josh900 Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Tannin spent the night bent over his book, furiously scribbling away. When morning came he was still in the same place muttering to himself as he wrote. The mention of the Zhents he perked up his head. "You had me at the word Zhents, don't care what came after you can fill me in as he travel there, when do we leave?" He said excitedly, eager cause some ruckus that would ruin some Zhent's day.--------------------------------------------- Kento glared at the guard. "Yes she was in here, but I managed to chase her away. She ran out the front under the cover of an invisibility potion. I do not know what direction she ran in, so congratulations. She could very well be watching and now knows you're after her, eliminating your chance at finding her." He said spitefully. Now if you will excuse me, the owner of this establishment is sick, and I must return to tending him. Unless you would like to further your risk of catching his ailment and pester me with more useless questions." Were it not for the fact that he was already weaken he would have already taken over the mind of their leader and have him lead the guards away. But as that wasn't an option at the moment he could only stay his hand and hope they left without him having to resort to violence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrueMaster Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 (edited) Kalin raised his eyebrows, a sour expression on his face. "Zhents, you say." The elan had a particular dislike for the mercenary band. "If you'll excuse my language, those filthy bastards give even former mercenaries a bad name." He looked at Rhaine. "Also, the horses and camels will be useful, as Charmeleon said. I would be up for it." Tak'we was walking back into the cave when he heard the mention of slavers being nearby. He immediately became agitated at the mention of the foul softskins and started clicking and hissing angrily. *SSSS!* "Sslaverss are around here? Filthy *Nraktcktck!* "Thiss one will go." The thri'kreen nodded to Rhaine, his resolve plain to see to everyone. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Filthy Zhents..." Azhad cursed under his breath. "What in the Nine Hells did I do to deserve this?" He had led his band of mercenaries ahead of the caravan Tak'we was traveling in, planning to ambush the escaped slave when the caravan reached the oasis. But then it had to rain! The Calishite hadn't realized that it was approaching the wet season. The flooded sands had taken its toll on him and his group of hired thugs: seven men had drowned, and a decent portion of their supplies had been ruined. Luckily, though, the rest of the bounty hunters had managed to outrun the flood waters. They had then met another group of mercenaries, a group of Zhents, at the next oasis. The two groups were cooperating for now, but Azhad's patience was wearing thin. He tired of waiting in this gods-forsaken wasteland, with a bunch of filthy low-lifes. "I swear, Bugman," he swore to himself. "I will give you a lash for every day you make me wait. Every day." Edited March 6, 2013 by GrueMaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipout6 Posted March 7, 2013 Share Posted March 7, 2013 (edited) Weyland stopped at the mention of slavers, and very slowly turned to face Rhaine. "I say we slaughter them all." He emphasized the last word by slamming his fist into the palm of his hand. "These are people who don't deserve to live. Amendale disagreed. "No, I think we should let a few go, if we have a choice. Why become the butchers we're butchering?" "Amendale, the Zhents make the worst Westgate mercs look saintly in comparison. Not to mention the slavers." He gritted his teeth. "If we let a few go, they can warn others to stay away." Amendale reinforced his moral problem with practical reasons, which was more Weyland's language. It didn't work. "No, it'll let them tell others how many of us there are, our tactics, and how to counter them. It also gives them the impression that we're weak because we won't hurt prisoners." Amendale considered this. He definitely didn't like it, but Weyland had a point. Amendale did as well, though, and secretly Weyland saw the logic behind it. "Not my decisions anyway, though I'll still try killing them all." He looked at Rhaine. "So what's the rules of engagement, then?" -------------------------------------------------------------------- Arland walked through the main gates of Dagger Falls, his cloak's hood pulled over his head to hide his face should wanted posters be this far away from Shadowdale. He held a tactical appreciation of the reinforced, solid walls. Those had been built by extremely skilled craftsmen. He found his way to the market, purchasing food and water supplies as well as more polish for his weapon maintenance kit. He asked around about Weyland and heard absolutely nothing, which was a bitter (though expected) disappointment. He left word around the market and the tavern that if anyone spoke to Weyland that he had someone looking for him that meant well. It wasn't long before he was out in the woods once again, sleeping in a small roadside inn a few miles from town. It was good to sleep in a good bed again, but he wasn't stupid enough to sleep within the town walls. All they had to do was close the gate and he'd be sealed in, and he wasn't willing to risk it. Edited March 7, 2013 by Flipout6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurianaValoria1 Posted March 7, 2013 Author Share Posted March 7, 2013 Rhaine began unpacking her armor and donning it piece by piece. She could not go into battle without it, but she would have to remove it as soon as dawn arrived. She made sure to strap on all the pieces, this time, even her helm. Zhents were never to be taken lightly...and the slavers were in the business for a reason, as well. As she adjusted the chin strap and wiggled the helm back and forth to make sure it settled well, the Doomguide replied, "We leave as soon as possible. The sooner we strike, the sooner we can be on our way to the edge of the desert," she turned to Weyland and added, "We try to get as close as possible before attacking. No doubt they will be preparing for bed at this hour, if not already asleep. If they fight, kill them. If they flee, let them go. We're going to drive them away from Charmelion's lair, not make some sort of statement." The dragon then led them to the outer ledge where he had first deposited them. Pointing to the south, he rumbled, "There they are." Indeed, only a few kilometers away, just on the opposite side of the Black Road, was a large campsite. There were many large tents pitched, with men slowly moving in and out. "A dozen Zhents and at least that many slavers," Charmelion added, "I will keep watch, in case the battle does not turn out in your favor." Glancing back at Weyland and Tak'we, the Doomguide commented, "I don't think you have to worry about that." Shouldering her pack, Rhaine began to pick her way down a tiny, steep footpath that led down the cliff face to the desert floor. Bilron, Maeve, and Sori followed. The parents still had their crossbows with them, quivers slung across their hips. The girl now carried her father's knife, and Rhaine could hear him whispering to his daughter as he hefted the chest over one shoulder, "Stay with your mother, do you hear me? Don't you dare leave her side. If something happens to me and ma, you run back for this lair as fast as you can, understand?" "Yes, pa," Sori replied quietly, obviously very nervous. They continued down the path, trudging through the sands towards the road, and Rhaine heard the dragon call out, "May Bahamut favor you." The group soon came upon a few gigantic rock cairns, and the Doomguide motioned for them all to crouch behind these rocks. Carefully peering around one, she could see the Zhent and slaver encampment only a few meters off of the opposite side of the road, sheltered by olive trees. Because of the height of the cairns, the mercs had not seen their approach, and were none the wiser to the group's presence. Rhaine quietly drew her blade, the steel glimmering menacingly in the moonlight. Bilron and Maeve had already loaded bolts into their crossbows, and they readied their weapons as well - Sori clung fearfully to her mother's skirts. The priestess held up a hand, watching the encampment like a hawk, "On my command." -------------------------------------------------------------------- "I...er...eh...of course," one guard said, his speech slurred strangely, "We'll be on our way, then. Thank you, citizen." The door slammed shut. After a few breaths, Maydiira hissed from behind the counter, "Now what?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokyobiohazard Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 (edited) Ianthe's eyes kept darting to her left, as she felt a bit worried about Sori, after hearing Bilron's whispers to his daughter. She decided she would try to stay near them, just in case they should need her help during any of the fighting. A smile touched her lips as she noticed Alphonse doing the same. Even with the sand packed down heavily and saturated with water, the landscape was beginning to give way to defiant patches of grass here and wide puddles there, a sign that the group was getting closer to the oasis. Alphonse's hair was the same hue as some of the damp, rust-colored rocks that the group hid behind, and Ianthe found herself biting a knuckle to keep from giggling. "Never thought I'd be so happy to see a tree," Arva whispered to Reona, feeling rather gritty in his once-white cloak. It was now streaked with orange and brown, which he was grateful for right now. They'd stand out like beacons in the night if their cloaks were as stark white now as they were upon being purchased. Reona smirked in response and held her breath as she waited for Rhaine's signal. Edited March 8, 2013 by tokyobleach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh900 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 From behind the rocks Tannin crouched down and held onto the rapier that he had "borrowed" from the dragon's collection. He tightened his grip to keep his hands from shaking. Letting out deep, slow breaths he began to mutter something under his breath. "I must not fear, fear is the mind-killer, Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear, I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see it's path. Where fear has gone there will be nothing, only I will remain."After several quick, deep breaths he started to repeat himself. "I must not fear, fear is the mind killer, Why is there a child going in with us??!!!!" He squeaked, only now noticing that Sori was with them.--------------------------------------------------------------- Kento waited a few moment before answering Maydiira. "Now I could leave you here and continue my hunt on my own. Now you could focus on recovering from the effects of the poison. Now we could simply wait until the cover of night to leave out the back door or a window. Now we have many options, most of which require us to be at our peak.' He said as he walked over to a nearby chair and sat down in it."Which means that the most obvious choice of action is to wait until we are able to move again. Unless you have a better, albeit more risky idea." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipout6 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Weyland followed Rhaine, detesting the fact that he had to spare those who fled, shield in hand. He felt a dark eagerness build up inside him as they approached the camp...bloodlust. Despite being a fighter, bloodlust was something Weyland only very rarely felt. The group approached the camp and he slipped behind a rock as silently as he could. It was big enough that Amendale could hide behind it too. He considered drawing his sword, but then remembered that it glowed blue from its enchanement. Nonetheless, he kept his hand on his sword for when the go was given. He looked nervously at Sori. "Why did we bring her? She's only in danger here!" He said quietly to Rhaine. He waited, all the more eager to get this over with for Sori's sake, and butcher all of the slavers for his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrueMaster Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 (edited) Tak'we was feeling a mixture of sensations as he remained crouched by his clutchmates. On one hand, he felt a dark thrill surging through his body, eager to fight against the filthy slavers. At the same time, though, he felt concerned that Sori was with them; from what he'd seen, softskin hatchlings couldn't defend themselves very well. "Rhaine," the thri'kreen spoke softly, voicing his fears to the winged pointy-ear. "Thiss one doess not like softsskin hatchling being here." He turned and saw Ianthe and Alphonse standing protectively by Sori, and felt some relief at that, but still felt some anxiety. The thri'kreen began to object further when he noticed a familiar figure walking among the tents. Azhad! "Cruel dark softskin!" Tak'we snarled quiet, venom beginning to drip from his mandibles. All of his objections and fears faded, overwhelmed by the memories of his clutch-mother being murdered in front of him and the rage of years of chains and whips. He turned away from the sight and walked a bit away from the group when no one was watching him and set his gythka down. You will pay for every thri'kreen you killed that day, slaver! He began crawling towards the camp, his mind concentrating on blending into his surroundings, remembering his grand-sire's knowledge of stalking prey. To anyone watching, they would have seen a large insect-like figure suddenly disappear from sight. Tak'we, though, didn't know that, thoughts of vengeance filling his mind as he silently crept up behind an unsuspecting sentry... The soulknife studied the view in front of him as well as he could in the dark, his mind concocting strategies as he waited for Rhaine's signal. Kalin was nodding his head in agreement with the others' feelings about Sori being with them as Tak'we stepped away. The elan noticed the thri'kreen looked agitated about something but didn't say anything, his mind concentrating on the camp in front of them. "We'll have to be careful in case they try to flank us. If they get behind us, the girl could get hurt." He looked back at the smith's family, grinning at how two of his new companions had already moved nearby to protect Sori. "Well, at least she's well-guarded, so I doubt we'll have to worry too much. I think she'll be fine, Tak'we." Kalin looked back and became worried when he didn't see the barbarian. "Tak'we? Hey, did anyone see where the thri'kreen went?" Edited March 8, 2013 by GrueMaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurianaValoria1 Posted March 8, 2013 Author Share Posted March 8, 2013 "I'm assuming her parents thought she would better off where they could see her," Rhaine murmured. Noticing a few of the others keeping close to the child, she nodded in agreement with Kalin, "She'll be...Tak'we?" Xallistine and Mireth had joined them, but Tak'we had abruptly disappeared. Glancing around, the Doomguide saw a glint in the sands - the thri-kreen's gythka. A wave of panic washed over her before another of realization hit her. Slavers...Azhad... "Now!" she hissed, leaping over the top of the rock cairn with her wings spread wide, her silver armor gleaming in the moonlight. She dropped onto the road, her eyes slightly aglow as they fixated on her first target...there was no time for grandiose spells or incantations. They needed to hit hard and fast. The unfortunate man who turned around upon hearing footsteps beheld the Angel of Death. He had only time to point his shortsword in her general direction before she was upon him, a shimmering shadow in the night. The fool was too ignorant to back down, and so the glimmer of her blade was the last thing he saw before his Judgment. Touch of Death slashed easily across his lightly armored chest, spraying dark blood upon the sand and severing the amulet of Cyric that hung about his neck. Unfortunately, his death-cry sounded across the camp, and the group would not have the advantage for long... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I....I...have nothing..." Maydiira whispered before finally succumbing to exhaustion, falling into a deep slumber upon the floor of the smith's shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh900 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 (edited) The yells from the dying man broke Jaxion out of his meditation. "Well well well. That certainly makes things easier for me." Sitting around him were two other men who were looking at him curiously."Makes.. what easier?" One of the men asked."Killing everyone here?" Jax said in a matter of fact way. "I meeeaan... Do you think i really wanna be stuck out here with sand in my ass forever?" He asked out of the corner of his mouth. And before the two men could react Jax hurled two knives directly into their throats. As they fell over clutching their necks, gurgling blood Jax sat in a nearby chair, stretching out and crossing his legs and holding his hands behind his head in a relaxed pose.------------------------------------ Unlike the others a straight charge was not in Tannin's plan. He instead circled around using the confusion of the charge to remain hidden. Covering the enemies route of retreat he decided to set fire to the nearby empty tents to effect the morale of the slavers and zhents. With attackers to their fronts and fire at their backs they would loose hope rather quickly and possibly surrender.--------------------------------- Kento sighed. "Consider yourself lucky." He said as he sat cross legged on the floor. "They would probably pay a large bounty if I were the kind to turn you in." With that he closed his eyes and began to meditate, slowly regaining his energy and relieving his headache. Edited March 8, 2013 by josh900 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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