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Sniktch's Story Hour Prelude - From the Beginning (UPDATED 04/22)
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<blockquote data-quote="Sniktch" data-source="post: 422371" data-attributes="member: 7704"><p><strong>The Choker strikes! Aldin Trember.</strong></p><p></p><p>Welby paused. He thought he’d heard something - yes, there it was again. Not the soft footfalls of Ike padding along behind him, but a scraping, scuffling sound. He glanced back over his shoulder and shouted in dismay and alarm. A strange creature had emerged from the rubble blocking the southern hallway. It looked like a ghoulish, emaciated halfling with tough, knobby gray skin and incredibly long and spindly arms and legs. It had one of its tentacle like limbs wrapped around Filthy Ike’s neck, the half-orc vainly struggling, eyes bulging and skin taking a bluish cast.</p><p></p><p>Welby shouted again and charged towards the creature. It dropped the half-orc to the floor, where he lay unmoving, and slapped at Welby’s head. He barely ducked the blow and swung his axe at its midsection, but the creature’s movements were strange and fluid, its body seeming to roll out of the path of the blow and then snapping back as the monster renewed its attack with incredible celerity. He managed a glancing blow off its ribs and then the creature caught him in one of its claws, its long tentacles wrapping around his throat and cutting into his windpipe. He dropped his axe and tried to pull its arm away but the creature was amazingly strong for its size. Too strong. Black spots began dancing in his vision and he focused all of his will upon simply remaining conscious.</p><p></p><p>Jack charged in with the Crow just behind, deflecting a slap with his shield as he closed with his foe. He swung his axe in a downward chop, reacting instinctively when the creature dodged at the last moment, and cutting hard into one of its legs, nearly severing it. The Crow stepped in as the monster howled in pain and neatly skewered the arm holding Welby with his rapier.</p><p></p><p>It dropped the halfling and lashed out blindly in pain and rage, delivering a ringing slap to Jack’s helmet that drove the dwarf to one knee. Welby remained on his hands and knees, gasping and retching. Dazed, Jack swung wildly and missed but the Crow flanked it and delivered a killing hit, neatly piercing its throat.</p><p></p><p>Eli had watched the battle for several moments, waiting for an opportunity to put an arrow into the beast. It soon became clear to him that he was far more likely to hit one of his friends than the small and agile monster they fought, so he dropped his bow and ran to where it had dropped Filthy Ike. The half-orc’s throat already showed intense bruising and discoloration, and he did not appear to be breathing. Thinking back to the few lessons he’d received on the healing arts, Eli tilted Ike’s head back, pinched his nostrils shut and exhaled down his throat, forcing air into his lungs. After several tense moments Ike’s eyes shot open and he sat up, wheezing and coughing.</p><p></p><p>Jack used the last of his healing prayers for the day to fortify the wounded Ike and Welby. It was not much, but for now it kept them on their feet. His own skull still rang from the hit he’d taken, but he had only one more blessing today and that could only be used to augment his weapon. They searched through the rubble that had hid the creature for a few minutes but found nothing, until Jack said, “Don’t seem to be anything down here other’n that critter. Might as well keep headin down. Won’t be safe to camp ‘til we know the orcs’re won’t be lookin fer who killed their friends.”</p><p></p><p>Battered and weary, they climbed back into the lift and proceeded down the shaft. They dropped into a larger chamber that was relatively clear of debris, all of it having been piled in one corner of the room. Two orcs lounged by a doorway and a third pushed a wheelbarrow full of rubble toward the mound. One of the orcs looked up and recognized intruders in the basket, and picked up a crossbow as it yelled down the hall “Aldin! Aldin!”</p><p></p><p>Ike fired his crossbow at the shouting orc, the bolt tearing into its cheek and burrowing into its throat. The orc’s cries became a gurgle as it choked on its blood. The one manning the wheelbarrow dropped its load and sprinted for its weapon, but Jack jumped from the basket before the lift stopped moving and cut it down. The remaining orc dodged a fired bolt from Royston and launched one of its own, missing, before turning and fleeing the chamber. Welby shot it in the back but it didn’t slow, disappearing around a corner.</p><p>___________________________________________</p><p></p><p>Aldin Trember looked up when he heard the first cries. He rose from puzzle he’d been studying and grabbed his weapon, a beautifully crafted mace. He called to his orcish companion and it ceased its digging, throwing down the shovel it held in favor of its axe. A moment later another orc ran into the room shouting for him, an arrow imbedded in its shoulder blade.</p><p></p><p>“Aldin, dey’s introoders, lots of ‘em. Da rest of da boyz is ded.”</p><p></p><p>“Silence, you fool! With the blessings of Our Dark Mistress, we shall make short work of these fools.” Aldin grabbed the arrow and yanked it free, ignoring the orc’s howl of pain. He grabbed the spurting wound and called for his lady’s blessing. It was a stupid creature and unworthy of the gift, but he needed its strength now to repulse this invasion. The wound hissed and smoked as the divine power cauterized and sealed it.</p><p></p><p>“Now, both of you, kill the infidels! I shall be right behind you.” As the orcs charged out of the room Aldin chanted another prayer, raising a shield to protect himself from ranged attacks. Thus protected, and armed with his faith, Aldin followed the orcs, certain of his coming victory.</p><p>___________________________________________</p><p></p><p>Jack and the Royston Crow entered the passage first to find two howling orcs bearing down upon them. Behind the orcs approached a man surrounded by a glowing nimbus of multi-colored lights and carrying a wickedly flanged mace. He roared “Clangeddin!” and rushed forward to meet the charge. His first stroke destroyed an orc’s ribcage, but the other orc chopped deep into Royston’s side and the half-elf fell moaning to the floor. He paired off against the remaining orc and waited for it to commit to an attack.</p><p></p><p>Eli hung back with Welby and Ike, who were too badly injured to risk the dangerous blades of the orcs. His attention was focused on the figure with the chaotic aura, and he watched as his companions fired their bows at the man. The arrows struck the field and were deflected into the floor. Eli chanted the words to a spell, pointing his finger towards the man. A thin ray of freezing cold shot out of his fingertip and knifed through the air, but Eli could only watch in dismay as it was refracted harmlessly into the wall by the shimmering field.</p><p></p><p>The last orc hesitated only momentarily before charging. Jack sidestepped at the last moment, bringing his own axe in line with the orc’s neck and neatly decapitating it. He spun to face the last adversary as he heard the body slump to the floor behind him. The figure looked like an older and heavy set version of Marsem Trember, the sorcerer they had captured earlier today, his image strangely contorted by the lights dancing around him. Reciting a prayer to the Morrigan, the figure beckoned him forward. Jack raised his axe and charged.</p><p></p><p>Eli watched his friend move to combat the enemy priest. As Jack drew near, the man finished his prayer and his hand began to emit a sickly black light. He reached out and placed his palm on Jack’s mailed vest and the dwarf fell away gasping, icy fingers of pain clutching at his heart. Eli yelled, “No!” and cast his final offensive spell. A silver bolt of energy streaked toward his foe, this time punching through the protective field and striking him with a hiss. Welby and Ike followed with another volley and this time Welby’s arrow flew true to his mark, piercing Aldin just above the knee.</p><p></p><p>Aldin staggered forward, cursing his enemies with every colorful oath he knew. He swung his mace at Jack’s head, hoping to finish the dwarf before he recovered. Steel rang on steel as Jack brought his axe up, parrying the blow. Jack pushed upwards against his opponent’s weapon, at the same time kicking his opponent’s wounded knee with a heavy, mailed boot.</p><p></p><p>Aldin screamed in pain and outrage as his leg gave out from under him and he collapsed to the floor. They would pay for the suffering and humiliation they had caused him this day! He would make sure that their agony would last until they begged for the release of death. He looked up to see a gleaming axe blade descending, but he did not have enough time to scream again before it struck.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sniktch, post: 422371, member: 7704"] [b]The Choker strikes! Aldin Trember.[/b] Welby paused. He thought he’d heard something - yes, there it was again. Not the soft footfalls of Ike padding along behind him, but a scraping, scuffling sound. He glanced back over his shoulder and shouted in dismay and alarm. A strange creature had emerged from the rubble blocking the southern hallway. It looked like a ghoulish, emaciated halfling with tough, knobby gray skin and incredibly long and spindly arms and legs. It had one of its tentacle like limbs wrapped around Filthy Ike’s neck, the half-orc vainly struggling, eyes bulging and skin taking a bluish cast. Welby shouted again and charged towards the creature. It dropped the half-orc to the floor, where he lay unmoving, and slapped at Welby’s head. He barely ducked the blow and swung his axe at its midsection, but the creature’s movements were strange and fluid, its body seeming to roll out of the path of the blow and then snapping back as the monster renewed its attack with incredible celerity. He managed a glancing blow off its ribs and then the creature caught him in one of its claws, its long tentacles wrapping around his throat and cutting into his windpipe. He dropped his axe and tried to pull its arm away but the creature was amazingly strong for its size. Too strong. Black spots began dancing in his vision and he focused all of his will upon simply remaining conscious. Jack charged in with the Crow just behind, deflecting a slap with his shield as he closed with his foe. He swung his axe in a downward chop, reacting instinctively when the creature dodged at the last moment, and cutting hard into one of its legs, nearly severing it. The Crow stepped in as the monster howled in pain and neatly skewered the arm holding Welby with his rapier. It dropped the halfling and lashed out blindly in pain and rage, delivering a ringing slap to Jack’s helmet that drove the dwarf to one knee. Welby remained on his hands and knees, gasping and retching. Dazed, Jack swung wildly and missed but the Crow flanked it and delivered a killing hit, neatly piercing its throat. Eli had watched the battle for several moments, waiting for an opportunity to put an arrow into the beast. It soon became clear to him that he was far more likely to hit one of his friends than the small and agile monster they fought, so he dropped his bow and ran to where it had dropped Filthy Ike. The half-orc’s throat already showed intense bruising and discoloration, and he did not appear to be breathing. Thinking back to the few lessons he’d received on the healing arts, Eli tilted Ike’s head back, pinched his nostrils shut and exhaled down his throat, forcing air into his lungs. After several tense moments Ike’s eyes shot open and he sat up, wheezing and coughing. Jack used the last of his healing prayers for the day to fortify the wounded Ike and Welby. It was not much, but for now it kept them on their feet. His own skull still rang from the hit he’d taken, but he had only one more blessing today and that could only be used to augment his weapon. They searched through the rubble that had hid the creature for a few minutes but found nothing, until Jack said, “Don’t seem to be anything down here other’n that critter. Might as well keep headin down. Won’t be safe to camp ‘til we know the orcs’re won’t be lookin fer who killed their friends.” Battered and weary, they climbed back into the lift and proceeded down the shaft. They dropped into a larger chamber that was relatively clear of debris, all of it having been piled in one corner of the room. Two orcs lounged by a doorway and a third pushed a wheelbarrow full of rubble toward the mound. One of the orcs looked up and recognized intruders in the basket, and picked up a crossbow as it yelled down the hall “Aldin! Aldin!” Ike fired his crossbow at the shouting orc, the bolt tearing into its cheek and burrowing into its throat. The orc’s cries became a gurgle as it choked on its blood. The one manning the wheelbarrow dropped its load and sprinted for its weapon, but Jack jumped from the basket before the lift stopped moving and cut it down. The remaining orc dodged a fired bolt from Royston and launched one of its own, missing, before turning and fleeing the chamber. Welby shot it in the back but it didn’t slow, disappearing around a corner. ___________________________________________ Aldin Trember looked up when he heard the first cries. He rose from puzzle he’d been studying and grabbed his weapon, a beautifully crafted mace. He called to his orcish companion and it ceased its digging, throwing down the shovel it held in favor of its axe. A moment later another orc ran into the room shouting for him, an arrow imbedded in its shoulder blade. “Aldin, dey’s introoders, lots of ‘em. Da rest of da boyz is ded.” “Silence, you fool! With the blessings of Our Dark Mistress, we shall make short work of these fools.” Aldin grabbed the arrow and yanked it free, ignoring the orc’s howl of pain. He grabbed the spurting wound and called for his lady’s blessing. It was a stupid creature and unworthy of the gift, but he needed its strength now to repulse this invasion. The wound hissed and smoked as the divine power cauterized and sealed it. “Now, both of you, kill the infidels! I shall be right behind you.” As the orcs charged out of the room Aldin chanted another prayer, raising a shield to protect himself from ranged attacks. Thus protected, and armed with his faith, Aldin followed the orcs, certain of his coming victory. ___________________________________________ Jack and the Royston Crow entered the passage first to find two howling orcs bearing down upon them. Behind the orcs approached a man surrounded by a glowing nimbus of multi-colored lights and carrying a wickedly flanged mace. He roared “Clangeddin!” and rushed forward to meet the charge. His first stroke destroyed an orc’s ribcage, but the other orc chopped deep into Royston’s side and the half-elf fell moaning to the floor. He paired off against the remaining orc and waited for it to commit to an attack. Eli hung back with Welby and Ike, who were too badly injured to risk the dangerous blades of the orcs. His attention was focused on the figure with the chaotic aura, and he watched as his companions fired their bows at the man. The arrows struck the field and were deflected into the floor. Eli chanted the words to a spell, pointing his finger towards the man. A thin ray of freezing cold shot out of his fingertip and knifed through the air, but Eli could only watch in dismay as it was refracted harmlessly into the wall by the shimmering field. The last orc hesitated only momentarily before charging. Jack sidestepped at the last moment, bringing his own axe in line with the orc’s neck and neatly decapitating it. He spun to face the last adversary as he heard the body slump to the floor behind him. The figure looked like an older and heavy set version of Marsem Trember, the sorcerer they had captured earlier today, his image strangely contorted by the lights dancing around him. Reciting a prayer to the Morrigan, the figure beckoned him forward. Jack raised his axe and charged. Eli watched his friend move to combat the enemy priest. As Jack drew near, the man finished his prayer and his hand began to emit a sickly black light. He reached out and placed his palm on Jack’s mailed vest and the dwarf fell away gasping, icy fingers of pain clutching at his heart. Eli yelled, “No!” and cast his final offensive spell. A silver bolt of energy streaked toward his foe, this time punching through the protective field and striking him with a hiss. Welby and Ike followed with another volley and this time Welby’s arrow flew true to his mark, piercing Aldin just above the knee. Aldin staggered forward, cursing his enemies with every colorful oath he knew. He swung his mace at Jack’s head, hoping to finish the dwarf before he recovered. Steel rang on steel as Jack brought his axe up, parrying the blow. Jack pushed upwards against his opponent’s weapon, at the same time kicking his opponent’s wounded knee with a heavy, mailed boot. Aldin screamed in pain and outrage as his leg gave out from under him and he collapsed to the floor. They would pay for the suffering and humiliation they had caused him this day! He would make sure that their agony would last until they begged for the release of death. He looked up to see a gleaming axe blade descending, but he did not have enough time to scream again before it struck. [/QUOTE]
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Sniktch's Story Hour Prelude - From the Beginning (UPDATED 04/22)
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