NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fiasco" data-source="post: 2820226" data-attributes="member: 15187">The two leading boats fetched up against the wharf at the same time. Half of the crew of the northern boat were already dead ere the survivors could leap onto the dock. They others also fell swiftly when the Massive Hand bent their lethal missiles upon them. Things went poorly for the second craft as well. Without warning, five of the pirates slumped motionless to the bottom of the boat. Almost simultaneously, another pirate was pierced through by a massive bolt launched by Stravarius, while a third suddenly wore two feathered shafts in his chest, gifted him by Morgan and Gerard. Moxadder’s bolt mauled the side of another sailor but this worthy kept his feet and scrambled painfully onto land.The pirates on the remaining boats tried to even the score with the defenders. Several balls of light appeared randomly around the top of the cliffs, illuminating the sorcerers and the Hydra. Moments later, the twang of strings whined in the night and shafts of wood danced and tumbled around their feet, causing them to duck and flinch. One bolt caught Morgan in the shoulder, spinning him backwards to the ground. The Fastendian gave a scream that was more fury than pain and leapt back to his feet. His vision blurred as a rage of frightening intensity too hold of his body. A small portion of his mind looked on in awe as the rest of him surrendered to the berserk fury. With a broken bellow he yanked at his sheathed sword and hurled himself headlong down the rocky stairs. One of the wizards shouted an unheeded warning to the headstrong young warrior. Morgan’s half vocalised battle roar became a yowl of dismay as the steps beneath his feet showed their treachery. A greasy layer of bilious slime had coated the rocks, denying his booted feet purchase. The tiny rational part of his consciousness wondered at how the rocks had become so unnaturally slick. Arms flailing wildly, he half slid, half tumbled down the cliff face, ending up motionless near the feet of the pirates who had made landfall. Seeing his companion’s predicament, Argonne snarled a bucolic oath at the slippery stairs and then trusting to luck, attempted to descend them. His feet too began to slip out beneath him when he reached the slick section but miraculously he managed to work his moment forward off the back of his heels. Then the rock offered purchase again and he came into contact with the enemy. With a defiant cry he stood over Morgan’s motionless body, ready to give battle.Also reacting to his comrade’s peril, Stravarius began to crank his great crossbow, then cast it aside when he realised he hadn’t time. Putting thoughts of the pirates aside he began to focus on his hatred of the Dominion, feeling the strength of this emotions rising like a slow tide in his body.. Remembering the pain and terror of his maiming he growled an ugly word in a depraved tongue. Before his eyes, the power of his fury began to manifest in the form of a shaft of bile green luminescence that pulsated with the force of his antipathy. He jabbed a gloved finger at a pirate who was about to strike Argonne and watched as his bolt of venom darted silently through the night and into the attackers chest. The man cried wordlessly and fell, clutching his chest, the pain of his injury robbing him of all strength in the few seconds that remained him. Seeing the result of his handiwork, Stravarius felt sullied and weary, but also darkly triumphant. As the remaining boats closed for their own landings, the wizard Kassquok worked a mighty magic. With a resounding crack, one of the boats burst asunder, as though crushed by the fist of a colossus. Its crew, catastrophically removed from the battle, floated in the water like so many dead fish. Meanwhile the Massive Hand had accurately brought their attention to bear on the pirates threatening Argonne. Their sharply whistling projectiles dispatched the handful of pirates ashore. Seeing the tide of battle flowing so strongly against them, the pirates sought to break off the engagement. With the controlled haste only possessed by disciplined crews, the oarsmen dug their blades deep into the water in an effort to reverse their momentum. Despite being harassed by the bolts and arrows loosed by the Hydra, they began to make good their retreat. Five Kinds of Death had other ideas. A powerful breeze rose up without warning, whipping up powerful waves and driving the boats back to shore. The rearmost boat was at the edge of this minor storm and made good its escape, as did a second ship by dint of mighty effort. The third also made headway until several rowers, slumped bonelessly over their oars. The remaining crewmen were helpless as their craft was washed steadily to shore. One by one they fell to missiles rained down upon them. Argonne knelt at Morgan’s side, seeking to staunch his wounds caused by sharp stone and bitter arrow. The Baron had insisted that all his fighting vassals learn the rudiments of tending wounds and this training stood the woodsman in good stead. Gregar of the Massive Hand crouched beside him and offered assistance. Between them, they did enough to ensure that Morgan didn’t slip under death’s shadow.At the top of the cliff, the sorcerers turned back for their chambers as soon as it became clear the battle was over. One of them casually gestured and light shone forth from his palm, illuminating their way. Gazing after them, Mortec suppressed a chill as he watched the complex sigils on their robes dance through the darkness, part illusion, part magic and part the play of the wind. He was fervently grateful that as mere novices, the Hydra would not have to face the deadly wizards in the arena. The strange slime coating the stairs had disappeared, allowing Mortec, Gerard, Moxadder and Stravarius to descend to the dock. They were joined by the Massive Hand, who looked among the bodies for survivors. Those pirates rendered helpless by the wizard’s magic were securely bound before the dweomers lost their strength. Poltron, a member of the ‘Hand who posessed a keen eye climbed from one of the pirate boats with a fistful of holy symbols. Mortec identified them as belonging to predominantly to Laster and Muhbelung, god of toil. Neither was an unusual choice for those who plied the sea. A thorough search unearthed little of interest or value save for a crude map that Mortec found in the hands of one of the prisoners. The scrap of parchment held a rough drawing Yorath’s keep and contained directions for finding his bed chamber. The gnome grew worried as he thought through the implications. What interest could the Blood Sails have in his liege? And would this comprehensive defeat discourage them from further raids on the castle?As he watched Theron leave for the Baron’s castle with map in hand, Mortec was certain he had not heard the last of the incident.The Hydra did not stay at the battle site for much longer. Yorath’s personal guard had now arrived and holding torches aloft, they saw to the bodies. Mortec determined that it was safe to carry Morgan up to the castle and the companions shouldered this most precious burden. They left him in the care of the Baron’s healers and congregated in the feast hall, certain that they would be called on soon. In the meantime they refreshed themselves with small beer and watered wine, consuming many a plateful of nourishing stew in the process. Gerard commandeered a small round of cheese from an infatuated kitchen maid and consumed this with dainty slices of a silver knife. He eagerly reviewed the highlights of the battle, roundly embellishing the deeds of his companions and his own most of all. All were in amazement at Morgan’s foolhardy charge. Argonne, volunteered a story about a berserk goat that had marauded his village, drawing unsubtle comparisons between it and the young Fastendian.*****</blockquote>

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