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Wulf's Collected Story Hour -- FINAL UPDATE 12/25
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<blockquote data-quote="Wulf Ratbane" data-source="post: 706" data-attributes="member: 94"><p><strong>FORGE OF FURY (Part I)</strong></p><p></p><p>Eager to put the Sunless Citadel behind them, the party's next adventure began in the humble fashion of so many others: hired on as guards to babysit a caravan of goods from one town to the next. The threat was orcs, and the pay was negligible-- but unlike many dwarves, Wulf's thirst is for battle and blood, not goods and gold-- and the party agreed to take the job.</p><p></p><p>The journey was short, so the action started quickly. The first night the party was ambushed by a pack of Worgs, fearlessly dashing in past the circled wagons to get at the horses inside. A couple of horses were quickly disemboweled before the heroes were even able to raise the call to arms. While the halfling tumbled to and fro beneath the wagons and frightful horses, looking to set up the elusive No-Risk Flank Attack(tm), Wulf leapt down from his watchpost atop a wagon. Axe and dagger sprang to his hands as goblin curses sprang to his lips-- "Come play wi' Wulf, little doggies!" The Worgs were none too eager to rise to his challenge, not even when faced with the equally daunting prospects of Halma's barbarian greatsword or Keldas' magic, and those who were not dead or dying were soon driven off. Dagger in hand and unbloodied, the halfling crept out from under the wagons and hurled some parting insults into the darkness.</p><p></p><p>The party was wary of another ambush, and as the caravan neared the next town, the caravan master informed them that the last "tricky spot" was a long narrow bridge across a deep chasm. "Yes, gentlemen, it is at this point that I would like to inform you that the wagons will only be able to cross one at a time, and there's little standing room to either side for guards. Sorry I didn't inform you sooner, I guess it didn't seem relevant."</p><p></p><p>The caravan was brought to a halt on the near side of the bridge, just as the sun was setting, parked on the road between two steep slopes. The keen-eyed halfling spotted some movement on the other side, and the heroes set about forming a plan to keep themselves from getting killed. Wulf suggested scouting across the bridge first, to take out any archers on the other side; Keldas toyed with the idea of a showy <em>Shield</em> spell to draw their fire and make himself nigh invincible to their shots. Halma registered little opinion other than the usual "Smash Orcs! Now!" The halfling got that troublesome glint in his eye and ducked into one of the wagons. He emerged moments later, having used his amazing roguish ability to disguise himself as a terrifying orc... a convincing enough disguise, should you find yourself in need of a child-sized orc.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly, arrows started raining down onto the caravan from the slopes to the sides-- the ambush was here, on the near side of the bridge! Quick as a flash, Halma was racing up the hill, his furious battlecry winkling out the orcs from their hiding positions behind the rocks and shrubs. Working seamlessly with his ally, Wulf dashed up the opposite slope to prevent the crossfire from getting any worse, while Keldas climbed atop a wagon and cast his <em>Shield</em> spell. The halfling spent a few precious moments berating the party, "You're ruining the plan! You think maybe just ONCE we could try to parlay with them? WHATEVER!"</p><p></p><p>Halma moved up the slopes and through the orcs effortlessly; Wulf slowly closed the distance while his sling sent half-pound hurtin' hurtling into the enemy. Keldas had drawn his deadly longbow and positioned his Shield against the majority of the orcish archers.</p><p></p><p>Despite the fact that the jig was clearly up, the battle was engaged, and the orcs were well aware of their presence, the halfling was belting out commands like an Orcish soprano: "Halt! We are your allies! Cease fiiiiiiiiiiiiire!"</p><p></p><p>With the heroes' warriors now well up on the slopes, the remaining orcs drew their axes and came out of hiding, dashing down the slopes to attack the caravan. A particularly large brute singled out Keldas, who was standing atop the wagon but still well within reach, as his next victim. As Wulf dispatched the last of his foes, he bellowed fighting orders down to the halfling rogue: "Protect the mage and the healer! Fight, damn yer, fight!"</p><p></p><p>Keldas and Kellick were sorely pressed. A swell of orcs surrounded them, but a well-timed <em>Charm Person</em> brought one of the orc warriors over to the heroes' side for a moment. With one of the orcs charmed, and a strange orcish child tumbling about at his feet, the orcish leader hesitated. The halfling tumbled through his legs and behind him, hoping to set up a flank attack across from the charmed warrior-- only to realize that the situation was rather more complicated, with friends among friends among enemies. The leader turned to face him, and the halfling's tiny dagger (though wielded with impressive finesse) was no match for a great-axe; he was soon tumbling for his life again. The halfling seemed to have found his niche in life as Professional Distraction. Confusion reigned and the infighting lasted long enough for the heroes to triumph-- with two orcish prisoners as the prize of the day.</p><p></p><p>Wulf immediately busied himself with restraining Halma, his mind already working feverishly with the forms of torture he'd visit upon the orcs to extract the location of their lair-- and the difficulty he would have persuading the elf and the halfling that such unsavory measures were, in the long run, for the greater good. Halma was sent to cool off for a while, trying to wrap his mind around the concept that captives now meant more orcs to kill later.</p><p></p><p>Wulf paced around outside for a few moments, trying to figure out exactly how he could persuade his new friends to hand over the prisoners. It was always a touchy situation, but he'd been through this before-- back in the Sunless Citadel it took some time to explain that kobold women and children were damned by their nature, incapable of redemption, and that leaving them alive was irresponsible and negligent. Keldas and the halfling responded then with what their gods would likely deem a similarly irresponsible negligence, and turned their backs on the heroic butchery that ensued. Ahhh... Righteousness!</p><p></p><p>Bolstered by that past success, Wulf ducked into the covered wagon to press his case once again. To his delight and surprise he found the halfling, dagger out, threatening the eye of one of the prisoners. He folded his arms to watch, unable to understand the gutteral Orcish language of the interrogation-- but understanding all too well the implicit language of pain and blood. He could barely suppress his laughter as Keldas fired an <em>Acid Arrow</em>, point blank, onto the leg of the other prisoner. As the orc's leg slowly melted away beneath the acid, the halfling interrogated him with the ruthless efficiency that only a halfling rogue can muster-- like a sweet child's doll gone terribly, terribly wrong. The orc's long, agonizing cry echoed through the canyon. Ahhh... Righteousness!</p><p></p><p>Wulf was nearly bowled over as Kellick came charging into the wagon. "What in the Nine Hells is going ON in here? What are you DOING!?" Kellick quickly cast a healing spell on the orc before he lost life or limb, then proceeded to explain to Keldas that this was not the way that good and civilized people behaved. Surely the gods work in mysterious ways when a gnome druid is the voice of goodness and reason. </p><p></p><p>Wulf quickly agreed. "Aye, we're a day out of town, we can hand 'em over to the local priest, and he'll have the truth out of 'em right quick-- an' in a much more peaceful an' understanding way, ta boot. Yer should be ashamed!"</p><p></p><p>"Ach, Kellick... Got any more healing?"</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Wulf Ratbane, post: 706, member: 94"] [b]FORGE OF FURY (Part I)[/b] Eager to put the Sunless Citadel behind them, the party's next adventure began in the humble fashion of so many others: hired on as guards to babysit a caravan of goods from one town to the next. The threat was orcs, and the pay was negligible-- but unlike many dwarves, Wulf's thirst is for battle and blood, not goods and gold-- and the party agreed to take the job. The journey was short, so the action started quickly. The first night the party was ambushed by a pack of Worgs, fearlessly dashing in past the circled wagons to get at the horses inside. A couple of horses were quickly disemboweled before the heroes were even able to raise the call to arms. While the halfling tumbled to and fro beneath the wagons and frightful horses, looking to set up the elusive No-Risk Flank Attack(tm), Wulf leapt down from his watchpost atop a wagon. Axe and dagger sprang to his hands as goblin curses sprang to his lips-- "Come play wi' Wulf, little doggies!" The Worgs were none too eager to rise to his challenge, not even when faced with the equally daunting prospects of Halma's barbarian greatsword or Keldas' magic, and those who were not dead or dying were soon driven off. Dagger in hand and unbloodied, the halfling crept out from under the wagons and hurled some parting insults into the darkness. The party was wary of another ambush, and as the caravan neared the next town, the caravan master informed them that the last "tricky spot" was a long narrow bridge across a deep chasm. "Yes, gentlemen, it is at this point that I would like to inform you that the wagons will only be able to cross one at a time, and there's little standing room to either side for guards. Sorry I didn't inform you sooner, I guess it didn't seem relevant." The caravan was brought to a halt on the near side of the bridge, just as the sun was setting, parked on the road between two steep slopes. The keen-eyed halfling spotted some movement on the other side, and the heroes set about forming a plan to keep themselves from getting killed. Wulf suggested scouting across the bridge first, to take out any archers on the other side; Keldas toyed with the idea of a showy [i]Shield[/i] spell to draw their fire and make himself nigh invincible to their shots. Halma registered little opinion other than the usual "Smash Orcs! Now!" The halfling got that troublesome glint in his eye and ducked into one of the wagons. He emerged moments later, having used his amazing roguish ability to disguise himself as a terrifying orc... a convincing enough disguise, should you find yourself in need of a child-sized orc. Suddenly, arrows started raining down onto the caravan from the slopes to the sides-- the ambush was here, on the near side of the bridge! Quick as a flash, Halma was racing up the hill, his furious battlecry winkling out the orcs from their hiding positions behind the rocks and shrubs. Working seamlessly with his ally, Wulf dashed up the opposite slope to prevent the crossfire from getting any worse, while Keldas climbed atop a wagon and cast his [i]Shield[/i] spell. The halfling spent a few precious moments berating the party, "You're ruining the plan! You think maybe just ONCE we could try to parlay with them? WHATEVER!" Halma moved up the slopes and through the orcs effortlessly; Wulf slowly closed the distance while his sling sent half-pound hurtin' hurtling into the enemy. Keldas had drawn his deadly longbow and positioned his Shield against the majority of the orcish archers. Despite the fact that the jig was clearly up, the battle was engaged, and the orcs were well aware of their presence, the halfling was belting out commands like an Orcish soprano: "Halt! We are your allies! Cease fiiiiiiiiiiiiire!" With the heroes' warriors now well up on the slopes, the remaining orcs drew their axes and came out of hiding, dashing down the slopes to attack the caravan. A particularly large brute singled out Keldas, who was standing atop the wagon but still well within reach, as his next victim. As Wulf dispatched the last of his foes, he bellowed fighting orders down to the halfling rogue: "Protect the mage and the healer! Fight, damn yer, fight!" Keldas and Kellick were sorely pressed. A swell of orcs surrounded them, but a well-timed [i]Charm Person[/i] brought one of the orc warriors over to the heroes' side for a moment. With one of the orcs charmed, and a strange orcish child tumbling about at his feet, the orcish leader hesitated. The halfling tumbled through his legs and behind him, hoping to set up a flank attack across from the charmed warrior-- only to realize that the situation was rather more complicated, with friends among friends among enemies. The leader turned to face him, and the halfling's tiny dagger (though wielded with impressive finesse) was no match for a great-axe; he was soon tumbling for his life again. The halfling seemed to have found his niche in life as Professional Distraction. Confusion reigned and the infighting lasted long enough for the heroes to triumph-- with two orcish prisoners as the prize of the day. Wulf immediately busied himself with restraining Halma, his mind already working feverishly with the forms of torture he'd visit upon the orcs to extract the location of their lair-- and the difficulty he would have persuading the elf and the halfling that such unsavory measures were, in the long run, for the greater good. Halma was sent to cool off for a while, trying to wrap his mind around the concept that captives now meant more orcs to kill later. Wulf paced around outside for a few moments, trying to figure out exactly how he could persuade his new friends to hand over the prisoners. It was always a touchy situation, but he'd been through this before-- back in the Sunless Citadel it took some time to explain that kobold women and children were damned by their nature, incapable of redemption, and that leaving them alive was irresponsible and negligent. Keldas and the halfling responded then with what their gods would likely deem a similarly irresponsible negligence, and turned their backs on the heroic butchery that ensued. Ahhh... Righteousness! Bolstered by that past success, Wulf ducked into the covered wagon to press his case once again. To his delight and surprise he found the halfling, dagger out, threatening the eye of one of the prisoners. He folded his arms to watch, unable to understand the gutteral Orcish language of the interrogation-- but understanding all too well the implicit language of pain and blood. He could barely suppress his laughter as Keldas fired an [i]Acid Arrow[/i], point blank, onto the leg of the other prisoner. As the orc's leg slowly melted away beneath the acid, the halfling interrogated him with the ruthless efficiency that only a halfling rogue can muster-- like a sweet child's doll gone terribly, terribly wrong. The orc's long, agonizing cry echoed through the canyon. Ahhh... Righteousness! Wulf was nearly bowled over as Kellick came charging into the wagon. "What in the Nine Hells is going ON in here? What are you DOING!?" Kellick quickly cast a healing spell on the orc before he lost life or limb, then proceeded to explain to Keldas that this was not the way that good and civilized people behaved. Surely the gods work in mysterious ways when a gnome druid is the voice of goodness and reason. Wulf quickly agreed. "Aye, we're a day out of town, we can hand 'em over to the local priest, and he'll have the truth out of 'em right quick-- an' in a much more peaceful an' understanding way, ta boot. Yer should be ashamed!" "Ach, Kellick... Got any more healing?" [/QUOTE]
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