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<blockquote data-quote="Aristoi" data-source="post: 2506367" data-attributes="member: 32975"><p><strong>Crimson Menagerie: Act 1</strong></p><p></p><p>Thuzzar, Donnil and Gurnar strode down the corridor laughing, discussing the sport they were about to have. The Gnolls laughter, a hyena's counterpointing cries, echoed through the long corridor as the token-stone the Master had given him led them to their intended quarry. It had been such a pleasure for the Master to give Adama to him, such a spirit to break. He'd been a Squire-Knight once before, so serving others had been trained into him. One would think he would come to do his duty with more grace. </p><p> </p><p>Perhaps it was his new body that betrayed him. He was no longer a man, though male certainly. Thuzzar had asked and been denied several times, the permission to truly break the beast that was now Adama. Surely, like other animals, the spirit would be broken when the rut was taken from him?</p><p> </p><p>But then, the game still had not ended and Adama remained yet alive. And so, the sport would continue. </p><p> </p><p>They strode into the quad as if they owned it, the faint screams and uncertain rumblings of the other inmates within the Crimson Menagerie giving a brooding background to the two men and the Gnoll as they strode in. </p><p> </p><p>Thuzzar wore his leather armor, stained dark in the blood of hundreds of slayings. His magic hand-axe and the short-sword 'Striker' rode on either hip. His cloak and tabard were stained with food and wine, snot and spittle for like the beasts he watched he was not one to be clean. </p><p> </p><p>Though for himself it was more of choice than they who were imprisoned here. </p><p> </p><p>Donnil, the man-at-arms who strode next to him, was never without his armor and weapons. He carried his longsword, a trophy taken from a man he had murdered long ago, the chainmail and shield also taken from those he had murdered. His sword and armor were magic and his shield was well-made though unlike Thuzzar, his had no names of their own. Secretly he covetted the short-sword though he felt it was too small and even in his hands, for he was a short human, it would keep his stature low. </p><p> </p><p>In truth, he was rather conscious of his stature and lack of strength. </p><p> </p><p>Gurnar strode behind them, the least-senior of them and the weakest in a fight. He had proven to be clever though and had won a she-Gnoll earlier than most, defeating his chieftain through guile and craft. </p><p> </p><p>In short, he had poisoned him and issued challenge while he was weakened.</p><p> </p><p>He had claimed everything his chieftain had and then in the night had fled to this region. Unfortunately, his pack had followed and chased his to the Spire where he had been discovered by Thuzzar. There had been some intial... 'unpleasantness'... before Thuzzar would take him in but becoming a member of this small pack brought him security. </p><p> </p><p>And sport. </p><p> </p><p>As they rounded the corner and came into the quad, their eyes all few on Adama who was already assuming "the position". Gurnar started to laugh, licking his snout obscenely before a sound brought him up short- it sounded like thunder. </p><p> </p><p>They all looked up at the ceiling, a tiny amount of dust shifted down between the stones. They were hundreds of feet below the surface and the tower proper. What was going on up there? </p><p> </p><p>Nobody noticed that the sounds in the Menagerie had ceased and dead silence reined.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Aristoi, post: 2506367, member: 32975"] [b]Crimson Menagerie: Act 1[/b] Thuzzar, Donnil and Gurnar strode down the corridor laughing, discussing the sport they were about to have. The Gnolls laughter, a hyena's counterpointing cries, echoed through the long corridor as the token-stone the Master had given him led them to their intended quarry. It had been such a pleasure for the Master to give Adama to him, such a spirit to break. He'd been a Squire-Knight once before, so serving others had been trained into him. One would think he would come to do his duty with more grace. Perhaps it was his new body that betrayed him. He was no longer a man, though male certainly. Thuzzar had asked and been denied several times, the permission to truly break the beast that was now Adama. Surely, like other animals, the spirit would be broken when the rut was taken from him? But then, the game still had not ended and Adama remained yet alive. And so, the sport would continue. They strode into the quad as if they owned it, the faint screams and uncertain rumblings of the other inmates within the Crimson Menagerie giving a brooding background to the two men and the Gnoll as they strode in. Thuzzar wore his leather armor, stained dark in the blood of hundreds of slayings. His magic hand-axe and the short-sword 'Striker' rode on either hip. His cloak and tabard were stained with food and wine, snot and spittle for like the beasts he watched he was not one to be clean. Though for himself it was more of choice than they who were imprisoned here. Donnil, the man-at-arms who strode next to him, was never without his armor and weapons. He carried his longsword, a trophy taken from a man he had murdered long ago, the chainmail and shield also taken from those he had murdered. His sword and armor were magic and his shield was well-made though unlike Thuzzar, his had no names of their own. Secretly he covetted the short-sword though he felt it was too small and even in his hands, for he was a short human, it would keep his stature low. In truth, he was rather conscious of his stature and lack of strength. Gurnar strode behind them, the least-senior of them and the weakest in a fight. He had proven to be clever though and had won a she-Gnoll earlier than most, defeating his chieftain through guile and craft. In short, he had poisoned him and issued challenge while he was weakened. He had claimed everything his chieftain had and then in the night had fled to this region. Unfortunately, his pack had followed and chased his to the Spire where he had been discovered by Thuzzar. There had been some intial... 'unpleasantness'... before Thuzzar would take him in but becoming a member of this small pack brought him security. And sport. As they rounded the corner and came into the quad, their eyes all few on Adama who was already assuming "the position". Gurnar started to laugh, licking his snout obscenely before a sound brought him up short- it sounded like thunder. They all looked up at the ceiling, a tiny amount of dust shifted down between the stones. They were hundreds of feet below the surface and the tower proper. What was going on up there? Nobody noticed that the sounds in the Menagerie had ceased and dead silence reined. [/QUOTE]
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