Well okay, we'll wander over and take a look.
The male puts the sword away, and they wander over to take a look at Ashaundra.
Ash pauses her practice when she sees that she has an audience. She grabs a towel to dry her face, and shakes the dust out of her golden wing-feathers before walking over.
"You're new," she says, one hand on her hip as she examines them both. "And definitely non-good. Joining this little show or just passing through? Either way, it's nice to see someone new. It's so boring here since the boss-man up and vanished. Stupid infernal contracts."
Just passing through at present, I fear. We need to keep moving since I appear to have incurred the displeasure of a significant other-planar personage.
Silly man. He took an army off the front line, and didn't leave so much as a polite apology note. The woman rolls her eyes. Not that his employer deserved such a note, but it's just that he could have been slightly more diplomatic about it.
She nudges her partner in the ribs.
Anyway, my former employer seems to have gone whining to a higher authority, I no longer have the army, and I fear that I may be being hunted by a particularly unpleasant entity in terms of being in the bad graces of.
"Ah," Ash says, nodding understandingly. "I know how that goes. It really sucks when a perfectly good scheme that you've spent just oodles of time on goes poof, and there you are without any of the things you were working for." She shrugs. "No sense dwelling on might-have-beens I supppose, but this place could really use some extra bloodshed and suffering. I mean, what's life without bloodshed and suffering?"
"No sense dwelling on might-have-beens I supppose, but this place could really use some extra bloodshed and suffering. I mean, what's life without bloodshed and suffering?"
The woman c*cks her head a little to one side, as if considering Ashaundra's words.
Well it's very kind of you to offer. She grimaces a little. Under other circumstances I would be delighted to indulge myself, but...
Well maybe a brief indulgance perhaps.
Back shortly....
She heads meaningfully in the direction of a big top...
Cravings, darling, she casts a brief glance in the male's direction. The divine addiction.
"Is she going to do what I think she's going to do?" Ash asks with eager curiosity. She licks her lips at the thought of a little blood and excitement. "Oh, this I have to see."
Under other circumstances I might assist her, but I'm keeping a low profile at the moment, the male says conversationally to Ashaundra. So, since my lady is currently taking a few moments out to sate herself, and she would be doing this otherwise, have you ever considered the benefits of converting to the worship of the goddess Lamashtu?
Personally I have no opinions on the matter either one way or the other, but my lady is very enthusiatic about the goddess.
Ash considers it for a moment. "Well, I used to serve the Goddess of Dangerous Knowledge, but she went and got herself killed by my do-gooder sister, so I've been a bit at loose ends in the worship department lately. This Lamashtu is in favor of senseless violence and suffering, I take it? Because that's the sort of thing I can really appreciate."
A carnie running in terror ran a little too close to Ash and she carelessly beheaded him.
"Ooops. Slipped." she said with a mock innocent expression.
In response to Ashaundra's comments about Aritha
Hmm. Well follow if you want, but I would advise you stay well back. Sometimes she gets a little carried away in her frenzy, and anywhere within reach or sneezing distance isn't really safe to be standing next to her.
"Thanks for the advice. I'll keep a safe distance."
With a cheery wave she flies after Arritha to watch the woman wreak destruction on the carnival.
Inside the big-top, Aritha retrieves a couple of scrolls and reads the sacred words from them, augmenting her ability to strike, and her resistances against anything which might be a problem, then charges down a gangway, leaps over the rail into the ring, and assumes her silver dragon form.
She proceeds to rampage through the acts and audience, as they scream and cower in perhaps slightly more terror than usual, killing them and tossing them down her gullet in between dispensing blasts of freezing ice and of paralysing gas.
One particular fool, who seems to have been some sort of champion of good, here on a covert mission, and who resists the dragon terror long enough to draw a sword, she fixes with her gaze, utters an unholy word, and smites him into a smear with one sweep of her tail.
Ash smiles with pleasure as she enjoys the sound of the screams. She takes a certain joy in hamstringing those fools who tried to flee. Their screams as they realized they couldn't run were so delicious. And it was fun watching them try to crawl away like the little worms they were. Keeping in mind the advice the man had given her, she was careful to keep out of range of the dragon while staying close enough to enjoy a good view of the massacre.
The male comes to stand close to Ashaundra, keeping a close eye on events happening in the ring.
Lamashtu is a goddess with interests in nightmares and monsters, so terror and bloodshed are certainly part of her portfolio; the attitude of the religion is however perhaps a little to 'laissez fair' for some too stomach, who like to know exactly where they stand with neat words and rules and orders.
My consort has some religious tracts about her person, somewhere, which you might be interested in looking at if and when she has finished, that is.
"Hmmm. The chaos thing is always a bit of a problem for me. Not personally. I like anything that results in destruction, to be honest. But having been born a creature of pure law and goodness, so far I've only been able to shed the goodness part. It's too bad," she pouted. "Demons have more fun."
"But I'd love to hear more about this Lamashtu when she's done. Ooh. Nice. I love the way he just went splat like that. Good form."
Eventually the silver dragon runs out of audience members and acts to eat. If any other carnival members knew about what was going on in the big top, they either didn't care sufficiently about their fellows to mount any kind of rescue attempt, or in fact covertly approved; at any rate, no kind of intervention occured.
The silver dragon glances in Ashaundra and the apparent male elf's direction for a moment, then reins herself in, and dwindles and resumes her snow-elf form.
Drawing her mantle about herself she makes her way very slowly up and out of the ring to where the other two are, her face and hands smeared with blood, and a dreamy expression on her face.
So kind of you to invite me to dinner; such a polite hostess, she murmurs to Ashaundra.
She giggles and pats her stomach, leaving red marks on her apparel.
Full, full.
The male elf busies himself rummaging in a satchel his consort carries, extracting a couple of scrolls written on devil-vellum.
A couple of 'arguments for mayhem' written by one of the more intellectual scholars of the church, he presents them to Ashaundra. For your perusal.
Now if you'll excuse us, but she needs to go and sleep this off somewhere, and preferably somewhere else, just in case anyone upset about this comes looking for us.
We may be back at some other time, if you have any questions.
"You're quite welcome. Anytime," Ash said with an evil grin. "That was quite...impressive. And most diverting. I haven't heard so much screaming in much, much too long. Makes me long for the comforts of Hell. Actually we were just discussing religious proclivities. I must admit to being intrigued by this Lamashtu."
The male elf busies himself rummaging in a satchel his consort carries, extracting a couple of scrolls written on devil-vellum.
A couple of 'arguments for mayhem' written by one of the more intellectual scholars of the church, he presents them to Ashaundra. For your perusal.Now if you'll excuse us, but she needs to go and sleep this off somewhere, and preferably somewhere else, just in case anyone upset about this comes looking for us.
We may be back at some other time, if you have any questions.
"Okay. Well, it was nice of you to visit. And don't worry too much about the carnage. I was left in charge for the most part, so unless the boss-man suddenly comes back and decides he actually cares you're free and clear on that one."
He with an assisting arm around his consort's waist, the pair of apparent elves leave the carnival for other destinations...
"Okay. Well, it was nice of you to visit. And don't worry too much about the carnage. I was left in charge for the most part, so unless the boss-man suddenly comes back and decides he actually cares you're free and clear on that one."The male elf busies himself rummaging in a satchel his consort carries, extracting a couple of scrolls written on devil-vellum.
A couple of 'arguments for mayhem' written by one of the more intellectual scholars of the church, he presents them to Ashaundra. For your perusal.Now if you'll excuse us, but she needs to go and sleep this off somewhere, and preferably somewhere else, just in case anyone upset about this comes looking for us.
We may be back at some other time, if you have any questions.
The raven appears. He is frowning.
"You aren't going to win this fight against the Star Song. With the fall of Innocent Blood, the greatest force of evil has been destroyed. Had she waited, it would be different, but she did not, and so those of us who wish to live must now join the Green. Especially for the preservation of order."If you're unwilling to join them, I would recommend finding a way to at least pretend to. Things are getting dangerous for all involved."
"Oh, please. Like I can't be patient. There'll be another great force for evil in the next century or so. Besides, what makes you think I care in the slightest about order? Ow!" She jumped in pain as soon as the words had left her lips. "Just buzz off," she said crankily, heading for her tent with a couple of scrolls clutched in her hand. "Demons have all the fun," she mumbled as she walked away.
"Oh, please. Like I can't be patient. There'll be another great force for evil in the next century or so. Besides, what makes you think I care in the slightest about order? Ow!" She jumped in pain as soon as the words had left her lips. "Just buzz off," she said crankily, heading for her tent with a couple of scrolls clutched in her hand. "Demons have all the fun," she mumbled as she walked away.
The raven stares angrily after her..
"Order is everything, child." He mutters.
"Oh, please. Like I can't be patient. There'll be another great force for evil in the next century or so. Besides, what makes you think I care in the slightest about order? Ow!" She jumped in pain as soon as the words had left her lips. "Just buzz off," she said crankily, heading for her tent with a couple of scrolls clutched in her hand. "Demons have all the fun," she mumbled as she walked away.
Inside the tent two women juggle several black orbs between them, in increasingly difficult patterns.
"Care to join us in a game, dear Ash?"
"Oh, please. Like I can't be patient. There'll be another great force for evil in the next century or so. Besides, what makes you think I care in the slightest about order? Ow!" She jumped in pain as soon as the words had left her lips. "Just buzz off," she said crankily, heading for her tent with a couple of scrolls clutched in her hand. "Demons have all the fun," she mumbled as she walked away.Inside the tent two women juggle several black orbs between them, in increasingly difficult patterns.
"Care to join us in a game, dear Ash?"
"Yes, please do. Three is so much more fun than two."
"Yes, please do. Three is so much more fun than two."Inside the tent two women juggle several black orbs between them, in increasingly difficult patterns.
"Care to join us in a game, dear Ash?"
Drawn by the massive amount of fear that had recently emanated from the Carnival, Barbas floats about unseen, snacking on the lingering fear of those dead and feasting upoun the fear of those still alive within the dragon.
"Yes, please do. Three is so much more fun than two."Inside the tent two women juggle several black orbs between them, in increasingly difficult patterns.
"Care to join us in a game, dear Ash?"
"Yes, please do. Three is so much more fun than two.""Oh, please. Like I can't be patient. There'll be another great force for evil in the next century or so. Besides, what makes you think I care in the slightest about order? Ow!" She jumped in pain as soon as the words had left her lips. "Just buzz off," she said crankily, heading for her tent with a couple of scrolls clutched in her hand. "Demons have all the fun," she mumbled as she walked away.Inside the tent two women juggle several black orbs between them, in increasingly difficult patterns.
"Care to join us in a game, dear Ash?"
Ash had watched these two carefully as they often were the only source of amusement lingering about this dismal carnival. She appreciated their talent for suffering.
"Well, I am a bit at loose ends. Don't mind if I do." she said with a grin, tucking the scrolls into her belt for later reading.
Ash had watched these two carefully as they often were the only source of amusement lingering about this dismal carnival. She appreciated their talent for suffering.
"Well, I am a bit at loose ends. Don't mind if I do." she said with a grin, tucking the scrolls into her belt for later reading.
As Ash takes her place in the new triangle of jugglers she finds that she hears screams and pleas for mercy as each orb touches her hands. All except one. This orb seems cold, and is definitely silent.
Ash smiles. "The screams are really quite soothing. Thank you, ladies. This brightens my day considerably."
Ash smiles. "The screams are really quite soothing. Thank you, ladies. This brightens my day considerably."
*giggle* Try this then. It fits the circus motif.
As she juggles three orbs in a circle, she breathes a small stream of fire for them to pass thru. The screams become loud enough to hear close by.
Ash giggles. "Oh, that's good. They really didn't like that."
Just outside of the carnival a portal flashes and a small band comes through, keeping a wary eye on the evil place as they head towards it.
"Okay, I'll go in first to distract them, then you all rush in an take out the priestess. Any objections?"
"Okay, I'll go in first to distract them, then you all rush in an take out the priestess. Any objections?"
"Okay, that will be working. It is not being elegant plan, but it is being best we being have time for right now. Go. We will being follow."
"Okay, I'll go in first to distract them, then you all rush in an take out the priestess. Any objections?"
Telestial closes his cloak and disappears entirely.
Within the main tent the discussion turns again to what to do with an animated body.
Seeing everyone is ready, Oroth is encased in shadows. He reappears in the center of the tent. He smiles coldly, "Remember me you deranged sorry exscuse for clowns?"
Nimora gives Oroth to the count of three before she follows, not entirely sure what she is looking for. She pauses to activate her gem of true seeing and runs forward, flinching away from the gruesome sights of the carnival as she passes them.
Seeing everyone is ready, Oroth is encased in shadows. He reappears in the center of the tent. He smiles coldly, "Remember me you deranged sorry exscuse for clowns?"
Ummm...no
Should we?
The omniportal flashes behind the group after they have advanced. A slight dark-haired girl appears and sneaks into the tented area
Seeing everyone is ready, Oroth is encased in shadows. He reappears in the center of the tent. He smiles coldly, "Remember me you deranged sorry exscuse for clowns?"Ummm...no
"Not you, it matters little anyway, where is the body and souls of the one called Mirathan? I mean to barter for them."
Nimora dispatches a couple of carnies who try to approach her as she runs for the tent, her whirling trident slashing through their grotesque undead forms.
Do you wish to play with us?