(Casual D&D III) The Man in Black

[Guilt Puppy]

Fendric's spell holds the orc standing over the girl; Hiritus smite makes that fact simple trivia, leaving him in a heap against the wall.

The last orc takes only a moment to consider the situation, then flicks his wrist again; the flames on his doubleaxe extinguish, and the room goes dark.

"Looks like you've got me backed into a corner," he says, to all those who can hear him. "Perhaps it's time to renegotiate."

 

[dpdx]

In response to the orc's withdrawal from combat, Fendric dismisses the silence.

Hiritus considers for a moment whether to stabilize Nurthk or the girl. Unable to decide, he divides his healing; laying on hands first for the girl (for 5 pts), then for Nurthk with the remainder (10 pts.). Fendric nods at Hiritus to assure him that (Fendric) will follow up with additional healing at the safest next moment.

As Hiritus heals Nurthk, he remains there immediately at his half-orc friend's side, longsword poised to strike should it become necessary.

For his part, Fendric then offers a remark to the orc:

"If I am to presume correctly that you are the one who is chiefly responsible for this murder of innocent civilians, then surely you know that you have much to answer for. I must admire your courage in avoiding the coward's way out; however, your fate lies at the mercy of the townspeople of Emmethrach, whose mayor you butchered, as well as with us, and may well end up the same as if you had resisted to the end."

 

[Guilt Puppy]

"Not much of a negotiator, are you? The way you paint it, I might as well see how many of you I can take out with me."

Nurthk sees him draw his weapon in tighter, defensive, close to his throat.

"What you should be doing, is finding out what I have to offer. And I do have something: There's a band of orcs out there, and when I've gone too long without returning, they will attack. I can give you information, there, their numbers and location, as well as their points of weakness. It would save a lot of lives, don't you think, to ambush them out there instead of waiting for them to come here, don't you think? Enough to let one old bastard off the hook for once, don't you think?"

 

[DrZombie]

Raven chuckles. "You better start explaining first. Like, why are your clan markings fake? And why do those orcs follow you, for they must also see that you are not who you seem to be. And do not think attacking someone is the easy way out. You'll be healed, and then these good men will leave the room, and leave you here with the not so good men."

Intimidate 6+nat 20 (yeehaa, first 20 in the entire game)

 

[Festy_Dog]

Nurthk is thankful for the healing, and takes a more casual stance now that the battle is concluded and his wounds lessened.

"I am Nurthk," he says, introducing himself to the other orc with an inclination of his head, "The last thing I want is for you to end up in the hands of the town's people. Mobs being mobs, nothing good could come of it.

In fact I had hoped to get this opportunity to speak with you. I would have no qualms in letting you go free, but there is a couple of matters I would speak with you about first."

Nurthk turns to Fendric.

"I think the masses will be satiated by the blood spilled thus far, they won't notice the difference if we kill one more. It would be pointless," he says, "And whether he's bluffing or not about the other orcs, there's still the motivation behind the hostage taking to find out about."

In response to Raven.

"I'd imagine they follow the orc and not the armour. The situation is under control now, so I don't think we need to get things heated again," he suggests.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

"Fair, very fair, yes..." The orc nods along, hunching down and edging over, visibly trying to hide from Raven behind Nurthk. (Well, visibly to Nurthk -- it's dark down there, remember.)

"In response to your question," he calls up, "it's just an old thing for show. As for who these lot follow, as far as I can tell it's whoever they think's most dangerous. Unfortunately, when their last chief and his lieutenant went down, they decided that was me."

Meanwhile, Hiritus' healing seems to have brought the girl back to some level of consciousness: In the darkness, she can be heard to whimper softly, and begin to struggle weakly with her bonds.

 

[Sparky]

In a flurry of activity, flashes in the darkness, a flaming blade and guttural orcish speech the battle is won. I’m getting slow. I barely got two swings in. I’m not keeping up. Shaking his head, Oliver slumps against the wall, wincing at the wound draining blood onto his dark leathers. His face is pale as the others begin negotiations.

He pushes away from the wall and goes to stand near where Hirtius is bent over the poor child. He crouches, knees popping, back complaining. He pulls the dark helm-mask of his armor away, revealing wild tufts of thin white hair, bright in the darkness. He touches the girl’s brow with her gnarled fingers, smoothing her hair away from her face, smudging ash across her forehead as he does so. He swallows, jaw clenching and Hirtius sees and feels a rage that borders on the holy come over the old man.

But the only outward sign is a cording of the man’s thin neck and bunched jaw muscles. Oliver looks over his shoulder at the captive orc, eyes passing over Nurthk’s even-tempered face and to a seething Raven beyond and a Fendric moved to anger and violence. The old rogue gives their opponent’s measure with a long, steady glance.

“I know you, orc. I’ve seen your lies on a hundred faces, heard your deceits in a hundred tongues. Why should we believe a single word that passes your lips?”

Oliver squints in the dim and turns his attentions back to the girl as his feet. He gestures at Hirtius’ water skin and fishes a small square of white fabric from somewhere within his armor. He dampens the skin and begins to wipe the girls face, his own face a grim mask of anger.

 

[wings]

Light..

Aerda clears his throat slightly, speaking a single arcane syllable, as four dots of arcane light appear around him, slowly glowing in intensity until reaching the light of four torches burning cleanly and steadily. He spreads them out to each corner of the room where they bob slightly on their invisible moorings.

He also moves over to the girl, sliding into an easy crouch, gentle fingers undoing her bonds. He doesn't join in the negotiations, for he is still slightly disappointed that he hasn't had the chance to use his most powerful of spells yet..

 

[dpdx]

Hiritus, his face a mask of concentration, tries once again to establish the empathic link to his mount. [Anything on that yet?] If Justice has been let out of the barn, Hiritus will direct him to come to the street outside the manor.

If Fendric is worried about the remaining band of orcs, he doesn't show it. "We had already suspected that you had reinforcements, brigand. If they fight like those we just encountered... but that is neither here nor there - you have promised us information.

So, out with it.

How many are you... now? In which position do these... cowards... hide? With what crude implements are they armed? At what time will they foam at the mouth like rabid dogs if you are not there to lead them?

In return, my companions seem to want to promise you life. Very well, then, I will no longer object to it. But you will have nothing else but your clothes, and be glad for it. You will leave your armor, axe and belongings, here, as payment for the lives you took - perhaps they will measure up to a third of the cost of bringing even one parent back to life to raise these children.

So you see, despite my dire skill as a negotiator, this is really very simple. You are very much in debt. You have one opportunity to make it good, and it is not negotiable.

I hope you will take it, that you will not, as you say, 'see how many of us you can take with you'. But As the Radiant Light is My Witness, if it should come to that question, I promise you the answer to it is, 'zero.'

Now, drop the axe, and start talking, if you want to live."

As if to emphasize that point, Hiritus has his longsword drawn, and Fendric has a hand on his holy symbol. Both are adorned with matching grim smiles.

 

[Festy_Dog]

Nurthk in his blood soaked state looks somewhat tired and frustrated. He lowers his voice and speaks in orcish for a moment.

"They are a zealous pair those two, but don't feel rushed. Unless there isn't much time before your reinforcements act I am willing to hear your story in full," he explains, before returning to his previous volume, "You became chieftan, yes? Then what happened?"

I wonder if the chief and his second were in that group that attacked us a while back...?