"We're going to need to get as many of these fires put out before they spread to too many of the buildings... If we get the chance..."
Noticing alot of the building around town already aflame Varus had small hope for saving the town.
the best we can do is to help as many villagers escape as we can
"No, it's too late for the town, I'm going to try and help as many villagers as possible escape, will any of you help?"
his assertive side seldom saw the light of day, except in such extreme situations. Come to think of it, this wasn't even the light of day.
Varus' face was grim.
Perception:
"I've sold wood here all my life. While it's not really home, it's certainly close to my heart. Of course I will assist you, in fact I was going to ask you three the same thing. Lets head for the closest screaming and get to work." Bernd replies to Varus, head swinging back and forth to try to locate the nearest screams.
Cedric stops at the edge of the crater, blade in hand, "What in the Seven Hells is this? This must have caused the quakes." He then looks up into the city, seeing more smoke over the houses in the distance. "We must evacuate! Next time this happens there could be victims." Cedric still holds his blade tight, unsure what to make of the situation. All he knew was that it wasn't save to stay.
"Well that's anti-climactic," Jethro states, staring down into the crater. He tries to think what may have made a crater this size.
As Varus suggests putting out the fires, Jethro nods absent-mindedly. "Absolutely, otherwise the entire town may set ablaze," he adds, looking up.
As the last damned creature is run through by Varus, howls come from within the crater.
Varus and Bernd both hear screams from all around but the exact locations can't be found. However, following the large columns of smoke coming from the center of town may be your best option. The dense smoke fills most of the streets now and little is visible beyond you immediate vicinity.
What you do start to notice however, is the teeming mass of more damned cadavers breaking into townhouses, accompanied with what looks like shrieking flaming heads. Citizens are being dragged bodily out of the houses and dragged toward the center of town. Strugglers are simply slain and then their corpses dragged instead.
However, it appears that nothing presently is focused on you.
===
As for all the others around the boiling crater, the rumbling coming from below is a sure sign to NOT stick around much longer.
As well, another large explosion resonates throughout the square and a crimson pillar erupts from the center of town.
Slowly, but surely, a haunting keening noise rings through the air.
Horrifyingly enough, it seems that the citizens are being dragged in that direction.
NALVALLEN STREETS COMBAT COMPLETED: 75 XP
This experience goes to everyone. I always split the Experience by 8. We will also be using Fast Track experience
Seeing villagers dragged off Cedric turns to run back to his sister's house, which is just down the street. He'll go in, blade ready to strike any fiend in there. If they weren't in here he'd have to rush to his parent's house to see if they arrived there.
From where does courage come? Rumha had always secretly suspected courage was a rare, highly situational, and utterly untreatable form of insanity. An insanity - like so many others - that was best avoided. But watching simple townsfolk dragged from their homes to be butchered or led like lambs towards whatever waited at the center of town... well, that just wasn't right. And neither was the only sane choice left - running away.
With a bellyful of anger and no regrets, the cleric embraces the insane choice. He looks to the tough men around him. They had dispatched these first three creatures quick enough. Maybe they could carve a path to the center of this madness. Maybe they could stop it. And maybe, just maybe, Rumha could help.
He points his mace at the flaming skulls and other strange creatures dragging people away and speaks to his new comrades. "I'm Rumha Varju - cleric. I say we kill those creatures and free those people, if we can. And we free any others we find... on our way to the center of this chaos." Putting words to action, Rumha charges down the street after the nearest monster corralling a live captive. He only hopes that at least some of the men find worth in this foolish plan. He had listened while the others - to their credit - had decided to save the townsfolk... but heading into the heart of this evil was a different thing entirely.
Victor almost pouts as he's looking into the crater. "This ain't any fun at all... I s'pose you're right, though. Let's try and put out these fires." The large man hefts his weapon over his shoulder, before moving to step away from the crater.
Kobayashi nods along with his compatriots and their suggestions of helping people out of the town. "We need to save those poor villagers! Wherever they're being dragged can't be good. Let's head towards where that red light is coming from and take care of as many of these creatures as we can along the way."
Ewen starts muttering: "Ugh, putting out fires does not sound interesting. Besides, where do we get water and what do we use to carry it? Why would we put out the fires in the first place? They're not harming us, they'll just damage some buildings and the townsfolk will have to repair them. But then they don't have much money and can't buy my goods. Then I'M out of money... oh fine let's help them.
He follows Victor.
Jethro looks for a ready source of water. If he notices any people being dragged off, however, he'll indicate that the group should stop any such madness.
"Yes I'm with you."
Glad to let someone else take the lead, Varus follows directly beside Rumha, readying his bow to let fly.
Rumha is silently grateful he isn't doing this alone. He gives an appreciative nod of thanks to his cohorts... even as he looks for some beast to smash with his mace.
Bernd also follows Rumha, simply nodding. He holds his axe ready to chop anything that gets in their way.
As you turn towards the nearest group of shambling cadavers attempting to make away with living, struggling bodies or slain corpses, another plume of flames strikes down from the skies directly in front of them. The resulting impact annihilates the draggers and their unfortunate victims in a column of hellfire. The impact crater is so large that it cracks the street clean in two, connecting it with the other crater you just left.
From within, more shamblers relentlessly emerge.
The night looks grim and bloody.
===
As a flash of red strikes in the distance, you turn towards the nearby flaming buildings. Certainly without aid the buildings will burn away within minutes. However, the hellfire pillar within the center of town slowly grows, engulfing more and more as it expands.
A middle aged man, his face bloodied and missing one hand tumbles past. He gives one glance in your direction and screams out:
"Ar' ya crazy!? Nalvallen's done for! I heard from my mage of a brother out in Waldmonte that it's no better there either! I'm heading for the docks while I still can!"
===
As you turn the corner of the street you get a last look at your former home before its flaming mass crumbles into a fiery conflagration. Screams within can be heard.
===
Victor turns and looks towards the pillar of fire spreading in the middle of town. His pitiful attempts to conjure enough water to put out the fires are proving fruitless, and the thought of a good fight is keeping him from concentrating on the task at hand. The hulking man growls, and as he draws his weapon and starts walking towards the center of town. "Αρκετά από αυτό! Η πόλη έγινε για! Τουλάχιστον, θα πάω να βρω μου κάτι να αγωνιστούμε!" he barks in a strange, harsh tongue, his hand gripping the handle of his morningstar so tightly that his knuckles are white. "καλοτυχία!" he shouts as he takes off, walking as quickly as he is capable.
Rumha leaps clear of the collapsing side of the new crater thankful that - by long habit - he travelled light and moved quickly. Coughing in the thickening smoke, the Kammarist wraps his turban sash over his nose and mouth then looks around for his new companions, hoping they too were spared from the hellish blast.
"Waaaahhhgh!" Comes the inarticulate wail as Bernd tumbles into the newly formed crater in front of them. His arms flail in the air helplessly as he falls to slam into the burning bottom of the chasm.
As the newest fireball slammed the street ahead a instantaneous thought for the lost flashed through his mind before the resulting explosion and tremors caused Varus to stumble. When the ground split beneath him he was off balance and unable to jump or move to safety. As he fell he desperately reached for some hold or ledge to grab. No sound left his mouth as he knew he was alone. One other thought flashed through his mind. A memory that he had all but forgotten...
Varus was sneaking through the house with some extra dessert. Just as he got to the back door his mother came up behind him. 'just what do you have there var?' He didn't answer but turned around, knowing he wasn't getting any dessert for probably the next month. Seeing the crumbs on his lips and the pudding in his hands Sara laughed then shook her head. 'just like your father...'
Varus' left hand caught a ledge on the chasm wall, halting his fall and also his thoughts.
Kobayashi does his best to dodge out of the way, reacting in his usual fashion: "OHSHITOHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT!"
Reflex save.
Kobayashi screams in agony as the flames lick his unprotected flesh.
Within the fiery chasm, searing flames and roiling smoke billow forth consuming your bodies.
The chasm's mouth is still within reach however so a chance still exists.
Kobayashi clambers up the side of the chasm, the smell of his own burning skin reaching his nostrils. He couldn't fathom why such a situation that had been a glorious and successful undertaking to begin with had taken such a turn. He was still alive, but the sudden burns had disquieted his mind and curbed his confidence. Nonetheless, he still offers his arm to his compatriots who are still trapped in the pit, lying prone on the edge of the crater.
"Grab my hand! Quickly! he exclaims.
Bernd quickly jumps up from the flames and scrambles up the side of the pit. He also turns to offer a hand to those still in the bottom, smiling at Kobayashi.
Cedric moves over to the house that has now crumbled, "No, no no no no no. Not them, not now." They were finally successful and were planning a family of their own, this could not be. Not now, not ever. He wanted to search the rubble but shook his head. No one could survive this. He'd seen a tree fallen on a deer, which had still been alive when he arrived, but when he removed the tree it had died. The same would happen here, they were lost. A lone tear ran down his cheek while he clenched his jaws.
He had to tell them. Two streets down were his parents, his older brother and the twins. If he couldn't save his sister he should at the very least save them. Cedric broke out into a sprint, blade still clenched tightly.
Jethro looked around at the destruction that was happening and realised he was powerless to stop it. Now it was about limiting the damage.
"Find anyone you can, we'll get to the docks and escape this madness," he says to the group. He pauses for a moment before continuing. "We need to save as many as we can and find someone in authority. If this is happening in other towns, then we may be under some kind of invasion."
Jethro clutches his dagger tighter and plunges into the darkness looking for any survivors.
Ewen looks around and considers what is happening.
"Might be the right time..."
He grabs a bottle from his belt, uncorks it and swallows the contents in one gulp.
His body shakes for a moment and his features seem to turn more feral.
"Hey wait up big oaf, I need to see what is happening back there, for research!"
He tries to catch up to Victor, heading towards the center of this "commotion".
Suddenly, the cleric is ominously alone. Hearing the yells below, Rumha throws his turban sash down as a makeshift rope and offers a hand to the climbers. "Quickly now!", he encourages.
Varus slips and falls into the flames which scorch his cloak.
Instantly realising he hasn't fallen very far or broken anything Varus stands up, seeing a sash fall down and thinking he heard someone yell 'hurry' Varus runs for it, grabs on and pulls himself up.
Varus manages to get a hold on the ledge and pulls himself the rest of the way up with the help of the other three.
"Thankyou friends. That was close. We were almost toast. That one was one of the biggest I've seen so far. I think it's getting worse and the only way to stop to possibly stop it is in the centre of town.
Varus looks towards the huge pillar of flame with something resembling fear.
It's only getting started and I wouldn't have the first clue about how to stop this. Any ideas?
this is way beyond my level of experience... You need to get out of here Varus! This needs an army of mages to control!
Rumha braces himself as he feels weight on the smoldering turban wrapped around his arm. Relieved as everyone emerges alive from the flaming chasm, the cleric calls upon the Gods to heal the burned men. A wave of white light passes over them all.
Buoyed by the fact he isn't alone, Rumha chooses to press on. "We'll have to find a way around this crater... if you are all still willing."
Varus looks towards the huge pillar of flame with something resembling fear.
It's only getting started and I wouldn't have the first clue about how to stop this. Any ideas?
this is way beyond my level of experience... You need to get out of here Varus! This needs an army of mages to control!
The cleric replaces his small turban and wraps the scorched sash-end over his nose and mouth. His eyes weep not entirely from the smoke in the air even as he looks for the safest course around the crater.
"I tell no man what he should do. Until I see what awaits in that hellstorm, I have no idea how to stop it. And even then, I may be clueless... But I started on the edge of town. The fireballs struck everywhere - setting the whole countryside alight. I saw no way out then and so I came here. Maybe those fires have died now, maybe there is a way through it. I don't know. I think we are snared and I would rather die on my feet than on my knees. I will go forward because I think there is no point in going back. But you must decide for yourself. Whatever Gods may be, may they watch over you all." His scorched headdress in place, the cleric nods to his comrades and tries to make his way forward by whatever route seems safest. He is grateful that in the smoke and darkness, it is unlikely that anyone can see him shaking with fear.
I'll wait to see where you now head off to. The ground is still unsteady, the pillar of hellfire in the center growing and more fireballs rain from the skies piercing through the streets of Nalvallen.
===
As you head towards the center of town, the hellfire column's base comes into full view. A towering mass of flames rises up from an evergrowing pile of corpses. While certainly many citizens are being dragged bodily into it, whether dead or alive, many more are simply kept hold of and dragged to other places within Nalvallen. A large machine built of bleached bone and black metal rises in the center of the square. The device is obviously a tremendous guillotine and citizens are beheaded five by five upon its keen edge.
From what you know of the town, it would appear some of the citizens are being led towards the docks, others towards the town hall and again some are simply slaughtered and devoured by the shambling hell-corpses.
===
As you near the docks, what was once perhaps a glimmer of hope has suddenly turned into another hellhole. The ships are teeming with hell-corpses, their burning bodies igniting the wood hulls and cloth sails. Citizens hoping to save themselves aboard the ships are grabbed, lashed heavy iron chains onto their legs and thrown into the harbor's waters. The entire place is one large massacre.
===
You near your parent's house and miraculously it still stands untouched. In fact, this little section of town is strangely quiet and untouched by the carnage surrounding it. However as you near the house, you spot the front door wide open... but no sounds from within.
===
Victor looks simultaneously horrified and ecstatic to see the giant machine of bone and steel carrying out its terrible task. Gripping his weapon with all of his strength, he takes off in its general direction, hoping to do battle with those around it.
The man's ear-to-ear smile is almost a rictus parody of happiness. He bellows as he charges as fast as his gait will allow him, his well-used morningstar ready to be brought down on any foe he might find. Victor von Ulmen, a man more likened to a wall than a person, enters the fray!
"Thank you for the healing friend. I will continue on. Though there's almost certainly nothing we can do to stop this, I have to try. My name's Bernd by the way." Without waiting for the others to come to accord, Bernd continues on towards the center of town, scrambling around the edge of the crater, or retracing his steps and taking another path if necessary.
None home? That could not be. Did they escape or.. Cedric didn't actually want to think of the other option. Still, if they had been taken there would be signs of struggle inside. Dad knew his way around a cleaver like none other and both his brother and the twins were young, strong and healthy. Maybe they were just holed up in the backroom?
Still not sure what to expect Cedric slowly stepped inside, blade drawn and ready for anything.
"Sorry Mr. Healer, but the axe guy's right. We've got to keep helping as many people as we can. Besides, we don't even know what we're up against, and we've been faring well so far. Personally, I don't think we can stop this horrendous mess, but the least we can do is clean it up."
Kobayashi goes to follow Bernd. Now to find out what the hells this is all about.
Ewen looks around, interested in the whole scenery.
When he sees the big guy "hobbling" off straight towards the machine, he shakes his head and shouts after him:
"Don't, there's weird beasts there and you'll just get burns all over! Maybe they also chop off your head?!"
He decides that he doesn't like the prospect of ending up beheaded and turns towards the town hall instead. Leaders are always found near town halls and maybe those things have a leader that can be talked to?
Victor turns around at the man's words, and he smirks at Ewen. He just growls, a terribly strange noise to come out of the man, before he turns back around and continues heading for the machine.
Stepping into the house, you stare into the darkness. The house is still and empty. No sounds penetrate the still air. Furniture has been left alone but many cases are open and items seem to be missing. No sign of a struggle is present.
Victor charges into the mass of monsters around the guillotine, weapon blazing with battle fury. The mass of monsters turns from the machine and attempts to pile on him.
I'm going to play this out like an action movie. I just need you to roll an attack roll to determine how precise you hit.
Bernd, you finally reach the center of town just in time to see a raving warrior charge into the mass of monsters at the center of town while another man sprints towards the Town Hall.
Ewen, you head towards the Town Hall. Arriving there, you see a dark scene unfolding. In the center of where the Town Hall's entrance used to be lies a monstrous sight. Little can be seen of this fiend, its body cloaked in a shroud of perpetually shifting, ghastly illusions and phantasms. Beneath its shimmering veil, it has glossy black flesh, a bleached white face, and twisted horns. Its long caiman muzzle perpetually gapes, but other than that, its face is void of sensory organs, save for two orbs that move below the surface of its flesh. This
creature flows rather than moves, and its flexible body lacks a
definite skeletal structure except for a long, bony tail.
Citizens are being dragged towards its grasping claws. It then proceeds to grasp them, and after a few seconds of screaming and thrashing they collapse only to have their corpses thrown into crumbled messes around the square.
More of the shamblers teem around it.
Jethro stares for a moment at the intense scene that is playing out in front of him, before ducking into a shadow before he is seen.
Jethro quickly tries to think of some way in which he can help, but he comes to the realisation that the only way he can help is to try and escape, to warn someone as to what has happened here.
Jethro makes a break for the outskirts of town, sticking to the shadows as much as possible.
Just behind Bernd, Kobayashi spies the scene as well.
"Crap, we've gotta help that guy! He doesn't stand a chance on his own!" And with that, Kobayashi charges in to help the armored figure and attacks!
Jethro, you manage to slink away without any of the creatures and manage to make it to the edge of town without being noticed. However, the sight of the towering monster lumbering outside the town is enough to make you faint.
This massive fiend has thick claws like a lion’s, the broad wings of an eagle, and the legs of a massive canine. Its face is that of a three-eyed wolf with the jaws of a saber-toothed tiger. While two of the thing’s eye sockets are merely empty holes that trickle blood, the middle eye glows a sickly yellow. A cloud of globular soul-stuff cloaks the creature’s hulking body, bits dripping loosely from its barbwire-covered arms.
The gargantuan beast lumbers slowly towards the town, its body decorated with what appears to be farmers and loggers and behind it, a host of other fiends screech and tumble in its wake.
If doom was not already certain, it definitely is now.
Charging into the mass of fiends, your attacks are enough to to wound many but the teeming mass slowly threatens to overcome you.
Kobayashi, you see Victor slowly being dragged down. You have very little time and a choice needs to be made...
Attempt to save the man.
Or flee, and perhaps live.
Rumha tries to stay with the fighters as they charge toward the massive warrior fighting the endless ranks of enemies. He only peels off to slide into a large bunch of creatures he hopes are undead. At the center of the mass, he calls on the power of the Gods and bathes the creatures in a wrathful light...