The Ulfen man replies in Skald, sounded confused,"Hvers vegna vildi svar mitt vera öðruvísi?"
Mala watches from next to the door with a sort of odd fascination, not wanting to watch but unable to look away. She can't really argue with the man with the crazy weapon, though. He gave them fair warning and they made their choice. She just wishes it all wasn't taking so long.
The man lifts his chin just slightly. "We are the Redblades," is all he says, but his eyes do not waver from Asim's.
Asim looks weary and disappointed, but determined not to break his word.
Very well, though your death accomplishes nothing. By the authority of Grand Duchess Trietta Ricia of Alkenstar, I, Marshal Chigaru, sentence you to death for the crime of banditry. May your life after offer you the redemption that you chose not to seek in this life.
Asim places the gun between the man's eyes and squeezes the trigger.
Coup de Grace
As the gunslinger reloads the smoking gun, he turns to the Ulfen.
And you? What is your decision?
The bandit's head explodes, shards of bone and spatters of blood the same color as the Redoubt itself flying everywhere. The lifeless remnants tumble to the ground.
The Ulfen man shrugs. "We are the Redblades," he answers evenly. The warrior does not flinch at the prospect of meeting the same gruesome end as his fellow.
The Ulfen man replies in Skald, sounded confused,"Hvers vegna vildi svar mitt vera öðruvísi?"
** spoiler omitted **
She turns, and looks at him levelly. There is a moistness around her eyes that glitters in the glow of the multiple wayfinders around her.
She steps back toward him and drops to her knees, bringing her eyes to his level. There is real urgency in her voice.
Standing back up, she says, I wouldst hear what Halldor decides.
She is visibly shaken. Through great effort, she maintains her composure, but the cracks are evident.
She quickly walks to the door and begins studying it, trying to take her mind away from the grisly business behind her.
Mala give a surprised squeek at the sudden gore and looks away for just a moment. But her curiosity still manages to get the better of her and she begins to creep closer, her eyes watching the body.
She pauses about six feet away, wondering whether they have time for her to try to remove a sample of the spines.
Macawi steps up behind the Ulfen, holding up a hand to Asim. With both hands on the pommel of his oversized sword, he brings the sword back over his shoulder as to swing through the defiant man, looking at the gunslinger, a question in his eyes.
Coup d' grace
Macawi steps up behind the Ulfen, holding up a hand to Asim. With both hands on the pommel of his oversized sword, he brings the sword back over his shoulder as to swing through the defiant man, looking at the gunslinger, a question in his eyes.
** spoiler omitted **
Asim can't hide his distaste of the scholar attempting to study a sample off the recently slain man. Seeing Macawi's actions, he turns to the Ulfen:
Ah yes, you are the Redblades. You ARE the Redblades, at this moment. But such a sacrifice means nothing, as we will kill or capture every last one of you that we encounter inside this place. Why throw away your life for no reason? I hope you reconsider, but if you don't at least you can choose this last act--gun, or sword?
Seeing Macawi's actions, he turns to the Ulfen:
Ah yes, you are the Redblades. You ARE the Redblades, at this moment. But such a sacrifice means nothing, as we will kill or capture every last one of you that we encounter inside this place. Why throw away your life for no reason? I hope you reconsider, but if you don't at least you can choose this last act--gun, or sword?
The warrior tilts his head to the side, as if considering the matter, then gives a slight shrug. "The result is the same. It does not matter."
Gods, he's chosen his fate. A choice between sword and gun? What's next? Giving him a choice of when and where he's executed as well? Do the deed already, or I'll do it with my bare hands. Any way you look at it, he's a dead man. The longer we talk to him about his death preference, the better chance his fellows realize somethin is wrong.
Macawi looks at Asim impassively.
Macawi looks at Asim impassively.
. Ooc: sorry, Been busy this week.
IC: very well. In the name of Grand Duchess Ricia and the gunmarshals of alkenstar I sentence you to death for the crime of banditry. May your sins be wiped clean and your rest peaceful.
Ooc: Asim would probably want to do the deed himself. Can someone roll 4d8+4 for me?
Ooc: Asim would probably want to do the deed himself. Can someone roll 4d8+4 for me?
A second blast echoes from the barrel of Asim's pistol, and the Ulfen bandit too falls lifeless to the floor.
As the group prepares to move on, however, you are caught by a sudden, wet tearing sound. Looking down, you see that the bodies of the two men no longer sport the metallic spines - instead, however, a pair of tiny spider-like constructs have literally torn themselves from beneath the flesh of the two corpses, where the bump on their spines was visible during your earlier examinations. The constructs scuttle across the floor, headed toward one of the walls.
Mala breaks out of her fascination and hurries after the closest one, grabbing a jar from her pack to pop over the top of the closest one.
Mala jumps as the construct tears itself from the body she is watching in morbid fascination, but her surprise is short lived as she hurries after it, intent on discerning where it goes.
Sylvalia shrieks, and her hand flies to her throat.
Then she recovers, and shouts, Attend! Stop them!
Dammit! Don't let them get away!
Mala tries to slam her jar over one, but misses; Garrick, however, snatches the other one up before it can get too far away.
Ooc: Asim would probably want to do the deed himself. Can someone roll 4d8+4 for me?
A second blast echoes from the barrel of Asim's pistol, and the Ulfen bandit too falls lifeless to the floor.
As the group prepares to move on, however, you are caught by a sudden, wet tearing sound. Looking down, you see that the bodies of the two men no longer sport the metallic spines - instead, however, a pair of tiny spider-like constructs have literally torn themselves from beneath the flesh of the two corpses, where the bump on their spines was visible during your earlier examinations. The constructs scuttle across the floor, headed toward one of the walls.
touch attack, - 4 included
damage
Asim's shot, from the hip as it is, goes wide, scioring the red metal floor but leaving the spider-like construct untouched. It continues its mad dash toward the wall.
The one in Garrick's hand struggles to free itself, but thus far to no avail.
Mala scrambles along the ground after the little thing, trying desperately to get it, but at least figuring where it's going.
Macawi will move to intercept the metal spider. "You want Macawi smash spider?"
Agreed, Macawi!
Flustered, she moves over next to the large man, and works at drawing her own sword. Gesturing at the scrambling construct, she nods at him. Yes. Smash spider.
Mala! Canst thou bring thy vessel to Garrick?
Instinctively Sparky stretches out a hand to zap the fleeing construct, but he thinks better of it as there are too many of his friends running into the line of fire.
Destroy the damn things! They are either going to try to warn their fellows, or try to burrow into our backs! I aint bein made into no robot spider puppet!
At her freind's sugestion, Mala will rush over to Garrick in an attempt to catch the little curiosity before he can destroy it.
The big man nods and tries to slam his shield down onto the fleeing creature.
Heavy Shield slam attack
Damage
Macawi's shield shatters the tiny construct into shards of metal, while the one in Garrick's hand struggles to get free. When that fails, however, it suddenly becomes quiescent, allowing him to easily pin it down, but it also begins emitting a low hum, one that starts to grow in both pitch and volume. It also starts getting much warmer in his hand.
Macawi pokes the remains of the creature with the tip of his sword.
Hearing Garrick's starting to hum, the big man narrows his eyes and stares at it. "Maybe you smash spider, too. Maybe noise calls to mother spider."
Maybe, Stretch. But it also might be about to explode. Mala, if you wanna jar this thing, be quick, cause I don't think we should be standing near it!
Sylvalia listens intently to the sound and wracks her brain to try to place it, along with anything in her studies that might apply to this situation.
Constrain or destroy? She greatly desires to study the spiderlike devices, but is acutely aware of the danger they pose. One hand rubs her temple as she ponders the most prudent course of action.
Asim will reload and ready action to shoot the spider if it moves at all from its current location (after Garrick lets it go, that is.)
Mala isn't sure putting a jar around something that's about to explode is such a good idea. Shrapnel and all. But she's willing to take the risk for science. That doesn't mean she want's to stick around to see what happens either though.
Sylvalia isn't certain about what the noise means, but she strongly suspects it indicates some kind of overload. A moment later she is proven correct, as the tiny construct explodes in a small and rather anticlimactic burst of light that cracks Mala's jar but otherwise produces no real effect other than to destroy the spider.
Peeking out from behind Garrik, Mala makes sure nothing else is going to happen before creeping out and walking up to her jar with a pouting frown. "Well that was kind of disapointing. If it was going to destroy itself it could at least have done a more spectacular job of it." Reaching down she plucks up the jar, peering inside it to see how much of it she might be able to salvage. She then walks over and busies herself collecting the pieces of the other spider, placing them into the jar as well before putting it back in her pack. For future study.
Sylvalia chides herself after the dust settles and she starts breathing again. Foolish, she mutters quietly to herself as she gathers her pack and shoulders it.
Blind and foolish. I should have studied the node at the back of the neck more closely. Of course it would have been the control center. Had I recognized it, their deaths may have been avoided. A parasitic -- or possibly even symbiotic -- invasive construct. Too many species have been already cataloged that do the same thing. Obvious, really. For me to have missed it-- She stops in the middle of her self-flagellation, and looks at the others.
She looks as if she wants to say something, but instead closes her eyes and turns away.
Macawi looks to the others for direction.
"Let's go in. I'm sure there are more of whatever that was inside." Sparky is apparantly undaunted by the strange experience.
Looks like for the next ones, we should try to cut the spiders out while the guys are still alive. Let's go. I'll lead the way. Mala, do ya think you can throw a light spell on my armor? These wayfinders are nifty, but I'd like to keep both hands free.
Sylvalia will sheathe her sword and string her bow. She'll stand a few paces back with one hand free and the bow in the other. Her wayfinder should still be glowing around her neck. She'll nod to Garrick to signify her readiness.
Macawi will take up the tail end position. He'll rely on the others' wayfinders for now, but his is hanging around his neck, also.
Looks like for the next ones, we should try to cut the spiders out while the guys are still alive. Let's go. I'll lead the way. Mala, do ya think you can throw a light spell on my armor? These wayfinders are nifty, but I'd like to keep both hands free.
I'll renew my Wayfinder Light, then move up behind Garrick with gun loaded and drawn.
Fine, but if we get in a scrap try to clear my line of fire.