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Khargol's head turns in the direction the arrowshaft caome out of nowhere from, his eyes narrowing when he sees the man with the skull helmet. "At last you reveal yourself!" Khargol says aloud, following behind the others as they close the distance between the Stag Lord and themselves, hoping that Kaylee will provide adequate cover with her bombs for the sword-swingers to make their approach.
[b]"Protecting your targets?! Doesn't sound like you, Sugua!" Khargol answers, though he makes a beeline for the one in the back that threw daggers at him, charging forward in an attempt to prevent any more thrown weapons from coming his way.
"Ashes would certainly be easier to clean up than bloodstains on everything!" Khargol answers with a grin; his tone makes it hard to tell if he's being serious or if he's trying to be humorous in his own way. After the cleansing flames of Kailee's latest conflagration have washed past him, he again brings his longsword to bear against the nearest enemy that hasn't yet been felled by burn or blade.
"Excellent throw, Kailee!" Khargol compliments the woman, his attention focused fully on the enemies before him. He raises his longsword against the bandit directly in front of him, and as he brings the weapon down he shouts,"Abadar sends his regards, bandit filth!"
"So much for the element of surprise..." the half-orc deadpans, rushing the nearest standing enemy with his cold iron longsword ready to swing.
"Agreed. The Stag Lord has always been the priority and should remain as such. Whatever we can do to handle the miscreants afterward will be done."
"Hmm. I am no advocate of sneak attacks. It seems...dishonorable. Though I suppose the applicable saying here would be 'When in Absalom...'." he replies, assenting to those who advocate taking advantage of the chaos to slip in.
Alarmed, Khargol glances over to Sugua and the others. "Should we investigate? Or infiltrate while they're occupied?"
Khargol nods in agreement, his face a blank mask, as is his wont. He draws his cold iron longsword, spinning the blade in his grip. "The stagman will have precious little time to rue this day."
"Er...yes, it is as you say. We are moving to engage the Stag Lord and remove his threat from the region. We are grateful and humbled that the mighty Chief Sootscale would send one of his capable fighters to be our ally in this." -Posted with Wayfinder
"I am of the mind that there is little else to do at the temple until a priest can be found to consecrate it. Perhaps it is time for us to begin making our way to the Stag Lord's fortress. We now know the pass phrase to infiltrate his headquarters and with his threat eliminate we may find it easier to attract new settlers to the Greenbelt." -Posted with Wayfinder
I'm certainly willing to pick it back up. I was getting attached to Khargol and making plans for how I was going to be moving him in the future, after all! I'd sorely dislike having to start all over.
So...I'm going to assume that no one has heard from Tuyena in a long time now. Our last gameplay post was three weeks ago. What does everyone else want to do about it? Should we try and get in touch with Tuyena, should we call the game dead, should we try to recruit another GM? What are you guys' thoughts on it?
Khargol gives a light smirk at the response from his companion, shaking his head. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not eat any arrows at all, regardless of how it is done. I have no qualm with making an enemy eat mine the hard way, though." -Posted with Wayfinder
"I concur that the ideal situation is that we will locate and recruit someone skilled in the healing arts. Perhaps we should advertise that they are certain to get very skilled in them if they travel with this merry band." Khargol responds to the others. It's difficult to tell if he meant the comment in jest or in seriousness, his expression as deadpan as usual.
And I'm very thankful and happy to say that I'm recovered enough that I'm on home antibiotics and seem to mostly be on the mend and ready to kick the tires and light the fires! Woohoo!
"Hmm..." Khargol releases a breath in thought. "Well...I am not certain how well Old Deadeye will take to having the ritual performed out of a book, but it seems we have little other choice at present." -Posted with Wayfinder
Apologies for not posting before now, everyone. Two Mondays ago I woke up with a fever that got worse as the morning wore on. I've been back on the hospital since then. Finally found out a few days ago that I had caught a case of surgical meningitis. I'm finally today recovered enough from the bug to feel like coming back online. I'm actually feeling a great deal better in the last couple of days. I'm going to try and get back into posting, starting one game at a time, in the next day or two. Thank you all for your prayers! -Posted with Wayfinder
Hello everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still alive! I am not quite ready to get back into gaming just yet, but I thought everyone would like to know that I am kicking for a bit longer yet. -Posted with Wayfinder
And the day has arrived! My craneotomy and surgical resection is scheduled for 6 AM tomorrow morning, central time. You can count on it being around a week before I'm able to even let you guys know things are ok (which I and the neurosurgeon are certain they will be), but probably several days after that before I'll be able to really get back into any games. Again, if any of you are praying people, I'd greatly appreciate if you could add me to your prayer list! Thank you and see you all again soon!
Khargol scowls at the news, clearly displeased. "Despite all our efforts, we have lost one who was once a servant of good. Perhaps it is just as well, then...he may've been beyond our aid already. Now there is no need for divided attentions." "I believe our plan should be as before, just not divided. We should together return to Oleg's and try and find a cleric or other priest who can return with us to purify the temple. Re-dedicate it to Erastil."
"The weight is no concern of mine; we could manage it if we had to. No, I would not bring such a creature back among civilization. We would be bringing a great deal of potential trouble to Oleg and any visitors at the fort if we brought him back with us. Not to mention he would probably not take too kindly to being taken from what he regards as his home. The safest bet might be to split up. Let some stay and watch our guest while the others return to Oleg's to try and recruit a cleric. Not ideal, to be certain, but it may presently be our best option."
Yeah, we had a party of several secondary healers before. I haven't looked through the books in a long time, but even if you consider the published materials, Tuyena has created his own encounters on many occasions...encounters that were sometimes very difficult. I still think that the troll fight only went well for us because they (the trolls) kept failing their saves and falling over in the grease spell that was laid down. Long story short: at least semi-dedicated healing would be a great boon.
"He has broken no law, nor done anything to warrant death, that I can discern. From his journals it seems he only killed in defense of his territory, his family, or himself, which he cannot be faulted for. He attacked us, certainly, but was clearly not in his right mind." "I will not condone his slaughter until evidence that that is warranted is discovered, nor do I think executing him would serve any purpose. Not at this point, at least. It would be my preference to let him see this temple restored to its former state and dedicated once more to Old Deadeye. Perhaps the sight of this place as it once was would restore in him some measure of sanity. Of faith. The resiliency of the spirit can surprise even the most hardened."
"How sad...it was not the loss of an animal, but his own daughter, that drove him mad. What a pitiable story." Khargol says, a soft sigh escaping him. Normally so stoic, he seems truly moved by the plight of the werebear they have come across. "Truly, it is difficult to understand why the gods sometimes allow such fates to befall their own...but perhaps it is not the place of mortals to so question the affairs of the divine." he adds in contemplation, eyes briefly cast toward the heavens. The temple finally cleaned, Khargol gives a curt nod, during their time cleaning having taken a moment to make sure their ward was better secured. It would be no good if the man were to escape his bonds and attack them again. After, he speaks to the group. "I am no cleric and do not presently have the capability of restoring this temple to its former glory. If that is to be our next step, we must either locate a scroll of consecration or find a member of the clergy able to enact the proper rites."
We had a cleric after the last round of recruiting so I don't think it'd be a bad idea to try and bring another into the fold.
"Agreed. Sounds like the best thing we have to from for now, anyway, and as you said, restoring this temple seems, to me, to be a part of what must be done to restore this part of the Stolen Lands. My magics are divine in origin, but I do not know if Erastil would accept me as one worthy of restoring a place of worship dedicated to him. The cleaning and washing, though, I'm more than capable of." With nothing more to say, as far as he is concerned, he sets about the business of removing any larger debris from the temple grounds.
Khargol wrinkles his nose, making an unpleasant face. "This stuff reeks of rot. I still sense evil from it. I do not sense evil from anywhere else around the temple, though...of particular note, I do not sense evil from our unconscious friend." he comments. Deciding to conduct a further test, he walks to the nearest edge of the woods he can reach, breaking a small branch from a young tree there. Bringing it back to the fountain, he dips the end with vibrant, living leaves into the tarry substance, hoping to find out if the stuff is immediately caustic in any way.
"Well, that he was once such a devoted follower of Erastil gives me hope yet that he may be restored to who he once was. The first thing we should do, though, is try to find out what has tainted this fountain and how it may be cleansed. Whoever Jara was, and you are probably correct in that she was his companion - I venture to say likely a bear - her death was clearly the beginning of his fall." Khargol retrieves a decently long stick from the ground nearby, dipping it into the fountain and covering the end of it in the substance now filling the vessel, bringing it back toward him to examine it and try to see if there is anything off about the look or smell of it.
"Care is certainly warranted in this case. Whatever he once used to be, he is no longer that. Erastil is one of the goodly gods, himself a protector. But perhaps we can set things to right." Khargol answers. Once he is satisfied that the man is secured as well as can be, Khargol begins exploring the temple proper, though he will not do so alone; he wants at least two of the others to come with him. As he moves around, he continually focuses on his Detect Evil, looking for any particularly strong or unusual presences at the site.
With the danger of their foe temporarily relieved, Khargol sets to binding the man with his length of silk rope. The stuff was useful for more than climbing cliffs, to be sure. "I will assist in exploring after I'm certain our friend won't attack us immediately if he comes to before we are finished." he says to the others, not taking his eyes from his task.
Khargol seems to snap to at Sugua's remark. "Yes, of course. I have basic medical training. I will attempt to stabilize him." he answers, returning to the fallen man and attempting to prevent further bleeding out.
"Hell of a binding, to hold back a werebear...but yes, you are correct. It is unusual to find one in such a state of blind rage. I suspect something has befallen this temple, especially considering the poisoned pool that is also here." he comments, approaching the fountain filled with the thick, viscous black liquid. "Kailee, you are an alchemist, yes? What do you make of this substance?"
"Working on it!" comes the response; even at risk to himself, Khargol willingly moves to set up the flanking maneuver with his companion, both half-orcs striking with their weapons simultaneously!
[b]"Warm indeed!" Khargol answers, dropping his own bow and stepping forward with his half-orc companion, drawing his silver longsword from its sheath as he does, and just as Sugua does, readying himself for what seems the inevitable charge.
I'm sorry for not posting yesterday, everyone. Was kind of a rough day for me; 2.5 years ago I was diagnosed with brain cancer and had surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. I found out yesterday that that the remnant has started regrowing.
Khargol will nock an arrow to his bowstring, the silver tip leveled at the werebear. "May Abadar cleanse you of your taint!" he says as he releases the bow's string!
At hearing their enemy is a werebear, Khargol simply gives a nod, dropping the arrow he'd grabbed into the quiver and drawing one with a silvery head from a different section of it. "Silver it is, then. I've a silver longsword if anyone wishes to make use of it. Regardless of the normal state of a werebear, this place is clearly poisoned by some evil. It must be cleansed." he says simply.
Khargol follows suit, carefully lining up a bowshot alongside Sugua, releasing as close to simultaneously with his companion.
Khargol nocks an arrow as well, peering into the blackness of the temple. "By Abadar's Vault, what I wouldn't give to find the temple of a goodly god not overrun by some horror..." he mutters. He mentally begins searching the area for the presence of evil and also mutters the incantation for a spell, reaching over to touch the hilt of Sugua's sword, transferring the glow of power to it.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Aye, that is the one I mean. Hopefully the temple of Erastil will not prove so great a challenge as whatever is within the temple with the bleeding doors and save the Stag Lord for last. It seems we have a plan, then. Now let us execute it."
"Erastil is very much a...traditionalist." chimes Khargol, having been following the conversation before now in silence. "But yes, he is also amongst the goodly gods. I am in agreement. We should check out Erastil's temple first. After that...Sugua, what do you think? I am of the mind that we should try the other temple before we make an attempt at the Stag Lord, but I would hear your thoughts on it, as well."
"I would say that amorality is as likely to get you killed as morality is, if not more so. I am in agreement with Kailee. I cannot condone the use of actual poison in this situation, and eventually every man who partakes of the bottle will succumb to it; all that matters is how much it takes."
"Tolerance, perhaps, but unless he is more than a man he will ultimately be susceptible to it. It's been my experience that what angry drunkards do is more accurately categorized as 'flailing' or 'thrashing' than actual fighting."
"If memory serves, our ultimate decision fell to simply trying to get the man sot drunk before we attempt a final confrontation. That would likely impair him enough to make the fight substantially easier."
The other wisp disappearing into the night, Khargol huffs out a breath, a sigh of relief as he returns his sword to its sheath. "That certainly had the potential to go quite differently. I didn't expect the companion wisp to retreat so quickly. What little I know of them calls them extremely difficult to pin down in combat...I would chalk that up more to luck than skill. Still...I have sometimes heard it said that it is better to be lucky than good."
So, will-o-wisps are apparently aberrations and not fey. Not sure why I thought they were the latter, but I suppose it works since Khargol failed his knowledge check earlier. Hah.
Khargol cries out as the creatures turn their lightning-like attacks on him and he glowers angrily. "Accursed fey!" he growls, turning his drawn cold-iron blade against the of the orbs and joining Sugua in the attack; as he swings, a faint glow envelops the blade as the half-orc innately calls Abadar's judgement down upon his enemies!
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