drnuncheon's Freeport Story Hour

[drnuncheon]

Session Ten, Part Five: Butchery and Bloodbath, Part I

Dru looked back at her partner, indicating the door with a nod of her head. With the kind of silent communication that only comes from years of working together, Di'Fier moved up to cover the doorway even as Dru reached for the handle. The battered Brother Egil huddled in the corner, well away from whatever was behind the portal.

Careful to avoid the slowly spreading puddle, Dru took the time to look at it before opening the door. Definitely blood, she thought. and fresh - it's barely started to cool. With a firm motion she depressed the handle, flinging the door open and leaping back, her rapier flying to her other hand.

The door opened on a scene out of Hell. The thick carpet of Verlaine's bedchamber was entirely soaked with blood - far more blood than could have come from a single man. In fact, a full five men lay in the room - some expertly slain with a single stroke, while others seemed to have been literally hacked apart. There was no movement in the room.

Dru looked at her partner and Brother Egil. The brother looked as if he were about to vomit, had he any food in his stomach. Even Di'Fier was pale - a slaughter of this magnitude was rare even in the lawless streets of Freeport.

"They can't have gone far," whispered Dru to her partner, jerking her head towards the second door. They skirted the pool of blood and moved down the hall. Dru reached out, pushed the door open...

There, in the midst of the chaos that was Verlaine's study, was a heavyset ruffian. The canvas sack in his hand bulged with what looked to be valuables. "I'm just about done," he said as he turned...and saw not what he expected, but the forms of two City Watchmen.

With a shout, he spun, dropping the sack. Jewelry and silver spilled out as it hit the ground, and he sprung forward, sword in hand. Dru leapt back into the corridor, and the blade slammed into the doorframe, knocking loose a chunk of wood.

A robbery? she thought wildly, as she locked blades with the killer. But that makes no sense... Di'Fier's blade flashed over hers, but somehow the bulky man managed to deflect it as well. From behind, they heard a muffled cry. "Egil!" Dru cried, risking a glance over her shoulder.

A second man had emerged from the blood-soaked room - tall and whipcord-thin, dressed in dusky black. One arm was locked across Egil's mouth, and the other held a dagger to his throat!

Di'Fier's wand was already in his hand. Raising it, he called out the word that would release its power, and a streak of golden magelight shot forth, curving around the form of Brother Egil to sear into the assassin's arm.

With a hiss of indrawn breath, the killer jerked his arm...drawing the knife across the priest's throat. He took a step back, and the astonished priest fell to his knees, hands at his throat in a vain attempt to stop the pulsing flow of blood. Softly, he crumpled into the widening pool of gore at his feet.

 

[drnuncheon]

Here's the deal, faithful readers - I've got the next two (short) updates done, and one more to go before I finish up the tangled tale that is Terror in Freeport. But I want to hear that someone's read this latest one first before I post the next one. So let me know. (Except you, Horacio - I know you're reading. )

If you're a lurker, post and I'll put up everything I've got written so far.

As for what you've got to look forward to:
* Two more parts of 'Butchery and Bloodbath' (already written)

* Secrets of the Temple, the shocking conclusion to Terror in Freeport (started)

* a rematch with the wizard and criminal mastermind Kenzil

* Dru and Di'Fier vs. the House of the Dead - this may get delayed, as I'm going to try to get more material from the players on this one. A little experiment.

...and, of course, the city is gearing up for the week-long celebration of Swagfest, that culminates in the unveiling of the Lighthouse of Drac!

So...let me know you're reading, and I'll see you later tonight...

J
...bribing the readers for bumps and pageviews...

 

[Boss]

I'm reading, I'm reading!!!!!

Yes, I am definitely reading, and enjoying the story greatly. To be truthful, largely due to your story, I am about to start up a city campaign of my own with some former 2E players that want to learn 3E. So you do have readers out here, even if some of us are silent from time to time.

 

[drnuncheon]

Session Ten, Part Six: Butchery and Bloodbath, Part II

Aha! A poster! Well let no one say that I do not fulfill my promises - here is Part II of Butchery and Bloodbath!


"EGIL!" The word ripped out of Dru's mouth as she flung the blade of her attacker back, spun, and charged - blade held low to rip into the guts of the man who had just felled her friend. It lashed out...

...but the thin man's reflexes were too fast. A step back, out of the spreading blood to firmer footing, followed by an almost casual brushing aside of the enraged elf's slender blade. Letting the knife fall to the ground, the killer drew his own rapier - a finely made instrument with a swept hilt. He fell into a guard position and smirked.

Behind them, Di'Fier stumbled, distracted by Egil's fall, and the wicked blade of the ruffian sliced into his left arm. He could feel the blood soaking his sleeve, but instead of making a counterattack, he too whirled, diving and sliding on his knees into the pool of blood next to the gentle priest. One hand dove into his pouch, extracting a potion of a vivid blue hue, and he flicked the stopper free with his thumb.

White fire seemed to scorch along his back as the assassin casually dropped his blade and thrust it into the young guardsman's flesh. A few precious drops of the healing elixer spilled on Egil's face as Di'Fier gritted his teeth and twisted, feeling the blade grate along his ribs rather than plunging into his heart as expected. Behind the mage, the ruffian moved in, but a wild swing and a growl from Dru caused him to leap backwards. Di'Fier's shaking hands maneuvered the vial to Egil's lips and tilted it up.

For a moment, nothing happened, and time seemed to hang immobile, paused on the brink of a precipice. Then the flow of blood ceased. Egil's eyes flickered, opened. And the world crashed back into motion.

Di'Fier grabbed his sword from the pool of blood, rising up like some blood-soaked sirit of vengeance. His eyes blazed with righteous anger, and he seemed not to feel the wounds on his body. The massive blade spun, forcing the killer back and opening a line on his chest. Dru grinned, seeing the man pushed back towards her. Her blade circled, evading his defenses and plunging deep into his kidney. And behind it all was Egil's soft voice, calling upon his God to grant them battle-knowledge against these foes.

Egil's would-be killer found himself surrounded. Wherever he turned was a wall of steel, that bit into his flesh and parried his own strikes. The elven woman was growling like an animal, barely paying attention to the attacks of his partner behind her. He twisted out of the way of the bastard sword...

...and found himself looking at the once-in-a-lifetime sight of six inches of steel protruding from his chest.

Dru pulled her sword free as the killer crumpled, whirling to face her other foe and barely parrying his attack. Her back ached with pain, and she could feel the blood practically pouring out of it, but now there was only one person to deal with. She smiled grimly, and the man paled.

Backing away, the man sbegan to swing wildly in an attempt to keep the guards back. His glances towards the door of the study were all that Dru needed to know there was something in there that he wanted - something that the guards no doubt didn't want him to get. She tensed, spring forward - tucking into a roll that would take her under his blade...

...or would have, if he hadn't twisted it at the last second. The blade slammed into her wounded back, and tore open a long gash as her momentum carried her past him. Stifling a cry of pain, she rolled to her feet, reversing her blade and stabbing behind her, deep into the thug, before turning to face him.

Ashen-faced, the man somehow managed to fight on. He parried the strokes of Di'Fier's heavy blade, but that just gave Dru an opportunity to ply her own. Another wound opened on the man, and more of the hall's wooden floors were soaked with blood.

With a quick glance at the watchmen, the man twisted around and launched himself through the study door, grabbing a ceramic flask from his bag of loot and barely parrying Di'Fier's blow. Again Dru's blade cut into him, and he staggered - then raised his arm and threw the flask at the guardsmen!

Dru could feel the magic of her buckler tugging at her arm, eager to block the incoming blow - but instead she twisted away, taking cover behind the doorway. Di'Fier did the same, and the flask slammed to the floor where they had been standing, bursting into tall flames that burned a hellish, unnatural red.

Egil had staggered to his feet, staggering forward. He reached out to touch Dru, and she could feel the barest trickle of healing energy - just enough to stop the blood from her wounds. The brother slumped, exhausted, against the wall.

Di'Fier looked at the flames, and then beyond to the man behind them. I can't give him any more time to prepare, he thought desperately, and then he was moving, leaping through the wall of fire to land on the other side. His cloak and boots smoking, he stepped forward towards the stunned ruffian and raised his sword. There was a wet thud, and blood sprayed the papers scattered across the room as the headless corpse collapsed.

 

[Jon Potter]

We're out here...

You've GOT to know we're reading.

I was hooked long ago. I just keep quiet so that you can concentrate on writing.

 

[drnuncheon]

Re: We're out here...

You've GOT to know we're reading.

I was hooked long ago. I just keep quiet so that you can concentrate on writing.

Actually, I'm able to write pretty quickly, so don't let that stop you from posting, discussing, asking questions, cracking jokes, making predictions, violating Rule One...

J
Freeport, City of Adventure Watch: my FLGS owner says Tuesday

 

[drnuncheon]

Session Ten, Part Seven: Butchery and Bloodbath, Part III

A triple dose of updates! Thank Boss and Jon for this. Now I have to go and write some more to catch up...

Consider, if you will, the sight that the citizens of Freeport must have seen that night: Three figures running through the street, weapons drawn, their expressions a mix of desperation and determination. The first, a young bearded man in the robes of a priest - the entire right side of which are soaked and dripping with blood. The two who follow him are scarcely better: a tall man with a massive blade, his tunic blood-soaked and shredded, smelling of alchemists fire; and an elven woman, scarred and just as bloody as her companions, with a rapier in her hand and another at her belt. Even if the latter two hadn't been wearing the medallions of the City Watch, it is unlikely that anyone would have dared to challenge their passage.

What inspired them to this mad dash across the normally quiet streets of the Merchant's District? And what was their destination? For the answer, we must trace their bloody footprints back to the house known as 100 Wave Avenue: the residence of the late Councillor Verlaine.

Dru and Di'Fier piled the possessions of the killers in the study - it being the least bloody of the rooms. Egil had managed to douse the flames with the blessing of his deity, and now Di'Fier called upon his own magic, letting it pass in front of his vision, surrounding two of the items: the assassin's blade, and a carved wooden amulet - as well as the potion vials they had already set aside. Di'Fier looped the talisman around his own neck, and passed the blade to Dru, who inspected it closely.

"I could have told you it was magic," she muttered. "You should see the marks it left on my blade." She struck a guard position, getting the feel of the new weapon.

Di'Fier looked through the pouches of the dead men. "Here's a map...I'm not sure what it's of...and some kind of contract." He passed the map to Egil and scanned the other parchment. "Listen to this," he said, and began to read.

As a duly elected officer of the City of Freeport, I hereby appoint Drusillia Naïlo and Di'Fier special deputies of this council, empowered to carry out, with full discretion and authority, the infiltration of the Temple to the God of Knowledge and uncover what secrets it may hold.

Signed,

Councillor Verlaine


"This map...is a map of the Temple," said Egil. "Which means that when they were done here..." His voice trailed off as the implication sunk in - and then the young priest was off, fear and renewed adrenaline washing away the fatigue and pain of his wounds. The Watchmen were only moments behind him.

And so it was that three figures out of nightmare burst through the front doors of the temple. The acolyte at the front shrieked: "Pirates!" and dove beneath his desk.

"Norton, we haven't got time for this!" cried Egil. "We must see the high priest - we are all in terrible danger!" A low moan answered him, and he led the way to Thuron's office.

Thuron regarded the evidence arrayed before him: the "contract", the map...and the Valossan document that the Watchmen had discovered in the hidden temple beneath Verlaine's house. He took a deep breath, let it out in a sigh.

"I have known this day would come, ever since the Brotherhood first came to Freeport. They will always try to take revenge on those who hinder their plans. These documents prove it. Should we survive the coming battle, I will tell you what they contain - but there is no time. Egil, wake the others and have them begin casting spells of protection." The high priest turned to the two Watchmen. "It seems I owe you an apology - and I must further ask you to fulfill your duties to this city in protecting this temple."

Di'Fier nodded. "We've already sent my raven to fetch backup." He glanced at his partner. "Let's get upstairs before the trouble starts."

The watchmen pounded up the stairs - Di'Fier to the eastern entrance, Dru to the west. Almost as they reached their destinations, the doors began to open...

 

[drnuncheon]

Session Ten, Part Eight: A Desperate Defense

The great doors to the Temple creaked open, revealing a ragged and bloodied group of acolytes behind each, hurrying to crowd into the Temple. Dru growled, her hand going to her blade, and moved to block them. "Not so fast," she said, an inch of steel bared.

A woman stepped forward. The flickering candlelight was reflected momentarily from the heavy gold ring on her hand. "Please, you must let us in - they are after us!"

"Who?" the elven guard demanded suspiciously.

"I...I am not sure, but they set upon us as we were running errands, and tried to slay us." The exhausted woman screwed up her face in an effort to remember. "I heard one of them say something about a 'brotherhood'."

Across the hall, Di'Fier was receiving much the same story. "Norton!" he snapped, and the poor lad slunk warily over towards him. "Go and fetch Brother Egil, or the High Priest - we need their help. In the meantime, the rest of you wait here. You can close the door behind you," he generously offered.

"We must prepare defenses - they will attack the temple!" one protested.

Di'Fier just grinned.

A few moments later, Norton returned with Brother Egil.

"Egil, go help Dru," Di'Fier said. "Norton, are these people from your temple?"

Norton peered at the faces, the acolytes with their worried and fearful expressions. "I...yes, they are."

Across the great hall, Egil was performing the same inspection. "I recognize all of you," he said. Nonetheless, something seemed to trouble him. His eyes fixed upon the heavy gold ring, he said slowly, "but our order practices a vow of poverty..."

The room exploded into chaos. Almost before Egil was finished speaking, Dru's blade had quit its scabbard, but the ringed woman proved to be wearing armor beneath her robes, and it was turned aside. Dru was not so lucky, however, as the woman's knife slashed through the soft leather she wore and cut deep into her side. Di'Fier's battle-blade proved to be a more effective deterrant - few of his attackers were willing to close when they bore only knives, especially after the one poor fool who did was left lying in a pool of blood on the marbled floor.

The press of battle carried Dru away from the woman with the ring - evidently the leader. Fiercely, she fought agains the foes surrounding her, dealing one a vicious blow that staggered him. As he fell back, she caught sight of the woman, who sketched a glowing sigil in the air - the Yellow Sign. "It is useless to struggle against the Unspeakable One," the woman informed her as the sigil dissipated - and Dru could feel the leaden press of fate upon her. Her reactions slowed, her senses dulled, and the battle whirled chaotically around her.

Di'Fier heard the incantation, stepped back from his fight, and uttered a single word - a word that erased him from sight before its echo had fully died. Thus unseen, he whirled and charged across the Temple. The spell would not last for more than a few seconds, but that was all he needed...

Perhaps it was the sound of boots on marble that alerted the woman. Perhaps some lingering traces of blood on his boot-soles let her see his progress across the hall. Whatever the reason, the woman twisted out of the way of Di'Fier's strike, her robes flaring around her as she spun - and laughed.

At the end of the hall, the High Priest entered to see the chaos that had ensued - Egil had run to fetch him when the battle began. In his hands he bore three rocks, softly glowing, and it was one of these that he raised above his head, pulled back...and let fly at one of the "acolytes" that was charging across the room to reinforce their brethren. The other two stones were pressed into Egil's hands.

"You cannot defeat my master," the woman snarled - and as it had once before, fear hammered at Dru. This woman is unbeatable, it seemed to say. The Brotherhood is unstoppable. Your only chance is to flee.

The elf shook her head to clear it, letting the pain of her wounds focus her mind. "That didn't work for your b-tch friend, and it won't work now," she snarled, leaping forward to plunge her rapier into the woman's breast. As her target sank to her knees, Dru saw her skin begin to tint green and turn to scales - and then the acolytes were on her, mobbing her.

As Egil cast the second stone, Thuron raised a hand in supplication, and called out a prayer - but Di'Fier's ears were keen, and it was not the God of Knowledge that Thuron called upon. As the priest moved towards them, he cried to his partner, "Dru! Watch out for Thuron! That wasn't a prayer to the God of Knowledge!" Then he could do nothing but parry and cut as the attackers threatened to overbear him. Three had already fallen, but he was flanked now, and forced to fight defensively just to remain alive.

Bursting free from the members of the Brotherhood that surrounded her, Dru cast a glance over her shoulder. Di'Fier was right - Thuron was coming towards her, chanting another spell. She stabbed at a cultist, sending him sprawling, but she could feel the blood ebbing from a dozen knife wounds, and knew she could not hold out much longer. A strangled cry marked the fall of Norton to a cultist dagger.

"Watch-Sergeant!" Thuron commanded. "Take my hand!" He reached out for her, divine energy radiating like heat from his outstretched fingertips.

 

[Jon Potter]

You're a master at the cliffhanger, that's for certain!

You're encouraging me to do the Green Ronin "potty dance".

 

[drnuncheon]

You're a master at the cliffhanger, that's for certain!

I do try my best. Just ask my players. It's a habit that brought much woe to my gaming group in college, especially when they were fleeing an army of enraged dragonmen and fell into a hidden cavern. A luminous eye the size of the room opened in the darkness before them...and we stopped for winter break.

Another good one - not mine this time - was in a superhero game, when the missing member of our group opened the door on our gathering...and threw a bundle of dynamite into the center of the room. (The GM made us write our next actions down without consulting each other. When we resumed, three of us smashed into each other while trying to grab the dynamite, and everyone else went out the window...)

J