Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Chapter 1, The Charge
Starhl and Brian
Brian slows and puts his back to a thick pine, his eyes searching the darkness for the voice he heard. No more than five yards away, a hulking shadow stirs. Clutched in the shadow's grasp, the light from Caft reflecting from its sharp edge, is a battleaxe. The woodsman! Starhl!
The orcs continue to march on, their line thin, their harsh shouts and jarring horns meant to frighten those foolish enough to flee back in to Caft. The orcs pass, their massive shadows slipping amongst the trees. Most already move in to Caft, banging on barns and homes. As horns continue to blow, Brian and Starhl see two orcs, massive vardatches in their brawny arms, slink into a crouch and approach Starhl's hiding place.
Reznik and Kaela
I am Uriel.
Reznik crouches near the small wooden door, silently straining against the jammed portal. Above, through the cracks in the floorboards, Kaela can see the men of Caft standing in silence as Uriel steps forward, his head held high, his chest out defiantly. Standing in front of Uriel are several orcs with black scale mail and vardatches. Most are of the Blood Mother Tribe, distinguished by their mohawks, obscene black tatoos, and cruel, savage features. One orc stands in contrast to the others. This orc towers over his compatriots with a rangy build and wears black leather armor. His face lacks the savageness of his brethern, a flicker of intelligence in his eyes. Heavy scars cross his entire frame as he looks on, his face impassive.
Standing next to this tall orc is a tall Dorn, his head bald and a heavy, graying beard hanging down his chin. This is no ordinary legate. Shadows seem to slip around his black cloak and armor. Touched by the Shadow, this man is the focus of his god's power. He smiles cruelly as Uriel steps forward.
Where is the girl? The legate whispers. A cringing farmer, small for a Dorn, steps near his side. Lorne! The bastard who betrayed Aislinn and Caft to the Shadow. But why?
Uriel refuses to answer. The legate smiles slowly. Aislinn buries her face in Kaela's shoulder.
Reznik leans into the door. His strength is enough to make it move, even break it. As Reznik slowly increases the pressure against the door, the wood slates begin to crack ever so slightly, the door refusing to give way unless broken. Above, the legate begins to issue his edicts...
Brian slows and puts his back to a thick pine, his eyes searching the darkness for the voice he heard. No more than five yards away, a hulking shadow stirs. Clutched in the shadow's grasp, the light from Caft reflecting from its sharp edge, is a battleaxe. The woodsman! Starhl!
The orcs continue to march on, their line thin, their harsh shouts and jarring horns meant to frighten those foolish enough to flee back in to Caft. The orcs pass, their massive shadows slipping amongst the trees. Most already move in to Caft, banging on barns and homes. As horns continue to blow, Brian and Starhl see two orcs, massive vardatches in their brawny arms, slink into a crouch and approach Starhl's hiding place.
Reznik and Kaela
I am Uriel.
Reznik crouches near the small wooden door, silently straining against the jammed portal. Above, through the cracks in the floorboards, Kaela can see the men of Caft standing in silence as Uriel steps forward, his head held high, his chest out defiantly. Standing in front of Uriel are several orcs with black scale mail and vardatches. Most are of the Blood Mother Tribe, distinguished by their mohawks, obscene black tatoos, and cruel, savage features. One orc stands in contrast to the others. This orc towers over his compatriots with a rangy build and wears black leather armor. His face lacks the savageness of his brethern, a flicker of intelligence in his eyes. Heavy scars cross his entire frame as he looks on, his face impassive.
Standing next to this tall orc is a tall Dorn, his head bald and a heavy, graying beard hanging down his chin. This is no ordinary legate. Shadows seem to slip around his black cloak and armor. Touched by the Shadow, this man is the focus of his god's power. He smiles cruelly as Uriel steps forward.
Where is the girl? The legate whispers. A cringing farmer, small for a Dorn, steps near his side. Lorne! The bastard who betrayed Aislinn and Caft to the Shadow. But why?
Uriel refuses to answer. The legate smiles slowly. Aislinn buries her face in Kaela's shoulder.
Reznik leans into the door. His strength is enough to make it move, even break it. As Reznik slowly increases the pressure against the door, the wood slates begin to crack ever so slightly, the door refusing to give way unless broken. Above, the legate begins to issue his edicts...
Ranger Rick
First Post
OOC: Do I know Stahl beyond his name?
Damn, Brian thinks as he sees the orc, do I sit hear or go help him out. I so hope he just wants to pass water. Geez, Stahl has a weapon, maybe he does not need my help? One on one hmmm...a fair fight. No I should help...but how? Think...Think...Think...maybe I can throw something.
OOC: Looks for a rock or small log to throw.
Damn, Brian thinks as he sees the orc, do I sit hear or go help him out. I so hope he just wants to pass water. Geez, Stahl has a weapon, maybe he does not need my help? One on one hmmm...a fair fight. No I should help...but how? Think...Think...Think...maybe I can throw something.
OOC: Looks for a rock or small log to throw.
Starhl
Starhl shifts slightly, hefting his battleaxe into a fighting position. With his movement, the orcs pause and then move apart, their dark language ringing through the forest interspersed with gutteral laughter. It is obvious what they intend to do: they are moving into flanking positions.
Brian
Brian finds loose stone wedged in the roots of the tree he is leaning against. The orcs in the forest begin to laugh, We've got one here! He'll wish he never been born! Ha!. The other orcs snarls in anticipation, Fresh meat! Brian notices that the two orcs are moving to come at Starhl's position from opposite sides.
OOC: I would assume you know Starhl as the wildman that lives in the forest to the east, but not on a personal basis. An Outlander like yourself, he rarely associates with anyone in the village, except for bartering.
Reznik and Kaela
The legate continues to look straight at Uriel as he speaks. Lorne. I agree to pay your price. Uriel's wife is yours. What was once his, all that he clung to in his filthy life, is now yours. Uriel's mouth drops open, the shock staggering the huge man as they weasel Lorne scuttles from the inn. Aislinn trembles as he buries her face into Kaela's shoulder and chest, stifling her own cries of dismay.
The legate turns to the tall orc. Widowmaker, have your orcs search this village. Tear it apart if you have to. I want that girl found. The tall orc continues to look at Uriel. The orc's jaw muscles tense and twitch, an internal battle raging within the mighty orc. After several seconds of tense silence, the orc hisses, .Yes, Master Theiv. He spits out the legate's name with spite. The legate only smiles, turns to face the door, and pauses. One more thing, Thune the Widowmaker. Have these men impaled. It might loosen some tongues in the village. The men in the inn begin screaming in terror as they are dragged by the Blood Mothers to their grisly fate.
Starhl shifts slightly, hefting his battleaxe into a fighting position. With his movement, the orcs pause and then move apart, their dark language ringing through the forest interspersed with gutteral laughter. It is obvious what they intend to do: they are moving into flanking positions.
Brian
Brian finds loose stone wedged in the roots of the tree he is leaning against. The orcs in the forest begin to laugh, We've got one here! He'll wish he never been born! Ha!. The other orcs snarls in anticipation, Fresh meat! Brian notices that the two orcs are moving to come at Starhl's position from opposite sides.
OOC: I would assume you know Starhl as the wildman that lives in the forest to the east, but not on a personal basis. An Outlander like yourself, he rarely associates with anyone in the village, except for bartering.
Reznik and Kaela
The legate continues to look straight at Uriel as he speaks. Lorne. I agree to pay your price. Uriel's wife is yours. What was once his, all that he clung to in his filthy life, is now yours. Uriel's mouth drops open, the shock staggering the huge man as they weasel Lorne scuttles from the inn. Aislinn trembles as he buries her face into Kaela's shoulder and chest, stifling her own cries of dismay.
The legate turns to the tall orc. Widowmaker, have your orcs search this village. Tear it apart if you have to. I want that girl found. The tall orc continues to look at Uriel. The orc's jaw muscles tense and twitch, an internal battle raging within the mighty orc. After several seconds of tense silence, the orc hisses, .Yes, Master Theiv. He spits out the legate's name with spite. The legate only smiles, turns to face the door, and pauses. One more thing, Thune the Widowmaker. Have these men impaled. It might loosen some tongues in the village. The men in the inn begin screaming in terror as they are dragged by the Blood Mothers to their grisly fate.
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damn door...
As the legate makes his statement of death for the men of the village, Reznik bides his time...waiting for the moment during the screams and altercations in the inn above to break down the door to the cave.
During the tense few moments, Reznik commits the names to memory "Master Thiez, a Shadow Legate. Thune the Widowmaker, orc war-leader. Lorne the Betrayer, bastard of Caft". Names to the list of those that would die by his blades. Names that added to the hate burning within his heart, that fueled his all encompassing war against Izrador and the Shadow.
OOC:
Break door +3
As the legate makes his statement of death for the men of the village, Reznik bides his time...waiting for the moment during the screams and altercations in the inn above to break down the door to the cave.
During the tense few moments, Reznik commits the names to memory "Master Thiez, a Shadow Legate. Thune the Widowmaker, orc war-leader. Lorne the Betrayer, bastard of Caft". Names to the list of those that would die by his blades. Names that added to the hate burning within his heart, that fueled his all encompassing war against Izrador and the Shadow.
OOC:
Break door +3
Krug
Newshound
Starhl, AC: 14, HP:14
Starhl growls, knowing that he's sunk if they flank him, and with two orcs, they would be difficult to outrun. Emitting a bear-like growl, and hoping that Brian will come to his aid, he whispers a prayer to whatever Gods remain in the lands, shifts the axe to his off-hand, takes out a javelin, and hurls it at the nearest orc. "Face your doom!"
Attack: Javelin +3, 1d6+4, Rng: 30'
Starhl growls, knowing that he's sunk if they flank him, and with two orcs, they would be difficult to outrun. Emitting a bear-like growl, and hoping that Brian will come to his aid, he whispers a prayer to whatever Gods remain in the lands, shifts the axe to his off-hand, takes out a javelin, and hurls it at the nearest orc. "Face your doom!"
Attack: Javelin +3, 1d6+4, Rng: 30'
Ranger Rick
First Post
Brian holds the rock, lets out a breath, stands up and throws it at the nearest orc.
He than charges forward and attacks unarmed.
OOC: AC 14 (include dodge feat) rock +2 damage???
He than charges forward and attacks unarmed.
OOC: AC 14 (include dodge feat) rock +2 damage???
Starhl
Starhl's javelin speeds through the night air with an audible hiss. A rending sound follows as its hardened tip pierces the orc's shoulder, passing through first metal, then flesh. The orc emits a blood-curdling howl as it charges, its vardatch raised high. With a mighty swing, the vardatch crashes into Starhl's left side, blood begining to run freely down the Dorn's legs (8 points of damage).
Brian
Brian's throw is uncertain in the dark woods, the stone careening off the orc's scale mail armor. A warrior of many battles, the orc turns quickly swinging his vardatch at Brian's head as Brian charges the orc. Brian barely ducks in time as the vardatch cleaves into a nearby pine with an audible CHOCK!
Reznik and Kaela
Reznik pulls on the door as its bottom slates snap. Quickly throwing the door open, Reznik and Kaela spy a narrow damp, earthen tunnel reinforced with stone and timber. Aislinn whimpers slightly, her face damp with tears. Above, the screams of Caft's men, harsh, guttural laughter, and the tramp of hobnailed boots is deafening...
OOC: Everyone, thanks for including skills, bonuses, and attack statistics in your posts. It clarifies to me exactly what you want to do and saves me time when I roll the dice!
Starhl's javelin speeds through the night air with an audible hiss. A rending sound follows as its hardened tip pierces the orc's shoulder, passing through first metal, then flesh. The orc emits a blood-curdling howl as it charges, its vardatch raised high. With a mighty swing, the vardatch crashes into Starhl's left side, blood begining to run freely down the Dorn's legs (8 points of damage).
Brian
Brian's throw is uncertain in the dark woods, the stone careening off the orc's scale mail armor. A warrior of many battles, the orc turns quickly swinging his vardatch at Brian's head as Brian charges the orc. Brian barely ducks in time as the vardatch cleaves into a nearby pine with an audible CHOCK!
Reznik and Kaela
Reznik pulls on the door as its bottom slates snap. Quickly throwing the door open, Reznik and Kaela spy a narrow damp, earthen tunnel reinforced with stone and timber. Aislinn whimpers slightly, her face damp with tears. Above, the screams of Caft's men, harsh, guttural laughter, and the tramp of hobnailed boots is deafening...
OOC: Everyone, thanks for including skills, bonuses, and attack statistics in your posts. It clarifies to me exactly what you want to do and saves me time when I roll the dice!
