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Message: <blockquote data-quote="VicsHacienda" data-source="post: 9776661" data-attributes="member: 6965574"><h3>Killing Saboteurs</h3>(Okay, I’m back. - Hawk)[ATTACH=full]419526[/ATTACH]I gaze up the broken steps a hundred or more paces above, spying out orc faces as they pop up to shoot. Next to me, unable to reach the enemies far above, Osnald grants me bardic inspiration, then goes back to clandestinely measuring me for a ball gown. Don't ask.A hundred paces above, Trevor leaps up the steps past Fafnir carrying the blind Viggo. His whip flashes against the goblin spellcaster's face, holding them in place. The wall of fire vanishes as the sorcerer falls atop the worg's corpse.I step toward the loose slope of scree, watching for orcish faces. I spy two on the next-highest level, but take aim at the one at the very top. The first shaft takes him in the collarbone, and as he lurches backward, the second arrow plunges into his chest. He topples forward onto the next lower ledge.Viggo, on Fafnir's back casts a rain of bones on the opposite side of the scree, causing great discomfort to our orcish friends, to the tune of two bodies crunching to the earth.Two shortbow arrows soar from across the way, helped by the orc standing next to Trevor. Ragesian Infiltrators, if I guess correctly. We've fought these before. Another fires a pair of arrows. Only one strikes Trevor, who shrugs it off.[ATTACH=full]419525[/ATTACH]The overly large Fafnir lunges up onto the next terrace and hurtles a javelin of lighting, past Trevor's assailant and toward the two bow-orcs across the scree. Lightning crackles as the orcs dodge aside. Then, bursting with passion, he brings out Einherjar and slams the nearest orc, wreathing him in booming energy. The orc tries to run, the thunder shuddering around his body. He tears down the steps toward Osnald and me."Leave one alive!" calls Viggo, though why he wants one alive I won't guess.Osnald dashes upward to get closer, and drops a hypnotic pattern over the approaching orc, who skids to a halt, fascinated.Trevor backs up and runs forward, his whip trailing behind as he leaps across the gap. The Aquiline Heart wraps around the orc on the far side, pulling Trevor farther to land skidding on the opposite side. The Living Blade sweeps. The orc staggers.I send two more arrows up the way to strike the orc's companion, who lives still. Hardy folk, these sneaky-assed Ragesian saboteurs. Viggo sends a vibrant blue rebounding bolt against my target, which then bounces to Trevor's orc. Both orcs drop, their skeletons visible for an instant beneath their flesh.I gather up the two buffalo and guide them into the newly repaired winches' harnesses, despite their lowing and complaining.Fafnir gathers the hypnotized orc and ties him up and, still large, uses his fiercest intimidation. "Tell us who you are!""We are part of Second General Signus's troops. We, um, came here a little over a week ago, went into the town to get at the monastery. He left to get reinforcements. He should return any day.""What went wrong?""We were left to defend this pass. Um, but there are more of us! In the town of Eresh."Fafnir presses him for numbers. "How many! Where is the camp! Who is in charge! 'Um' is not an answer!""About a hundred and fifty, under, um, Lieutenant Kormus. Garrisoning the town.""So they tried to get to the monastery, but had to retreat." The orc nods. "And who came back from that attempt? Did many die? How were they repelled?""Um... they suddenly weren't in the mood to fight," the orc says. "They are acting oddly.""You can live, then, if you can withstand Osnald's mocking," Fafnir grumbles. And the bard causes the orc to die of headache. Fafnir kicks the body out onto the scree.<h3>Eresh and the Monastery of At Least One Wind</h3>Climbing the mountain, beyond a great stone wall, we see a massive building a thousand feet above. Below, a town sprawls, connected by roads. A river crosses between. [ATTACH=full]419527[/ATTACH]The gates of the wall are open and unguarded. Around us the tents of an army sprout like weeds, but it seems strangely silent. Perhaps the Ragesians are settled in the town. Trevor explores and finds most of the tents empty, the campfire coals cold. He does see a Ragesian soldier, who appears asleep.Fafnir looms over the prone soldier and addresses him in orcish, as if he is a superior officer. The orc does not respond. His lips are chapped and broken, his eyes sunken, as if dry or malnourished. Viggo thinks he is drugged or ensorcelled.</blockquote>

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