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Forgotten Lore (Updated M-W-F)
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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7553783" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 249</p><p></p><p>Dark figures swarmed over the rail onto the main deck of the <em>Golden Gull</em>. The sailor on duty barely had a chance to draw his cutlass before one of the attackers drove a spear through his side. Another seized hold of him and snapped gaping jaws around his neck, tearing out a bloody gobbet of flesh. The sailor’s screams trailed off into a wet gurgle, but that lasted only briefly before the creature dragged him to the rail and threw him over. He hit the water with a loud splash even as more of the things crept on board.</p><p></p><p>Bredan returned to the rail, where the creature he had spotted was quickly surging up toward the raised aft deck. The thing saw him and lunged for the railing, but Bredan intercepted it with a powerful downward thrust of his sword. The steel pierced its body and knocked it roughly back into the water. But more were coming.</p><p></p><p>Xeeta was ringing the alarm bell that hung next to the ship’s wheel, just in case any of the crew had failed to hear Bredan’s shout of alarm. She turned as another crested the railing, meeting it with a series of <em>scorching rays</em>. Only one of the fiery beams actually hit the target, the other two shooting past it out into the night sky, but that was enough to dislodge it from its precarious perch and send it flailing back into the water. Another one managed to get over the railing, but before it could unlimber its spear Bredan met it with a sweeping cut of his blade that tore through its body almost to its spine. The thing flopped to the deck in a bloody mess, giving Bredan his first good look at their adversaries.</p><p></p><p>The thing was shaped like a man, but there all resemblance ended. It looked as though some madman had taken the features of a man, a fish, and a lizard and somehow jumbled them all together. Its flesh was slimy and scaled, with a deep green hue that looked gray in the pale starlight. It had gills, along with flaps of skin that protruded from the sides of its head and pulsed as the thing gasped out the last of its life. Its hands and feet were webbed, and it wore a harness of some sort of leather that let it carry its weapons as well as bits of shell that served it as armor.</p><p></p><p>Bredan stared down at the dying creature in horror. “Do you know what those are?” he asked Xeeta.</p><p></p><p>“Never saw one before!” she replied.</p><p></p><p>For the moment the aftercastle seemed secure, but the sounds of activity drew them toward the main deck. The two adventurers rushed forward to see a swarm of the things crawling over almost the entire length of the ship to the bow, at least a dozen of them.</p><p></p><p>“A <em>fireball</em> would be perfect right now,” Xeeta said. “But it could destroy the ship!”</p><p></p><p>“We need to buy some time!” Bredan returned. Neither of them had spoken loudly, but one of the fish-creatures turned and saw them, shouting something to its companions as it pointed with his spear. Several of the creatures immediately rushed toward the stairs that led up to the aft deck.</p><p></p><p>Bredan was there to meet them, blocking the top of the stairs so that the creatures could not easily flank him and Xeeta. He batted aside the thrust of the first spear and swung his sword into the creature’s side, cutting a deep gash in its torso. There wasn’t much room to swing his larger weapon in the confines of the stairs, but conversely it was almost impossible to miss with the things crowding forward into the narrow space. He followed his first swing with a thrust that pierced the thing’s rubbery hide and knocked it sprawling into its following companions. But even as the creature fell limp its companions came surging forward, trampling their dying ally in their eagerness to overcome their foe.</p><p></p><p>Bredan drew back and reset his feet, bringing his sword back up into a ready stance. But before he could engage the remaining creatures, another down on the deck below came into view. This one was clad in an ornate glitter of shell necklaces and bracelets that rattled as it moved. It lacked a spear or any other obvious weapon, but it proved that it did not need one as it extended one clawed finger toward Bredan. The warrior could do nothing as he felt a cold feeling pulse through his body, freezing his muscles and leaving him helpless as the two fish-men charged forward, their spears raised to finish him.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7553783, member: 143"] Chapter 249 Dark figures swarmed over the rail onto the main deck of the [i]Golden Gull[/i]. The sailor on duty barely had a chance to draw his cutlass before one of the attackers drove a spear through his side. Another seized hold of him and snapped gaping jaws around his neck, tearing out a bloody gobbet of flesh. The sailor’s screams trailed off into a wet gurgle, but that lasted only briefly before the creature dragged him to the rail and threw him over. He hit the water with a loud splash even as more of the things crept on board. Bredan returned to the rail, where the creature he had spotted was quickly surging up toward the raised aft deck. The thing saw him and lunged for the railing, but Bredan intercepted it with a powerful downward thrust of his sword. The steel pierced its body and knocked it roughly back into the water. But more were coming. Xeeta was ringing the alarm bell that hung next to the ship’s wheel, just in case any of the crew had failed to hear Bredan’s shout of alarm. She turned as another crested the railing, meeting it with a series of [i]scorching rays[/i]. Only one of the fiery beams actually hit the target, the other two shooting past it out into the night sky, but that was enough to dislodge it from its precarious perch and send it flailing back into the water. Another one managed to get over the railing, but before it could unlimber its spear Bredan met it with a sweeping cut of his blade that tore through its body almost to its spine. The thing flopped to the deck in a bloody mess, giving Bredan his first good look at their adversaries. The thing was shaped like a man, but there all resemblance ended. It looked as though some madman had taken the features of a man, a fish, and a lizard and somehow jumbled them all together. Its flesh was slimy and scaled, with a deep green hue that looked gray in the pale starlight. It had gills, along with flaps of skin that protruded from the sides of its head and pulsed as the thing gasped out the last of its life. Its hands and feet were webbed, and it wore a harness of some sort of leather that let it carry its weapons as well as bits of shell that served it as armor. Bredan stared down at the dying creature in horror. “Do you know what those are?” he asked Xeeta. “Never saw one before!” she replied. For the moment the aftercastle seemed secure, but the sounds of activity drew them toward the main deck. The two adventurers rushed forward to see a swarm of the things crawling over almost the entire length of the ship to the bow, at least a dozen of them. “A [i]fireball[/i] would be perfect right now,” Xeeta said. “But it could destroy the ship!” “We need to buy some time!” Bredan returned. Neither of them had spoken loudly, but one of the fish-creatures turned and saw them, shouting something to its companions as it pointed with his spear. Several of the creatures immediately rushed toward the stairs that led up to the aft deck. Bredan was there to meet them, blocking the top of the stairs so that the creatures could not easily flank him and Xeeta. He batted aside the thrust of the first spear and swung his sword into the creature’s side, cutting a deep gash in its torso. There wasn’t much room to swing his larger weapon in the confines of the stairs, but conversely it was almost impossible to miss with the things crowding forward into the narrow space. He followed his first swing with a thrust that pierced the thing’s rubbery hide and knocked it sprawling into its following companions. But even as the creature fell limp its companions came surging forward, trampling their dying ally in their eagerness to overcome their foe. Bredan drew back and reset his feet, bringing his sword back up into a ready stance. But before he could engage the remaining creatures, another down on the deck below came into view. This one was clad in an ornate glitter of shell necklaces and bracelets that rattled as it moved. It lacked a spear or any other obvious weapon, but it proved that it did not need one as it extended one clawed finger toward Bredan. The warrior could do nothing as he felt a cold feeling pulse through his body, freezing his muscles and leaving him helpless as the two fish-men charged forward, their spears raised to finish him. [/QUOTE]
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