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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 7619724" data-attributes="member: 6971069">The Return of Big D - 6/13/2019The Return of “Big D" It amazes me often about who lives and who dies.  The cruelty and unfairness of it all. But what amazes me more, is that we get along at all.We stood on the top deck, winded and watching the Dragonborn fade back into a gathering crowd near the pier.  But my thoughts didn’t linger there long, but instead I turned to look around for Kingsley. The sailors had laid the guard, face up on a trestle table inside of a rectangular tent on the deck.  I rushed over to him, and already could hear the muttering:“Ill-luck to bring a dead man on board.”“He’s surely a gonner.”“What are we going to do with him?  Pitch him back into the river?”I pushed the sailors aside and looked over the form sprawled on the table.  What I saw did not give me comfort.  While I stopped him from dying in the street, his fortunes didn’t look good.  The remainder of the javelin still protruded through his chest.  While it clearly missed his heart, it must have pierced his left lung.  The wound oozed blood, but only because it had clotted around the wooden shaft.  But with every breath the wound would bubble with air.I had seen this before during the war in Sigil.  My mentor in the ways of Kelemvor was a healer.  He commanded no magic beyond the use of his mind to help.  And many were saved by his hand and I tried to learn as much as could.  And the memory of this kind of wound filled me with dismay. Kingsley was going to die.  The only question was what would kill him first.  He might slowly bleed to death with the shaft of the javelin.  He might drown in his own blood.  And worst to my mind, was rot would set in, leading to fever.  I knew what my mentor would have done out of duty.But this man had warned us.  Saved us.  It wasn’t right he pay with his life, for me.  For any of us.  And unlike my mentor, I had something else.I had power.But I didn’t have time.“Guys!  Find some cloth quickly and help me!” I shouted.Iesa came in first, and his face probably mirrored mine.  “Um…how is—” and Daneath and Beepu then stood next to me, both looking at the stricken form of Kingsley.  Beepu was holding what appeared to be canvas.“That does not look good,” he stammered.“No, and help me, before he leaves to see the fugue,”  I said moving to the other side of the table.  “But I am going to need your help.” And I looked at each of them in the eyes.  “All of you.”“Sure Myr…but can you heal that?” Daneath asked doubtfully.“Not with that piece of wood in him.  We have to remove it.”“Wait,” Beepu said concerned.  “That will probably cause him to lose whatever blood he has left.  Additionally, it might damage his insides.”I nodded, quickly and listening to Kingsley’s breathing, I realized his death was approaching fast.  His breathing was labored, and I could hear the sounds of gurgling in his throat as his blood slowly filled his lungs.“I am damn well going to try.   Take the cloth, and put a bundle of it under him, right where the javelin entered his back.”  The three were still staring at him and didn’t make a move.“NOW!” I shouted, snapping them into focus.  Daneath came to my side of the table, and slowly rolled the guard towards his right, exposing his back.  Beepu took out a dagger and cut some of the cloth he had into two and stuffed a bundle underneath him.“Ok, lower him down.” He told Daneath.  The big warrior carefully returned Kingsley to lying flat on his back.  As he was shifted, Kingsley started to cough and convulse. “Quick, Iesa hold down his shoulders!” and he quickly responded, pressing down on the shoulders, trying to keep Kingsley still.  At the same time, I climbed on top of the table and the guardsman him, using my weight to keep him from moving.“Beepu, wrap some cloth around the shaft and hold it there.”  I said as I grasped at my medallion at my neck.  “Daneath, I’m going to say a prayer.  When you hear the word ‘live’..pull the shaft out.”“Like an arrow wound…yeah yeah got it.”“Beepu, there will be …a lot of blood.  Just push down on the cloth.   And if I do this right.  It’ll stop.”Beepu, had shifted to the right side of Kingley, and climbed up on the table and knelt on Kingsley’s right, gathering the cloth around the shattered javelin.  His hands spread it out and he breathed deeply and nodded.   I quickly glanced at Iesa and he nodded, pushing down on Kingsley’s shoulders.I placed my right hand upon the right side of Kingsley’s chest, and I did so, Daneath moved to Kingsley’s left side, standing closest to the wound exit, and grasped the shaft with both hands and breathed deeply twice and then nodded.I was now up to me.  I closed my eyes and centered myself; reaching to for the strongest point of light within me.  I took a breath and steeled myself.I would save him.Everything felt to be moving through honey; everything felt slow and delibrate as time slowed to my eyes. I Pulled at the light within me and prepared myself to push it into Kingsley.  I then whispered the prayer: “I will strive to help those to live.”I could feel the energy start to pour into Kingsley’s form slowly.  But on the utterance of the last word, Daneath lexed his muscles pulling the javelin through his chest, wrenching it free.  As he did so, I felt Beepu pushing the cloth over the now gushing wound.  I could feel the warm blood splashing on my face as it sprayed everywhere.  His body bucked and convulsed again.  I heard Iesa straining to keep him from moving and causing more damage, as I tried to maintain my position on top.But as the blood flowed out from Kingsley, I was feeling something very different.  Where I was at one point pushing energy into him, now I could feel his soul pulling at it…tearing at it.  It felt like I was drowning in water, as he pulled at the energy I had to give.“I will strive to help those to live,” I chanted again with some desperation, channeling more and more energy.  My heart was beating faster, and I was starting to feel fatigue.   But I knew somehow that it wasn’t done.  He needed more.I will strive to help those to live,”I was shouting, tears in my eyes as I could feel the last of the light leave me.  I was at the limit and, I could feel Kingsley’s life pull more and more from me.  And then…it let go my own light and it settled back within the guardsman.  He stopped moving, and his breathing was less labored. I opened my eyes and saw the aftereffects of our effort.  We were covered in blood.  All of us were all panting trying to catch our breath.  I moved my right hand over to where Beepu held the cloth and pushed it slowly and carefully aside.  At first, he resisted, but after looking at me for a moment, he relented, allowing me to peel away the cloth from the wound.As I had prayed for, there was no wound.  The skin was whole, with only the slightest hint of a scar where the javelin once stuck out of his chest.  Just blood, darkening and cooling on his softly breathing chest.“Did…did…did we…do it?” Iesa asked looking back and forth at Kingsley and me.I nodded, breathing heavily.  “He’s going to need some rest…we all are.  Let’s…get Kingsley off the table and put him…somewhere.” I slowly, unsteadily got off the sleeping man.“I will see what someone can do for him as far as accommodations,” Beepu“Might want to see about us as well,” Daneath said.I stepped slowly out of the tent on the deck and had a good look around for the first time.  There were a scattering of tents and some tables.  A large hole or rather an entrance to the deck below was laden with cargo, and rowing benches on the far sides, allowing the barge to move upstream.  On the deck were an assortment of sailors and some passengers, sitting at tables underneath an awning. All of them staring at me.  It took me a moment to remember that I was probably covered in blood.  I moved over to an edge on the deck and pulled out a small mirror from my component pouch.  I then started the incantations to begin cleaning myself off. I chuckled to myself, only seven or so days I ago I was doing the exact same thing.  But instead of my own death and return, I stopped someone else from crossing over to the fugue.  Smiling I returned to midship and then moved towards the tiller.  There, a sailor had a steady hand on the wood, while the captain looked over the main.  The dwarf seeing me approach, nodded and spoke.“Hear you brought a dead man onboard,” he growled.“I seem to remember that one of your men said it was bad luck,” I said walking to the stern of the barge.  “Well, he’s quite alive now.  That means good luck then?”“I don’t see how.”“Another passage to claim fees for?”The dwarf for the first time cracked a smile, “I guess that may be so.  And I can get the rest of my crew to stop whining.”“And I don’t suppose that the captain might have something that passes for a decent mug of bub…er…drink on board.”“I might, is my luck holding?”I smiled, “I pay my tabs.”“I’ll see about a clean mug then and see if ye can…hold some fire in your belly.”“Well, it has got to beat the swill in Yartar,”“Almost anything do that girl,” and the dwarf moved back towards midship and one of the awnings, and then came back out with a mug and handed it to me with a wolfish grin.  I grabbed it and could smell the potent vapors.  Quickly I took a swallow and could taste the smoke and warmth of the alcohol. It was heaven.  And only then did I become aware of an argument among the some of the passengers:“I’m sure of it.” A human said almost whispering“Yeer, imaginin things, that’sss not him.” Said another, a bit tispy from cheap ale.“Not who?” said a third.“That’s Big D!  I’m sure of it.” Said the first.“You mean the guy that beat the ‘Apple King?’” Said the second one.The first one nodded vigorously.  “Well,” the third one started.  “You should ask.” Pointing to the table nearby, were I saw Iesa and Daneath both sitting.  The two nodded and encouraged the first.  The man then stood up and walked toward my friends.  He had the look of a first year namer in the present of a Factol; Scared.  Awed.  Uncertain.    He reached the table and spoke.“Excuse me sir.   Are you…Big D?”The warrior winced as Iesa stifled at laugh.  “Well…I…um…yes.  Yes I am.” He said, guiltily as Iesa barely contained his laughter.“And you were the one that brought down the Apple King?”“Well, I admit…I don’t remember much about that bout.”“Well I remember!”  And from another table sat a trio of halflings, and one gave a glare of hatred at Daneath.  He stood and strode slowly over to where Daneath sat.  “And I remember putting a dent in your codpiece as a parting gift.”The three humans that had fingered or argued about Big D before, were unanimous in their exclamation in awe: “The Apple King!”Daneath’s face was calm and unconcerned.  But I could see his hands clenching, readying himself.“So…you enjoy low blows.  Only way you can win?” Daneath said with a touch of contempt.The halfling’s eyes narrowed with a venomous look, “You entered a ring no-holds barred, and expected a fair fight?  Your brains are as big as your balls.”Iesa at this point stood up and theatrically spread apart his arms as if welcoming the two.   “Excellent then!  A rematch it is between the Apple King and his nemesis, Big D!   Here and now, place your bets.”I at this point almost choked from swallowing the fiery whiskey.  I had a moment of dread of having to put Daneath back together again.Daneath turned to look at Iesa in a mixture of horror and hatred.  “What?!?  I am n—” he started to say when he saw the large amount of coin started to be changing hands, placing proposition bets on the outcome.  In the meantime, the Apple King had shed his pack and other equipment and was stretching out his limbs in preparation for ‘the match.’I could see Daneath pull Iesa close to him, and him muttered, “Next time, you step in the ring!” to which Iesa only smiled and clapped him on the back.  Daneath stood up and removed his pack and sword belt, placing them on the table.  He then strode forward on the deck towards the Apple King.The King didn’t hesitate, and quickly threw himself at Big D.  Whirling around the King attempted to land a pair of firm kicks.  But unlike the prior fight, Big D had heavier armor, and the King was having less luck finding open spots to hurt his larger foe.Big D by comparison started using his new techniques he learned while at the Iron Blades.  So a miss resulted in an opening where Big D could land a punch on the chin.  A normal person would likely be sent sprawling.  But the Apple King, took the blow and rolled, taking the shock and remained upright.Big D while he could retaliate, had a hard time landing his own punches.  Swinging wildly, and frequently whiffing by the halfling.  The halfling’s blows when they connected clearly hurt, but the armor again kept that from being common. It was clear after a moment that unlike their first meeting, the match was far more even.  Big D was taking the punishment from the halfling and could endure it.  The Apple King relied more on never getting hit, so when Big D did land a punch it comparatively did more damage.The pair circled each other and kept swinging.  The Apple King trying to finesse his way to a victory, and Big D just trying to pound his way to victory.  Finally, it was luck that cast the die on the two combatants.  Big D, moved forward to swing at the Apple King, when he lost his footing briefly on the rough deck.  The Apple King took advantage and dived low and punched high.  With a sickening sound of metal crunching, and Big D belatedly covering his apples.I could only wince as I saw Big D sinking to his knees.  The crowd on deck was excited.  Mo was hopping up and down on a table, while Beepu had his fingers in his ears as he was attempting to read.  But it was Iesa that turned the entire bout on its head.“He cheated!  I saw him throw something on the ground!”  and with that statement, the crowd’s cheers hushed, and a dead silence set in.  You could hear the wooden boards creak, and the water running by, but that was it.  All the oars stopped, the crowd was silent looking back and forth between the Apple King and Iesa.  Even Mo stopped hopping up and down.  I stood by and took a swallow of my drink, wondering how this was going to end.Iesa moved forward and pressed his palm against the wood in front of Big D.  When he lifted it and turned it over, there was the sheen of oil on his hand.  He then pointed his finger at the stunned Apple King.  “You cheated!”The halfling’s face had honest confusion on it and he stammered, “What I didn’t throw any—”“I saw you,” Iesa shouted.  Then another human, the one that was a fan of Big D chimed in.“I bet you did!  You couldn’t win a fair fight!”The crowd now started to shout and jostle.  I put my mug down and went to Daneath and helped move him to the side as the shouting continued and increasing in intensity.“Did…did I win?” Daneath asked, barely coherent.I smiled, nodded and replied, “Your fame has once again exceeded you.”  I led him to a low tent nearby and helped him inside, when he promptly passed out.  I returned to the deck, and it was clear now that the majority of the crowd believed that the Apple King cheated.  I also noticed two things about this group.Firstly, it was clear that the bettors for Big D, were in the majority.  But the second thing was more important.  Almost all the crew of the barge were betting for Big D, and the Captain was now in the thick of the crowd and siding with his crew.“You don't cheat on my boat!”“I did nothing of the sort!”"So…your calling my crew liars?”“I.  Did.  Not.  Cheat!”“Right then.  Here’s your stop.”“Wait, you can’t just leave us here!”“You start a fight with a passenger, cheat and try to take my crews hard earned coin?  Well, now you can take it to the shore and walk it!” I noticed that the barge was being steered towards the bank.  The helmsman was skilled though and kept the barge from running aground or getting caught in the plants.“But as a courtesy to you; take your passage fees back and you can throw yourself and your two friends off.  Unless ye be needing some help with that!”  The captain said glaring.Moments later, the three halflings were on the western bank having swam or waded to shore.  They were shaking themselves off when the Apple King turned and shouted. “Hey!  This is the wrong side of the river!”“So, it is!  And your on the wrong side of my manners!”I made a mental note to myself.  Don’t annoy the captain on their boat.The excitement was over, and I moved towards a small table with my mug.  I was tired and just about done for the evening.  Night was coming soon and I for once just wanted a good night’s sleep.At that point, the three humans sat next to me.  And one of them started;“Wow, so you know Big D?  Are you a fan or his—”This is one of those times I rolled my eyes.  However, I have come to realize that unless you have an iris or clear whites of your eyes, people tend to miss it.  I found that out from Elisna, who as a tiefling had solid red eyes.  And the same problem. “I just…travel with him.”“Oh, wow that must be…oh WOW!  Your eyes…you are…wow can can I?”“No wait, can I?”“No me!And finally, all three said at the same time:“Get you a drink?!”I spent the rest of the evening drinking lightly, and shifting mugs, so they ended up drinking what they bought for me.  The conversation was somewhat about me how I looked, and a bit about Big D.  But it was the same dance of each of them trying to get a coveted spot in my tent to sleep in for the evening.It must have been near Anti-Peak when the last one passed out, and I could extract myself from the table.  I moved again to the stern, where the captain was alone holding the tiller.  He glanced at me amused.“You were right.”“About?”“Your good luck.  Made more in drinks off them drunks than their passage.”I looked town on river drifting behind us.  “Glad I’m valuable for something then.”The dwarf cocked his eyebrow and looked at me, nodding.“Ye'd fit in at Citadel Adbar.  Good food.  Good drinks.  No one pesters you, if you donna want it.  Helps that the dwarves wouldn’t hit on you as much.”“Oh?”The dwarf nodded, smiling.  “Nah.  You look too breakable, and you don’t have a beard.”I laughed at that a long while as the we continued our way north in the night.Session notes:This is what happens when you get a dialog that goes like this in the game:“Kinglsey appears to be dying”“I heal him.”Sorta boring. The second round with Big D was pretty much as is;  a bit more even, and accusations of cheating.2,214</blockquote>

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