Louis knows full well that should they travel to the nearest farm a half hour or so away they'd find no prepared food and would likely get a crossbow bolt to the head at this late hour. Feeling as ill as he was he shivered under as many warm clothes as he had while grasping the statues tight to him. He hoped that with the new day his illness would pass and he could present to his father the founder's statues.
Timerious sits upon the ash and debris covered floor of the ruined home and beseeches Halav for what to do. He hears only the sounds of the ill and the occasional crackle of the small fire.
whispers"I'm sorry Gertie. I've failed you as well as my god."
Timerious rises stiffly to his feet
I don't understand how this timber fits this burnt ruin.
Markas awakens in the morning and feels as if the horrible illness has finally passed. He is still extremely tired and sore; his injuries have not improved much if anything from the day before. The lifetime habit of morning prayer is the only thing that forces his eyes to open from sleep. He weighs his options as to what to do with the morning and sleep is currently the most attractive.
Timerious walks out of Gertie's ruined house and throws the full burlap sack at the ground near where Gertie and Adrianna had come to rest along the wall of her ruined house. Timerious could not muster words to express his sorrow at failing his good friend and his god. He angrily threw his back into the wall and had a seat. The fighter fell into a dreamless sleep almost immediately and rested until the dawn.
The night for Louis was horrific, the illness became even worse and he found himself dangerously shivering for the final hours before dawn. The fighter got no sleep through the night wearing him down even more. Morning came and found Louis doubled over in pain beneath every warm piece of clothing he could find.
The dawn brings enough light to see that the front section of the home appears to be more solid. The wooden support beam above the front door is two different pieces of wood; one small section appears to be very familiar to Timerious. The fighter looks to the seer with confusion on his face. Her daughter glares at him with a look of superiority.
It appears as though we are at an impasse. Timerious clearly has work to do with his timber and likely won't leave until that is done. Louis and Erik are not doing well with their strange illness and I fear that they may be lost if we don't get to a healer soon thought Markas.
"Gertie do you know of any healers in Hawk's Hill that might be able to cure Louis and Erik? I know Timerious has a task to do but we need to get healthy and rested." Markas waited on the answer from Gertie but his mind was set that health, rest, and a safe haven were of crucial concern.
Timerious walks up to Gertie and Adrianna.
"Thank you for your help with the timber. I am dismayed that I was unable to complete the task."
I have no memory of feeling well, and don't think I shall ever feel fit again. I'm zo close to completing thiz quest to return the statues home! Home. Will I ever make it home? Louis thinks to himself in despair.
Adrianna aids her mother to a standing position alongside the sidewall of the ruined cottage while Timerious tries to convey his personal disappointment at not being able to complete what Gertie had asked him to do the night before. "Stomping your feet and having a tantrum didn't solve your problems last night Timerious?" Adrianna smirks wickedly as she relishes her success over Timerious. The old seer smiles and shakes her head while chuckling a bit. She leans against the ruined wall and her quarterstaff, the silver and gem encrusted ring upon her hand twinkled in the morning light. The exhaustion the strange illness had taken on her was plain to see. "Daughter, given time our angry friend here may learn a thing or two and respond to challenges with something besides a raised fist. The one who tested you Timerious has seen fit to repay his debt in an interesting manner. I look forward to seeing what it turns out to be."
Louis wriggles his hand free from beneath him and holds it before his eyes. In small spots there is an odd grey hue unlike anything he has ever seen or heard of. He quickly pulls it back into the warmth of his clothing around his shivering body and continues to lie on the ground and quake in the horrible throes of this illness. Louis thinks to himself that he could not walk very far in his current state, certainly not the whole way back to Hawk's Hill.
Markas closes his eyes and gets just 15 more minutes of rest. Morning prayers could wait as it seemed that very few of the group seemed to possess enough energy to want to get on with the day. He draws a few deep breaths of the crisp morning air and quickly falls back to sleep.
Markas and Louis are awoken maybe a half hour later, Louis had just finally fallen into an exhausted sleep about ten minutes before. Brion has placed the very ill Erik upon the group's last remaining horse, the sick man was wrapped up in warm clothing similar to Markas and Louis. A grey hue to Erik's skin was visible around his barely open eyes and along his neck. Markas and Timerious noticed that Louis had the same odd coloring that Erik had, perhaps a bit worse looking. Latovious held the reigns of the waiting horse for the two men. "I fear for Erik's life with this illness he has. We shall ride hard to Melinir and Petra's temple to find out what it is and how to cure it. I shall see to it that word is sent to Overton on how to cure whatever it is. You have our thanks Markas and Louis, the next time you enter the gates of Melinir I hope that either of us will greet you while on duty for the city watch."
Timerious takes a closer look at how the timber had been placed and wonders why he could not see this before. I must show patience to be able to accomplish greater things in this world.
While I never liked those two rich boys I didn't wish sickness on the stupid one. I didn't wish either of them to leave either.
"We seem so close to returning home but still so far away. Are you going to start to rebuild this house now Gertie or shall we continue to Hawk's Hill?"
"Thank you Latovious may Petra grant you safe travels and a cure for this illness." Addressing the rest of the group, "I suggest we make our way to Overton before we go to Hawk's Hill. What do you all think?"
Timerious spends the time between speaking with Adrianna and Gertie and when Brion and Erik left looking at the front of Gertie's house. The damage done to the front of the home does not appear to be as extensive as that to the rest of the building. The burned timber he had been carrying has been used to wedge the top of the door frame up and together. A few small stones fell to the ground from a crack in the foundation near his knee while he was investigating the door frame. Timerious could have sworn that the crack had been larger several minutes ago.
Brion spurs the horse on its way with Erik held tight, leaving the group. Latovius walks back to the group by the wall. "What the f&&$ Markas? The damned fever rot your brain? I didn't leave just yet and we sure as s@%# ain't going to Overton over Hawk's Hill. We're less then an hours walk to Hawk's Hill you damned fool. F!$@ing Overton is a day or so by horse, on foot that's probably two or more. You ain't able to walk, Louis sure as f+** ain't able to walk. Lay your sick ass back down to rest, a bit later we'll figure out who to send to Hawk's Hill to bring a wagon or something back to get folks."
"Aye Latovious the fever must be getting to me. I thought you were on the horse with Erik. I must be seeing things. Let me get a little rest, clear my head and then we can set out for Hawk's Hill.
Markas, Louis, and Gertie are allowed to go back to sleep, given their illnesses it seemed the prudent thing to do.
A short while after Markas, Gertie, and the funny talking one fell asleep Timerious heard whispering. Following the sound he came around the half corner of the ruined house and saw Latovius and Adrianna speaking to each other in whispers. Glancing over his shoulder to those who were resting he noticed Markas's pack was open and the Black Knight's sword and sheath were was still attached to his Markas's pack.
Timerious approaches the pair of conspirators without trying to stifle his approach. Adrianna's head snaps around and she flinches instinctively while jumping back a half step from Timerious' as he strode forward towards the two. Latovius crosses his arms across his chest and steps in front of the sorceress, partially shielding her from Timerious. Timerious boldly asks of the two whisperers in a commanding tone while pointing at them. "What do you two have to say to each other that the others and most importantly myself should not overhear?"
Latovius responds to Timerious' question with a shake of his head, "F%#& son! You no longer have any importance, you’re a slave! You will remain here with your resting master, those who are ill, and those who are recovering. The sorceress here will keep everyone safe while you fetch water, or fan her to keep her from getting too hot, or whatever it is slaves do." He makes a show of checking his weapons, Timerious notices that the thief carries several exquisite daggers based upon the handles that he could see. One in particular catches his eye, the scroll work and filigree on the handle was simply superb. Latovius begins walking out of camp in a north easterly direction without any further words spoken. When the thief is fifty or so yards out of camp Adrianna walks past Timerious giving him a wide berth and appearing to be very nervous at the current situation. "Keep watch from here, I shall watch mother." She quietly requests as Timerious remains standing where he was, dumbstruck by what had just happened to him.
Louis wakes from his uneasy rest with his head spinning and his insides churning violently. He barely manages to get to his knees before he begins vomiting up the contents of an empty stomach along with some blood. With chills shaking his body uncontrollably he tries to wrap himself up as best he can. The ill man casts a very weary gaze to see who was about that might be able to aid him somehow. Markas and Gertie are still asleep nearby. Adrianna was just rising to her feet from her mother's side, drawn by the commotion he had just caused. Timerious has just stuck his head around the corner of Gertie’s ruined home and was looking right at Louis.
At some point a bit later in the morning, how long Timerious could not tell for his mind was preoccupied with angry thoughts about his current state. Most of these thoughts centered around figuring a way out of his servitude that didn't include chopping the blasphemous cleric's head off and living his life on the run from these scum who dared to claim he was something “sub human”, a slave! From his lonely spot around the corner of the home Timerious heard the sounds of someone violently retching. He risked sticking his head around the corner of the home and he immediately spotted Louis on his knees near where he had been sleeping earlier. Blood and vomit now trickled down his chin and the front of his clothes. The man looked horrible with dark bags under his sunken eyes, he had a sickly pale grey hue to his skin with darker grey marks around his eyes and mouth.
"You look terrible! I'll get you some water. Lay back down."
Timerious turns away from Louis and looks for a pail of water or something else to give Louis that may help. If there is something he will give it to Louis. Then he turns and walks to Adrianna.
"A slave is something I'll never be. I was a prisoner once and slew the man that imprisoned me. The same fate will hold anyone that attempts to enslave me so remove that thought from your little head."He gestures to Gertie. "Does her ring help this illness? If so she should be using it and then pass it to the others. If not when is your loudmouthed boyfriend going to return with help?"
Louis looks around for water, wipes his mouth off with his sleeve Qu'est-ce qu'un homme doit faire pour boire un verre d'eau ici? Eeeh... Is there any water? Louis hadn't really heard what Timerious had told him. If Timerious is able to bring him water he will thank him very profusely. The warrior from Hawks Hill has stomach pains of hunger but feels that he could not keep anything down.
Adrianna takes a water skin from Markas's pack that was partially sticking out and made haste to the side of the very ill Louis. In doing so she disturbed a burlap bag that had been in the pack and some of its contents spilled part way out of the pack. A brass circlet with ivory inlays on it now stuck out of the pack and the bag that it was once in. She knelt down next to Louis and offered him some water while straightening his warm clothing about him, "What can I do for you? What do you need?". Timerious shortly emerged from the ruins of Gertie's house with a dented and charred bucket. The fighter slammed the pail down near the well and filled it with water; not bothering to clean or empty whatever debris might have been inside. Once the sorry looking bucket had water in it Timerious stomped towards him, Adrianna let out a little moan and retreated several steps behind Louis. Timerious tossed the pail to the ground near Louis, some of the contents sloshed out from the force of the impact.
Timerious had seen a dented metal pail in the interior of the ruined cottage while he was on watch. He retreated and spent what seemed like forever trying to find the blasted thing; all the time wasted just pissed him off even more. On his way out of the ruins he kicked the remains of an already broken cup sending them against the half wall to shatter. The noise it made brought him the briefest of smiles. Timerious stopped at the well near the home and splashed some water into the charred and dented bucket for Louis. He walked over to the fighter who now knelt and held a water skin in his hands while he tried to keep the rest of himself covered in filthy clothing and blankets. On his way to Louis, Timerious' eyes lingered on the Black Knight’s sword that was still attached to Markas’ pack. His vision caught a glint of something metal, a brass circlet with white inlays partially stuck out of a burlap sack from the interior of that pack. He had seen that circlet somewhere and it preoccupied his mind while he took several more steps forward. Timerious tossed the pail of water to the ground near Louis and then looked up from the kneeling Louis to see Adrianna standing several paces behind the ill fighter looking him in the eyes.
"A slave is something I'll never be. I was a prisoner once and slew the man that imprisoned me. The same fate will hold anyone that attempts to enslave me so remove that thought from your little head." He gestures to Gertie; he would have said more but is cut off just then by the sorceress.
"So, by your own words you plan to kill us all? You really are a soulless insane butcher!" Adrianna snapped at Timerious as she drew the dagger from her waist and held it with a shaky hand pointed at Timerious.
Adrianna cries out a warning, awakening those who were asleep, while she keeps her eyes and the point of her dagger focused on Timerious who stood tall over the kneeling and very ill Louis.
Timerious blinks several times over eyes that flash with anger and his head jerks back toward what he had seen in Markas' pack.
Perin.........PERIN!!!!The words rang in his skull. The pain. The suffering. It still burns!
"PERIN!! You still torment me?! ENOUGH!!"
Timerious leaps to the pack and grabs the shining headgear in his left hand and the Black Knight's sword in his ruddy colored right. The sight of his red skin tightening over the symbol of his freedom exhilerates!
RED! The power of Halav! Red to smash Perin and any disbeliever!
"RRRREDDD!"The words snarled from deep in his chest.
Timerious gains 4 temporary hitpoints, putting him at (5 current +4 temp) 9. I will adjust the token on the map accordingly. Any attack and damage rolls will be at his new strength modifier which is +4/+4.
In his banded mail armor, with the Black Knight's sword held skyward in his red right hand, the headdress aloft in his left, and a look of pure ecstasy upon his face Timerious sent a chill down the spines of those around him. The stained dark red cloth attached to the back of the brass and ivory circlet held aloft in Timerious' left hand dripped something liquid onto the ground from his grasp. The enraged fighter's unbridled fury blinded him to this fact as his glassed over eyes now started to dart about his surroundings.
With a mad man standing over him Louis has to think fast, doubtful he could get his gear in time, and fleeing seems just as impossible... Perhaps with a little luck he could get "the jump" on Timerious and disarm him. thiz iz not the drink you promised Louis attempts to tackle Timerious and get his hands on the enraged fighters sword arm.
Jasper's Lucky Rock necklace, once worn for a period of time the wearer at will can nullify and re-roll the outcome of 1 roll per day whenever they so choose. Louis has been wearing this item long enough to have that worn period covered. The faint blue streaks in the stone are the ore eisenmond.
A valiant thought but Louise illness gets the better of him and He falls to the ground.
Strength and anger flood Timerious. All of the pain comes to his mind in a whirlwind. He is unchained. Now I have you Perin. You are in my hands now! First your master and now you. Do you feel that Perin?
"I'm going to kill you too!!Timerious roars!
Timerious throws the circlet to the ground and raises his sword with a howl of rage. The massive killing blow falls.
Timerious howls his anger as the sword cuts a yard long furrow into the dry soil. "Aaarrrrggghhh!!'
He throws the sword aside and raises his foot high. "I'll crush you!
The circlet skitters away from Timerious' foot.
Perin you still taunt me! I've vowed to kill you and I will never stop!
"Get back here you thrice damned cleric! I will crush you to bits!"
Timerious bolts after the headdress.
Louis throws off much of the warm clothing he was buried under and lunges at Timerious in an attempt to grapple him. There is a very brief blue flash from the stone on the necklace Louis wears around his neck as he leaps forward towards Timerious. Louis stumbles in his clothing and winds up a step or two past his intended target.
"I'm going to kill you too!!" Timerious cries out as he brings the Black Knight's sword downward with all of his surging strength. Unexpectedly at that very moment Perin is there! Standing not far from where his blow had just struck something, there he was! The vile tormentor smiled wickedly at him as he had done for countless hours! Hours of Perin smiling while carving and crushing Timerious only to cruelly heal him of some of the damage that he had just inflicted in the name of his dark god Orcus. Timerious shook as he advanced on Perin, .
"I'm going to kill you too!!" Timerious cried out as he slashed his sword in a downward arc where he stood, missing Louis. The tormented fighter took several deliberate steps while remaining exactly where he was. He yelled .
Gertie rose to her feet and extended her hand towards the mid-morning sun, a small bit of light gathered in the palm of her hand as she held her hand up with the palm facing the heavens.
Markas awoke to a madman spouting threats. His instinct kicked in and immediately grabbed for his mace. "Away from him Louis! He is my charge I shall deal with him!"
That's the evil headdress I was taking back to Melinor to destroy. Is that what is causing Timerious' rage? Markas thought.
With what Louis took to be an attack on his person from Timeroius, Louis takes advantage of a near miss and moves away! Socre Bleu!
Markas rises to his feet with his mace in his hand while ordering Louis to stand down from the enraged Timerious. Louis is all too happy to take a few steps away from the maddened and armed Timerious.
Adrianna speaks a few arcane words of power and a pink burst of energy flies forth from her hand, it strikes Timerious in the armored chest. Immediately upon its impact with Timerious all hear the crystal clear sound of a single musical note being struck. Adrianna appears to take no notice at this seemingly odd musical occurrence, her focus remained squarely on Timerious.
With Louis a bit farther away Adrianna next raises her hand and speaks some arcane words at Timerious. Gertie's hand remains skyward as the glowing ember cupped in it intensifies.
Perin smiles but remains unmoving as serious pain is inflicted upon Timerious.
Louis keeps his distance from the crazed Timerious, he looks about for his weapons and realizes that they're in a place where he cannot recover them at this time. Louis makes a mental note to always at least have his daggers on his person. The warrior then proceeds to look around frantically for anything that he could use as a weapon.
Louis finds several large stones from the ruined foundation of the home. Grabbing up one he heaves it at Timerious' head.
The stone actually travels in the reverse direction from where Louis intended it to go.
Attack rolls are at +4/+4. I'll get it correct this time. I don't know what damage smashing to dust with a boot is so I'm estimating.
Timerious shakes in agony. Uuunnnggg! The pain.....again! Hurtssss....
Timerious' eyes clear momentarily. "This time I"ll kill you! I"ll smash you to dust!"
Timerious falls to the ground fast asleep without a word said or action taken.
With the crazed man asleep and the danger temporally abated Markas simultaneously went about two tasks. The first was to further eliminate the physical threat of Timerious by removing his weapons and if possible tie him up. The second was to warn of the evil headdress. "Do not touch that headdress! It is cursed. I had planned to destroy it's evil back in Melinor. I fear that is what was causing Timerious' rage."
Markas takes the Black Knight's sword from Timerious' slackened red hand and tosses it several feet away. The unhinged man remains asleep on the ground. "Do not touch that headdress! It is cursed. I had planned to destroy its evil back in Melinir. I fear that is what was causing Timerious' rage." Markas warns the others as he ruffles through the contents of his nearby pack. The burlap sack that the headdress had been in is open now, empty, and wet with a slimy off smelling liquid. In fact most of the contents of his pack are damp or wet and similarly off smelling, the odor reminds Markas slightly of rotting vegetables. He finds the shortened remains of his rope in the pack and prepares to cut yet another length off to once again bind Timerious when he sees Adrianna advancing with her dagger still drawn."Leave now with your mad dog slave or I will kill him."
"We will leave once I destroy this evil token. It has done enough harm." Without looking away from Adrianna, "Louis are you with me? I know you are ill but I need someone to watch Timerious should he wake again with his rage."
Oui... Yes I will keep watch on him if Louis is well enough, he will go over to his gear and grab the club then position himself in good place to watch over Timerious
Adrianna pauses when Markas and Louis disagree with her, she looks to her mother. The old seer lowers her elevated hand, a brightly glowing pulse of energy held within dissipates. "Be quick about it then. Take the mad one and be gone from my sight immediately. I will not allow him to cut down my precious daughter in one of his fits." Gertie sighed and shook her head, a look of sadness upon her face. She moved to collect the few items she had on the ground while Adrianna moved between her mother and the prone Timerious with her blade still pointing at the sleeping fighter.
The sorceress asked of the two fighters who had just stood up to her. "Does that make it three attempts by Timerious to kill you Markas? Why, he just threatened to kill all of us a moment ago! Not just you this time! His uncle went mad and Louis allowed him to pass on, why should he continue to live?" Adrianna paused but a moment, "I make my home in Overton, when I return to it should I learn that your lunatic slave has harmed someone there I shall see to it that you two remain on the run for the rest of your lives. You’re a fool Markas, a damned fool!"
"I fear it is my fault for not destroying this evil talisman. So should Timerious be my undoing by his actions or yours I accept that fate as punishment." With that said Markas tossed the rope over to Louis and raised his mace attempting to destroy the foul headdress. "Petra give me the strength and guide my hand to destroy this cursed item!"
Markas tosses the 40' of remaining damp coiled rope at Louis. In his severely sickened state he loses control of the club in his hand while trying to catch the rope, the club falls behind and to the right of where he was standing. A blast of wooden needles embed themselves in the ground beneath the head of the club. Louis gently but securely ties the hands of Timerious together with one end of the rope. The man remains sleeping, undisturbed by Louis' actions.
After tossing the rope at Louis and stopping to see the fumbling of the man's weapon Markas advances on the headdress. He lines up a solid enough strike but his blow is weak. Markas wonders if he would have even left a bruise on a foe with the pittance of strength he put behind his swing as the headdress skitters a couple of feet away from him with the impact.
So far Adrianna seems content with allowing me to try to destroy this evil token. So tired though. I will give this one more try and then try the enchanted hammer from my bag, thought Markas.
Markas lined up another shot at the headdress straining what pools of strength he had remaining and said "Petra guide my hands."
Louis looks at Timerious, his thoughts go back to where he first found the wrech chained in the cell at the Black Knights keep. The warrior contemplates how Timerious, Adrianna, and now Gertie seem to change from friend to foe and back again. The blue rabbits foot could be the answer but what are the questions?
All may not be as it seems, but warrior looked over to Gertie and Adriana with suspicion. Being in poor condition Louise and not any kind of position to do anything other than watch Markus and wait.
Markas flails weakly at the brass and ivory headdress on the ground. His blow barely connects and also has little strength behind it. There is no visible damage on the item from both of Markas' hits.
Louis stands upright with a grunt straightening his back after tying the hands of Timerious. The fighter loses himself in thought, uncaring that he was unarmed and his club was several feet away. He notices that Adrianna is starting to look more concerned as the moments tick by.