Iolana began to sing again as she added dance steps to the tune, her song and movements began to inspire greatness in her companions as they fought the tiny devils.
Jens grunts as he feels the numbing chill spread from his face to his limbs, deciding to resolve the issue later. For now, he focuses his attention on the demon before him.
The tiny figure attacks Tatyana, leaving its flank open to Jens, who swiftly slams his hammer into the creature's side. There is a flare of light as the aura surrounding the hammer interacts with the fiendish nature of the thing, and its side caves in under the blow. It flops lifelessly to the ground, where it starts to blister and burn away in a sulfurous mass.
**********Victory!*************
As soon as Jens dispatches the two creatures, the would be gladiators look around cautiously, but when they realize that there are no more of the creatures lurking about they throw down their weapons and let out a cheer. Several of the people slump to the ground in relief, openly sobbing. A few of the men step forward extending hands to the party, "Thank the gods you arrived. They've had people fighting for hours, every so often other...things come by and drag the bodies off for I don't even want to think about what. He shudders visibly, "None of us here would have lasted much longer if it hadn't been for you."
"Well, you are welcome to travel with usssssss, if you wish. We are on our way to Defender'ssssss Heart. Speaking of which, if no one issssss wounded, we should try to get there before ssssssunsssssset." Tatyana grins at the would-be gladiators. "You are welcome to tag along."
Iolana nodded in agreement with Tats, "She's right, we hope that it'll be safe there and we will do what we can to get you there safely." She stowed her bow and picked up her whip in preparation for the continued journey to safety.
One of the more fit women comes forward, looking back at the others before stating her peace, "We'd like to go with you, but Defender's Heart? You don't understand, do you. There are no easy paths to anywhere anymore. The demons did their best to make sure it was pure chaos in the city now. It's made it near impossible to get anywhere. There's cultists and worse lurking in the ruins. They've been hiding in safehouses all along, and now they prey on any groups trying to band together. They say that Deskari himself took part in the attack on the city. How can you plan to stand against that?"
Miss, all it takes for evil to win, is that good people do nothing.
We may not survive standing against all that, but we can try, and in the trying be an inspiration to the others.
"You don't live to fifty in this career path without facing your share of horrors," Jens grunts, taking off his helm and gauntlet to rub at his cheek, attempting to get the circulation flowing in his face again. "Can't say I've faced this 'Deskari' before, but it would be a worthy adversary indeed." He fixes the woman with a hard look, blue eyes cold as chips of ice, the lines in his craggy face deepened with sweat and grime. "If you wish to take your chances alone, that's your choice. If you come with us, we will keep you safe as long as their is breath in our bodies."
"Besidesssss asssss far assss I can ssssee, we never sssaid we were trying to ssssstand againssst them. Jussssst that we wanted to get to Defender'ssssss Heart." Tats takes a couple steps away from the rescued would-be gladiators. "If you're not interesssssted, ssssso be it. We can get there without you."
Iolana put as much conviction into her voice as she could and said, "We've dealt with everything we've come across so far and your chances are better with us than without. Don't let fear get the better of you."
A few frightened looks go around the group of "gladiators" before the woman starts forward, "Wait! Give us a moment to tend to the dead, and gather some things? I'm sorry, it's just...we've had nothing, and no one for days now. These, these things have offered us hope before and then snatched it away. With Terendelev dead, there's been nobody able to stand up to the Abyssals. She looks around at the dirt and in some case blood streaked faces of the people forced to be gladiators who look to her with pleading faces. "We'll go with you, perhaps with your help we can make it there."
Well, I do not know about the others, but I will fight to protect you
With that, Heinrick takes up position near the back of the party again.
The woman gets the rest up, and looks to the party, "We'll follow you then. Where are we headed?
Well, he will be leading us there
Heinrick points at Jens.
While they waited for Jens to lead the way Iolana began to hum a tune to try and calm the crowds fears. She kept the tune light and low so that it wasn't too obvious what she was doing and was prepared to keep it up for a while if need be.
Iolana's tune seems to have the desired effect, and even seems to draw smiles from some of the people. Something that obviously hadn't been seen in quite some time. The feeling seems infectious indeed, and the people help each other in getting ready, and seem to actually have some resolve behind them as they look to Jens for direction.
Jens sighs, pushing a few sweat-slicked strands of greying hair away from his eyes with a scale-clad thumb. "Alright," he mutters, before raising his voice. "I'll take vanguard. Tats, Iolana, to the sides, keep the civilians in the middle. Henrick." He fixes his eyes on the young cleric, before pulling his helm over his head again. "Think you can handle the rear-guard?"
You got it Jens, I was already headed back
Iolana nodded and added the words into her tune, "Of course Jens." She took up her place on the side opposite Tat's with her bow in hand this time as the group set off, continuing to hum her tune.
The group continues to the Northeast following what they know from the city before the fall, and realize the radical changes in the city's topology as they move. The route that would normally lead to Defender's Heart is blocked by the destruction.
How are you moving around the chasms?
The chasm was a serious problem and Iolana found herself disturbed by how badly the city was altered. She saw no way accross at this point and finally said, "I hate to say it but I think we need to either travel north between these chasms or travel west around the western chasm and look for a way through. I believe that traveling to the west and then north would be our best bet for now."
Iolana's suggestion brings a ripple of concern from the group of refugees, and one of them steps forward, "Wait, you want us to move between those things? Do you have any idea what made them? Those things could be back any minute. I mean, what if they hear or feel us tromping around on what they've made?"
Her interest peaked Iolana raised one eyebrow as she asked, "What made those then and do you have a better suggestion?"
Heinrick looks at the refugees.
The other choice is more time consuming, climb down this side and then up the other side
"They were gigantic beasts that burst out of the ground. The first one hit the plaza where the festival was happening. They tore through the ground all over the city." The man then looks abashed, ...no...no I don't have a better idea."
Jens kicks a loose stone into the chasm, leaning over to watch it as it falls. He squints into the darkness, listening for the impact and hearing none.
"Far too deep to go down," he sighs, glancing at Heinrick. "Iolana has a good idea. We go west, and look from there."
Well, in that case. Lead on.
Heinrick hefts his spear, and takes up a spot near the back again.
As you travel following Iolana's suggestion, you skirt two of the chasms, and fing a gatehouse that is still open, leading back into the Ring District. To your dismay, the way north still seems completely blocked, but you do see a destroyed section of the wall to the Southwest, which looks like it will lead just South of the Gwerm Estate.
"Any way is better than none," Jens grunts in annoyance. "Let us keep moving." He starts towards the broken wall.
Heading through the broken wall the group is again met with destruction on a large scale, even the noble district was struck hard by the demon's wrath. Fortunately, for Horgus Gwerm at least, the Gwerm estate seems to have avoided much of the destruction. The wall surrounding the estate appears to be destroyed for the most part, but the Estate itself is still intact and standing. Approaching the Manor House, it is eerily silent, but you hear Horgus say, very softly, "Home."
As you reach the house, the reason for the silence becomes evident. There is nobody left in the Manor, no servants, or staff, and you all know that Gwerm had no family. It appears that with no living occupants, the demons lost interest.
Entering the home, Horgus grow disgusted, "Damned guards left the place! And let the staff loot the house!" Indeed as Horgus walks through the large house, you see spots on the walls where paintings once hung, and dusty rings of missing candlesticks and other pieces of art that are clearly missing. Horgus rants for a short while and then turns to the group, "Well a deal is a deal, and the vault seems to be undisturbed...I never trusted any of them with the combination. So, um, I guess, I thank you all for your efforts in removing me from...uh, no, for rescuing? For delivering me home safely." He seems mostly humble if halting with his thanks, before adding, hastily, "Of course you realized my importance, but still you did a mostly adequate job of getting us to safety. Above average, even."
Iolana gave a grin of amusement and said, "Why Horgus that's the nicest thing I think you've said to any of us and I'll take it as a compliment. I'd also suggest we might want to consider staying here for a while, we have our newly acquired survivors and I think all of them could use a rest."
Horgus seems taken aback by the suggestion, "Stay here!? Bu...there's no....I don't have..." He stops and lets out a small sigh, "Yes, of course they can stay, but you will send back for them as soon as you are secure in Defender's Heart?"
You see Anevia give a small, knowing smile, almost as if she were reconsidering the man, but it disappears so fast you think you may not have seen it at all. "Thank you Lord Gwerm, but I will pass on your hospitality. She looks imploringly at the group, "I have to find my wife.
Heinrick takes a moment to check the welfare of the survivors, as he waits for the word on whether or not they were going to push on.
"We move on," Jens says firmly, his gaze falling on Anevia. "We made promises that we must keep. We will send for everyone willing once we have secured Defender's Heart." He extends an armoured hand to Horgus, adding, "Stay safe in the meantime."
The group travels most of the next day after saying their goodbyes to the refugees staying at Horgus' estate, and finds themselves at a modest house, that appears to still be standing, although from the look of it and everything around it is abandoned. Anevia rushes forward on her crutches calling out Irabeth's name, but with no answer. When she approaches the door, a giant beetle scuttles out of the bushes nearby, intent on attacking the woman.
***********Round 1************8
Init: Tats, Anevia, Heinrick, Beetle, Iolana, Jens
Tats takes a look at the beetle, struggling to identify it as anything significant, and then shrugs. Instead, she takes a charge at it, jamming her rapier into its carapace in the hope of drawing its ire, or at least hurting it.
Tats charges forward with her rapier, skewering the beetle. The wound smokes, smelling of brimstone, and what she was sure was a grievous wound seems much smaller.
[spoiler=Tatyana]The beetle seems like it would be a giant Fire Beetle, also seems to, at second glance to have some sort of fiendish taint.[/ooc]
Anevia draws back and fires an arrow that goes wide of the mark. Heinrick moves forward and jabs at the beetle with his spear, spitting the beast which falls to the ground on its back, legs twitching and eventually curling in on itself.
Heinrick hears the very faint, but unmistakable sound of someone casting a spell from near the front door.
Heinrick is the only person that hears the casting, but looking there, no caster can be seen.
I hear a spell being cast from about there.
I point in the direction of the door, while picking up my spear.
However, it was really faint, so it might be a ways away.
Jens' eyes flick to the door. "Then we go in," he shrugs, pausing to hear any objections before trying the doorknob.