Taking an apple, she slowly bites into it while looking at Skaar with hungry eyes.
"*Bawk* Not yet. *Bawk* Not yet. *Bawk*" Corda gave Talia a perturbed look then shakes her head and continues eating the apple.
The dwarven woman pulls a chair and sits down. "Why're you looking for the Black Skulls, if I may be so rude to ask?"
"Let's just say I'm lookin' for trouble and I hear they're a good place ta start", Skaar says. "And I get the feelin' not many 'round here would be sad to see 'em go."
"Not really," the woman says. "Horace pays 'em to bust stuff up and kill anyone who gets under his skin. If'n you're looking for 'em, there're some old shacks on the west end o' town. They hide out there."
"Should be fun."
Skaar considers the information.
”Anyone else in town got the backbone to stand up to ‘em? Even if we get rid of ‘em, they’re just gunna come back if folks ‘round here don’t stand up for themselves.”
"If you want people to stand up for themselves, the root of the problem has to be addressed: Horace."
"And I mean to deal with him too", Skaar says. "But for now you got sick and hurt people that can't get help because the Skulls are makin' life too hard. If I run them outta town, I wanna know there's someone that can keep 'em out until Horace is dealt with."
The dwarven woman shrugs. "As you can see, I just keep drunks here. Check at the temple. Perhaps Father Hanely has some of his spine left to stand with you."
Skaar nods, "I'll see if there's still some fire in the Father's belly. Thanks for the info."
Before leaving, the big Orc drops a few more coins on the bar.
Walking past Sloane's house, you enter into the small temple. Small shrines to each of the gods decorate the main chamber. A silver-haired man with a stout face tends to the little shrines, tidying them up.
"Father Hanely?" the big Orc grunts.
"Yes?" the man asks as he turns to face you. His eyes are a golden amber.
"We need ta talk. We alone in here?" Skaar asks while looking around. "It has ta do with the Black Skulls."
"The Black Skulls are hardly religious, so it is safe," Hanely replies.
"I hear they're causin' trouble 'round here - I wanna help. I can drive 'em outta here but Corda and I can't do it alone. Someone's gotta keep 'em out once we're gone."
"You willin' to put your life on the line for this place?"
"Hm, a heroic orc and his lady friend...that would be a tall tale if I didn't believe you could do it. I have prayed for someone like you. It seems the gods don't forget us after all. I'll stand against Horace's men. What would you have me do?" Hanely asks, a twinkle in his eye.
Skaar shares a glance with Corda and then nods.
"If you can fight, get whatever weapons and armor you need and come with us. We're headin' to the docks to bust some heads. Yer real work starts when we leave", the hulking greenskin explains.
"First we gotta deal with the trash."
Hanely nods. "I'll meet you at the shacks then in fifteen minutes. Now what did I do with that mace?"
"Let's be goin' girl", Skaar grunts. "I think the Father's exactly what we were lookin' for."
Skaar heads for the docks with Corda in tow.
"Be ready for trouble. I'm gunna give these Skulls a chance to walk away but fools like them aren't gunna like it."
Corda kept quiet during the exchange between Skaar and the priest. The young Witch whispered to the Orc, "Whew, Priest's always make me nervous."
"Why's that? He seemed like a good guy."
"I just don't have the best relationship priest's is all. The last one I ran into, tried to get me burned at the stake."
Skaar scowls at the explanation, "If anyone tries anything like that again, let me know and I'll straighten them out - permanently if it comes to it."
Putting her arm around one of Skaar's massive biceps, placed her head on his shoulder, and sighed in contentment.
You arrive at the collection of shacks at the west end of town. There are five in total, all in disrepair. Father Hanely shows up, wearing some tattered leather armor and carrying a rusty mace.
"Best I could do," the man apologizes. "Where shall we start?"
"That'll do", Skaar says with a chuckle. "I've seen worse."
"I'm gunna try to scare 'em into leavin' town but it's prolly gunna come to a scrap. Follow my lead", the big Orc explains.
Approaching the first shack, Skaar raps on the door with a meaty fist.
Skaar bangs on the ramshackle door and a greasy thug answers. His face is painted with a black skull. "Whaddya want? Whateva yer sellin', we don't want none."
The orc can see three similarly painted men behind him.
"I'm sellin' a chance for you to live", Skaar grunts as he cracks the knuckles on his massive fists. "The Black Skull's time in Brassport is done. Get yer boys and make yerselves scarce. Now."
"Yer outta yer mind, baby-eater," the thug responds. "So you, yer whore and that old git 'r gonna fight all o' us?"
"If that's the way you want it", Skaar growls as he gets in thug's face. "'Course I could always just flatten whichever of you's in charge. That is, if he has the goods to show himself."
"Big mistake, greenman," the thugs says with a motion to one of the others behind him. "Y'see, there's a lot more o' us than there are o' you."
The thug behind him whistles and you hear the sound of doors slamming behind you. More painted thugs emerge from the other shacks.
Skaar pulls a vial from his hip and downs the contents.
"Bring it on."
"Have it your way."
Initiative:
Round 1: Skaar, Hanely, Thugs, Corda
"Father. Corda. Stay close. Don't let 'em split us up."
Skaar steps foward and grabs the forward thug by the collar.
"Yer first!" he roars.
Skaar grabs the thug and Father Hanely quickly covers Skaar's flank, holding his mace ready for an attack. The thugs close in, the grappled one trying to break free, the others attacking Corda and Skaar with their clubs. More thugs come out of the shacks in the meantime.
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The thugs manage to beat on Corda while the one grappled by Skaar breaks free.
Round 1: Skaar, Hanely, Thugs, Corda
After getting struck twice by the thugs, Corda positioned her feet to allow her the best capability to dodge, pulled out a piece of cured leather and cast a protective spell.
With little effort, the young witch cast her spell. A momentary flash of bluish energy surrounded her, looking as if she were clad in armor, but only for a moment.
Skaar grunts in surprise as the thug in his grip wriggles free.
”Fine. We do this the hard way”, the big greenskin growls.
Clicking his boots to trigger their magic, the hulking Orc starts throwing fists.
Corda protects herself and Skaar lands two big punches.
T7 hp: 7
Father Hanely looks about. "We're severely outnumbered here..."
He keeps his mace at the ready, as the thugs close in.
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Round 2: Skaar, Hanely, Thugs, Corda
Taking a club strike from one of the thugs, Corda retaliates with a spear thrust.
Corda connects, a thin spray of blood emerging from the wounded thug.
T7: 7
T5: 11
Round 3: Skaar, Hanely, Thugs, Corda
Skaar rears back and slams another pair of punches into the thug's gut.
Hanely swings again at the same thug he bashed.
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The thugs close around the group, attacking with their clubs.
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Round 3: Skaar, Hanely, Thugs, Corda (stabilize)
After the first hit, Corda managed to scream, "Skaar!!" Before the second club came down and knocked her to the ground, unconscious.
Skaar's eyes go wide as Corda falls.
"Cowards!" he roars thunderously.
Skaar beats down another thug, while Hanely tries to fend off the hordes closing in.
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T5 hp: 11
H hp: 1
Two of the thugs grab Corda's limp body. "Let's take 'er to the boss, she's a pretty young thing and 'e could use a good romp."
The rest of the thugs continue beating on the orc and priest.
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Hanely takes a vicious series of blows but manages to stay standing.
Round 4: Skaar, Hanely, Thugs, Corda
Seeing Corda dragged off sends the big Orc into a frenzy.
"Come back you cowards!" he roars again. "I'll tear you apart!"
Skaar beats down another thug with the pilfered club. Hanely attempts to finish off the thug he is fighting.
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The thugs carrying Corda continue toward the largest shack, while the others continue their assault.
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As soon as Hanely falls to the ground, the other thugs gather around and savagely beat him with their clubs until you hear his skull crack from the blows. When they are done, the old priest is no longer recognizable, his face crushed.
Round 5: Skaar, Thugs, Corda
At this point, Skaar is so enraged that he doesn't even register the club cracking solidly against his forearm.
With an animal growl and he lays into the nearest thugs.
Skaar destroys two more thugs with the club. The other thugs cut Skaar off from pursuing Corda.
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Round 6: Skaar, Thugs, Corda