Remembering the brothers' teachings of moderation, Glorgrim hesitates over the offer of another ale. After considering the issue a moment, he decides that it would be discourteous to refuse. And since, introductions were being made, it would also be discourteous to abstain from those as well.
"Glorgrim of Aeft stronghold in Daggerdale, at your service. May stone support and shelter your journey." he intones, bowing over his cup of ale.
The warm stew looks inviting, but Glorgrim allows everyone else present to be served first before taking a bowl. His gaze lingers a moment over the fine sword Valen bears and wonders if this gentleman is one who appreciates the value of dwarven ore.
Ruhk grabs the ale and drinks it down in three long pulls with obvious relish, and then he takes the ale he ordered previously from his own table and drinks it a bit slower.
As Gareth begins the introductions he nods to the others around the table. Rukh is my name, just Rukh, axe man from... He drifts of with a sour look on his face and refuses to speak more even if prodded.
As the others begins to introduce themselves he nods to each and everyone, acknowledging their names and making up an opinion of them based on his limited knowledge.
As Valen mentions that Sera is a mage, his sour looks disappear and be begins to scrutinize her more seriously, but with a look of curiosity where other men might have had a lewd look.
Mage eh? He mutters to himself. That makes two so far...might just be my lucky day.
He then proceeds with the meal in front of him, but from time to time he sneaks a glance at Sera and Danate, more or less ignoring everyone else.
Ozwald smiles and nods towards Valen and Sera"Nice to meet you Sir Ma'am." whilst trying not to look at Alice he takes a bowl he ends up staring at her anyway.
"Ah... thanks" he says looking away sharply. As he blows on the stew to cool it. He looks up at Valen "Sir may I ask how it is you know Gareth? and them promptly takes a mouthful of stew.
With his name having been echoed out, he stands anyways, and makes his own introduction. He actually harmonizes a small poem.
"They know me only as Arikor
For my deeds are short but swift;
My years have granted me much of +lore,
but not enough, if you catch my drift."
He'd grin, and give a bow, before he sat down and enjoyed what he could of the meal - he picked out a smaller bowl, and ate a smaller meal than the rest of them would. In this, he showed humility, and continued to be silent thereafter unless asked a question or spoken to.
Valen smiles at Alice as he takes his bowl and sits down beside Oz, "He was an old friend of my father and the friendship sort of passed its way down, I suppose" he paused to take a big gulp of soup, "So I try to stop in as often as I can on my travels"
Sera sat down closer to Ruhk and Glorgrim, "Daggerdale, you say? any news from the borders then?"
The meal continues pleasantly, Alice making sure everyone has what they need, and once and a while will cast a knowing smile in Oz's direction.
Suddenly there's a sound like thunder and a bright light flares in the windows of the Old Skull Inn. Outside a voice can be heard above the rain.
"Burn it all down boys! Every last one of em!"
Glorgrim contemplated what he knew of the borders. The ancient Netheril Empire had been reformed. A number of Dales had joined with Cormyr's rival Sembia, though Shawdowdale and Daggerdale had joined to Cormyr.
"It's tense." the dwarf admitted soberly.
At the sound of the shout outside, Glorgrim lept to his feet, still clutching his mug and bowl of stew, spun around to the door, and raced outside into the rain for the second time tonight.
Trouble, he thought.
That, by itself, turned alarms on in his mind, and he had no care to wait for such invitations to make themselves. Rain might slow its spread, but flames to an inn cause problems, no matter who you are.
Arikor stood very suddenly - all joy left his face, and all thoughts of carelessness filled him for threatening such an establishment. With a flick of his wrist, he clasped the hilt upside down, and could only begin a different rhythm of a song, a different pace, and a different mood - one could only tell he was prepared to end this quickly, and unsheathed his weapon on his way to the door.
"In the wake of yawning decadence,
In the arms of dreadful pestilence
In the eyes of hopeless impudence,
Fearless thou shalt be!"
The blade, when drawn, is etched with many runes, and glows abright with a bright, white aura that seems to leave mist in its wake. Out of the few runes, only the bottom one seems to be aflame in a green fire, clear amongst the hazy aura.
He treads to the door, and opens it, to step outside with his expression, still singing this tune.
Initiative
Danate just stood there silently, not really standing out, although he muttered his name out Hey, I´m Danate. Born in Vaasa and leave it to that. Focusing to get more warm and listening what people spoke.
Sudden voice outside and threatening to burn down the inn, Danate got frustraded Why in the world can´t I have just one normal day or evening for myself!! Damn unintelligent, low-form insects as he collects his book and places it to his back, grab the hat and put it on and moves fast to the door to get outside I will not get burned here! Those assh**** will pay for getting me wet again
Oz couldn't help but blush everytime Alice glanced over, he tried to divert his attention by asking Valen another question. "Oh so who is your fath...." his sentence cut short by the shout from outside with the others already racing towards and out of the door, Oz did not hesitate to follow with Arikor tune ringing in his ears he ran for the door clutching a vial that he had removed from his pocket.
initiative
Ruhk had been eatin silently for some time, not really listening to any conversation that did not directly involve him, but the shout from outside penetrated his contemplations.
Throwing back his chair he let out a fearsome bellow and made for the weaponrack, where his trusty battleaxe rested.
Tempoooooos!
Imzel listens quietly to the discussion, waiting for a chance to discuss 'shop' with the female mage. She's had little exposure to magic outside her homeland. Arget perks up as the yell is made, and Imzel's calm face turns to one of worry. She stands, reaching for her mask and drawing her dagger.
Arget climbs up to the table and leaps upon her shoulders
:
For their parts, Valen and Sera leap up as fast as any of you Valen drawing his sword, which lets out a keen ring as it exits the scabbard, and Sera producing a wand from the folds of her robe.
The seven you you exit the Old Skull to find the roofs of two nearby buildings in flames, a cadre of four bandits standing dressed in dark leathers scuttle about the builidings, launching bottles filled with oil haphazardly around the town. the three of them glare at you with a sadistic pleasure that seems to say, "fresh meat"
You spot a second group running up the road, torches in hand, towards an old temple to the fallen Goddess, Mystra.
Finally in the center of town is their apparent leader, a burly man with scraggly black hair and an unshaven face, he's dressed in similar black leathers and hafts a solid looking axe.
It pained him to let anyone desecrate a temple, even an abandoned one, but he judged it worse to let the homes of the living burn. With the bandits already throwing oil, the time for talk has passed.
Attack roll:
Damage roll (if successful):
Glorgrim races to up to the bandits. A fighter he is not, but he can still put himself between the bandits and the houses.
With much chaos ringing around him, Arikor continues his lyrical inspiration, moving onward to further lyrics. He noticed the man who seems to simply stand amongst the chaos, and made it his goal to bring him down personally.
"When the time is ripe to cast the sword
When the time is prime to spread the word,
When evil’s ugly head is reared,
Fearless thou shalt be!"
He was no longer tolerating this trash in his home. He runs his hand along his blade, enchanting it with a different, more blue, glow as power fuels into it.
Filthy scum! Interrupting a man's meal! Tempoooos!
With a great bellow Ruhk entered combat, eager to slake his inborn thirst for blood.
Kiss my axe! He shouts as he swings straight for the bandits neck.
As Oz rushes out the inn into the street he spots the others engaging when he spots two of the assailants running towards the temple....
"Have the people of Shadowdale not given enough already?! Leave our land or suffer the consequences! "
they shall no desecrate the temple
Imzel exits, dagger in hand and Arget alert upon her shoulders. The dancing light of the flames play across her mask, making for an eerie visage. Her gaze follows Oz's toward the temple being charged.
"Nyet! Desecrators!"
The witch gives chase with the Alchemist, leaving the others to deal with more immediate threats.
Finding himself outside and again getting wet fast. Worse yet, Danate spot two groups of bandits causing havoc. Cursing to himself and thinking what to do. Danate see how Arikor and Ruhk rushes towards bandits and attack Argh, fools. There is many of them, you will get surrounded! What to do, what to do Danate looks around and try to think fast.
This was first time, he got to this kind of situation and now he had to do something. Things could get worser than this. Going through his mind, Danate begin to think faster than ever before. Reading through his grandfather spellbook and countless of hours studying resolved his mind now. Rushing towards Ruhk and giving pray to God´s, Danate touches his shoulders and first time in his life, casts magic.
Magic gushes through his veins and surrounds him, spinning faster and faster and then it flows out of Danate´s hands to Ruhk. Magic circles from hand to Ruhk, covering all part of body and then it begins. Growing and twisting, Ruhk get´s bigger and bigger. Danate watches this It work! Ahah, it actually worked! I can do it! and something finally settles in his mind, when he realises that after all those years... it was worth of it.
The three bandits turn towards Glorgrim as he charges them "Well 'ello pipsqueak!" one of them mocks, taking a swing at Glorgrim with his torch, Glorgrim feels the heat singe at his whiskers but manages to avoid the attack, he launches the stew at his attacker but the bandit twists out of the way
At this same time Ruhk steps up beside Glorgrim with axe in hand and swings it into the midsection of the second bandit. The man lets out a mewling gasp as blood spurts from his lungs and he crumples to the ground in a heap
Using Ruhk's impressive display of strength in an attempt to get the drop on the last thug, Arikor steps in beside the large man with a deft thrust of his longsword, but the bandit brings his small mace around in time to block the shot.
As Imzel and Oz race after the bandits running for Mystra's shrine, Valen draws his sword and charges the bandit's leader. His blade rings out against the sinister looking man's duel axes, twisting his head back he calls to Sera "Put out the fires!"
As he squares off to attack the last bandit in this group, Ruhk feels the mage Danate touch his shoulders, and then literally feels the magic course through him and strengthen him, litterally making him grow to over ten feet tall!
After being subjected to the tender mercies of orcs, the bandit's insult barely registered. Good, thought Glorgrim, as he felt the heat of the torch sear his skin, if he's swinging that torch at me, he isn't burning down more structures. Now to fix his attention on me well and truly.
(Damage if critical is confirmed).
Hearing the battle begin behind him, Oz moves closer to the bandits heading toward the temple. As stops to get a better aim on the targets, he removes another vial from his pocket and begins pouring it into the other he had in his hand, with a little fizz the brew begins to glow. With all his might he pulls his arm back and lobs it at the two bandits.
As it sails through the air he holds his breath.
Feeling dizzy for a moment as the magic envelops his body Ruhk closes his eyes, and when he opens them again the bandits seem weak things indeed, small and weak...
"Who's the pipsqueak now you runt!?" Ruhk bellows as he takes a step closer and swings again.
Arikor seems disgruntled - his move was novice at best. Perhaps he had become rusty in his technique? Nonsense! He was just unlucky in his strike. With much yet to do, he brings his blade about and attempts for a severance again! As his blade slices the air towards its foe, he mutters a small incant, and the blade turns bright blue again!
"When it’s time to do the best things right,
When it’s time to hold your stance and fight
When you don’t look back to dread your plight,
Fearless thou shalt be!"
Looking around, Danate notice bard having problem with the leader. Magic gushing through him and after so many years, Danate feels confident and something is guiding him. Ah, reading that book... it was not wasted time!
Turning and focusing his attention towards leader, Danate focuses at the leader and the words he whisper are carried by the wind and hammering him with confusing thoughs
Imzel stops just behind the alchemist for a moment, taking stock of the situation before her. She moves a bit closer to the bandits, just within range of the spell she seeks. Her hands raise, calling forth a cloud upon one man's mind...
Glorgrim squares off against the bandit still wielding a torch, swinging his arm around with his splashing mug, the bandit snaps his head back just as Glorgrim's other fist wheels around for the side of his jaw, connecting squarely. "Argh! the man bellows, lunging with his torch for Glorgrim and cracking him once across the chest with the burning cudgel.
The thug dances to the side then, avoding the tip of Arikor's blade as the Elf moves for another strike, "By Cyric's b*@*%%@s!" he calls to his companion, "It's like 'ey don't know which end o' da weapons ta use!"
His bravado dies on his lips though, as Ruhk grows in front of him and the now massive man's axe swings in low, catching the second bandit in the gut and caving in his stomach in a wash of blood and gore as the now lifeless body flies off the blade like a rag doll.
The Witch and the Alchemist both stop side by side. Imzel's hands move quickly and with a tight precision into arcane patterns as her tongue dances over magical syllables. he hands fly and a the slightest ripple can be seen. Suddenly the bandit on the right stops dead and goes rigid, swaying as if suddenly seasick.
This gives Oz the oportunity he needs, and the man lets fly with a vial of bright orange. The glass cannister shatters against the dazed bandit, and the thug screams in pain at the flames licking across his skin.
Meanwhile Danate pulls away from the melee to try and give Valen some aid, he thinks back to his grandfather's book and attempts another spell. He feels the magic flow through him and towards the bandit's leader, but the grizzled man just shakes his head, as if trying to shake off an insect, and Danate's heart sinks as he sees that the spell failed.
But maybe it was enough, because as the bandit brings both his axes to bear on Valen, the young swordsman deflects them both and shoulders foward, driving the tip of his sword through the man's leathers and straight out his backside. Valen uses his bootheel to dislodge the blade from the man's ribs, and he slumps to the ground, blood pooling around him.
"Wahahah! Surrender now and you might live!" Ruhk bellows to the last remaining bandit, then he turns and starts running after Imzel and Ozwald. Only one bandit remains here and he is outnumbered four to one, not to mention the fact that one of them is the mage who just made Ruhk the size of an ogre.
"Here comes the wildman to break you in two!" He shouts as he charges on, clearly enjoying the battle.
"Going somewhere?" Imzel inquires as she move after the non-flaming bandit. Her hands work once more, attempting to throw a cloud over his mind and halt his ability to act.
Glorgrim grunted with pain as the torch struck him in the chest, mostly due to his own carelessness. He already knew that he couldn't catch up with the fleeing bandits, so decided to try to capture this one alive for questioning. Reluctantly dropping his mug, Glorgrim lunged at the bandit with both hands.
Arikor frowned - it seemed he had not been as well-knowing of his blade than he had previously figured. With a growl in his teeth, he stepped back, and uttered an incantation - humming his song and using his offhand to write in the air.
He smiled deviously as he did so, and hoped his friend, Glorgrim, would not mind the event that followed.
With the tune in his throat, he managed to call out towards Valen.
"Stop! Keep him whole!
We need that rat later
To find his hole!"
Oz continues as he started moving towards the bandit that is still heading towards the temple, he draws wto more small vials from his pockets, he stops momentarily to see the lady from the inn behind him casting a spell.
I must thank these people for saving the town, I doubt I alone would have been able.
I warned you fiend, stop or this shall not end pretty!
Danate looks around and try to see what are the others doing. Sighing and deciding to run after them, Danate curses the raining and follows Ruhk
Glorgrim knocks the man's torch aside with a meaty paw and lunges in to wrap his arms around the last bandit. the brigand kicks and thrashes against his hold and Glorgrim barely manages to hold on.
Luckily he isn't alone. Calling upon the magic of his song Arikor steps forward and with his magic, puts the bandit to a fast sleep in Glorgrim's arms.
Kneeling in the dirt beside the bandits apparent leader, Valen sheathes his sword and from a small bag on his belt, pulls out a bandage and some sort of paste pressed between two leaves, and starts tending to his enemies wounds.
Ruhk and Danata catch up to Imzel and Oz just as the Alchemist lobs a second vial. the small glass bomb misses it's target, but crashes onto the ground next to the already burning bandit, exploding in a gob of flame the sets the bandits already burning leathers into a brighter blaze and the man drops to the ground writing in pain.
Lastly Imzel thrusts a finger outward towards the last bandit and utters an arcane incantation, and just like that the bandit stops running, and begins to stagger back and forth in place.
Ruhk charges the swaying bandit, axe trailing behind him, then suddenly he twist, turns the axe sideways in his hand and strikes at the bandit with the flat of the blade. "Time to kiss the night runt!"
Ruhk runs up and towers over the swaying bandit, axe ready to strike if the fool tries to run when he comes to.
Ruhk's eyes go wide in bewilderment as the last remaining brigand, stumbling insensibly in place, manages to sidestep the entirety of his axe's strike.
With a smile pressed to his lips, he winks firmly at Glorgrim, before motioning that he follow him - and moves towards the downed leader, blade in his hand firmly. He kneels besides him, having left combat, and gives a grand smile unto Valen.
"Thanks for the aid - I couldn't imagine how I would respond if I allowed them to burn my home down."
He does, however, glare at the leader, and seems to hold less kindness than Valen. For now, he remains silent, but he gives the man a look that speaks clearly.
I want to talk to this one, alone.
"Next one won't miss runt, surrender now!"
Away from home, and not entirely sure of the proper protocol for dealing with banditry in these parts, Glorgrim follows Arikor's lead. At least he does, after striping the bandit of the torch and his weapons, and ensuring that nothing is burning.
And recovering what's left of his mug of ale.
Imzel forgoes her magic, moving to flank the Bandit with her brandished dagger. Her fox, perched atop her shoulders, hisses at the man.
"Your best option iz to surrender, defiler. You shall not be evadingk my compatriot forever, dah?"
Staying behind of Ruhk and Izmel, Danate is being cautious. Looking around and trying to see, if there is more people somewhere. Noticing the burning man and presumably dead, Danate looks somewhere else Uff... burning alive, I want to pu-... but concentrates his thoughs to bandit, who is still alive and try to avoid looking at the other one.
Squeezing his hand tighly together, he move to front of the bandit and is ready to cast an spell, if he is going to move.
Keeping pace with Imzel. Oz moves beside her and draws one of his daggers.
"You heard the lady give up, you have already had more than enough chances."
Seeing two angry mages and a wildman giant who just pitched his companion with an axe, the last bandit drops his cudgel to the ground and holds his hands up in the air, his eyes darting back between his three captors. "Please don' kill me..." he sobs, he knees shaking with fear.
down on the opposite end of the street, Valen, Glorgrim and Arikor stand over the fallen bandit leader and his sleeping cohort. Valen offers a shrug to Arikor, "I would like to know what an old inn and an abandoned church have to warrant an assault such as this. There was no looting... just mayhem... He's most likely the fastest way to find out. Besides, Lord Falconhand will want him and the other survivors to stand trial"
Sera approaches Valen's group a moment later, looking visibly exhausted. Thanks to her efforts, the fire didn't spread and only a few roofs and one facade of the Old Skull show any sign of the flames, though many roofs are either soaked or covered in ice and snow.
"Have we anything to bind them?" Glorgrim asks, looking around.
"And who is going to take them to Lord Falcohand, anyway?"
Glorgrim hadn't noticed much of a constabulary or even militia, and even his clan elders would agree that once a task was started, it ought to be finished properly. But really, he was just eager to travel to places he had yet to see.
"Fortunate he must stand trial, for his wrongdoings I'd simply pass judgement here and now - the which would not cost him his life."
Arikor stands, and sheathes his blade - not an ounce of blood on it. He felt surprised, that he had been so rusty with his swings lately - he should have aimed to disarm that man first, yes, that was it - and then there would be no more fighting back.
Maybe if he could learn to swap hands during a fight, he could catch someone unawares...
"Glorgrim! Let's leave the man to Valen for now, and ensure our friends are all accounted for. In the meantime, however..."
Arikor waves his hands midair, and reaches out to touch the dwarf on the shoulder, his hand glowing with viridian essence.
Healing: