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As Melira gathers herbs, the ogre grumbles along, not exactly cheerful, but certainly engaged. Sometimes when she moves she hears him shift and strain to keep observing her, but he when this happens he tends to groan and wince in pain from the adjustment. She quickly learns where he can and cannot get a vantage point to observe her.
"Do you live here or are you one of those great travelers I hear stories about?"
"Ah yes, great travellers. Me eat lot of dem. Not live here. Come from caves. Somfing call us here. Voice in night."
"Do you know those puny weaklings by the gate? They were in my way so I had to sing them a sleeping song. If I'm going to come back here, I'd like to know who they are so I don't have to do that again."
"Dem Goblin Bearbugs. Come from caves. Hear voice in night."
"Have you ever seen a big cat around here, not quite as strong as you, but with fur and huge teeth? There might be one wandering the grounds, and a little girl like myself would be a tasty snack for such a monster if I didn't have the help of some great warrior."
"Kitty from back yard. Him break him chain. Him back legs of frog. Move so slow. Him drag broken chain make noise. Not scared. Him eat bearbugs, not eat me."
"Have you ever been inside the house? It seems like a nice place to live."
"Not go front door. Statues bite. Back door ok, Kitty too slow. I go on... flat... platform.. in back door. Big messy room. Sleep if cold. Not go up stair. Too small. Outside nice."
"Would you mind passing me your club? I need it to dig these roots. Once I have those I should have everything I need. Oh blast, I've just dulled my dagger. Do you have one of those too, or any other sharp tools?"
"OK. Here go. Dig fast, leg hurt."
The ogre awkwardly lobs the club, managing to get it over to Melira's general vicinity. He then painfully fishes around beneath his waste and produces something that looks like a large lawn-dart. He tosses that along too. "This only sharp thing. Pointy. Dig roots fast."
When he is struggling to describe "flat... platform" in the back yard, you can recall seeing a terrace at the back steps.
Akkramar’s hammer swings, but the gnoll leans back deftly, almost doing a back bend. It smiles a mocking grin and let’s out a gleeful yip! Only to catch an axe blade from the giantess, slicing it down the side of its torso.
The creature’s smile turns upside down becoming a frown.
The glaive lashes out at each of the opponents in turn, first Faidh then the armored dwarf, in an effort to relieve him of his shield.
The glaive comes down mightily, hooking the shield and tearing it from the dwarfs possession… but somehow Akkramar hangs on! Now the gnoll is blinded with hate, turn all its attention on the resilient dwarf.
On this side of the field no human guards remain (save for the next shift, who are just rising from sleep and struggling to don their leathers and weapons. The guards who had stood watch are all slain, but so are the gnoll attackers. On the far side of the field a struggle is still going on, with cries from the human guards ringing out, and the incessant sound of yipping and baying filling chilly moonlit air.
Faidh will step forward and try to take another hack at the Packlord!
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Bez stays out of sight as Melira does her rapport with the ogre, scowling.
"If ye be wantin' a shield, ye should go get yer own!" - Akkramar snarled, and attacked again.
The glowing green axe slices down the torso of the menacing gnoll, the smell of singed fur fills the air, and blood sprays onto the shield that Akkramar had been so reluctant to relinquish. Finally you see it in those cruel eyes... fear, replacing the rage.
But the beast fights on.
The gnoll swings his glaive in an upward arc to slash Faidh, and then brings it down again upon her head.
The upward swing glances off armor, but the returning descending stroke catches Faidh in the center of her skull. Suddenly the sounds of Akkramar's taunts recede into the distance, and Faidh see's beautiful drifts of snow flurrying before her eyes... she begins to drift away into a field of pure white snow...
Back legs of frog? Melira can't get over the mental image of a lion with two frog legs. The leopard did have green blood. Grabbing the club and dagger, she moves them into the bushes some distance away, hiding them behind some roots. This monster has the mental faculties of a small child. Maybe I should heal him. Finding Bez nearby, Melira taps her sword hilt. "Let's kill him and get out of here. I can introduce you if you need help getting close without alerting him."
She waits for approval from Bez. Melira has never killed anyone, and this is a big moment for her.
"Why don'tcha leave the lass alone then?!" - Akkramar snarls - "I am right here!"
Akkramar see’s Faidh’s axe flowing green slicing open the gnoll like a ripe mango. Then he sees the glaive swing up and come down again on her skull. She looks almost peaceful as she topples onto the cold ground. Just as it happens, flakes of fluffy snow begin to drift down from the sky.
The gnoll turns on Akkramar and makes it’s final stand, swinging the glaive like it’s trying to pry open a can of sardines.
But the armored dwarf never tastes the steel of the blade.
From a ways away you hear the bark of the Fey hound. The second shift of guards are armed now and upright, looking around confusedly.
"Tired of you and yer dogs biting at our heels! Down boy!" - the dwarf swings again.
Akkramar’s hammer shatters the skull of the gnoll into pieces and the creature collapses to the ground in a grisly mess.
From the other side of the field a cheer goes up from the men as the last of the gnoll minions fall to the human guards.
The battle is over. There were no casualties to the civilian population. However, six guardsmen and guardswomen lie dead.
The kids from before rush to Faidh’s side where the giantess had fallen. The Fey hound nearly bowls them over, bounding to the side of the knight and licking her wounds.
Akkramar kneels down next to Faidh - "Easy now boy, I can take care of yer friend" - he pushes the dog to make some room, and summons the blessings of Moradin to heal his companion.
Bez arches an eyebrow. "A mercy killing, Melira? Not a bad call.. This place is going to corrupt anything that lives here. So be it."
Bez draws out his blades quietly.
Faidh begins to breath and murmur a bit as she has slowly opens her eyes. " Did, did we win?"
"Aye lass - ye did well and we drove them off, but the price was high" - once he sees Faidh recovering conscience, Akkramar goes to check on the guardsmen and women who fell, trying to ascertain if any of them can still be saved.
If not, he will begin preparing the bodies for burial, including Beltan...
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[dice=History (Advantage)]1d20+2+2
Cosmopolitan indeed.
Vex turns many a head but none stop to question him or look for the authorities. Vex would notice if they did.
The peasants gawk, but the citizens look busy and purposeful, mindful of their own affairs.
A place to bed down does not immediately present itself. The Palace Terondel dominates the skyline, projecting it's opulence and the comforts within. This city which has overgrown and spilled over it's walls nonetheless has a wall around it's Palace. The oalace is not the only visible structure looming. There is also Caeronde, the massive citadel. A symbol of inequity. Somehow the outer wall is never any closer to being built. But this ancient wall around the seat of power for the whole Kingdom of Suilley has stood since ancient times in perfect repair.
Vex is arriving on South County Road from Grollek's Grove.
The foot traffic through the arfea outside the walls is flowing into and around the walled in area. Vex is aware that there is a gated checkpoint ahead. The Citadel is ahead and to his right on the skyline, the Palace ahead of him. There are canals some way off to his left. He has his bearings still from a view he saw from a vantage point upon a hill while approaching.
The traffic is flowing quickly through the gate in the wall, it doesn't appear to be a very formal interaction, but there are definitely authorities posted there.
"Aye lass - ye did well and we drove them off, but the price was high" - once he sees Faidh recovering conscience, Akkramar goes to check on the guardsmen and women who fell, trying to ascertain if any of them can still be saved.
If not, he will begin preparing the bodies for burial, including Beltan...
Everyone who was wounded is dead. The people let Akkramar attend to the dead in his own way. Although he is a priest of a dwarven God, they seem respectful of his faith and somewhat lacking in any strong belief system of their own. In this time of strife they latch on to Akkramar's strong leadership and take consolation in his ministrations.
Will you choose to bed back down and complete your rest? Or something else.
Bez arches an eyebrow. "A mercy killing, Melira? Not a bad call.. This place is going to corrupt anything that lives here. So be it."
Bez draws out his blades quietly.
During the funeral arrangements, Akkramar will try to find a few strong hearted individuals to assist with removing the gnoll corpses from the camp perimeter, and check them for valuables and useable weapons or other equipment - "We need ta get our hands on anything we can - survivin' is tha keyword here and now" - he nods at Faidh, counting on her to perhaps lead these efforts.
"The Master of the Forge knows I am not one fer fancy words, and sadly I only had met those who fell today fer a short time" - he speaks during the ceremony itself - "But I will say they died fightin' for those they believed and trusted in, and fer that they deserve our praise and memory - if anyone wants ta say any words about'em, step forward"
Once the short, simple ceremony is finished he suggests to everyone they should indeed rest for the remainder of the night, keeping up the reduced watches as best as possible.
Faidh will look over the pack lord and see what it has on him. As well as any of the other fallen Gnolls.
After that, she will move to what can be used and carried on the dead. It was a march and supplies would be needed but not all could be carried.
Melira's hands only shake a little as she draws steel across flesh.
Vex allows himself a fleeting smirk of self-satisfaction at the gawking common folk. He whips his tail dramatically at a wide-eyed child;
Best they learn an inclining of fear early. Might save the childe’s life avoiding we dangerous types.
The tiefling eyes the distant Palace of Terondel, his eyes flashing mischievously;
Oh the noble fruits that could be plucked from such a tree. How I would gorge myself…”
Turning his immediate attention back to the task at hand, Vex muses for a moment, then proceeds towards the checkpoint. He does not speed up, nor hesitate, merely walking purposefully toward the inevitable question or challenge.
Let them ask their questions. Let them listen to my lies.
There are multiple lanes of foot-traffic through the gate. The stationed guards are looking out for anything unusual, but not systematically stopping everyone for questioning. In this case they don’t seem to observe Vex’s unusual features. The pedestrian traffic flows though the gate and Vex flows with it.
Vex flashes a sly smile as moves into the city with n'er a word or challenge.
All too easy. This place is either slack or have control of malcontents that it trusts the natural order of things.
His amber eyes flit, taking in the scope and denizens around him.
Let us hope for the former, and presume the latter...
The blackhearted rogue pauses, looking for a suitable citizen to approach for more information;
Bez nods approvingly. "Always clean the blade before returning it--you don't want to foul the scabbard."
He scans the way back. "You aren't a warlord laying waste to the countryside, or a ruler breaking the back of her subjects. The deaths we wanderers and reprobates leave in our path are far less evil, especially this one." It's a good enough eulogy for the situation.
Bez takes one more look around.
Melira runs the blade across the ogre's throat... and see's the look of betrayal in his eyes! The great green and brown mottled fist clasps Melira's forearm and squeezes... she feels her arm tingle and go numb!
Then the blood spills out and the hand goes limp. The creature slumps down into the dirt silent and dead.
When Faidh goes through the gnolls she finds some coin in their pouches as well as some potions and stuff that doesn't look like it belongs to these beasts. They may have their own shamans but it seems they are also bandits because some of their stuff is in jeweled glass vials with little dainty stoppers. Looks more like they had robbed some priest or mage. There are three such little flasks, as well as a brass scroll tube with a simple and not very ornamental design but very good construction and oddly no sign of corrosion or wear.
Also all the gnolls have spears and bows and the pack lord has his creepy glaive.
During the funeral arrangements, Akkramar will try to find a few strong hearted individuals to assist with removing the gnoll corpses from the camp perimeter, and check them for valuables and useable weapons or other equipment - "We need ta get our hands on anything we can - survivin' is tha keyword here and now" - he nods at Faidh, counting on her to perhaps lead these efforts.Once the short, simple ceremony is finished he suggests to everyone they should indeed rest for the remainder of the night, keeping up the reduced watches as best as possible.
The sun is already beginning to rise and the air has a peachy hue to it when one of the guards, a young woman with a serious look on her face, comes and stands before Akkramar like she has something important to say.
Wordlessly she leads the dwarf out to the beyond the perimeter where he had removed all the gnoll corpses, waving for Faidh to come too and holding one finger to her lips to say quiiiieeet...
Silently she points and there you see something truly disturbing. The bodies of the gnolls are being torn open from the chest cavity, and disgusting fleshy skinless creatures are emerging. They look like human infants, bloody and covered in bile. They seem to be feasting on the flesh of the dead gnolls but they sort of hatch from their bodies.
The creatures seem unbalanced, like they are not comfortable with the proportions of their bodies. They seem to feast briefly on organs of their hosts, but then they wobble and scramble away as if seeking shelter before the sun comes up. They don't seem comfortable with the light.
You can see three of them or so, but their are other dead gnolls with ripped open chests. There may be as many as eight of the gory baby monsters out there.
Before Vex can approach an urchin, an urchin of sorts approaches him.
Dressed in loose unstitched cloths tied into leggings and a tunic, the man has a dirty face and dirty hands. His movements are wary and calculated."Welcome to Seven Widows Square. You want to buy poppy tea?"
Vex is in the first market square, inside the gate on the road that came in from South County Road. The market square is in the shadow of the great citadel, and the Palaz Terondel itself is directly in the corner of the square. Bez has a feeling that the rules are different here then Endhome. The man lowers his voice a little but not much. More out of politeness than fear of arrest.
No sign of traps. Bez can see from the footprints that many creatures around here come and go from this fountain seemingly using it to drink and wash up.
"Well. We need to get some of this water and get out of here."
Bez checks for his waterskin, empties it, then refills it with some of the water from the fountain--very carefully.
"Well. We need to get some of this water and get out of here."
Bez checks for his waterskin, empties it, then refills it with some of the water from the fountain--very carefully.
Nothing goes wrong. The water looks clear and fresh. It seems like the pumps are magical.
From this fountain you have a clear view quite far across the manor yard in several directions. You can see into the front yard, where the ogre brother had walked away. Almost a couple hundred feet away (50 meters) you can see into the center of the culdesac in the front yard, where the mermaid statuary sits inside a loop in the carriage trail. Beyond that, there are some higher trees and shrubs blocking the view partially, but somewhere in there must be that one fountain where a dead corpse was hanging. You have to squint to make it out and the sun is starting to go down so there are more shadows playing in the yard.
"The vines got the other ogre. Melira, I'm of the mind to run straight out of here. Objections?"
Bez nods approvingly. "Always clean the blade before returning it--you don't want to foul the scabbard."
He scans the way back. "You aren't a warlord laying waste to the countryside, or a ruler breaking the back of her subjects. The deaths we wanderers and reprobates leave in our path are far less evil, especially this one." It's a good enough eulogy for the situation.
Melira meditates on the words silently. It's strange for her, the way her life has changed so much in so little time. "That's true enough, I could be worse. Many are." The ogre lolls dead before her. Such a monstrous creature, with so much capacity to harm and so little in the way of love.
She ponders the situation while her nerves cool and her hands steady, glad that Bez is there to keep an eye out. "Perhaps the world belongs not to those who are born lucky or strong, but to those who are willing to hurt others. I'm ready to leave too." Though she cleaned her sword at Bez's direction, she leaves it drawn.
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"We'll ponder the nature of the world on the way out, then," says Beziriphas, swords out, keeping a lookout.
"The rich, simply by existing, hurt others. They don't even need a sword. The privateers of the docks taught me when I was just a little wisp: 'Take what you can. Give nothing back.' And the things I steal from the rich? Hurts them hardly at all. Most of them are insured. Trust me, Vex and I do try to hurt them more than that, when we can."
He glances back at her and fixes her with a look for a brief moment. "Have I killed innocents? Yes. And they weren't mercy killings like that one. They were in the way. I disliked it each time, and I've kept the count low. Far lower than any glorious soldier, I'm sure. Ahem. I'll go ahead a tick and scout."
Bez isn't a blink dog, but observers would swear that he steps through the Ethereal Plane for a moment as he darts ahead unseen.