[Lakelands] Six For Adventure

[Raven Crowking]

As the manticore disappears over the mill, Horsom reaches for another arrow and races around the mill as he nocks it. Seconds after the manticore disappears, he hears a tremendous splash. He turns the corner to see Dain standing near a pond, studying something he has found there. Seeing no sign of the manticore except the telltale ripples on the pond's surface, he runs back to the miller's home. "Miller, why would the manticore dive into the pond? Is there a passage there that leads to its lair? Does it lead inside the mill?"

OUT OF GAME: The splash was from the dropped body of the miller's youngest son.

Dain keeps on his guard as he pulls the half-eaten body from the mill pond. upon finding out that it is the miller's son bile grows in the back of his throat. There seems no end to the tragedy that has befallen this town.

ain explains to the miller that he must be brought to Selby-by-the-water to face judgement, but if he can provide information that would be helpful in destroying the manticore, the church may put in a good word with the bench. Dain asks the miller if he will come to the church, with more of a hint that if he does not comply he will be dragged there anyway, so that brother Hengist can keep watch over them while the manticore is dealt with.

After tripping over Maldordo, the miller lay stunned for a second. Then his eldest son ran across the room and pulled him to his feet. They shut the door against the creature out there, even as Horsom was drawing back the string for his second shot, and put the bar to.

When he heard the news of his youngest son, though, he opened the door again. "O' Wybald! My child!" he cried. He threw himself upon the body, weeping loudly. The rest of the family crept to the door. The miller's wife glanced at the adventurers and, seeing no further menace, put a hand upon his shoulder. The miller covered her hand with one of his own. "I will avenge thee," he said through tears and clenched teeth. "I will see thee avenged!"

Dain asked the miller if he would come to the church, with more of a hint that if he did not comply he would be dragged there anyway, so that brother Hengist could keep watch over him while the manticore was dealt with.

"We will bring my boy to the church," the miller replied. "So that he might be buried properly. Then I will hunt that creature to its end, or my own, and death to any that try to stop me."

OOC:
Kregor would not cast the Bull's Strength if allowed recant.

OUT OF GAME: Sorry, but when Kregor cast the spell he (reasonably) expected to need it.

 

[Samuel Leming]

Maldordo is surprised that the manticore fled from our challenge. Perhaps the manticore's reputation for ferrocity and malice is exagerated and it's nothing more than a mandy-core. Or maybe even a nancy-core. Most likely the manticore has taken to the air to attack again from surprise and a better position.

Maldordo keeps his attention to the sky looking for anything remotely manticorish. If he sees anything threatening, he'll start caterwauling to get attention.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

OUT OF GAME: The splash was from the dropped body of the miller's youngest son. OOC: I'll retract my last statement then.

__________________________________________________

Horsom ponders the dark irony of the miller's grief: after sacrificing three children to inadvertently summon the manticore, he has now sacrificed his own child to stop it. He watches with a small measure of pity as the miller and his eldest son wrap the body and hoist it between them. "Miller, stay with your family. The best way you can stop this creature is to tell us all you know about it. My companions and I are here to avenge all the children, wives, and husbands that this demon has slain."

OOC: With his last statement, Horsom hopes to kindle some feeling of remorse in the miller for the selfishness of his actions.

 

[Raven Crowking]

OUT OF GAME: The splash was from the dropped body of the miller's youngest son. OOC: I'll retract my last statement then.

__________________________________________________

Horsom ponders the dark irony of the miller's grief: after sacrificing three children to inadvertently summon the manticore, he has now sacrificed his own child to stop it. He watches with a small measure of pity as the miller and his eldest son wrap the body and hoist it between them. "Miller, stay with your family. The best way you can stop this creature is to tell us all you know about it. My companions and I are here to avenge all the children, wives, and husbands that this demon has slain."

OOC: With his last statement, Horsom hopes to kindle some feeling of remorse in the miller for the selfishness of his actions.

"I have to bury my boy," the miller said. "Bernd," he calls to the second son. "Fetch my bow and Bertolf's. You will have to stay with Amalie and your mother." As the boy went to do his father's bidding, the miller turned to Horsom. "Had you not come to Kell's Reach, my Wybald would be safe at home. We need to deal with this creature first, but I will not forget it."

 

[maddmic]

OUT OF GAME: Sorry, but when Kregor cast the spell he (reasonably) expected to need it.

OOC:
NP. I agree with that decision, I just didn't know the timeline. We're 3.0 though, right? If so, then I guess the spell has a duration of 1 hour/lvl. Therefore, his strength is now a 24 (+7).

IC:
Kregor rushes with the others to find the body of the boy. He listens to the others talk in the next few seconds.

"I have to bury my boy," the miller said. "Bernd," he calls to the second son. "Fetch my bow and Bertolf's. You will have to stay with Amalie and your mother." As the boy went to do his father's bidding, the miller turned to Horsom. "Had you not come to Kell's Reach, my Wybald would be safe at home. We need to deal with this creature first, but I will not forget it."

Kregor had finally had enough of the Miller's ramblings. He moved towards the man and grabbed him by the throat with only enough pressure to get the point across. "Your boy is dead because of that beast, not because we're here. You would be better served to bury and grieve for the dead once this menace has been dealt with. Otherwise you risk more of your family paying for your mistakes. I suggest you tell Horsom what he wishes to know and then go hide with the women while we do our work."

He then release the waste of flesh and turns to the others. "I care not what he says. If you all think it valuable to our cause, then listen if he speaks. I for one, am ready to find this beasts lair, before it kills again."

 

[Raven Crowking]

OOC:
NP. I agree with that decision, I just didn't know the timeline. We're 3.0 though, right? If so, then I guess the spell has a duration of 1 hour/lvl. Therefore, his strength is now a 24 (+7).

OUT OF GAME: Correct.

He then release the waste of flesh and turns to the others. "I care not what he says. If you all think it valuable to our cause, then listen if he speaks. I for one, am ready to find this beasts lair, before it kills again."

The miller's wife and son both took a step back as Kregor grabbed the miller. Released, the miller looked up with murder in his eyes.

"Idiots," he said, only half-risen. "When you see a rabbit, do you ask your companions to confirm it for you, or do you go about the business of making stew? What is it that you expect me to know?"

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Horsom lays a hand on Kregor's arm. "Well-spoken, Kregor, but he's not worth the aggravation. The church will deal with him." The axeman fixes the miller with a cold eye. "Do what you will. I grieve for your loss, but I grieve more for all who have died because of the evil you have wrought this winter."

Horsom stalks out into the yard and collects his everburning torch. "The Dwarfie Run?", he calls out to his companions. "It's too dark for the horses, so we'll have to head out on foot."

 

[maddmic]

"I thought we'd never decide on a point of action." Kregor looks one last time at the miller with disgust. 'Perhaps your fate would be better if you came with us to the manticore. It would be far less painful than dealing with your loss or with me.

He then turns and begins to move in the same direction as Horsom.


OOC:
How fast can we move to get to the Dwarfie Run w/o being fatigued when we get there? Is a 2x move or 3x move sufficient?

I'm trying to save my ill-cast spell. lol

 

[wolfheart]

"You're right, Kregor, the time for talk is over. Let's be to the Dwarfie Run and send this beastie back to the pit." Dain makes off towards the Dwarfie Run, following Horsom and Kregor. "When this is done we will deal with you, miller. I almost felt pity for you until you started spouting that nonsense about yer boys death being our fault. Ye can go pound sand for all I care."

Dain hustled to keep up with his companions and took a few practice swings with Tor-Angol.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

OOC: Sorry for not posting the last few days, got caught up with real-life stuff.

IC:
Selanil hangs the bow back over his shoulder and replaces the arrow in his quiver. Gripping the spear given him by Maeve, he follows the others to the Dwarfie Run, keeping to whatever pace keeps the group together. He wonders if he is supposed to use the spear against the manticore and bloody the favor tied to the end of it. He wonders if that is expected. As they travel, he scans left and right, looking for any trouble and not wanting to be surprised by anything.