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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4921678" data-attributes="member: 3285">Gangs of Freeport: Part 8 – Isle Be Seeing YouThe lighthouse known as Milton’s Folly was a two-hundred-foot-tall tower of white marble, a wonder of the modern age.  The light atop it pierced the gloom of night like a second sun, guiding ships around the isles and through dangerous waters to the relative safety of Freeport’s harbor. Not long ago, it was the center of a scheme to drive the entire population mad in the name of a dark and forgotten deity. Now, converted to an impressive yet mundane purpose, it had already become a fact of daily life, largely taken for granted or ignored by the people who benefited from its presence.Vlad approached the island by boat at night.  He came from the far end of the island, keeping low to the brush.  If Tillinghast was in the tower, he would most certainly see him enter the clearing.  But there was no help for it, because the invisibility potions were no longer for sale; even Finn had difficulty acquiring them for Vlad.  When he snuck into the clearing and a bell rang, Vlad wished Finn had tried harder.There was the sound of someone crashing through the bush to his left.  Vlad took off in pursuit.He ran through the light undergrowth into a copse of trees when an axe nearly beheaded him.  A mercenary in full plate armor and wielding a great axe yanked the huge weapon out of the tree.  Vlad turned and struck at the mercenary’s arms.  He was rewarded with a grunt.  The axe came up again.Vlad partially blocked the attack with his shield, stopping a glancing blow.  The mighty strike rattled his teeth and numbed his arm.  Vlad slashed at the man’s heel.  The mercenary wailed and fell to one knee.  Vlad kept running.  He ducked through more trees and undergrowth, finally coming upon a gradual slope.  He could make out Tillinghast ahead of him, running for his life toward docks on the other side of the island. “Stop him!” he shouted.  Two mercenaries who were jogging behind Tillinghast whirled to face Vlad.Vlad skidded to a stop even as both axes whirled through the air, nearly bisecting him.  He blocked one strike with his shield and the other with Grungronazharr.  He wasn’t sure if the ringing was the sound of metal on metal or his brain rattling from the awesome blows.Vlad ducked an axe swing aimed at his head.  He chopped upwards, striking the mercenary’s forearms.  Miraculously, the mercenary held onto his weapon, saved by his plate armor.The other axe blow struck perilously close to Vlad’s foot.  He hopped up on the axe as the mercenary tried to pull it free.Presenting a tempting opportunity to the other mercenary, he swung the great axe in a wide arc.  Then Vlad stepped off the first mercenary’s axe.A gout of blood spurted from the first mercenary’s visor as the second struck his companion dead in the face.  He fell to the ground.  Vlad stabbed the second mercenary through a gap between his helmet and breastplate.  Then he kept running.Tillinghast leaped the distance between the dock and a ship of stunned sailors.  “Go!” he shouted.  “Go!  Go!”The sailors hopped into action as Vlad barreled down the docks towards the ship.Tillinghast drew a bow.  “Stop following me!”Vlad didn’t stop running.  He leaped the gap between the docks and ship…And fell into the water.  Sputtering and splashing, he started swimming for the ship.  Tillinghast fired an arrow, a warning shot.  “It’s not worth it!  Give up!”Vlad strapped his shield to his back.  He sheathed Grungronazharr.  Then Vlad kept swimming, pushing himself with mighty strokes despite his armor and weapons.Tillinghast fired arrow after arrow, but Vlad’s shield deflected them.  They bounced harmlessly off an invisible field just above the Milandisian’s back.“Why won’t you die?” shouted Tillinghast.Vlad clambered up the ship’s rigging.  He drew his blade and unstrapped his shield. Tillinghast drew his own sword and picked up a shield. “You don’t even know me.” He was of average height, with dull brown hair and a bottlebrush mustache.  “You can’t be that dedicated to Freeport.”Vlad walked straight towards Tillinghast.  Sailors gave them both a wide berth.Tillinghast raised his blade, but Vlad easily slapped the weapon out of his hand.  He kicked Tillinghast to the ground with one foot. “Now,” Vlad pointed Grungronazharr at the man’s throat, “I want you to tell me who supplies you with the raw components for Ghoul Juice.”“Why…do you…care?” gasped Tillinghast.Vlad increased the pressure on Tillinghast’s throat.  “I nearly lost a friend to Ghoul Juice.”But even as the words came out, Vlad didn’t really believe it.</blockquote>

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