As Heinrich hears the casting stop another fire beetle scuttles out of the hedge near the house.
***********Round 2************8
Init: Tats, Anevia, Heinrick, Beetle, Iolana, Jens
Tats hoists her rapier again and zips back toward the hedge, extending her sword out in a textbook lunge and trying to skewer the fire beetle. "Where are thessssse thingssss coming from?"
Tatyana rushes forward, rapier thrust out as an extension of her arm as she makes a textbook lunge. The rapier pierces the beetles head, and it falls over, legs twitching as it curls in on itself.
From behind you, near Anevia, you hear, "NO!! I will not be denied my revenge. Irabeth will return to find her wife dead in her house! You all wheel to see a large 1/2 orc dressed in armor and carring a wicked looking grey ranseur, with a head crafted of obsidian which he swings at Anevia. The weapon rips through Anevia's leg, leaving a nasty looking wound.
Anevia looks at the 1/2 orc, in shock and dismay, "Vagorg! you bastard, how did you get loose?" Anevia quickly withdraws from the 1/2 orc.
********************Round 2 cont***************
Init: Tats, Vagorg, Anevia, Heinrick, Iolana, Jens
Seeing Anevia move past the group, Heinrick moves to block the half orc from following, and readies his spear for if the orc follows.
Heinrick's spearthrust punches into the 1/2 orc's gut and Vagorg stops with a loud grunt as the impact forces air out of his lungs. He growls low in his chest, "You will not stop me from gaining my vengeance, human. Move aside, or I will kill you, first."
****************Round 2 cont********************
Init: Tats, Vagorg, Anevia, Heinrick, Iolana, Jens
Iolana drew her whip as she moved and snapped it at the feet of Vagorg. She fully intended to drop the ass to the ground so that he could be more easily dealt with. Her whip snapped out but she failed to come even close to her target and fell horribly short of the mark.
Tats slides over, trying to avoid reprisal from the half-orc as she gets on the opposite side of Heinrick. Once there, she gives the half-orc a poke with her rapier.
*********Round 3**********
Tatyana, slips gracefully around Heinrich and makes a stunningly beautiful lunge under the swing of the Ranseur, coming up and plunging her rapier to the hilt into Vagorg's chest. The half-orc looks down at the tiefling, and in confusion at the rapier before his fingers go nerveless. He lets out a cough of blood spattered air onto Tatyana's hand and arm, and slides backward off of the blade, unmoving.
Jens looks approvingly at Tats, nodding. "Fine form, lass," he grins, shouldering his shield and checking Anevia's leg. As he sets a hand on her shoulder to try calming her, he asks, "Who was he, and why did he speak of vengeance?"
Anevia tests the leg using Jens' shoulder as a brace. Finding it fine, she gingerly lowers her weight on to it, testing. "Vagorg. He was someone that Irabeth arrested long ago for trying to burn down an entire neighborhood. She shakes her head, clearly stunned by Vagorg's appearance here, "He tried to play on their shared orc heritage, but that just made Irabeth even more angry, and she turned him over to the authorities. We'd forgotten about him, really, it's been over two years." She looks up at the house biting her lip in concern, and then pushes past Jens, "Excuse me..." She quickly moves into the house and immediately runs to the bedroom where she presses down on two studs of the bedpost. With a sharp click a panel opens and she takes out a note, and reads it. A smile crosses her lips and her eyes tear over a bit. "She's alive, and she's waiting at Defender's Heart, an old Inn. The password's 'Silverstrong'. She reaches back into the nook and retrieves 5 potion bottles, handing them over, "These are healing potions and invisibility potions, meant for me to help me travel to the Heart. They're yours if I can ask one more favor. Help me get there?"
I cannot speak for the others, but I will help you. However, I think that we have a couple of other areas we have to check first?
Heinrick looks at the others for confirmation.
He will then look over Anevia's leg, to bandage it up.
With the half-orc dead Iolana gave a sigh of relief. She listened as Anevia told the story of Vagorg. "It seems that he hadn't forgotten you, with good reason it seems. Still, he got what he had coming I believe." She followed Anevia as she went back into the house and then bedroom. She saw the hidden compartment opened and said, "Very sneaky, I approve." At the revelation that the woman's wife was alive and waiting Iolana threw her arms impulsively around Anevia in a hug and said, "I'm glad to hear she's alive."
As they were preparing to leave again the bard realized something and said, "I think it might be wise to go collect everyone else and take them with us to Defender's Heart, I think it might be the safest place we can find in all of this chaos."
"Your wife lives, then?" Jens smiles, the edges of his eyes crinkling. "This is good news, indeed. However, the young ones are right - we have others to find first." His tone gentler, he adds, "Can you wait that long, Anevia?"
Anevia wipes her eyes, and nods, "I wouldn't deny them any safety, we can last that long"
The party makes its way back to Horgus's Manse and collects the refugees that were left behind and the group makes its way carefully to Defender's Heart, an imposing 3 story Inn made of stone. A barricade blocks the gateway to the Inn, and you see guards armed with crossbows at the barricade, and also stationed at every third window or so within.
As you approach, three crossbows are leveled at the group with steady hand, and one of the guards, visible now in the livery of the Eagle Watch calls out, "Hold! What business do ya have here?"
In response, Jens raises his shield, angling the symbol of the dragon carved into the boss toward the barricade. "Survivors from the attack," he calls back, his booming voice carrying in the cool air. "We bring refugees and wounded, and seek shelter and safety within your walls."
"There's a lot of people wot want shelter here, an' we gots limited room. The Eagle Watch is 'oused 'ere now, an we's gots ta be careful 'oo gets in. On account o' there bein' traitors and demons about. There's 'ouses around 'ere wots still standin' As you approach closer, one of the guards fires a crossbow over your heads, "Stay where ya are, that's close enough now."
"Wait!" Tats holds her hands over her head, sword sheathed at her side, and shouts back. "You have jussssst fired a crossssbow at a group of ccccivilianssss in a ccccity filled with demonsssss! Now, if you would lissssten to usss, it would be clear that we are not traitorssss. What would make you believe ussss?"
"Ay, demons, shapeshifters 'n such. If ya ain't got official business here, an' don't know what ya need ta get in, then best ya be movin' along."
Then would the statement of Silverstrong be of any use?
Heinrick also pitches his voice to carry to the walls.
The guards visibly relax when Heinrick speaks, "Well now that makes fer a different story then, don't it? The crossbows lower and the barricade is slid aside. As the group begins to pass, the guard looks at you all with a shake of his head and a grin, "If ya knowed the password, why didn't ya just start with that? Ya scared us out of a year's growth, ya did! He looks over the whole group, "Gor but there's a big lot of ya, ain't there?
Having stayed near the rear of the group with those who had the hardest time keeping up Iolana had been quite silent for a change. The attitude of the guards, while maddening, was understandable, particularly with all they'd seen on this trek through the ruins of the city. Having finally caught up she looked up at the guard's comment about there numbers and said, "Yes, there are, and a good thing we found out about this place. I was starting to worry where they could go that would be safe for them." She sighed in exhaustion, "Fortunately we made it here. Now, if you wouldn't mind letting us in, I'd prefer to be in there before anything that might have stumbled on our trail catches up to us." As the gate opened and she entered the fortress the young woman was delighted to be somewhere safe. She gave the guard a tired smile and said, "Thank you very much." Being the last one in she turned and stood at the opening to help protect it while the doors closed, whip in hand.
The guards watch as the people filter in, but pay closer attention as Anevia limps in. The guard that was speaking earlier moves forward and touches her on the arm, "Anevia? and a broad smile covers his mouth, "Gor but Irabeth is goin' ta be happy as a Goblin in a bonfire when she hears you showed up. I didn't see ya in that mob er I'd have let ya in right away." He turns back towards the Inn proper and yells, Coopersmith, go tell the cap'n that her wife showed up! Anevia just came in wit all this lot.
A very brief time later, with quite a bit of scuffle, a large half-orc woman come walking briskly up to the party and Anevia. With a small gasp, Anevia burst into a wide grin, and the two of them embrace, Anevia resting her head on the armored shoulder of the the woman who you assume is Irabeth. She turns to the group with a broad smile, "I don't know who you are, but you will always have my gratitude for this. I'd almost lost hope that Anevia would return to me alive, but the Lady never let me truly despair. She turns with a broad look back at the Inn, "Welcome to the Defender's Heart. Home of the Eagle's Watch for the foreseeable future. I find myself as the Captain of the guard for now, until the Mendevian Army and the Queen arrive. They've been delayed by the fighting in the other cities along the wardstone barrier. When our wardstone was destroyed, it weakened all of the rest. The only thing that's saved us so far is the Abyssal's inherent chaotic nature. If they organized, they'd have overrun us easily.
Now, can you tell me anything more about the attack? I wasn't near the town center when this all went down. She looks at Lann with a curious lift of an eyebrow, "And can you tell me about our guest? She looks at Lann with a bit of reverence, "An honored guest from the First Descendants unless I miss my guess?
Lann looks surprised by the honorific, but nods with a small smile.
"You must be Irabeth." Jens takes off his helmet, offering the half-orc a thin smile. "It's good to see families reunited.
"As for the attack..." He takes a deep breath through his nose, letting it out through tired lips. "Khorramzdeh himself attacked the city, opening a rift in the earth and slaying Terendelev before the eyes of the helpless. It was as horrifying as the last time he attacked." His eyes cloud at the memory, now duplicated in his mind. "The dragon's last act - her final gift - was to spare us." He reaches into his gambeson, withdrawing the scale, small in his gauntleted hand.
"Our guest is one of the Children of the First Crusade," he says, raising his voice slightly, not realizing it had trailed off. "Lamm, this is Guard-Captain Irabeth Tirablade. Mrs. Tirablade, this is Lamm, and it's thanks to his hospitality, and that of Neathholm, that we were able to return."
The guards, Irabeth and others in the area all gasp in astonishment as Jens pulls out the brightly gleaming scale. As he does a sense of warmth suffuses everyone gathered around. You all get a feeling that something is watching over you, trying to offer you some help in the time.
As Jens continues, Lann steps forward, and bows deeply, and starts in his seemingly out of place articulated voice, "Captain, and other people of Kenabres, the people of Neatholm have not forgotten our ancestral home. While we may live beneath the stones that hold the city, we still feel a kinship. In this time of need, please know that all of the Children of the First Crusade will stand beside you, if you will have us."
Irabeth bows in return, "We welcome the help, and welcome the return of your people. It's been too long in the making." She then calls some of the guard over and sends them with Lann to work out the details of the alliance. She then turns back to the party, "What of you trials sense the attack? You've found my wife, and returned her to me, but I would hear what else led you here, especially by way of Neatholm."
Jens, if we have a day, I feel obligated to assist the injured.
Irabeth nods to Heinrick, "Any help you can offer will be gladly accepted, but do not feel obligated. In fact if you have any ills, or wounds, there are a few acolytes here that can help you. It is the least we can do for you bringing us more refugees, and also the good news of unexpected allies." She looks back to the group in general, "What else about your trials? We've been beset by the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth here, and have been trying to root them out with little success."
Hearing only silence from his new companions, Jens heaves a deep sigh, the air rushing from his lungs with a heavy whoosh. ”Our trials have been long, and many,” he begins, intoning the words as though an old prayer. ”We woke beneath Kenabres, amongst the dead – and with some survivors. Your wife, the nobleman Horgus Gwerm, and the scholar Aravasnial. With the injured in tow, we made our way through the tunnels beneath the ruins, beset by monstrous vermin of grotesque size. We found a temple of Torag built in a vast underground cavern, long abandoned and occupied only by an undead creature we failed to identify. After laying it to rest, our companion – who followed us no further – reconsecrated the temple, dedicating it to Desna.
“Travelling onward, we found a series of statues depicting warriors of the First Mendevian Crusade, which we believe were built by their descendants. We also found a crazed dwarf who called himself Milorn – unfortunately, he wasn’t interested in allowing us peaceful passage.
“Shortly afterwards, we found Lamm and a companion, working to free another, which we assisted with, securing safe passage to Neathholm and an audience with their leader. On the way to the settlement, we found the bodies of two individuals who we believe were Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth posing as crusaders of the Inheritor. Heinrick carries their unholy symbols and tabards, I believe.
“From there, we travelled to Neathholm, and were granted a meeting with Chief Sull, leader of the Children of the First Crusade. He told us where we might find passage to the surface, provided we bring a message with us – that his people wish to fight alongside Kenabres as their forefathers did, to drive back the demon invasion.
“Upon reaching the surface, we met with further struggle. We have freed survivors from the ruins of their home, fought a traitor in the Librarium of the Broken Black Wing who was going to sacrifice the librarians in an attempt to show chaos and win the favour of the demonic intruders, and saved a young woman from crusaders driven mad and clinging to an old folktale for hope. We destroyed a pair of imps that were making survivors of the carnage fight for their own amusement, and at your residence, we fought an old acquaintance of yours by the name of Vargog. The letter you left for Anevia led us here.”
Allowing silence to fall after his recounting, Jens takes a deep breath through his nose, savouring the relatively fresh air of the city, clearing the memory of the caverns. "We left Gwerm and Aravashnial at his manor and the Librarium, respectively. There are further survivors and refugees there as well." Doubt flickering across his mind, he asks, his voice softer, "Captain... I do not wish to impose, but have you by chance seen a horse? A shaggy bay mare, about this high?" He motions in the general height of his upper arm. "Now that we've found safety, I can't but wonder if she survived the disaster herself."
Irabeth listens to the account, taking note of the mention of other survivors, and when Jens talks about his horse in lower tones, she stifles a small chuckle and a smile. That shaggy mare gives my best knights nightmares. She's in the back corner of the Inn's grounds, along with a number of other horses. She won't let any of my knights near them, as the bruises and broken bones can attest to. I take it she's a friend of yours?"
She turns to a small group of knights taking a light meal, "You four, gather some others and go to Gwerm Manor and the Blackwing Library and gather any survivors that wish to join us here."
She then returns her attention to the party, [b]"Now, shall we see if this shaggy mare treats you better than she does my knights? If she does, I think I can see my way clear to give you and your compatriots some of the horses she's riding herd over."
Iolana nodded and said, "That seems like a good think to me. I admit though, I'm not much of a rider."
Neither am I, but I will not turn down such a generous offer. My thanks for that.
Jens' face splits into a broad grin, a genuine laugh bubbling up from the depths of his chest. "Aye, that sounds like her!" he chuckles, shaking his head. "Always had a fire in her belly, that one. Let's see her then, Captain - if it is her, she'll be wanting to see me soon!"
Irabeth leads the group to an open corner of the Inn's grounds, which as you pass through are expansive. The three story stone building that makes up the main part of Defender's Heart leads to large grounds which contain a small garden, and an open area which has been made into a pastured stable. Several horses quietly graze here, but one, a shaggy mare fitting Jens' description lifts her head, ears flat back, stamping at the ground in warning. Until she spots Jens in the lead of the small group at which point she charges with a small nicker. Irabeth and the guards hastily step back with practiced wariness, obviously they've been on the receiving end of the horse's attention before. This time though the mare skids to a stop in front of Jens. The horse butts the cavalier in the shoulder with her head, knocking him back a step, following and bringing her head to his ear with a whuff of breath as if to say, "Where the hell have you been?"
"Alfsígr!" Jens roars in delight as the mare barrels towards him, swinging an arm around the back of her neck and resting his forehead against hers. "It's good to see you again, girl!" Turning back to Irabeth and her knights, he lets out a hearty guffaW. "Aye, this be her alright, lass. She's survived two attacks on the city now, if you'd believe it!" He draws a well-worn brush from his pack, starting to work the knots out of the horse's mane as he continues. "Where did you find her? If only she could tell us her story, eh?"
A wide grin splits Irabeth's face and she shakes her head, bemused. "We didn't find her, so much as she found us. We'd just begun setting up here, and this small group of horses settled into this spot. I've got a few soldiers nursing bruises, one with a concussion, and another with a broken arm. They were the ones that tried to bridle her or any of the others she's playing broodmare over. After a while it just became an easier routine to leave some hay and oats for them to eat and leave them be. They weren't really causing problems, and anyone or anything that tried to come in from that direction met with a furious bunch of teen and hooves." She smiles again at Jens, "It does me well to see her reunited with you. Good to my word, you're each welcome to whichever horse you want from the small herd. I figure they'll do well with..Alfsir? in the lead."
Heinrick looks over at the small herd with awe.
It has been a while since I saw some like this.
He then moves into the herd looking around, while Jens continues his reunion.
He then moves closer to a big bay mare which has a splash of white.
Is this one calm, he asks?
Heinrich approaches the bay, which tosses its head at first, but lowers its nose with a wet raspberry, clearly looking for a scratch.
"Ha! Sorry she gave you so much trouble," Jens laughs, continuing to brush out Alfsígr's coat. The shaggy bay mare snorts, bumping her head against his shoulder. "Always did have a fire in her belly, this one. Comes from some of the finest stock my family ever had." Gripping the remnants of bridle in one hand, he locks eyes with the horse again. "Haven't had a mount like her since her sire," he says with a deep sigh. After a moment, he shakes his head, and resumes brushing, pulling off his gauntlets to work out a knot in Alfsígr's mane. "Take your time choosing, lasses," he grins to Iolana and Tats. "Relax, and keep your eyes soft. Don't want to spook them."
Iolana moved in cautiously to the horses, she hadn't been close to any for a while now, not since her family was wiped out by that Chelish bastard. She somewhat remembered the animals used to pull their wagons, she would occasionally sneak a bit of sugar or some apples to them. She spotted one horse, a blood bay mare, she felt drawn to the animal. It's hair was almost as red as her own and Iolana decided that this was the horse she wanted. She did as instructed by Jens, keeping her eyes soft as she approached the mare slowly. When she reached the animal she cautiously held out her hand and waited for the horse to make the next move.
The horse, for her part, watched Iolana approach with a lack of concern, her ears focused on the woman as she watched. When the hand was held out the horse nuzzled it gently and then took a step forward.
After seeing that the horse remained calm and nuzzled her hand Iolana began to scratch the horses chin and eventually stepped closer to scratch at her ears. She was careful as she moved closer still and then gently put her arms around the mare's neck and gave a gentle hug as she nuzzled the fur and spoke quietly into the animal's ear, "I think I'll keep you Scarlet, if that's alright with you?"
Whether the horse truly understood the bard or not it almost seemed she nodded her head in response. This delighted Iolana as she let go and turned to Jens asking, "I don't know much about caring for horses, it wasn't something I did in my caravan as a child. I was too young then to be tasked with those chores. what should I do now?"
Giving the Bay a scratch, Heinrick grins.
[b]I think I will name you "Sae Fad Lee" or "Sae for short"
He gives her a scratch on the withers, and then the nose.
As Tats watches her comrades each approach one of the many bay mares in the stables, she follows their lead, only to be rebuffed by the horses at each turn. After a few minutes of turning from one bay mare to the next, an increasingly exasperated Tats throws her hands into the air. "Jenssssss? Can you help me with one of thesssse?"
"Plenty of time to learn, Iolana. For now, just get used to her company. Try leading her a ways." Turning from Alfsígr's flank, Jens frowns at the sight of Tats unsuccessfully approaching one horse after another.
"Something has them spooked, lass," he sighs, not wanting to point out the obvious. "Keep your palms to them, and don't approach too fast. They're a mite skittish." Beckoning the tiefling to his side, he shields his eyes from the sun and looks out over the small herd.
While the skittish creatures allow him to approach, each one shies away from Tats, as if unnerved. Finally, after several minutes, he finds a gangly grey colt, a white stocking on his front right leg, and on the thin side. While he looks the horse over appraisingly, it approaches Tats, gently nudging at her outstretched hand before sneezing on it.
"Well, he seems to like you," the Ulfen man shrugs, checking the colt's eyes and teeth. "He'll never be a charger, but he'll bear your weight surely enough."
The bay Heinrich chooses gives a slight stamp at the name and bumps her head against his chest with a wicker that seems like approval. To Heinrich, anyway. She then starts to snuffle at the various pockets of his clothing and pack.
The blood bay that Iolanna hugs lowers her neck, allowing the slight woman a better angle to hug her. She then does something a little startling, and lowers her head, grabbing Iolanna's whip in her teeth and tugging, pulling the bard, playfully.
The Grey snorts after sneezing on Tats' hand and then bumps her shoulder with his head before darting off into the field, putting on a display of running, bucking and kicking before charging back across the paddock, skidding to a halt near Jens and Tats, shaking his head to toss his mane about his neck.
Irabeth laughs watching the display, "By the lady's grace, there will be a number of soldiers relieved by this, and also a bit jealous that they couldn't tame her. Seems that you've all found kindred spirits a bit too. I'll make sure there are papers of ownership drawn, after that, there is a request of you I'd like to make. Something that you can help with, I hope, given our limited manpower here."
"I don't think she's tame at all," Jens chuckles. "I think she's just allowed me to get close to her. Eh, old girl?" The enormous beast gives a small snort, butting her head against his shoulder.
"What is it you would ask of us, Captain? I find myself in your debt for the reunion."
Iolana giggled at the horse's playfulness and scratched at her ears as she said, "Let's not use the whip like that alright Scarlet?" She took the reigns and tugged them gently as she started to walk attempting to lead Scarlet for a bit so they could get used to each other. This was a bright spot for Iolana, over the last few days she realized that things could be much worse for her than they were. She thought that losing her twin sister was the worst that could have happened to her, the events of the last few days were very close to that dread even in horror. The only thing that kept her from saying this had been worse was the fact that at least this she could do something about, this time she could help, she couldn't say the same about Illinica's death.
Digging out a chunk of apple that he was eating a little earlier, Heinrick passes the leftovers to Sae, as he chuckles softly.
Hey, I see you like the name, and you found me out for the apple. I think we are going to get along just fine.
He puts a halter on Sae, and slowly leads her to join up with Jens and Iolana.