Scattered to the Winds
Subject: SRD
Here's another nice online version of the 3.5 SRD.
This one comes with a nice dice roller, among other things.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Two wizards out of town; The wrath of Elise
I think we are waiting on me.
I will just do the turn for Rennik for now.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Two wizards out of town; The wrath of Elise
Dan, where are you leading the two wizards? Are you still planning to stop for the night somewhere? Or are you just going to ride straight through till morning?
From: Ty
Subject: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Bragga listens to Garyth's report grimly. A few feet away, Rennik pauses to listen as well, though his body practically quivers with impatience. When Garyth has finished, Rennik breaks in. "We must move on to cover. We can't stop again until we are under the trees, and have some protection from the witch and the archers. In the forest, the archers will have to move close enough to fire direct shots. I don't think they want to get that close to this large a group."
Bragga agrees, and he moves to another hilltop, waving his torch. "To me, Overlook! To me!" Then he leads the remainder of his flock after Rennik, who hurries off to find their path.
Garyth leads his party off to the right side of the mob, helping to guide the people, keep them from getting lost in the dark. It's like driving cattle, he thinks. Giles would be good at this. Garyth hoped that Giles was still alive back there somewhere.
At the head of the group, Rennik moves quickly, trying to find a trail that a mass of hundreds of people can follow in the dark. Several yards ahead of him, Tich trots with his nose pressed to the ground. It would be very tough for anyone to ambush them from the front, with the wolf's keen nose.
A few hours later, an exhausted mob of Overlook citizens stumble into the forests of Huss. Under the canopy of trees, it is even blacker than outside, if that's possible. Once everyone is in, Bragga calls a halt, and the town collapses. Garyth sets up a guard picket, and Rennik and Tich scout around the perimeter. It's all that anyone can do, as the town is too exhausted to do anything else.
Osred asks Garyth, "How many made it?" Garyth just shakes his head. "I guess we'll count in the morning."
From: Dan
Subject: Re: Two wizards out of town; The wrath of Elise
I don't know the surrounding area very well, but I think Kasen would want to put in a few miles, stop for a cat-nap and to air the horses and then hit the road again.
Pensive Offers Healing; Gully's or Bust
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
So we go to deeper darkness. Pensive ducks his head beneath a branch and feels a drip of sweat crawl down his spine. Sweat or blood? His arm is stiff and painful where the arrows had cut into him.
Others were hurt worse. Pensive slips down from his horse, and makes his way to Garyth. The captain is talking with Rennick and Osred, and Bragga-- Pensive pushes into their circle, and draws what few healing supplies he has left from his satchel.
OOC: Pensive will use what healing supplies he has left to help Garyth; then Osred; then any of the other soldiers who need it.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
No one else has anything to add?
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
OOC: A quick question. I assume we haven't had time to stop and bury Kenneth yet? He's probably getting pretty stinky by now.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
No, it's only been four or five hours since the attack.
Burying Kenneth, and making plans, is exactly the RP I was expecting, actually. The remains of the town have made it under the edge of the forest, but that's it at this point.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
OOC: I'm planning on doing a turn like that, and I also have a short dream sequence for the next time Garyth sleeps, but I've been a little busy. I'll try to get to it some time today, but I can't make any promises.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
No pressure.
I just wanted to make sure I didn't do the next turn before everyone got a chance to do their stuff.
Now that I know you want to do something, I'll wait.
From: Ty
Subject: Gully's or Bust; the first night
Kasen moves Storm over to the kneeling wizard. "Hand him up to me, friend. Storm and I will take care of him." Sa'id eyes the knight suspiciously for just a moment, then helps lift Farron up to him. Kasen settles the unconscious man in his arms, and begins riding to the east. Sa'id gathers up his horse and the pack animal and follows.
Though he worries about Farron being forced to move a long distance after his grievous injury, he knows that Kasen is right. They had to put some ground between themselves and the point of the attack. Perhaps Elise had the magic to find them anyway, but there was no reason to make it easy for her. And besides, Farrons injury was not a wound liable to open and bleed. His hurts were deeper than that. Sa'id didn't think being handled roughly could hurt him further than the shade already had.
After a couple hours of riding, Kasen finally calls a halt next to a small stream and a copse of trees. "We will rest here for a few hours." He hands Farron back down to Sa'id, and the wizard tries to make his friend as comfortable as possible on a bedroll.
"Try to get some sleep," Kasen says, then begins stripping off his heavy armor.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Gully's or Bust; the first night
Had Pelor answered his prayer?
That's all Sa'id can think as he rides after Kasen and Farron. Pelor had saved him through Cadfael, then abandoned Cadfael to die at Elise's hand. Now the god had pulled Farron from the brink of death directly, in response to Sa'id's earnest prayers. Hadn't he? ...or did Pelor simply do his utmost to keep the instruments of his will alive, casting them aside when their appointed task was complete? That was what fit the facts. Cadfael's reward for the sacrifice of his very sanity had been death, his soul consumed by the Devourer through the obsidian dagger that should have been used on Promise.
The necromancer is still brooding when Kasen calls a halt. He helps the knight stretch his friend out on a bedroll, gratified to see that Farron's breathing is still steady. Pelor takes good care of his instruments. He lingers a moment by his friend's unconscious form, hand resting on the other's shoulder. Whatever your motives, Pelor, Sa'id thinks to himself, I am grateful for my friend's life and my own. I will do your work... but I will not sacrifice so much of myself that I wither and die when your grace leaves me. I will not follow you blindly. I will destroy your enemies only because they are my enemies also. For my life and Farron's I owe you this service, but do not think that Cadfael and Farah are forgiven so easily.
Maybe never. I do not appreciate being manipulated.
Fak'ir alei'ha, Pelor. Think on it.
He gives Farron's shoulder a gentle squeeze, then rises and moves quietly over to his own bedroll. His eyes are closed before he is even prone, and he falls asleep almost instantly...
---------------
He stands over Farron's corpse, obsidian knife in his hand. There is blood everywhere, spattered on Sa'id's arms and chest. "Sed," a voice calls from behind him. He turns to see Kasen, sword drawn, standing maybe twenty paces away. "What have you done?"
"My name is Sa'id," he replies quietly. Kasen looks past him then, eyes widening. Sa'id turns again, and sees Farron rising... but not Farron -- a rotting zombie, eyes dangling from emptied sockets. Hands burst from the ground behind the dead wizard, lifeless bodies clawing their way to the surface. Sa'id nods at Farron, then faces Kasen once more. He can see the fear in the warrior's eyes, revels in it, a grin springing unbidden to his face. He raises his blood-soaked hands -- they burst into flame, but he is not burned. Behind Kasen, Sa'id can see Garyth and the others now. Garyth moves to stand with Kasen, sword drawn. Rennik's wolf growls.
"Burn, then," Sa'id murmurs, waving the zombie horde forward with a flaming hand.
---------------
...only to awaken what feels like seconds later, choking on bile, shivering from the clammy feeling of cold sweat coating his body. Visions of flame and death, slipping away from him even as he tries to remember what he saw.
Sa'id lies there, trembling, for some time. He listens to Farron's breathing, counting the seconds between each breath, ensuring the breathing is even by calculating a rolling average of the interval between the last ten breaths. It takes no significant effort, but is enough to relax him. Gradually he drifts off...
From: Jake
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Same here, my plan is to write it tomorrow or Sunday. If the game's moved on by then I'll do it as a retroactive thing.
Farron Uphill: Man of Action
Subject: Re: Gully's or Bust; the first night
Farron lays unconscious.
Burying Kenneth; St. Crispin's Day
Subject: Re: Gully's or Bust; the first night
2 quick questions, Ty. How many hours are we from Nesalin and what time is it?
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Gully's or Bust; the first night
Six hours from Nesalin, and it is around 4am.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Garyth sees Pensive approach and holds up a hand, forestalling the elf. "No," he says. "There are others out in the camp that need it more. And besides," he says, glancing at the wagon where Kenneth's body lies, "I still have work to do tonight." Did it come out a little more harshly than he intended? Perhaps. What did it matter, though, really? If the elf decides to take offense and leave, maybe it would be for the better. He was sure to be safer out on his own, with only himself to look after and without being in the midst of such a large and obvious target. Garyth turns away, calling for the Falcons to help him bury their comrade.
It doesn't take long before the grave is dug--five soldiers trained to entrench themselves quickly in combat need little time to dig merely one hole. Garyth looks up as he climbs out, but can't see the moon or stars; the forest canopy is too thick, or perhaps the demon's fog still clouds the sky. Kenneth's resting place won't feel much of Pelor's warmth, but hopefully he will be safe, cradled within Gaea's embrace. The grave will have no marker, and lying as it does surrounded by thick bushes and scrub, it will not be easy to find. It doesn't feel right, and in his heart Garyth apologizes to Kenneth, but hopefully this way will keep the young soldier's body from being desecrated by the dark one's minions.
Garyth takes a step back and watches as the Falcons lower their brother-in-arms into the grave. It's not pretty; even with his eyes closed, Kenneth looks anything but peaceful. A gaping arrow wound in the chest has that effect. One by one the Falcons climb out, dusting themselves off. They stand by the grave, looking at Garyth. What do they want? Ah, of course. They expect him to say something. He's the commanding officer; it's his place to do it. Garyth finds himself wishing he knew Kenneth better, that he could say something personal, something appropriate, but nothing comes. He looks down, searching Kenneth's features. "May Gaea accept you to her bosom, Kenneth, and protect you from the darkness." He's not sure where the words come from, but they'll have to do. "Pelor and Heironius grant us the strength and show us the way to let your death be not in vain." He looks around to the rest of the soldiers, a cold feeling touching the base of his spine. How many of them will still stand by the end of this? Will any?
Garyth looks to Osred, to see if the priest has any words or blessings before they cover Kenneth and leave him.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
"There are others in the camp that need it more," Garyth says.
Pensive pauses. "Perhaps, Garyth-- but you are the one that the camp needs the most right now." Guilt like ash in his mouth, gritty and hot. "I will wait until after you have seen to the guardsm-- to Kenneth. Then, I will tend to your wounds."
So Pensive follows the humans to a bare patch of earth. He watches men, come just from battle, disarm, remove their armor and shirts, and bend themselves to the earth to scoop out a grave for their dead friend. Pensive starts to join them, but thinks better of it. This was not a place where he could force himself into belonging. Not yet. At the grave, he was an accepted onlooker. Not a participant. But he offers what help as he knows is needed-- leather gloves, an extra shovel, a pick and a lever bar. He doesn't try to intrude here. Not this time.
From: Jake
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Garyth looks to Osred, to see if the priest has any words or blessings before they cover Kenneth and leave him.
Osred steps to the foot of Kenneth's grave, gazing down toward the body, invisible now in the gloom, for a moment before clearing his throat.
"Kenneth died well. He was a Blood Falcon, and he died doing what Blood Falcons do--fighting to protect the people who live on this island. He wanted to live--blue hell, none of us want to die--but he knew when he took his oath he wasn't likely to last long enough to be awarded his parcel of land and his little pouch of gold."
He looks at the men assembled around him, catching and holding Garyth's eye for a moment as he speaks.
"Being a Blood Falcon was never about keeping safe, far away from battle. If it were, most of us wouldn't be here. Kenneth wouldn't have. I'm proud of the way Kenneth died, weapon in hand, fighting Evil. Evil! Think about that! Who here among you ever thought that you would test your blade against Evil itself? That's what you did tonight, make no mistake. Those things we fought may have had the shape of halflings, but they are an arm of Evil itself. We're all of us blessed by the gods, by Heironeus, by Pelor, by all the gods of Good here today. You're pissing down your legs at the thought of it, and you'd be crazy not to be. But you're standing up to it, and you're striking against it, and your gods know you can do it even if you doubt it.
If we survive, this is going to be the center of our lives--everything you ever do, everything you ever did before, it'll turn around this week, this fortnight. This is what you'll tell your grandkids about, and Kenneth and the men like him who fall in this will be the ones you weep over when you've had a tankard too many.
If we fall, we'll fall as we lived, protecting the farmers, the merchants, the lords and the ladies, the people of this island. If we fall we'll fall well, like Kenneth here, swords in our hands, the enemy's gore dripping from our blades. Either way, live or die, we'll fight, and we'll fight well. Be proud, men, you're warriors, chosen by the gods. Every damned one of you."
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Good gravy, Jake.
You're channeling Henry V; is it St. Crispin's day already?
:-D
Nice turn.
From: Jake
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Thanks. I wasn't completely sure it was Osred--it's a bit more eloquent than he usually is--but it felt right, and I think he's had occasional bursts of eloquence before. If you were to ask him about it he'd probably tell you that his god was speaking through him, and he was as surprised as anybody else.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Very nice turn, Jake.
I wish Farron could hear that. He'd probably get up and walk!
From: Karl
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
How funny, I almost said that exact same thing!
From: Mark
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
I was thinking a bit more along the lines of Patton, but he would have said something about making the other poor bastard die. :)
Mark
Tired of Glory
Subject: checking in
Does anyone have anything to add before I write up the next wizard and overlook turns?
From: Raja
Subject: Re: checking in
I'm good to go.
From: Mark
Subject: Re: checking in
Nothing that can not wait.
Mark
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Garyth holds Osred's stare for a moment, but looks away as the battlepriest speaks. Osred is doing the right thing, of course--morale and esprit de corps are crucial for soldiers--but the big sergeant's words might as well be the chirping of a cricket for all that they move Garyth. Kenneth knew what he was getting into, but that doesn't make his loss any more acceptable. Maybe it will be necessary for more of them to die, and he'll gladly put himself between his home and his enemies, but he'll be damned if he'll watch a comrade die and call it glory. Grimly, he sets to the work of burying Kenneth.
OOC: All done. He'll let Osred or Pensive heal him if pressed, but won't seek it out.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: checking in
Oh yeah, Farron says " . . ."
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Pensive will heal Garyth, and then work on any of the other soldiers that need it.
It might be wise for Osred or one of the other authoritative humans to counsel the remaining townspeople NOT to flee next time they come under attack.
We're under the canopy of forest, but still a day or so away from Kalama territory. Does Rennick know the way? Were we expecting to meet Melani at midpoint?
I'd love to do more RP, but I just don't have the time right now. . . Can I just say that Pensive expresses his fears that the halflings were gathering humans for some unknown (to him) purpose? Or do I need to RP it?
:)
Good turns everyone.
From: Jake
Subject: Re: The Exodus; Scattered to the winds...
Ty, could we get a summary of everyone's current HP?
In Limbo
Subject: Re: checking in
I will, but I haven't been home for the past day or two. Some time in the afternoon your time I'll write something.
From: Mark
Subject: In Limbo
"Tie her up. She goes to the mountain."
That is the last thing she hears. Her world turns upside down. She gets a quick glimpse of what must be the sky. Then the sudden falling feeling and the crushing pain. The wild cheering of the murrkat fills her ears and their blows rain down on her. One mercifully crashes into her temple sending her into darkness.
She floats in the darkness. She should be feeling the pain but there is nothing. Maybe she is dead. Could this be what death is like? It is peaceful, like lying on your back in a small pond in the middle of summer or under the trees in the fall when the leaves fall.
Then the dread starts; the sense of terror deep inside her. She looks around but sees nothing in the darkness. She can feel the hunger there though. Her hunting senses are burning. There is something out there looking for her. It wants her. She knows somehow that it wants more than just her flesh, that won't satisfy the hunger it has. It wants more. She panics. Tries to run, to hide, to find a spot where she can pull the forest over top of her and disappear. Nothing. There is nothing. Despair.
A voice. She hears a voice in the distance. Almost she recognizes it in her terror. It is familiar to her. She tries to go towards the voice but her feet do not seem to move. They are frozen in place. She tries to bend her body towards the voice and her perception changes. She is flying away from the dark. The voice is getting closer. Chardan!!! It is her brother calling to her. How could she not know his voice earlier? Then he is there.
Her eyes are filled with tears. "Little one, why do you cry?" He is teasing her the way he did when they were children. He would tease her so that she would get mad. He would the use that anger, direct it to the lesson he was teaching her. Focused it.
"I cry because I miss you Chardan. You are dead and we will not meet again."
"Melani, what is death to the spirits? Your spirit came to me. You are close to joining me, but it is not time yet. You have killed the witch. My spirit it free but yours is not. You still have work to do. The great evil has not been defeated. Go back, save our people." With that he is gone.
She continues floating but the sense of evil is gone. Chardan had protected her once again.
She wakes.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: In Limbo
Nice.