Last Stand of the Dorinthians (Final Chapter)

[Fenris]

"I have no treasure, merely death." replies Dartis as he fires a pair of arrows at the ogre.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Dartis' attack takes the creature by surprise, as two arrows fix onto the sternum of the approaching ogre. The ogre bellows in rage and charges, but Caramip lets loose a bolt first, catching the giant in the throat and killing him...

(Critical from Caramip)

---

"Impressive!" The merchant claps as your senses tell you that you are back in front of the board. The man in skins simply grunts his approval. "The man ... or woman ... I have in mind is also known as the Hunter or the Rider. Now you've shown talent in this game. Don't let me keep you from it."

Three more numbers are revealed, a '8', a '7', and a '6'.

---

Dartis moves forward onto the six and finds himself in front of a gnoll attacking several sick-looking Tallione citizens. He seems to have killed a white robed priest, though the priest looks to have killed two of the gnoll's companions before falling. Dartis and Caramip quickly move in and kill the gnoll, although the crowd's gratitude cannot fall on them before Dartis and Caramip find themselves back to the board.

---

A '7', '8', and '5' are revealed. Once more Dartis' luck holds and the low number is ahead towards the end of the board. He moves his piece...

---

The duo find themselves inside a small chapel to Matrial, but this one has been desecrated with decayed plants and crimson blood in the name of Festios. A single diseased man stands shirtless in the center of the chapel, calling out to Festios in a tongue that belongs to neither Tallione or Dorinthian. The heroes need to see little else before both raising their weapons against the filth-ridden worshipper...

---

Two '8s' and a '6' are revealed. "Very good. I sense a lucky game this time around, and you are past a third of the way. So what really brings the two of you tired souls through this part of your fallen country?"

---

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[Fenris]

Two '8s' and a '6' are revealed. "Very good. I sense a lucky game this time around, and you are past a third of the way. So what really brings the two of you tired souls through this part of your fallen country?"

Dartis replies "We are on our way to try to find a cure for the plague that has befallen mankind. We know the true origin of it, and seek out it's original creators to extract a cure n time to say humanity." as he lifts his piece and advances it to the 6.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

The two heroes find themselves as rescuers once more, this time two travelling and destitute women who were snatched off of a road by a bugbear. The creature seemed intent on tormenting them before killing them, but his plans were stopped short by arrows and bolts...
---

The next revealed numbers are two '9s' and a '7'. Dartis moves to the '7'.

Dartis and Caramip find themselves in a familiar part of Tallione, where one of the bigger markets is visible. It seems that food is getting scarce, for as the duo appear they see five men attempting to steal into one of the city granaries at this time of night. A dead guard lays slain near the entrance. Dartis orders them to stop and unslings his bow, while Caramip follows suit. He had hoped that the men would flee, but they charge with drawn maces. The duo fell two of the men before the other three engage. Dartis pulls out his blade while Caramip steps behind him. The ensuing combat is bloody, but the heroes survive it yet not without injury (-12 hps to Dartis, -6 hps to Caramip). The men smell odd, and as Dartis checks their clothes he finds the holy symbols of Festios on their bodies and some strange vials of a dark liquid. It seems that the purpose of these men were to poison the grain, not to steal it...

---

Dartis looks at his wounds, but notices that a '3' is revealed next. He ignores his injuries and moves his piece forward once more.

---

The Dorinthian town seems empty of people, but it looks like two goblins are tearing up the remnants of the vacant settlement with gleeful abandon. They are about to throw mud and rotted food at a small shrine to Saul when they are left dead and peppered with missiles.

---

Dartis and Caramip find themselves back to the board once more, but the tokens shown are a '7', '6', and '8' with the '8' up front. The two heroes consider their injuries while staring at the '8'. Caramip is able to bandage up many of the worst cuts and stop some of the bleeding (+1 hps to Dartis and Caramip).

"The disease you fear has been around a long time, and the elves you seek are likely not going to part with the cure. It is the disease that has kept them from being wiped out by the orcs, and from enemies nearly forgotten. Without the disease, the elven kingdom would have ceased to exist."

"So I take it than that you plan to take the cure from the elves by sword or by trick?"

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[Bloodweaver1]

"Neither, Gods willing.” Chimes Caramip. In a serious and somewhat hopeless tone she continues to say, “The optimistic in me hopes that the Cure will be handed over willingly and honestly. However the realist in me knows that if such groups are willing to go so far in causing so much pain and suffering, that they are also willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that no one gets in their way…”

OOC: Caramip can cast Cure Light Wounds and if spells do continue between each move, she will then cast Blur on Dartis.

 

[Fenris]

Dartis thanks Cara for the healing.

"I know, but there are elves who do not know of, nor would approve of it's use. It has been forseen that the division of the elves over the disease and the cure could result i a civil war that will wipe out their civilization. Yet it has also been seen that if they do not provide the cure, not only will humanity be destroyed, but so will each race in turn as the elves percieve them as a threat."

Dartis sighs, takes a deep breath and moves his token ahead to the 8.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Dartis and Caramip find themselves in a large room with some sort of fireplace and Tallione tapestries hanging from the walls. An aged man racked with disease rocks back and forth in prayer, but raises his head in shock at the duo. "I've been praying to the gods for guidance, and you appear in my chambers. Perhaps you are here to answer the question that distresses me. I rule this town in the name of the Emperor, but communication has ceased with the capital after we complied with an order to send our most talented clerics to the city. Now the plague has infected everyone and I fear we will not last the coming weeks. However, the priests of Festios have come and demonstrated that they can save those that would worship their god by changing them into something different than a normal man. So this is my question, should I allow my people to die and disappear into oblivion or should I allow them to become slaves to Festios? Death or a slavery so final that there will never be a way to escape? I have a feeling that your words will have important consequences."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Bump?

 

[Fenris]

Dartis and Caramip find themselves in a large room with some sort of fireplace and Tallione tapestries hanging from the walls. An aged man racked with disease rocks back and forth in prayer, but raises his head in shock at the duo. "I've been praying to the gods for guidance, and you appear in my chambers. Perhaps you are here to answer the question that distresses me. I rule this town in the name of the Emperor, but communication has ceased with the capital after we complied with an order to send our most talented clerics to the city. Now the plague has infected everyone and I fear we will not last the coming weeks. However, the priests of Festios have come and demonstrated that they can save those that would worship their god by changing them into something different than a normal man. So this is my question, should I allow my people to die and disappear into oblivion or should I allow them to become slaves to Festios? Death or a slavery so final that there will never be a way to escape? I have a feeling that your words will have important consequences."

OOC: Sorry DT. Mother's Day plus a ton of work slowed me down.

Dartis looks warily at the old man. Every "vision" so far resulted in combat. He had little reason not to expect priests of Festios or thier undead minions to jump out at him now.

"Well Grandfather," replies Dartis with some measure of respect, even as his eyes dart around the room. "I can only answer for myself. But I would rather face my fate as a man, than to live under any form of slavery. Having seen what Festios does to his slaves, I cannot call them men any longer so consumed with rot are they. The slavery is merely a longer, slower, more painful death. There is never any honor in slavery. For myself I shall join my ancestors unbowed and unbroken. Death will come to all of us, we can only choose to face it. And yet, I will say to you that hope remains, so long as some men are yet uninfected, our race may still survive, but only if we fight to the bitter end. No matter how many brambles lie down that path."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

The man turns pale as he fidgets. Finally he nods and stands, his back straight. "The gods' messenger has spoken wise words indeed, and they shall be obeyed. Thank you."
---

The next tokens are flipped. A '7', '5', and '8'. Dartis moves up to the '5'.

---

Two hungry souls, a woman and a small girl, struggle up a small trail through some hills. Both have the appearance of being touched by the disease, and from their tattered clothes and features they seem to be Dorinthians. Despite Dartis' and Caramip's own dwindling supplies the two give a couple of rations and the contents of their waterskins...

---

The next tokens are flipped... a 0 signifying a '10', and the other two tokes as a '6', and a '5'. Dartis moves to the '5'.

---

A small chapel to the Rider has been set aflame in New Dorinthia, with men scrambling to put out the fire. They are disorganized, however, putting out the fire with buckets of water that they are running back and forth with from the creek. Caramip and Dartis move in, providing leadership and creating a fire brigade that lines up from the creek to the chapel. After 15 minutes of sweat, the fire is being contained.

Kyle Radnal and a number of his men come alongside, their armor showing dark stains from smoke and char. As you take a good look at the men around you, you realize that these comrades of yours are also showing pale faces and phlem from coughing. It looks like the disease had reached here after all. "Dartis and Caramip...?" Kyle looks at you in disbelief, but you find yourself back at the board.

---

The two men stare at the board along with the heroes. Three new tokens are flipped up, showing two 'B's that are similar equal to 11s. A third token with an '8' stands ahead. "Getting so close."

---

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