abu work together to almost eviscerate a foe. Even the earthen plates are not enough to stop their onslaught. Jamenas summons a mighty steed (that we'll assume you're on until otherwise).Krogar blesses the party, pushing the odds in the favor.
The enmies all move as they wish, each force clashing with the other, but some moving against you...
Both 'leaders' seem to be focusing their power on some intense magical energy.
Earthen walls begin to rise from the earth, blocking portions of the map. The wall is twenty feet high and seems solidly built of stone, but thin.
Darwin will move down and attack one of the men threatening Jamenas.
Being somewhat away from the action, Abu moves to get behind Jamenas's foe.
Krogar walks to the cultist Jamenas and Abu are at and starts whacking.
And generally hits leather.
The air knight seemingly brushes off your attacks as three of your party gangs up on it. Darwin, full of prowess, makes quick work of the combatant.
The leaders are channeling, though you can feel the magic in the air beginning to bend to their will, something powerful is about to happen.
The enemy has moved, the earth mages more barriers, a fighter from each side locks into combat, and the free air knight rushes Darwin.
The two air mages release their spells, sudden bursts of wind hitting both Jamenas and Krogar.
[ooc]Players up!
"God d@mn those finger wagglers...just you wait till I bring Moradin's wrath on you." Krogar curses as the winds push him backwards despite his best efforts.
He moves forward to assist Darwin with his cultist, clobbering him twice on his head.
Darwin fake sighs, then says "What is it with you cultists and an inability to actually hit your targets? Do you learn your bladework from farmhands and nursemaids? It's just embarrassing. I'm embarrassed for you, since you're clearly too foolish to be embarrassed for yourself."
"See, this is what your swordsmanship looks like. Appalling, isn't it?"
As always, Darwin combines insulting the enemy with his own attacks in his signature style.
Now in a good spot for some damage, Abu lets loose with his duel swords.
Feeling his sword sink into the guy, Abu is happy.
Jamenas, distracted by the bucking of his steed, can't react when he gets hit. Then, a blast of wind knocks he hand his steed into the wall. His steed heavily wounded, he charges back into the fray
A dark glow emanates from his fingers, and he points towards the air knight. A fear grips the knights mind.
The knight steels himself as the tendrils of fear are banished back to the arcana. Though, some linger, tugging at him.
Krogar and Darwin damage an enemy heftily. Though haggard, he does not fall. Abu finds a weak point in the distracted knight and strikes the foe wedged between them.
The two air mages both direct their attention to their companions and begin whispering words that seem like gentle breezes. These breezes wrap around the two air knights, who find themselves fleet of foot and moving quicker.
Each knight, in turn, moves to the flanks of the still growing stone wall in order to attack their true objective.
The earth mages finalize their preparation by increasing the height of the stone wall getting progressively taller (50 ft high) and larger.
After the air knight was wounded Krogar, he is immediately stabbed through by the earth knight, who's stone blade penetrates him completely. The air knight collapses to the earth.
Attacking the night that he and Krogar attacked, Darwin will say "If you don't like getting stabbed, you should probably...Nevermind, dead men learn no lessons, as the saying goes."