With a click Bahram returns the knife to a sheath somewhere in his silken folds.
"You are no Demon. The city needs us all. I am Bahram Alhazred. I will help you inside. Things I need are in there. Come little knife."
Bahram moves towards the halfling, preparing to lift
"Come little knife"
Kelly takes the human's large hand, leaning on it heavily as she struggles to her feet. "I remember you from last night. I'm Kelly. Kelly Littlekettle." The memory of his boisterous celebrations on Armasse Eve was a stark, but welcome, contrast to her current situation. She smiles.
The feel of heaviness pervades his battered and bruised body. The smell of choking debris, pungent fumes, and burnt flesh forces his closed eyes to water. The sound of anguished sobbing seep into his dust and dirt covered ears. The taste of torment fills his bloody mouth.
Merlin opens his eyes.
Nothing but broken beams; burnt and brittle greet his blurry vision. He listens: Except for the constant sobbing; and creaking of precariously place building, nothing immediately dire sounds.
Merlin attempts to crawl his way toward the sobbing. His body is beyond bruised. He winces with each motion, slowly making his way from under the wreckage.
Hello? I don't suppose you might lend a hand?
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once Dragz is done blowing his horn, he draws his ax and turns to Ik-ha-thruun. "okay, which way should we go? I'd imagine the smoke is the best way, but we could also head towards the town hall. see if any of the towns governmental structure is still holding up.
Dragz sighs and looks back at the stables and the grizzly scene inside. "or we could try to figure out what happened here... although I don't think that's a question for now."
Considering her options Darya freezes in place as she hears a familiar sound. The low, resounding sound, echoing though the streets was one she would recognize anywhere.
'Dragz is alive.' the thinks, grateful to know a friend had survived this apocalypse. Further more that blast was ont a cry fro aid but a call to those who could hear it. At some point they would need to band together with others, and that gave her hope but right now more than anything she needed to find a healer.
Sadly leaving the woman seated, her consciousness slowly fading she whispers a prayer on her behalf."May you find your journey to the other side peaceful. Know that vengeance will be had for you and the countless others who have died today."
She hadn't been clear enough to give her name, but Darya would slay a demon in her memory anyway.
Sword drawn, she moves further through the market looking for signs of life, and carrying the bag of apples with her. If she could find a healer in time she would come back to see to the woman's injuries first.
As Bahram sheathes his dagger and moves past her to help Kelly to her feet, Iomenna sighs with relief. The halfling rises and looks to the skies, but a sudden horn blast rings out from the stables of the nearby tavern. Once again, Iomenna's hand moves to the hilt of her sword without any thought, but she relaxes as she realizes the sound is not demonic in nature. She turns to the others and gestures toward the stables with a quick nod of her head, "We should go check that out. See if anyone is injured and trapped. It's attached to the tavern, so we'll be heading in the right direction anyway." She looks at the still shaky halfling and the large human.
"On the other hand, perhaps Arthur and I will go check that out and the two of you can head inside. No offense, Kelly, but you don't look in any condition to do much exploring at the moment."
"I will care for little knife inside. You must do a help for me. I have a friend in the stables, like horse but better, hairier. If you find her, help her, bring her to me, please."
With that Bahram turns and helps Kelly into the tavern.
Arthur nods in agreement as Iomenna devises a plan and heads toward the stables.
Once they're within a few yards of their destination, a loud voice calls out, "You who approach! name yourself or be considered a foe!"
Arthur instinctively hides behind his armored companion and shouts over her shoulder, "I assure you we are no demons and we mean you no harm"
Hearing the familiar horn prompted Luci. Finding anything to write on, and write with, she made sure to leave a note for Darya if she came back.
The survivors would have to band together and Dragz's horn made her think that that had already started. Leaving a note saying that she'd gone after the source of the horn, Luci picked up Azura and headed off, a few sheets and curtains from Darya's house bundled up between Luci's arm and Azura's back, even if she'd grabbed more than she needed for Azura, the spare bandage material would still help.
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Dragz pears around the corner and sees that it is just more survivors. Oh, good. Ik, there are more survivors. perhaps they can help.
he lowers his ax and turns to the new arrivals. I'm guessing my horn attracted you, that's good. If you wish to search the stables... there is a mess in there... a bad one. Drags looks down at all the blood covering him. I don't know any of the details about it though... it's all hazy.
Arthur is visibly relieved at Dragz's response.
"It's a bit hazy for all of us, I believe." Arthur glances quickly at the billowing smoke outside the city.
"A friend of ours owns a camel he believes to be in those stables. He asked us to find it." The corner's of Arthur's mouth bend into a frown as he eyes the half-orc. "Though judging by your state, I don't have high hopes that it survived."
Arthur strides toward the stable door and stops suddenly. "I apologize, my name is Arthur and this Iomenna. We, and a few others, have holed up in the Defender's Heart. We'd be happy to have you two."
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Friend Dragz, horn summon things to us, time for fighting. If do this time do it right.
Taking the horn from his friends hands it turns silver and rings again out a spiral sound, this time with a metallic ping. Before handing it back.
With that sword came ringing out of its sheath, it was almost alive in his hands, and it was alive with rage just as much as Dragz was.
"We need move stone but first we slay everything not good inside the mystic circles. Freind Wizard say this place safe for day, at most, so we need make fortifications, and take stock of gear we have. Hearing more people come around he shifted the grip on his shield and held it high with his sword laying sideways upon the upper rim. The Kite Shield showed his gods Symbol, he wasn't sure who any of these people where, even if Dragz did.
"Not sure, but we must move now, and move fast Freind Dragz, destroy what is not good, build wall or trip wires. Must protect this bar which is like minicastle." Repitition on the battle field allows one to express something, and for it to stick. Shell Shock, Demon Shock, so many names for the same thing, the thing about it was however that the names changed but the same steps had to be taken. Repeat all order, repeat all requests, and make sure that you are heard multiple times, often that is all that is needed to get someone to act in the now,,,even if the now was a hellish place.
As Bahram helps the Kelly around to the front of the tavern he notices a scorched ring that seems to encompass the whole building. The building itself seems remarkably unscathed by the last nights terrors.
As we enter the bar area it is much as Bahram remembers from the previous evenings frolics. He props Kelly up in a comfy chair in one corner and calls out
"Hello!? Anyone here!? We would like some help!"
I suppose that they can't hear me; what with dirt and ash on the menu!
Merlin stubbornly crawls forward, inching his way from under the wreckage.
He wobbly stands to his feet, peering around at the sobbing sounds.
He sees the two women; weeping as they hold each other; and the human male looking directly at him; eyes red and swollen.
Merlin dusts off his clothing. He repositions his scabbard; checking the blade for damage.
He then begins looking intently at the floor around him.
You fine folks haven't seen a metal shield, have ya? Kinds thinking I might be needing it!
The sound of the horn reverberating over the crackling of fire and the screams of the injured is like a clarion call. It cuts through the chaos and snaps people back to their senses. Even the sobbing survivors huddled among the ruined parts of the city pause in their wailing.
Pretty much everyone realizes that it's coming from Defender's Heart... and that any remaining demons or undead in the city will know that, too.
As Bahram helps Kelly into the structure there's the distinct click of a crossbow being armed, then you hear, "Ach, me goodness! More survivors! Get in here, quickly now!"
Amazingly, the interior is mostly intact. The large central chamber where you were having a party just one night before is mostly cleaned up and some of the tables have been set up as barricades by the front door -- indeed, just as you open it you note that you'll have to climb over them to get inside.
Kimroth Otai, the one-armed innkeeper, is behind the bar, pointing the aforementioned crossbow, but he quickly points it away when he realizes that you aren't demons. Scattered about the large common room are a half-dozen other civilian survivors. On the other side of the barricade are two armored knights and what looks like one very nervous clerical acolyte.
"C'mon, get inside quick!" says Kimroth. "No telling why they haven't gotten in yet, but we're not taking chances!" The knights move to help you over the barricade and into the building.
Darya scavenges a bit and then hears the muffled sounds of voices coming from a partially-collapsed building. As she gets closer she notes a pair of dead bodies in front. It looks like a combined storefront-home, where the proprietors would live on the second floor, but the posts holding up the balcony in the front have been smashed and part of the second floor has collapsed on the first. This has the side effect of barricading the stairway that goes down into the basement, and it sounds like people are trapped down there.
Luci gently picks up Azura and heads in the direction of Defender's Heart. She notes that one of the street lanes is blocked by a pair of crashed wagons and moves to head through an alleyway, but as she is heading south through the alley with her precious cargo she sees one of the bodies in the alley stir. At first she thinks it may be an unconscious survivor, but the ruined face as it rises tells her that it is not.
Sario users a pair of children to safety. Not far from her black smoke billows out of an extravagant town estate house that is still burning at a respectable pace.
One of the children clutches her hand and says, "You're going to keep us safe from the bad little man, right?"
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"Oh hell," she breathed as she saw the corpse rising, "should've known that a great night would be followed by a bad morning."
Gently setting Azura down, Luci drew her sword and readied herself, stepping a few feet away from the bard and positioning herself between her and the zombie, while keeping an eye out for any other threats. "Alright then, bring it!"
After finding his shield and gear, Merlin looks around the cellar. Noticing that heavy state of affairs, he simply shrugs his shoulders, before pointing at the stores.
If you fine folk are able, would ya mind filling up some empty sacks with food? I'm a gonna see 'bout an exit.
Merlin smiles.
The folk trapped in the cellar with Merlin seem to nod and go along with the first display of leadership since the disaster. They start going through the supplies in the basement looking for jars sealed with wax - preserves that will last a while - and sorting them from fresh food, then putting them into sacks and baskets.
Meanwhile, Merlin checks for alternative exits. While the main staircase is filled with rubble, there's a small back window. It's too skinny for Merlin to fit through, but maybe a halfling or child could make it.
Merlin frowns.
He looks to the others, squinting to make one of them fit.
Nope!
He then reaches his hand through the window. Opening back up his eyes, he peers into the darkness.
Crap!
His reaching hand catches hold of something. Feeling for its purpose, Merlin breathes, Light would be...
Suddenly, a bright white-green light springs in front of his face. He drops a boots? and scrambles backward.
Edging closer to the light, Merlin sees that in deed it was a boot that his hand caught, but now it is a shining beacon!
For what, I wonder?
Moving forward, Darya looks to see how difficult it would be to clear the stairs of the rubble blocking them. Looking down te rubble filled passage way, the Paladin closes her eyes for a moment, letting go of the small bit of concentration she uses to keep some aspects of her presence veiled. Over the years she’d found that there were things about her that might inspire awe or fear in others and it was sometimes easier to keep those details to herself and those she held close. Now was not the time.
As she focuses a brilliant glowing halo manifests above her head, shedding golden light in the immediate area, making it easier to study the staircase.
Sario looks down at the child The bad little man? Who is the bad little man?
Sario looks around the immediate area looking for anything casting detect magic as she does. Sario makes sure to not look at the children while the spell is active less the blue eyes scare them more.
Sario move quietly and quickly She gathers up a blanket and a few toys for the kids, moving back to she hands over the items, dismissing the spell.
Time to go little ones, we must get to Defenders Heart quickly and quietly. I won't leave you and you will be safe with me, now lets all hold hands and we will move as swiftly as possible.
Sario leads the kids to the door, looking around for cover to move to next . She spots another collapsed building and move swiftly there. Do this all the way to Defender's Heart.
Bahram takes Kelly over to the well maned bar
"This is friend Littlekettle. Please look after her. I will be back."
with that he turns and head towards the rooms in the tavern, one of which happens to be his.
A few minutes later Barhram returns, gone are the ostentatious silken folds of the night before instead he is wearing fitted black silks strapped tight to his legs and covered by a functional armoured coat on his torso, the handles of two large sickles project over each of his shoulders. He steps back to the bar.
"We are at war now. Tell me of what is happening here, but first, where is Brother Miles?"
@Lucianna carefully puts down Azura (move action) and draws her weapon (as part of a move action). The zombie shambles toward her and with a sickening realization she recognizes the garb as the shopkeeper who'd sold her a bottle of wine just last night for recreational purposes.
The zombie lurches into reach and Luci lunges with her weapon...
Meanwhile, in a collapsed basement...
@Merlin finds himself holding something glowing with light, unexpectedly. The people surround him, interrupting their gathering of supplies.
"A light! A holy light!" says one of the men. "He must be a magician, or a priest! We're saved!" says the woman. "You'll get us out of here, won't you, sir?"
@Darya is distracted by a sudden tiny shaft of light peeking out through some of the rubble. Magical light - it's too strong and steady to be a candle or torch. Someone must be alive down there.
~~~~~~~~~~
@Sario doesn't really know what to expect, but as she turns slowly she senses the presence of magical energy.
A cackling voice says, "Ah! You won't find me so easily my happy little prey!"
As Sario scoops up the blankets and toys one of the children starts to cry. "It's him!" she says. "It's the bad little man!"
~~~~~~~~~~
@Kelly finds that her legs are coming back with that annoying sort of tingling-buzzing in them.
@Bahram addresses Kimroth. The one-armed innkeeper puts down his crossbow, scratches his head, and says, "Can't say I remember."
Seeing the shaft of light piercing the rubble gives Darya hope. At least it was a sign of survivors, and possibly magic.
"Is anyone down there? Are you hurt?"
Sario looks around, a moment of panic coming over her face but she stuffs it down quickly. She slowly backs up towards the children, bumping them towards the door.
Must be a little man to pick on children so, guess if you were a BIG man you would show yourself and not scare little children.
She moves the children to the door, giving a quick scan of the road and heading north as fast as possible with the children.
As disturbing as it was to recognise the corpse, Luci steeled herself with the thought that anyone would want their reanimated corpse put down, rather than be left free.
She lashed out with a low strike, aiming for the creature's legs - if she couldn't kill it, she at least wanted to keep it from coming after her or being able to chase anyone down.
Kelly sits in the big chair where Bahram left her, flexing her stiff legs and prying her fingers off the handle of her knife with her other hand. She lets the blade fall for now, watching it hit the floor point first, embedding itself there with a thunk.
"How is the food situation, Kimroth?" she asks the proprietor. "Please tell me your cellar and pantry are fully stocked."
Having found no survivors in the temple, Losvarlinth moves through the large arched entryway. Seeing flames in the market place, she cautiously makes her way there.
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Dragz turns to the other survivors "let us see if we can find our way to the defender's heart, or possibly the Temple. We need to establish a center for our regrouping."
Drags lifts his ax and looks to the sky, where smoke seems to be coming from outside town. "that looks like it's coming from the farms... we must hurry if we are to prevent the total destruction of this city.
Merlin looks as shocked and surprised as the others.
I am not a witch!
He points to the glowing boot exclaiming, It must be magical!
Suddenly, the sweet-sounding voice of an angel filters through the rubble to rest endearingly on his ears.
Uh, hello? We are trapped down here. Not sure how it looks on your end, but ours would need some assistance.
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@Dragz: You're in Defender's Heart - it's literally just a big stone fortress-like inn. You happen to be in the stables that are part of the inn. :)
@Losvarlinth: You scurry southeast toward the market. It's a heavily-populated area, so there's a good chance of survivors. Plus there are likely to be useful supplies -- food, maybe clothes or blankets.
As before, there are bodies scattered about the streets. You slip down a street of colorful tents that once housed tinkers and minor craftspeople. One small folding table covered in carved wooden toys is spattered in blood and a tiny finger remains next to a painted wooden pony. It is a level of grotesquerie that makes even drow queasy.
You hear an odd creaking and a large trunk under one of the display tables opens. A skinny man starts to clamber out, spots you, and gives a shout. "Ah! It's one of them!" He slams the lid shut.
You're not entirely sure how he even fits in there.
@Luci: The strike connects with the zombie but doesn't stop it. It lashes out with its fists.
It catches Luci by surprise and rattles her!
From beyond, on the far side of the alleyway, you spot a few more people, but they are moving faster than zombies. Other survivors perhaps?
@Merlin and Darya: From under the rubble Darya can hear the excited chatter of people shouting for help.
Underground, Merlin is able to spot - thanks to the glowing boot - in addition to the food preserves (many of which are now bagged), there are jars of lamp oil, a coil of rope, and a small pile of folded blankets. Nothing that looks like it would make it possible for him to squeeze out the tiny window, though.
@Sario: The little girl, choking back her sobs, says, "The bad little man hurts people!"
The invisible voice says, "That's right! And while my big friends may have laid waste to your horrible, wretched, pathetic city, I get to have all the fun chasing around you survivors and adding to the misery!"
@Kelly Bahram, Ik, Dragz & company: "We're pretty well stocked for food," says Kimroth. "This place is pretty big and I've had to keep lots of supplies on hand to be able to feed the crusaders who were always coming through in droves. The city was never able to house everyone, even with an establishment of this size, but that just meant I always had plenty of business. Here, let me show you my books." He pulls out a ledger from under the counter, puts it down and flips it open.
Merlin shifts his eyes over the additional resources, looking for any type of equipment that may help.
Being proficient with various blacksmithing tools (along with less-than-honest ones), Merlin begins seeing about maybe fashioning something.
As he begins searching, he feels something strange, but guiding, begin to fill him from....somewhere.
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I will be back for you little man, next time I won't have innocents that you can prey on. Demon loving filth.
Sario mumbles a few words in Druidic and scoops up the children and all the supplies, sprinting down the road towards the Eastern Gate.
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Friend Dragz, Wizard Friend Cast big spell, make it where no one evil come in for 24 hours. Tommorow at noon? All magic go away, looks you. Sees outside, the circles, and swirls. Place safe for now, but must start baring windows, and gathering able bodies. War comes again, but this time, it be looters, and those with evil in hearts.
All those who see him notice his frame for a moment of a very old man, and his voice rasps. I will the Lifes Blood for those that have hurt my son, for that is what he is, and by my Grandfather Ragathiel, I will have Vengeance. The Voice of Wizard Friend fades and Ik-Ha-Thruun stands tall, but looks confused.
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"I'm going to try to clear away the rubble!" Darya calls out to those trapped below. Clear away from the door in case things shift."[/b] she says as she gets to work trying to move enough of the rubble and debris to create a passageway.
@Darya heaves away a large chunk of broken stone, then drags out a shattered piece of timber.
@Merlin, down below, realizes - thanks to his knowledge of cunning devices - that if she keeps moving the large pieces, all of the small ones are going to fall in suddenly, essentially an avalance of stone, wood, mortar and plaster, and that could worsen things considerably. But, if some of the detritus were cleared first, then there's a large chunk of roofing that, if you could get a lever under or through it, could be used to get a big enough hole out of the debris that people could escape.
@Losvarlinth: You scurry southeast toward the market. It's a heavily-populated area, so there's a good chance of survivors. Plus there are likely to be useful supplies -- food, maybe clothes or blankets.
As before, there are bodies scattered about the streets. You slip down a street of colorful tents that once housed tinkers and minor craftspeople. One small folding table covered in carved wooden toys is spattered in blood and a tiny finger remains next to a painted wooden pony. It is a level of grotesquerie that makes even drow queasy.
You hear an odd creaking and a large trunk under one of the display tables opens. A skinny man starts to clamber out, spots you, and gives a shout. "Ah! It's one of them!" He slams the lid shut.
You're not entirely sure how he even fits in there.
Losvarlinth composes herself, then looks at the chest for a moment, shaking her head.
Seriously?
She walks over to the chest slowly.
She kneels beside the chest.
Sir? she says calmly. I can assure you that I am not one of those foul creatures. That chest is not a safe place for you to be. We need to find shelter and supplies if we're to survive.
She pauses.
Patience, I must do the right thing here. I've come too far to slide now.
Please step out of the chest. I intend you no harm. If I did, I would just burn the chest.
She remains watchful while she waits for a response from the terrified man.
"It is not my way to stand still and wait, but we must make preparations here, many will be coming. These first hours are vital. I need to take a look around, but I will return. Little Knife, are you recovered enough to join me?"
Hi, up there, Merlin calls out. Could you not remove any any thing quite yet? Things may show off gravitas talents. I think that I may be able to brace this ceiling well enough if we remove some of the...err...detritus first.
Merlin winks at those gathered.
If you ladies could finish gathering supplies, we can possibly get out of here.
He then looks at the human male.
What's Your name, sir? I am Merlin BrokenCrown. How 'bout we dig out this detritus? I will find a beam in good shape as support.
"What??? Could you repeat that but this time make sense?" Darya replies a hint of frustration in her voice.
Giving it a moment's thought the man probably meant the danger of things shifting. Why didn't he just says so? Her thoughts drift to Luci and Azura again. She really needed to find a healer soon.
Merlin grins at the woman's response.
Err...right. Please don't remove anything else until I can shore up the ceiling. We may be able to climb through.
"Alright. Let me know when you're ready." she replies taking a step back.
Staggering from the zombie's blow, Luci took her sword in both hands and struck again, this time putting a lot more weight behind the attack.