Kingdom of Alwen Res: Sword of Power Campaign

[Kinger]

Out of character: I forsee a certain spell that sounds like Conflict Sperious Moons in that soldier's near future.

Back in character:

"Savages! Savages!" wheezes a dying man as Bison-Run-Thunderous passes.

The half-orc cannot help but smile the smile of a triumphant predator. "Savages. Dat be right, mon, dat be right." Today, some proved their ability to survive, while many did not. The two stolen paladins were part of his pack now, since there had been a chance of getting them back, Bison-Run-Thunderous had seized it.

 

[ThaDoc]

The gall some of these vanquished opponents have!

We pan over from Bison walking past the dying malefactor, to Shenk having a decidedly one-sided conversation with our indulging barbarian.

As the words of that poor loser reach over the death-throughs, Shenk's ears twitch and he turned slowly toward the direction from where they came. A twitch in his eye and brandishing enough tempered metal to make a blacksmith blush, he approached the soldier kneeling over his collection of innards, so obviously the man who spoke so defiantly.

"You believe that *We* are the savages? I'll tell you what savage is. Savage is forcing men once dedicated to honour, to work against their will for quests to help their sworn enemy. I have seen what your magics have done. Not killing a defeated captive, but instead making them work for survival is savage."

Shenk brought a gauntleted fist to the man's throat and lifted him from the ground.

"What did you expect when you took our party members? A letter of discord? A PETITION IN PROTESTATION?? We knew damn well what you foxes had in store for our defeated comrades!"

He tossed the dying man backwards on top of his dead mates.

"No. Force is the only thing you understand. You had us before with your show of force. If for a moment I saw that our group could have prevailed, I would have led the charge Personally! Instead we took advantage of you when you least expected it. Do NOT think to bring down this victory by threatening our welfare and with words like 'savage'."

Shenk noticed out of the corner of his eye, the figures of his flayed and tortured paladin friends come stumbling out of the shack. Infuriated, he again raised the soldier and pointed his head in that direction.

"Look at what your leader has done to prisoners! THAT isn't savage?!?"

Letting out a long breath Shenk rested the man on his feet and let him stand, wavering in the night. A sinister, toothy grin flashed Shenk's tusks to the ailing soldier.

"Don't be too disappointed in your performance tonight for someday we will meet again in that eternal battlefield above. I will come one day and you may attempt to exact revenge; but today is not that day!! Let the souls in the next world know the name Shenk Bloodrock!!"

A flash of steel reflected from the campfires, a tell-tale swoosh from Shenk's side brought the great axe above his head, poised to drop a blow that would wound a god.

"Repent your master's dishonour, it was he that condemned you all."

*Blammo*

(*roll* Oh, look at that, natural 20. Confirm critical... does a 28 hit an ailing soldier? Eeeexcellent... 59 damage. Does his soul even *make* it to the next plane?)

 

[Kinger]

Overhearing Shenk's tirade, Bison-Run-Thunderous continues to smile. "Dat's eloquence, mon."

He and Shenk have slightly differing views, it seems. While both were concerned with getting their comrades back, if not a little personal satisfaction, Shenk did so for honour, and Bison did so for a better chance of survival.

Honour... The word didn't have much meaning to Bison-Run-Thunderous. Honour was one thing that the trials of the natural world cared nothing for. The Earth-Mother didn't need her children to be honourable. There were aspects of honour to be admired, of course, but as a whole it was an excuse used by many to justify weakness.

Honour didn't help you out in the Wilds. Loyalty, yes. Determination, yes. Both were aspects of honour, and seperated from it they were of utmost importance. Combined with the rest of what honour entailed, however, and they were not worth sparing another thought for.

"Nuttan wrong wit beean a savage," Bison-Run-Thunderous murmured to himself. "Savages survive."

 

[Bif the Understudy]

Galieth looks up from his ponderings of the defense of the fort to his metal clad friend?, a newfound respect for the halforc forms in his mind and makes a mental note of is new attitude on honor.

As for Galieths attitude on honor, "fight to live".

As he looks around at the carnage, "all pawns", he mutters to himself and continues his plans for defending the fort.

 

[ThaDoc]

If memory serves me...

Togenheim feels torn by the brutal slaying of his halfling comrade by another. He decides to confront Shenk before parting with him and following Stryker Dale...

From what I remember, there was nothing brutal about it. I wasn't armed and the halfling with his damned rat or beaver or whatever the hell that was attacked out of cold blood. The fact of the matter is, I dun sushi'd his glutious maximus

 

[ThaDoc]

The eloquence of running the fox away...

I couldn't figure out how to quote with the quick reply, so apologies for the double post.
__________________________________________________________________________

Shenk wiped the axe down. Copious amounts of dried blood on weapon and personage are great displays of battle prowess, but the gleam of hardened steel on a battlefield can bring great changes in morale. Great pride in the bearer, or ominous dread in the opponent. He then called out to the barbarian huddled over his brain horde.

"My leaping comrade. A freshly shucked soldier lays at my feet. Feel free to indulge."

With that Shenk moved over to Bison and Galieth to discuss matters of that dank pit entrance and defence of the fort.

"A fine battle my comrades. We shall toast eachother in a tavern of our choosing later. Right now I recognize three problems that must be dealt with. At the onset of our siege on this compound we observed many soldiers pour out in defence of the farms. They will return soon enough to find they're legion-mates face down in a sea of their own blood."

He paused to remove an eviscerated tendon from the shoulder plate of his armour.

"When these soldiers return we have two choices..."

Tossing the gore aside he continued

"...cut them down as we've just done with these men. Or leave now and make haste to destroying the farms, continuing on to Atherstone. At this point I have no qualms about leaving along the road. Haste over stealth... As for the stone entrance to that hole...what lies within should stay within."

Shenk waited to hear their thoughts on the situation that could turn ugly very soon. The team's resources were already stretched thin after this fight, and he knew it. The victory was a hard fought one, and although Shenk wouldn't admit it so, he would welcome no other confrontations for the rest of the night...

 

[Kinger]

The druid snorted to himself at Shenk's mentioning of a trip to the tavern. Unless they really wanted him to, Bison-Run-Thunderous had no intention of entering a place where he could not see the sky.

"I agree wit chu about dat cave, mon," begins Bison. "I don't be likan da prospect of goan down dere. I be tinkan it be best if we not corner any beasts dat be lyan widdin. Also, we found our companions, so we don't be needan to go down dere anyway."

The druid looked about the compound quickly. "I don't be tinkan it be a good idea to stay here much longer eider, mon. We be wit our comrades again, so we don't be needan to stay. I be tinkan it be best if we just left now, wit all haste. If we travel swiftly, back da way we came, den I be tinkan we can be gone before dese ones notice."


OOC: And regarding the halfling: You do have to admit the slaying was rather brutal, wasn't it? I recall something about there being half a halfling remaining afterwards. I think Togenheim was more concerned about wishing Galieth well and catching up with the fleeing Stryker Dale (while carrying an unconscious Flasheye, I think), however, than Shenk.

 

[Bif the Understudy]

--out of character--whats the druid spell that changes stone into clay?

Galieth ponders for a moment, "I think collapsing the entrance would be a start if we could somehow pull it off quickly enough."

He looks at the size of the battlements and compares it to his mental note of the height of the giants he's slain in the past few days and adds, "I don't think this fort is going to very defensible against giants, but we may be able to keep the other soldiers away with a well told lie and that black dome."

Galieth glances at the Barbarian who seems to be staring at a pile of brains in his hand and looking at Galieth funny......


P.S.
I seem to recall a critical hit that ended in the halflings demise, so what is he now a quarterling? Wether or not you consider that brutal or just excesive thats up to you.

 

[ThaDoc]

With a cocked eyebrow, Shenk glanced sidelong at Galieth...

"You mean to stay? I realize you may feel ready for another fight but the others that have ties to the arcane or a divine higher power, including myself, will have used much of their resources this night. Another battle would not be wise."

Note: Your right Ben, the halfling was killed with some unheardof amount of damage when he only had about 5 or so HP left. What a waste XD That pet of his came close to killing me moreso than his bow. Silly halfer.

 

[Kinger]

Bison-Run-Thunderous grunts to himself, then interjects. "I don't be tinkan stayan be da best plan, mon. Our paladin comrades be wit us again, so I don't be seean why we need to be stayan. Avoidan confrontation be a better way of survivan wit giants, I be expectan."

The druid gestures towards the entrance. "If we leave along da trail of all dose dat left before, at least until we be back amongst da trees, I be sure we can get away."

He pauses, considering and gnawing on his lower lip. "Aldough, mon, I don't be tinkan da paladins be in much shape for travel right now. However, I tink dey be in even less shape for fightan giants, so I be tinkan leaving soon be da best option."

OOC EDIT: The spell you're thinking of is Transmute Rock to Mud, and it's a 5th level spell that won't work if the stone is worked or magical. I can't cast it yet.