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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JollyDoc" data-source="post: 1087399" data-attributes="member: 9546">JURASSIC PARK “Wake up, filth!” Pez hissed, shaking the unconscious ruffian he had subdued roughly. The man opened his eyes slowly, his head rolling loosely on his neck.“Look around you,” Pez snarled, grabbing his chin and directing his gaze around the barroom at his dead comrades.  “Unless you have a burning desire to join your friends, you had best tell me everything I want to know.”The brigand was now fully awake, his eyes wide with fear, “If I tell you,” he stammered, “do you promise to spare me?  Let me go?”“I will spare you,” Pez said, “That’s all that you may hope for at the moment.  Now tell me, who are you people?  Where is Sarcem Delasharn?”“We’re the Alleybashers,” his prisoner responded, “I am Terney.  We were hired out of Cauldron.”“Hired by whom?” Pez’ eyes narrowed.“A woman called Triel,” Terney said, “She’s tall, with short red hair.  Vicious fighter, but all business.  None of us dared cross her.”“What were you hired to do?” Pez asked cautiously, his concern growing.“We were s’posed to provide muscle for Tongueater.  He was lookin’ for a priest who was stayin’ here.  Triel wanted some magical treasure the priest was carryin’.”“Where is the priest now?  Who is this Tongueater?”Terney dropped his eyes and swallowed, “The priest is dead.  Triel killed’im.  Then she headed back to Cauldron.  She left Tongueater in charge.  He’s her lieutenant.”Ruphus gasped, “Dead?  No!  It can’t be!  What of the others?  Tullis and Drake, the acolytes who accompanied him?  What have you done with them, you swine?”  The young priest rushed forward, raising his mace above his head.“Peace Ruphus,” Pez said calmly, moving to intercept him and placing a restraining hand on his arm.  He turned back to Terney, “Where are the other patrons, and the staff?”“We…killed’em…all of’em.”Pez’ face turned to stone, “Show me.”____________________________________________Terney, hands bound behind his back, led the others outside the inn, and then around towards the back, where the jungle drew close to the building.  At the edge of the trees, Pez could just make out what seemed to be a pile of debris, but he knew what he was really seeing.Just then, Gardrid held up one hand, “Shhh.  Somethin’s not right.  Pez, do ya see?  Just inside the trees?”Pez sharp eyes adjusted quickly to the gloom, and he peered intently where Gardrid indicated.  He saw eyes looking back at him.  Two pairs, cold and reptilian.  With a snarling hiss, two large, bipedal lizards, with wickedly hooked claws on their feet and mouths full of sharp fangs, leaped out of the trees and came rushing across the open space.The first one jumped straight into the air when it was still fifteen feet away, and landed squarely on top of Twosocks, it’s claws and teeth ripping into the wolf.  The second pounced on Gardrid, its weight bearing the dwarf backwards, its jaws seeking his throat.  “Yaarrgh!  Get of ye great tadpole!” the battlerager bellowed, hacking at the beast with his axe.Wathros stared in horror.  He knew these creatures.  They were raptors, deadly reptilian hunters that often traveled in packs, and were voracious killers.  Twosocks didn’t stand a chance against one, and the lot of them might not do much better.  He moved forward, waving his hands to distract the creature from Twosocks, and then began chanting rhythmically, attempting to calm the dinosaur and make it see him as a friend.  The raptor was deep into bloodlust though, and it shook off Wathros’ attempt then bit down solidly on Twosocks.The second raptor’s claws continued to tear at Gardrid.  The dwarf was taking a tremendous beating, and was barely managing to stay on his feet.  Pez could see that he wouldn’t last much longer.  As he rushed forward to assist the battlerager, Terney bolted.  The brigand ran between the two raptors and headed straight into the jungle.  Pez didn’t give it much thought.  If these creatures were any indication of the local wildlife, the poor sap wouldn’t last long.  He turned his attention back to Gardrid, trying to find an opening in the tangle of claws, teeth and swinging axe.  He darted in to grip the dwarf by the shoulders, taking a deep rake from a flailing fore claw as he did so, and then summoning his divine power, he attempted to heal some of the battlerager’s more grievous wounds.  His strength restored, Gardrid redoubled his attack, beating at the raptor viciously.Twosocks struggled to free himself from the raptor’s grip, biting and snarling in a frenzy.  Wathros knew he had to do something before it was too late.  He again began calling on the innate magic of nature itself, this time causing the grass and roots around the feet of the dinosaurs to begin entwining and entangling their legs.  He then clapped his hands together and a ball of flames appeared on the ground behind the raptor, rolling forward and searing the creature’s scaly hide.  The dinosaur roared in pain, but then it leaped into the air, pulling itself free of the writhing vines and the flaming sphere, and landing again atop Twosocks.  It’s snake-like head darted forward, biting the wolf’s back, and then breaking his spine with a sickening snap.The vines and grass ensnared the second raptor tightly.  It pulled and yanked at its bonds, all the while continuing to snap and slash at Gardrid.  Pez drew his sword and stabbed into the monster’s belly while Gardrid simultaneously hacked at its neck.  The dinosaur fell to the ground and was instantly covered by the writhing vegetation.The two warriors then rushed to help Wathros.  The druid had redirected the fire sphere at the raptor, and the beast was yelping and trying to dodge the incessant flames.  Pez and Gardrid were able to flank the creature while it was distracted, and they began raining blow after blow against it.  The battle ended as quickly as it began, and the unnatural silence of the jungle ended as the night birds began their calls anew.As Ruphus, Pez and Gardrid moved to examine the large pile of corpses on which the raptors had been feeding, Wathros kneeled beside Twosocks.  He stroked the wolf’s bloodied coat softly, “Let nature reclaim her own,” he murmured and then stood and followed his companions.The site of the midden heap was nauseating and heartbreaking.  Some two dozen bodies lay rotting on the ground.  Tears flowed freely down Ruphus’ face as he identified his two brother priests.  The others must have been guests and staff of the Lucky Monkey, but they found no sign of Sarcem.  “He must still be inside,” Pez said.  “Let’s go.  Someone is going to pay for this.”</blockquote>

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