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JollyDoc's Serpent's Skull-updated 11/6/2011
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<blockquote data-quote="JollyDoc" data-source="post: 5613298" data-attributes="member: 9546"><p><strong>Agnar</strong></p><p></p><p>"Vahr, I have need of your slave" Agnar said to the alchemist. As the half-orc held out payment, Vahr looked like he might want to spit in his hand, but was wise enough not to cross his favorite customer’s "boy". Agnar knew that the old man saw him as nothing more than an errand runner for the pirate’s shore-based operations.</p><p>“Zavasta!” Vahr called over his shoulder.</p><p> A surly looking fellow ducked out from behind a curtain to the shop’s back room. The two half-orcs nodded to one another, and were then on their way. As they lost sight of Vahr’s shop, Zavasta’s mood brightened, and he looked at Agnar with a toothy boyish smile.</p><p> "What do I get to burn today?" he asked.</p><p> “I received word from the Captain that some cargo he purchased was not what it was supposed to be,” the priest replied. “Since he is out to sea, it falls to us to take care of it before they skip town."</p><p> As they walked into a dark alley, two heavily cloaked figures stepped out of the shadows. One held out a bag that contained Zavasta's special gear. The young alchemist went to work making his concoctions, while Agnar began giving instructions to the two cloaked figures that Zavasta knew to be nothing more than animated corpses. As he spoke, the priest’s thoughts went back to the day when he’d first learned of his “unique” talents…</p><p>_______________________________________________________________</p><p></p><p>The ruins were quiet, no sound not even the drip of water or a rat as the group of Pathfinders read the runes and random writings on the wall. A scrawny looking half-orc stood by holding a torch, a job he did unhappily, but what else could a half-orc from the shingles do? Adventurers often went into the ruins and dungeons located around the area, but what did you do for light? Agnar had made his living since his early years by following such groups and bearing their lanterns and torches. That is what now brought him to this dank ruin of a temple. The Pathfinders had been looking for something for the past week, and by their excited talk at night, they believed they were close. As Ryze, their scout, ran his hand along a wall, he touched something and the room began to rumble. </p><p>Brutas, the group’s big swordsman, began screaming, "Light! Light, you worthless accident of misplaced lust!" </p><p>Since Agnar could see naturally in darkness, he dashed for the lanterns. Moments later, he bathed the room in a warm glow, and saw the Pathfinders dusting themselves off and assessing their situation. The chamber they’d been in had fallen into an under level of the ruins, and now they were trapped. </p><p>"Let’s start looking for a way back up,” Ryze said. “I remember a funny crack we passed yesterday. I didn’t think much of it but, I’m assuming it might have been another way down here." Weapons out, they proceeded through the underground complex room-by-room searching, examining, and grabbing things of interest. Agnar wished they could just leave. Eventually, they came upon a set of double doors, and after Ryze deemed them safe, they opened them. The moment they did so, undead spilled from the chamber beyond. The Pathfinders fought and managed to take down the most horrid looking zombie Agnar had ever seen. Taric, the group’s Venture Captain, thought the beast might be the leader of the walking corpses, but its death seemed to enrage them even more, and another tide spilled from the room. The group withdrew, taking down zombies and skeletons as they went. The undead were relentless, following the group’s retreat. Brutas was the first to go down, and then Taric sacrificed himself, taking a half-dozen or more of the zombies with him. Ryze then accidentally tripped a trap while searching for an escape route. Agnar thought it due justice for getting them into this mess in the first place. Agnar and the wizard Scythus continued running blindly down the corridors. Turning a corner, they paused to catch their breath.</p><p> "They are following the light," Agnar whispered as he doused it.</p><p>Then, without thinking twice, he smashed the lantern into the wizard’s knee and ran, leaving him to the undead. Agnar ducked into a room, but he saw that the undead still followed. Determined to face death head-on, he waited in the center of the room, which was filled with books and scrolls.</p><p> "It ends here," he said, but then something washed over him. </p><p>The skeletons shambling towards the door halted, watching him. Agnar rushed to the door and slammed it, locking it. With no answers to his good fortune, he did what he had seen adventurers do: he began looking around the room for answers. There he discovered the Truth of Charon. The spot he had been standing on bore the daemon lord's symbol. Emerging from the room a day later, he found the remaining undead subservient to his will. Performing a ritual that he’d learned from the vile books, he ripped the skeleton from the body of one of the Pathfinders. His new minion in tow, he found his way out of the complex eventually, and set out upon his new path, a simple torch bearer no more.</p><p>_____________________________________________________________</p><p></p><p>Agnar channeled dark energy, snuffing the life from the last two smugglers. Zavasta had already set several more on fire with the incendiary bombs he’d cooked up. Stripping one of the bodies of its cloak and boots, they left the warehouse. Agnar released control of his undead minions, dressing them in the discarded clothing. It would make the city guards look good to slay them, and as long as the authorities had scapegoats, the likelihood of a serious investigation into the deaths of the smugglers would be greatly reduced. Much cheaper than a bribe, and corpses were plentiful.</p><p> Upon arriving at Vahr’s door, Agnar turned to Zavasta.</p><p> "This was my last mission working for Captain Selek,” the priest said. “I will be leaving on the Jenivere tomorrow. I gave your name to the captain should you want a new job. He’ll purchase you, and then you can take over. It’s not too difficult, keeping track of crew members on shore leave, taking bribes to certain officials, keeping records of on land assets, and of course, the occasional killing. I’m stagnating here. Maybe adventure and power await me in Sargava."</p><p> With that he knocked on Vahr’s door, and told Vahr that the Captain might be by to see him personally next time. He took his leave, nodding once more to Zavasta. Tomorrow the ship would be pulling out. Agnar needed to see that his new minion was properly equipped.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="JollyDoc, post: 5613298, member: 9546"] [b]Agnar[/b] "Vahr, I have need of your slave" Agnar said to the alchemist. As the half-orc held out payment, Vahr looked like he might want to spit in his hand, but was wise enough not to cross his favorite customer’s "boy". Agnar knew that the old man saw him as nothing more than an errand runner for the pirate’s shore-based operations. “Zavasta!” Vahr called over his shoulder. A surly looking fellow ducked out from behind a curtain to the shop’s back room. The two half-orcs nodded to one another, and were then on their way. As they lost sight of Vahr’s shop, Zavasta’s mood brightened, and he looked at Agnar with a toothy boyish smile. "What do I get to burn today?" he asked. “I received word from the Captain that some cargo he purchased was not what it was supposed to be,” the priest replied. “Since he is out to sea, it falls to us to take care of it before they skip town." As they walked into a dark alley, two heavily cloaked figures stepped out of the shadows. One held out a bag that contained Zavasta's special gear. The young alchemist went to work making his concoctions, while Agnar began giving instructions to the two cloaked figures that Zavasta knew to be nothing more than animated corpses. As he spoke, the priest’s thoughts went back to the day when he’d first learned of his “unique” talents… _______________________________________________________________ The ruins were quiet, no sound not even the drip of water or a rat as the group of Pathfinders read the runes and random writings on the wall. A scrawny looking half-orc stood by holding a torch, a job he did unhappily, but what else could a half-orc from the shingles do? Adventurers often went into the ruins and dungeons located around the area, but what did you do for light? Agnar had made his living since his early years by following such groups and bearing their lanterns and torches. That is what now brought him to this dank ruin of a temple. The Pathfinders had been looking for something for the past week, and by their excited talk at night, they believed they were close. As Ryze, their scout, ran his hand along a wall, he touched something and the room began to rumble. Brutas, the group’s big swordsman, began screaming, "Light! Light, you worthless accident of misplaced lust!" Since Agnar could see naturally in darkness, he dashed for the lanterns. Moments later, he bathed the room in a warm glow, and saw the Pathfinders dusting themselves off and assessing their situation. The chamber they’d been in had fallen into an under level of the ruins, and now they were trapped. "Let’s start looking for a way back up,” Ryze said. “I remember a funny crack we passed yesterday. I didn’t think much of it but, I’m assuming it might have been another way down here." Weapons out, they proceeded through the underground complex room-by-room searching, examining, and grabbing things of interest. Agnar wished they could just leave. Eventually, they came upon a set of double doors, and after Ryze deemed them safe, they opened them. The moment they did so, undead spilled from the chamber beyond. The Pathfinders fought and managed to take down the most horrid looking zombie Agnar had ever seen. Taric, the group’s Venture Captain, thought the beast might be the leader of the walking corpses, but its death seemed to enrage them even more, and another tide spilled from the room. The group withdrew, taking down zombies and skeletons as they went. The undead were relentless, following the group’s retreat. Brutas was the first to go down, and then Taric sacrificed himself, taking a half-dozen or more of the zombies with him. Ryze then accidentally tripped a trap while searching for an escape route. Agnar thought it due justice for getting them into this mess in the first place. Agnar and the wizard Scythus continued running blindly down the corridors. Turning a corner, they paused to catch their breath. "They are following the light," Agnar whispered as he doused it. Then, without thinking twice, he smashed the lantern into the wizard’s knee and ran, leaving him to the undead. Agnar ducked into a room, but he saw that the undead still followed. Determined to face death head-on, he waited in the center of the room, which was filled with books and scrolls. "It ends here," he said, but then something washed over him. The skeletons shambling towards the door halted, watching him. Agnar rushed to the door and slammed it, locking it. With no answers to his good fortune, he did what he had seen adventurers do: he began looking around the room for answers. There he discovered the Truth of Charon. The spot he had been standing on bore the daemon lord's symbol. Emerging from the room a day later, he found the remaining undead subservient to his will. Performing a ritual that he’d learned from the vile books, he ripped the skeleton from the body of one of the Pathfinders. His new minion in tow, he found his way out of the complex eventually, and set out upon his new path, a simple torch bearer no more. _____________________________________________________________ Agnar channeled dark energy, snuffing the life from the last two smugglers. Zavasta had already set several more on fire with the incendiary bombs he’d cooked up. Stripping one of the bodies of its cloak and boots, they left the warehouse. Agnar released control of his undead minions, dressing them in the discarded clothing. It would make the city guards look good to slay them, and as long as the authorities had scapegoats, the likelihood of a serious investigation into the deaths of the smugglers would be greatly reduced. Much cheaper than a bribe, and corpses were plentiful. Upon arriving at Vahr’s door, Agnar turned to Zavasta. "This was my last mission working for Captain Selek,” the priest said. “I will be leaving on the Jenivere tomorrow. I gave your name to the captain should you want a new job. He’ll purchase you, and then you can take over. It’s not too difficult, keeping track of crew members on shore leave, taking bribes to certain officials, keeping records of on land assets, and of course, the occasional killing. I’m stagnating here. Maybe adventure and power await me in Sargava." With that he knocked on Vahr’s door, and told Vahr that the Captain might be by to see him personally next time. He took his leave, nodding once more to Zavasta. Tomorrow the ship would be pulling out. Agnar needed to see that his new minion was properly equipped. [/QUOTE]
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