Stephen grants his allies courage in the face of this monster in human flesh. The large man attempts to shift his weight to gain an advantage in the grapple.
;
Round 5: Aurelea, Stephen, Cyna, Drago, Harakhty, Big Daddy, Skaar
Skaar grinned as the monstrous man shifted his weight allowing the Orc an opening. In one swift movement, the hulking greenskin slipped a burly arm around his neck and then took a step away from him and fell, bulldogging his opponent into the ground.
As the bastard hit the ground, Skaar dropped the bulk of his weight on his opponent's spine.
"I'm 'fraid I'm a lot bigger than what you're used to. This is gunna hurt", he growled.
No way Cyna was going to free the child while this freak was still standing... well conscious. She moves to help Skaar take the enemy out for good. "Keep him down a little longer Skaar."
Drago's hand ignited with sparks, "Shochraos."
Her body exploding into a run, Aurelea unleashes her rage, erupting in a primal scream of hate as she dashes towards the battle, launching herself into a leap as Skarr takes the hulking monstrosity down, landing on the fiend's lower back, sword first.
Unable to enter the fray without possibly damaging Skaar, Harakhty surveyed the children.
Harakhty sees that one child is still breathing, although shallowly. The other one does not breathe at all.
The group attacks the man viciously with sword and spell. He appears on the verge of death.
"Go...ahead. Kill me," he says with a bloody grin. "I'll be with my angels then...forever. They will know nothing but my embrace...ehahahahahaha."
He feebly attempts to break the pin to no avail.
More concerned with the living child than with the monster attached, Harakhty attempts to free the youngster.
Once again, Drago throws more sparks, "Shochraos."
"You're insane, there are no angles where your going."
Cyna puts an end to the monster, his final laughs echoing through the empty streets.
Skaar released his victim and stood up. He glared at Cyna and her bloodied blade.
"Dat was better than he deserved. He shoulda suffered", the big Orc growled.
The hulking greenskin kicked the dead brute's corpse once more for good measure.
"Dat one going to be okay?" he asked with a jab at the surviving brutalized child.
Cyna sighs and turns to Skaar. "You're probably right, but I wasn't gonna risk a child just to prolong his suffering."
Cyna examins the child and tries to calm her(?) down.
"It's ok now we'll get you out of this thing in a minute alright?
Aurelea stares at the corpse practically shaking with rage.
"You're right. He deserved a lot worse."
She glanced over at Steven, still muttering in shock to himself.
"You ok? It wasn't your fault."
"Wa...water, p-please," the child gasps.
Cyna grabs her waterskin and lift it for the child. "Sip slow"
The child takes small sips. You are able to remove the chain around her with little difficulty. You notice the child has a hard time staying conscious.
"As much I'd luv to crush more of 'dese fools", Skaar says. "If you want 'dis one to live, we gotta get her inside the city."
Glad to see the child out of danger - for the moment - Harakhty looks for any obvious wounds.
"The bad man won't bother you now. What's your name?"
"Agreed. I'll carry this one" Cyna says lifting the girl up into her arms.
Before the party moves on, Skaar quickly searches the big man's remains.
Upon searching the corpses, Skaar finds some valuables.
Skaar swipes the coin and the jewelry but leaves the armor and weapons.
With the loot secured, he makes his way towards the gatehouse.
You resume your trip to the gate. Upon arriving you see two heavily armored men at the top of the gate, arrows pointed at you.
one of the guards shouts.
Skaar growled at the weapons aimed his direction but he waited relatively patiently for Harakhty to present their 'papers'.
"Lower yer damned weapons. We're not here for trouble and we got a hurt pup."
As Skaar replies, a similarly armored man emerges from a smaller door within the gate. His wrinkles and graying beard belie his impressive physique.
"You are in no position to ask anything of us, stranger," the man says dryly. "The tactic of bringing in a hurt child isn't new. The Eyes, though the majority of them are ill-bred barbarians, still know how to take advantage of us."
He spits to the side upon mentioning the Eyes of Shiva. He walks over to Cyna and gives the child a once-over.
"Where did you come upon her?" the man asks softly. "Be truthful or I'll spill your blood where you stand."
" In the streets chained like an animal to a vile man with ill-intentions, there was another but we were unable to save her."
Skaar nods in corroboration with Cyna's story.
"The Eyes jumped us a ways that direction", the big Orc explained. "One of um was torturing the little ones and worse..."
He doesn't say more, hoping his angry growl explains enough.
"I see, so you have dealt with Barias," the man says contemplatively. "The child does not seem to be the reason you are here, though."
Skaar grew a little quieter, not liking the direction the questions were going.
"We got business in the foreign quarter", he explains.
"The 'lil 'Nara has our papers."
Harakhty takes the envelope out of his robe and hands it stiffly to the guard. Why do they allow such butchery within their town? Many questions needed answering...
Once the big man was down, Drago breathed a sigh of relief. I would have liked to caused him a great deal of suffering.
During the encounter with the guards, Drago does his best to keep his manners. And says nothing.
Aurelea glares quietly at the guard rather than incite an incident....something she'd done many times in the past.
The guard takes the envelope from Harakhty and tears it open. Upon reading the small note within, his face softens slightly.
"So, Ranija sends you," the man says, stashing the note in his belt pouch. "Indeed, orc, your business is your own. However, the current situation requires me to be discourteous to ensure the safety of the foreign quarter."
He motions to the guards above, who lower their weapons and open the gate enough for you to pass. The man waits for you to enter before following, the gate shutting behind him.
Skaar gave the guards a nod of thanks as he and the party passed through the gate.
"Wut do ya wanna do with this one?" he asks of the dead child held in his massive arms.
"There should be a temple or something where we could take her. They handle things like burials don't they?" Aurelea replies looking around the area.
"Dunno. Let's ask around", Skaar suggests.
"'dey said we shouldn't have a hard time moving around here."
The Vanara avoids gazing at the dead child as best he could while giving the town a once-over; what new dangers lay in waiting for them?
Skaar attempts to gather information about the going-ons of the foreign quarter and where the children (both living and dead) could be taken.
Cyna does her best to keep the child comfortable while they move about the area. "I hope we find a home for you little one." cyna starts to rememeber her own lonely childhood.
"Please watch over this one dawnflower." she preys to her godess.
Seeing the Orc attempt, and subsequent failure, to gather information, the Damphir started to ask around.
"You'll find the Forgotten Star in the market district, just go straight from here and turn left when you face the Temple of Brahma," the man says before departing. "The Temple will take the girls."
Taking a look around, you see a mixture of styles. The architecture is very ornate, even the homes look extravagant in the foreign quarter. Statues decorate archways and most buildings stand at least two stories tall. The people wear a variety of clothing, native Deshurans wear a light, colorful robes along with headwear, guards patrol in armor and foreigners wear their native garb. You spot some wearing Icathian dress as they mill among the stalls that sell fruit and curios.
As you proceed along the main road the guard pointed you down and with the directions of some other folk, you come to an impressive building (reference) decorated with a gigantic golden statue of a three-headed man, each head sporting a long beard. The statue also has four arms, each hand holding a different object: a lotus, a strand of prayer beads, a book and a scepter.
You enter the temple and three attendants approach you. They each kneel before you, touching their foreheads to the stone floor.
"What brings you to us, travelers? We are not accustomed to seeing outsiders here, but, fear not, your presence is welcome," one of them greets you before the trio rises to their feet.
Solemnly Cyna replies. "We were told that this temple would be able to help us, we need a bed for this one she's been through hell and needs a place to recover ..." she pauses a moment and looks toward the child skaar carries before continuing. "and this poor thing she needs to be put to rest."
Skaar stands silent as Cyna handles the introductions.
Holy places always made him uncomfortable and it took all of his will to not storm out for how much this one made his skin crawl. He extended his arms a little hoping one of the priests would take the dead child from him.
Harakhty hadn't heard of this strange religion. Surely the objects in the extra-limbed figure represented something major, but he would hopefully figure that out in time. For now, he strolled past their greeters and took a look around.
The cruelty of the man they encountered seemed to be commonplace; the guard they encountered didn't bat an eyelash and, in fact, seemed to know him by name. Tolerance of that kind of person not far from this impressive architecture said a lot about this religion's priorities. He hoped it was safe to leave the living child here, but they didn't have much choice in the matter; surely it would be no more dangerous than where they were headed. The dead one - looking to have reached that status recently due a shot from something - at least would be revealing in their treatment of her. If she was buried, if she was burned, if she was disembodied ... myriad ways to handle the passed, but each spoke to a deeper tenet in the belief system.
His eyes and ears wandered the temple, casting themselves upward and downward as much as around. What secrets did a place like this hold?
The two attendants rise and take the children from you. The one who took the living girl removes his robes and wrap them around her. He carries her off to a room to the left. The other attendant takes the dead girl and places her upon an altar. He anoints her body with fragrant oils and begins to pray over her.
"Thank you," the remaining attendant says. "We shall make sure that they are both cared for. Is there anything else I can do for you?"