Quote:
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Originally Posted by HalfOrc HalfBiscuit That's not good ...
I was going to leave commenting until the end of this story arc, but now I've decided that seems rather mean, so I'd just like to say: Great stuff. I'm enjoying this tale more and more as it progresses. It's almost enough to make me wish I lived in Grimsby.
Ok. That last bit may not be entirely true.
Keep up the good work.  |
Thanks for that, much appreciated.
Here goes...
Dungeon Crawl Classic #24
Legend of the Ripper
Level 1-3 (Scaled to level 4)
Turn 75: The Element of Surprise.
But the Gang it seems have not given up, they charge en masse at the liquid barrier, and Bec, then Cas who’s right behind the Barbarian slam through, the water is like glass, with ragged edges, the two flop through the other side, the barrier instantly reforms, the pair lie still for a second panting, covered in bleeding wounds from head to foot.
The four that didn’t make it through are also nursing wounds, damaged on impact with the liquid barrier.
Then Bec is up and through the door, Cas, gasping- ragged breaths, staggers after the Barbarian.
“Cas… Cas…” Ala screams but the Paladin doesn’t look back.
And then there she is, the Undine, about to open the far door- Bec charges forward, almost out on his feet, tottering, he ploughs into her, his Rage still in full fury, the pair stumble and fall, crash through the portal, and land back in the deep desert.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarggghhhh.”
The Undine screams as she takes in her surroundings, pressed down onto the scorching hot sand, beneath the baking sun, blinded by the light she struggles, clearly out of her element- an arid wasteland where no water exists.
THUMP.
Bec plunges his dagger into her chest- and yet another deep cut opens up on the Barbarian’s scalp.
Back in the foul tunnels the wall of water finally bursts, the Goodman Gang are coming.
Cas stumbles on through the portal, staggering and falling, using whatever is at hand to keep him upright, he’s bleeding profusely and gasping for air.
Princess Iasmini struggles against Bec’s choke hold, she lashes out, rakes her nails across the Barbarian’s face, more blood flows, Bec cannot see it fills his vision. He has to free his hand to try and wipe away the filth.
She scratches and claws again, with both hands this time, her nails dig in deep; she rips the flesh from Bec’s face, then as the Barbarian falls backwards, scrambling and pawing at his broken visage, she draws the dagger from her belt, and with both hands plunges it deep into Bec’s chest. The Barbarian slumps forward- spent.
Iasmini wriggles out from beneath Bec who lies still, unmoving, in the stinging sand.
Cas staggers forward- through the portal, using his longsword as a walking stick, lashes out but the Undine scrambles away just in time, the Paladin, now without the support of his longsword, falls, and lies still.
“Dry-skins, Pah.”
The Undine spits, the water evaporates almost before it reaches the baking sand, she looks… terrified.
Jim comes bundling through the door, Ala quickly behind him, the Priestess kneels and fires healing energy into the Paladin, and then soon after the Barbarian, for Bec it’s, once again, just in time.
Jim stalks forward battleaxe in hand, the Undine retreats.
“Where you gonna run to now?” The Ranger screams. “Where?”
The Undine screams back, and then lunges at Jim, who staggers back and swings his axe with all his might, hoping that his aim is true.
THUMP
Everything stops.
Jim looks down at the ragged form of the Aquatic Elf, his axe buried deep in her side, her right arm removed at the elbow, the bloody stump waving forlornly, she looks up, “Not here… not here in the desert. Please…”
“I…” Jim begins and then looks doubtful.
Cas steps out of his shadow, lances his longsword deep into the wretched Undine’s gut.
The Undine grasps the blade, then spits out blood, her eyes close.
“It’s over.” The Paladin whispers.
A little later, wounds have been dressed, and where possible healed; the Gang head back in to search her tomb, there’s nothing more to be found, the only treasure the weapons the Princess had on her.
Much later, before the return journey, Jim creeps back into the desert and hauls the already rotting carcass of the Aquatic Elf away into the dunes, leaves her there for the butchers, the carrion eaters, for the Beetles to eat her- he hopes.
Four days later they emerge from the sand and baking heat, with quite a story to tell.
Next Turn: All’s well that ends well.
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