Hurvunk? At least he knows his name. Kinda glad he hasn't asked what will happen when his employer's dead and buried. Still, this situation? What a g%& d%$n mess...
Hurvunk! I don't think he'll be as much of a problem as the big guy up there! What d'ya say to helping me finish his Gnoll friend? I'll pay you double after my friend. You have my word on that!
Climbing to his feet while using the wall for added support, he eyes Dmitri.
Leave these to Kardswann Hurvunk. he says, seemingly unfazed by the hulking beasts overly muscular size and anatomy.
Apollo then holds out his hand and offers the Ogre 5 silver pieces.
You'll get the rest later! he smiles.
Friend or foe, if someone helps me out, I stay true to my promises. This guy will sure as hell help the situation.
Kori just looks at Short-legs and Snake-eyes, then at the odd three 'man' debacle that is going on between Pain-lover, Lizard-friend, and the ogre. She shrugs, a confused look on her face, before asking the dwarf "What does he mean act natural? Natural is me attacking my enemies." So she decides to walk back down the stairs and be close in case somebody needs to subdue the big dumb one, the ogre that is.
Beats me... Angmar mumbles in reply to Kori. Once they got that sorted out I says we handle this here mess followin yer natural instincts...
When the yelling starts, Je'grik takes two large steps away from the group. Better to watch and find out what's happening first than to get caught up in the middle.
Now this was getting interesting.
Was there some quarrel? Maybe He'll get a fellow inmate to break out with.
Wasn't anybody else going to join in? The bigger the better to slip out unnoticed.
Hurvank the ogre looks deep into Dmitri's eyes. The cruel, vicious beast looks at the refined, white-haired masochist and sees pure evil, and a desire to cause harm far greater than his own. Slowly, and shaking only a little bit, the huge blubberous creature places Dmitri on the ground.
He looks at Apollo, brazenly holding out silver, and his mouth articulates for a few moments before he lets words escape. "You pay Hurvank to fight? Hurvank want more. Hurvank want more for fight!"
The strong, yellow-furred gnoll has reached the second floor by this point. It holds a pair of iron bars connected by a length of chain, and it twirls one end over its head, creating a soft whoosh that can be heard throughout most of the Battle Market, such is the silence that has descended over it.
The tension lies so thick in the air one could cut it, if one had a magical weapon, and deal half damage.
Slowly, ever so slowly, the bugbears turn in their chairs by the bar and reach for the morningstars at their belt. The human smugglers hurriedly scrabble for their stalls to hide behind their wares, their hands clutching daggers at their belts.
An expression of fury on his face, Kardswann has stood from his throne and he surveys the scene. He's had it, though. He bellows, his voice echoing off of the crumbling walls of the Battle Market, "Halt! I command that you halt! I am Kardswann, Mouth of the Carrion King and chief of the Kulldis tribe, masters of this village! I demand that you tell me what brings you here."
More? How about this, and then a share of the loot once we're done with these guys?
Rummaging through his pockets, Apollo pulls out two gold pieces and a handful of silver pieces (10 in fact, making 3 gp), and then looks up towards Kardswann.
What brings me here?....WHAT....BRINGS....ME....HERE!? THE EXTINCTION OF ALL GNOLL'S, THAT'S WHAT BRINGS ME HERE! he says, averting his attention from Kardswann to the direction he feels the greater Gnoll is descending from.
Starting with....YOUR FURRY FRIEND! he shouts, as he feels the buzz of a great battle about to begin.
Kori just shakes her head and looks at Short-legs, "Well, I'm not surprised, but I would prefer that we at least got further than the front door before it started. You made me bigger one time, didn't you? Can you do that again? I think we'll need it." With that she is oddly comforted by the thought that for this battle the god that has handed her power is defending her.
I'm afraid I have no such power. Angmar replies as he redies shield and magical mace. But perhaps the gods that have blessed you with healing power have also granted you strength at arms? the Dwarf suggests before speaking a short prayer to Angrad.
Ok. not exactly what I had in mind but it'll do. Now start fighting please.
Brek's arms could still go on longer but this needs to stop and they need to get to fighting. Yelling doesn't work......
His arms are starting to ache.
Standing firmly on his feet once more, Dmitri scoffs at the Ogre. He didn't care about it at this point, and immediately broke eye contact before looking at the majority of what was going on.
The room had steeped itself in a merciless silence, and the sound of weapons being drawn all around them had become... intoxicating. The caress of daggers on leather as they were unsheathed, and the careful clanking of maces...
He had honestly tried to stifle it. He'd went through great pains to try and gain them time... The plan he'd had was wonderful, and atleast gave them an ambush... but this was no time for an ambush, was it?
The misty vapors of evil swirled about his shoulders as his surging hand grabbed his shield. It was a shame he couldn't use his scythe, but he would savor every little sickle wound he could muster...
Slowly but surely he raised the sickle towards Kardswann, looking straight at him with a wickedness in his eyes that burned furiously even from a distance.
Bellowing away in his strange language, Dmitri is most definitely furious and it doesn't take much to understand that. It's most definitely an unrighteous fury as he directly shouts at kardswann.
Stifling his rage for a moment, he looks around anxiously, waiting to see who dares come towards him at this moment before tossing a glance at Kardswann once more.
The jann steps back a bit, crossing his arms in a resigned sigh. "Very well then. My friends, I offer you each 500 gold for the delivery of the newcomers' heads!"
The "evil excitement" in the room multiplies when this statement is spoken and every creature in the battle market leaps to action. Hurvank grabs the money out of Apollo's hand before jabbing him in the chest. "I want weapon or I want more or I kill you!"
The gnoll warriors have got their hands on bows and watch carefully over the Battle Merket bottom floor for targets, whereas Dmitri and the big, strong gnoll advance towards one another on the staircase.
Kori and Angmar wreathe themselves in divine protection.
Initiative:
Kori - 23
Urguk - 20
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Hurvank - 13
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
Smuggler1-7/7
Smuggler2-7/7
Smuggler3-7/7
Bugbear1-16/16
Bugbear2-16/16
Bugbear3-16/16
Hurvank-26/26
Goblin - 6/6
Gnoll1-11/11
Gnoll2-11/11
Gnoll3-11/11
Gnoll4-11/11
Undrella - 38/38
Urguk - 40/40
Kardswann - 70/70
Kori looks at Pain-Lover and Lizard-friend, before telling the latter, "You wanted to pick a fight, well, you'd better hurry or Pain-lover will get to your lead dog-man first."
She calls up the stairs at Pain-lover, "Consider this the only gift I will ever give you. The boss will not hide from you." With that she summons some of her innate drow talents, and rings Kardswann in a deep blue glow.
Then she draws her weapon and prepares for the onrush, staying back from the opening to avoid arrow fire.
As she sees the place begin to stir the fervor of battle takes her once again and she can feel the power of violence and battle overtake her.
Barking with bloodlust, the big and strong gnoll lopes towards Dmitri, descending the stairs quickly to meet him in melee. "Never fear, your death will be swift...but that won't make it painless." the creature hisses.
Its metal rods crash into Dmitri's armor, delivering a powerful and jarring impact to his flesh. The creature was right, it wasn't painless...but that was Dmitri's favorite part.
As the blow sinks into Dmitri's armor, his eyes widen as small bits of his armor actually go flying through the air. For once, something had finally managed to take out a piece of him... a fact he was far too happy about. In his still-burning lust of fury, he found happiness in the fact that he wouldn't take it easy.
With the bar plunging its way deep into his ribs, he can feel the subtle cracks of bone. Holding his side where the bar landed, he looks at the gnoll, wide-eyed. "Mutt, I respect you're prowess... you're the first thing to place a blow on me that felt this good since I've arrived!" With that, he forces the weapon away with his forearm, raising the sickle in retaliation. "By all means! Let's take our time and savor this! Make your foolish god proud!"
Angmar is a veteran of many battles and as chaos erupts around him the Dwarven Warrior remains calm and collected as he scans the scene. Realizing that Apollo has gotten himself into more trouble than is healthy Angmar moves quickly past Kori and bashes the Ogre on the knee cap with a swift blow.
Attack PA Damage
Above, the massive genie laughs as his minions engage our heroes in combat, moving slowly and confidently to his throne to pick up his greataxe where he left it.
Enraged by the sudden injury, Hurvank the ogre bellow and flings his meaty fists in Angmar's general direction.
Unfortunately, dwarves are trained well to fight giants and the general direction of one as prepared and armored as Angmar is is woefully inadequate to successfully harm.
Initiative:
Kori - 23
Urguk - 20
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Hurvank - 13
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
Smuggler1-7/7
Smuggler2-7/7
Smuggler3-7/7
Bugbear1-16/16
Bugbear2-16/16
Bugbear3-16/16
Hurvank-14/26
Goblin - 6/6
Gnoll1-11/11
Gnoll2-11/11
Gnoll3-11/11
Gnoll4-11/11
Undrella - 38/38
Urguk - 40/40
Kardswann - 70/70
Taking the hit to the chest, Apollo coughed a little as he regained his breath once more.
Well, it WAS a good idea...
Glaring up at the Ogre, Apollo sighed and shook his head.
Hurvank. It was nice knowing you. he said, as Angmar came bounding by, moments before the Dwarven man took a swing for the big oaf's kneecap, shattering some bone in the process.
With that money I could have bought us support....and even his life. Still, I guess it can't be helped.
Peering up at the circular opening above, Apollo could have sworn he saw something large and furry pass by, but last he checked his target was still a way off.
These guys will be fine for now, but where has that self harming idiot got to?
Hearing a wet thud from the stairway behind, the man cautiously backs away from the Ogre, watching Hurvank's movements as he steps out of the creatures range.
Hoping the big guy's distracted enough, Apollo lets his guard down as he notions to those on the ground floor with him that he's going upstairs.
I'm going to look for Dmitri. If things get too tough, back yourselves up these stairs and I'll cover you at range.
Making his way around the corner, Apollo was a little shocked to see that the larger Gnoll had already made it halfway down the stairwell, and seeing Dmitri in combat with the stinking dog, pulled out his bow and arrow and took aim at the thing.
HEY, DOG BREATH! he shouted as he pulled the arrow firmly back into his bow string.
Dmitri. Get going. You want Kardswann. I've got this!
This should get his attention...
Articulating quite randomly and flailing in rage, Hurvank tries to strike at Apollo as the man retreats, but Desna smiles upon the ranger and the ogre is unable to strike anywhere near Apollo's body.
With all the battle lust he can possibly muster, Dmitri swings the sickle as hard as he possibly can, finding the gnoll in the Stomach as he deflects another blow from the iron bars. "Feel it! Basque in this with me, hound! You're strong, oh yes, but you don't have what it takes!" With that, he twists the sickle upwards into the creatures' side, grinning wildly as a small spat of the blood goes out across the stairwell.
Pulling it out roughly, he looks the dog in his eyes. "Your and my master have a date... I tell you what. I'll let you face the wounded archer far behind me. Go on! Go to him! I won't even swing at you... I've got bigger fish to fry... Yours is not the blood I wish to spill!"
With that, he waved the creature on and pointed towards Apollo. "He's killed far more of your brethren than I have..." With that, he licks the sickle, eyes full of malice and madness.
Seizing his chance seeing the ogre preoccupied. Brek selects his target. Gathering his will and his fiery blood, he makes ready.
Brek from his position, wedges his legs tightly against the wall, pointing a finger towards the orgre.
"Bang." He whispers as a needle thin ray flies from his fingertips towards the ogre before using the shadows of the door to hide in.
Apollo dashes past his ogre opponent, leaving it to Angmar to fight, getting within line-of-sight of the gnoll chief and snapping off an arrow. The arrow strikes the gnoll in the chest, hard, sending it back a step or two and growling with rage.
Down in the main floor, Brek, from his position hiding within his cell, fires off a ray of fire, striking the ogre right where it hurts, burning its flesh in a particularly fragile spot, and sending him to his knees, growling in pain and rage.
Dmitri, locked in melee combat with the gnoll chief, stabs his sickle into the creature's flesh, causing another growl of pain. He then tries to sidle around the gnoll while ordering it to attack Apollo.
Above, there is a sickly-sweet voice, a sybil call...then a flash of orange and a pair of horns striking one of the gnoll archers. The gnoll crashes through the railing and down to the Battle Market floor, dead.
At first, the bugbears forgo their morningstars and grab javelins off of their back. They rise and turn to fling them at Angmar and Kori.
Their accuracy is poor, however, and the javelins clatter to the ground after failing to hit their targets.
Initiative:
Kori - 23
Urguk - 20
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Hurvank - 13
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
A fight! Je'drick hissed in excitement as he called down the sun's rays, intensifying them and causing the flindbar in the hand of the gnoll fighting Dmitri to become white-hot.
Urguk's weapon grows white-hot for just an instant, but the gnoll's reflexes aren't good enough for him to just drop it, so it sears the furry flesh of his hand.
Hissing with anger, the gnolls on the second floor turn on Undrella, drawing battleaxes and bows. Two of them advance on her while a third fires its bow.
Undrella's screams of pain can be heard throughout the Battle Market, and the faint sound of blood-spatter on walls and floor can also be heard.
Kori considers the ogre to have been a waste, almost already dead on its feet. She would be more disappointed, but there is more fight just nearby. Ignoring the ogre she moves toward the bar, hoping that three bugbears will be more fun. Walking with her newfound hobble, she stops halfway there, and grips her sword while waving the three furballs to come at her.
The Ogre seems to be suffering but has not fallen so Angmar attempts to do him the favor before moving to the stairs to support Dimitri.
Attack Damage
Kori limps forward on her supernaturally-injured leg, presenting her sword and her threats to the bugbears at the bar for them to respond to at their earliest convenience.
Above, on the stairs, the gnoll chieftain flashes his flindbar at Dmitri. "Not so fast, little man!" the creature sneers, as the notches on the flindbar catch on Dmitri's sickle and spin the weapon out of his hand. Grinning and knowing that he is unthreatened, the gnoll then advances on Apollo, getting real close and in his face. "So you think yourself a gnoll-slayer, eh? You ever get your hands on a flind?"
Angmar raises his magical mace and puts an end to the ogre, Hurvank, with a solid blow to the ogre's skull, before he waddles towards the stairs to support Dmitri and Apollo.
Having retrieved his axe, the jann-chieftain begins to walk, ever so leisurely, down the stairs to the bottom floor.
Initiative:
Kori - 23
Urguk - 20
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Hurvank - 13
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
Smuggler1-7/7
Smuggler2-7/7
Smuggler3-7/7
Bugbear1-16/16
Bugbear2-16/16
Bugbear3-16/16
Hurvank- -8/26 (down!)
Goblin - 6/6
Urguk - 20/40
Gnoll1-11/11
Gnoll2-11/11
Gnoll3-11/11
Gnoll4- DEAD
Undrella - 38/38
Kardswann - 70/70
As Angmar joins his side, Apollo, watching the Gnoll Chieftain carefully, quickly converses with the Dwarf.
Angmar, I've got this. Dmitri's good. I've got him covered. Back Kori up, she'll need it more than us. he states confidently as the large Gnoll forces its way into the Ranger's personal space.
Grinning at the Gnoll, Apollo laughs.
Can't say I have. I kinda like this thing. he states, nodding towards his harnessed Hammer.
Maybe I'll give yours a try when I'm done with you. he says calmly before dropping his bow (free action), drawing his hammer (move action) and ferociously swinging upwards towards the towering flind's Jaw.
DMITRI!
THIS GUY'S DONE FOR! GET GOING AND I'LL COVER YOU! he shouts.
The instant that Dmitri heard the harpy's song turn coarse, and the all too familiar sound of blood hitting the floor, his heart sank into his shoes. Fearing the worst, he completely paused, looking up the stairs, he felt something slip out of his hand as he rushed away from the gnoll, losing track of the enemy entirely.
His vision narrowed, and his rage started to swell at just the thought of it. Gaining ground on the stars, he feels as though he's missing something, and his hands feel light. At the sight of the wound on Undrella, he snaps, falling into a bout of pure, unholy fervor.
His eyes flare with energy and unholy fervor, practically erupting out of his eyes. The wound on his left eye begins to bleed, and his wounds altogether stop hurting entirely.
The following yell is heard throughout the entirety of the battle market, invading the ears of any who feel the need to listen to such a hatred filled yell.
"KAAAAAAAAAAARRRRDSWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!"
Brek stays where he is and proceeds to get some defensive spells on himself first.
Grabing the air around him and then superheating it, he flows the air around him to create a light shimmering armor of magical force as the superheated air begins to flow in the direction of his choosing.
Finishing that as he feels his magic settle and its defensive properties take place, Brek moves out.
Time to see who's a possible ally. Finding Haleen too.
I ain't concerned for ze stinkin Gnoll but for that flyin monstrocity with the big axe!
Angmar replies to as he watches Dmitri meet the Jann face to face.
Witty banter turns into a deadly dance as Apollo and the gnoll chieftain circle around each other. Apollo unlatches his earthbreaker and the creature scoffs, sure that it can't be easily hit by such a slow-moving weapon, but then it is struck-mid taunt, in the neck, snapping its head back and sending the creature sprawling to the floor.
Brek, still hiding within his "cell", covers himself in a protective layer of force magic.
Emerging onto the second floor, Dmitri lets loose an abyssal yell upon sighting Undrella locked in mortal combat with the gnolls. Even powerful jann are given pause by such promise of unholy fury, and Kardswann stops his slow advance down the stairs, frowning.
There is a clattering sound from the battle market floor, then a flash of white steel as Tempest flies through the air at Dmitri. He raises a hand to catch the weapon just in time before turning to face the gnoll threat.
Faced with a pair of gnolls in melee, Undrella draws a morningstar and swings it at one of the gnolls. She manages to scrape one of them with the points of the morningstar but the second hit goes far wide as the creature moves aside to dodge.
Below, the bugbears charge Kori. She, however, is ready for them and swings her sword in a deadly arc, separating the head of one of the bugbears from its body as it reaches her, splattering the Battle Market floor with blood. The other two bugbears swing at her with their weapons. One of the weapons is deflected by an invisible shield, but the other lands a hit directly on her torso, crunching her insides.
Initiative:
Kori - 23
Urguk - 20
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Hurvank - 13
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
Smuggler1-7/7
Smuggler2-7/7
Smuggler3-7/7
Bugbear1- (down!)
Bugbear2-16/16
Bugbear3-16/16
Hurvank-(down!)
Goblin - 6/6
Urguk -(down!)
Gnoll1-10/11
Gnoll2-11/11
Gnoll3-11/11
Gnoll4- (down!)
Undrella - 49/59
Kardswann - 70/70
Je'grick moves forward to get a better look around.
While Je'Grik repositions himself to get a better idea of the surroundings, the gnolls continue to attack Undrella. This time, though, she's better-prepared to defend herself, and deflects one blow with her morningstar while dodging the other.
The gnoll archer turns to Dmitri to loose an arrow at him, but the arrow passes by him harmlessly without him even having to dodge.
Initiative:
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Kori - 5
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
Angmar moves up the stairs with the quickest steps he can muster with his short legs.
Bravely, Angmar charges up the stairs, mace and shield in hand and red beard flashing as it waves. He spies the janni warrior and continues charging to meet Kardswann in battle.
Somewhat apprehensive of battle and of the dwarf after Dmitri's successful intimidation, Kardswann forgoes swinging his greataxe and reaches for Angmar with a magically empowered hand. The powerful and fast jann easily tags Angmar with his palm, but Angmar has the power of an ancient and stout race running through his veins, and shrugs off the genie magic as easily as he would shrug off a cloak.
Initiative:
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Kori - 5
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
Brek springs himself into action after seeing a flash of red run up the stairs, Brek follows enough to keep himself out of sight with all the confusion going about. Seeing the brief contest between that Red bearded dwarf and the other, leaking blood like it's some kind of a festival, Brek decides to hold back for now.
As Angmar hastily clambers the stairs, Apollo swings his freshly bloodied hammer back into its harness, and then bends down to pick his Bow back up.
With chaos still surrounding him, he looks down at the fresh Flind corpse as he mutters to himself;
Flind? Gnoll? You all die and smell the same.
Just as weak but bigger and easier to hit! he thought to himself as he looked forward to his battle with another three Gnoll's upstairs.
As Kardswann touches the ground, Dmitri locks eyes with him, his vision hazy and red. Slowly, black tendrils creep into his vision as the dwarf. Gripping the magical scythe firmly in his hands, Dmitri lets out an ungodly bellow, rushing the Jann with an outstretched, evil hand brimming at the finger tips with darkness.
Apollo switches his weapons, sheathing his bloodied hammer and retrieving his bow, but then he sees, dashing out of the door Dmitri had just been investigating, a flash of red, backpack jangling and eyes narrowed as he runs up the stairs after Angmar and Dmitri.
Dmitri charges the jann warrior, joining Angmar in their battle against him. His hand glows with a cold and black energy, and he plunges the energy into Kardswann's torso. Despite the unnerving aura surrounding Dmitri, Kardswann is still able to keep his head when hit by the fear aura.
Initiative:
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Kori - 5
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
Kori is once again excited to have more than one enemy up in her face, so she swings wildly all directions. Her sword slashes one way, as her fist strikes out at the other. The sword went true, but she is still new to the concept of striking multiple enemies, and doesn't connect with her fist.
Kori is somewhat disorganized in her two-pronged strike against the bugbears attacking her, and while raw strength sends her sword through the torso muscles of the one on her right, her fist doesn't even make it all the way to the other bugbear.
In the battle between Undrella and the gnolls, there's another flash of yellow light from Undrella's hand and the image of a ram appears in between her and one of the gnolls in front of her. The ram charges forward, hitting the gnoll with its horns. The gnoll is knocked back several feet and onto its back, and the creature gasps and clutches at its chest, nearly paralyzed by pain.
Below, in the melee with Kori, the bugbears strike back at her, teeth gnashing in anger and (in the case of one of them) pain.
One of them practically drops his morningstar, so clumsy is his blow, but the other bares its teeth and swings, hard, right at her face. Luckily for Kori, her years in the pit have inured her against the attacks of multiple foes, and she manages to deflect it to the side, just in time, with her longsword.
Initiative:
Kori - 23
Urguk - 20
Angmar - 18
Kardswann - 14
Hurvank - 13
Apollo - 12
Brek - 11
Dmitri - 8
Undrella - 4
Bugbears - 4
Je'Grik - 3
Gnolls - 1
Smuggler1-7/7
Smuggler2-7/7
Smuggler3-7/7
Bugbear2-4/16
Bugbear3-16/16
Goblin - 6/6
Gnoll1-0/11
Gnoll2-11/11
Gnoll3-11/11
Undrella - 49/59
Kardswann - 67/70