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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hairy Minotaur" data-source="post: 4455691" data-attributes="member: 11574">I carry a torch for youLavender spotted it first; a stain against the horizon like a shadow on a sunny day in a field of flowers, down the path to the east the clear morning was swallowed up. Sensing that this might be the arrival they’ve been waiting for, Lavender snapped her fingers and waved silently for the group to get into position. Slyphwhisper moved further up the path so as to get behind the arriving group when the rest of the party leapt out to ambush them.  The dark cloud grew larger as it traveled down the path towards the cave, Slyphwhisper ghosted into the foliage around him completely concealing his body visually. Gramps spat at the ground and pulled himself up from the crouching position he had next to Discordia and calmly walked out to the middle of the path and stood defiantly at the darkening path.“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” The hexblade called out“Drow.” Was all Gramps said, that one word conjuring up a lifetime of torture for those at the receiving end of the path.Curses flew back and forth across the path as the party debated fleeing for their lives, staying and fighting, and whether or not the gnome needed to be altered to any of these decisions.“I fight. That darkness cloud they’re traveling in, keeps them from getting blinded by the sun. Take out the mage and we cripple their defenses.” Gramps alerted the teamGramps watched the tendrils of the darkness speed up as if it relished a fight with the dwarf, shoving itself along the path using the trees to slingshot itself towards the old warrior. Slyphwhisper stood motionless as the cloud passed in front of him; a full fifty feet from front to back the gnome imagined all forms of beasts and demons contained within the inky blackness. A worrisome silence fell over the area as the first volley was shot at the bold dwarf; several hand bolts clanged off the dwarf’s shield and fell to the ground. The cloud reared up and swallowed up Gramps in roiling darkness and then was suddenly still. Shouts from the drow preceded a growl from the dwarf as the clanging of weapons echoed out of the darkness.Lord Horatius arose from his hiding spot first, arbitrarily chucking alchemist fire into the cloud of darkness before rushing into the blackness himself. The enermancer crawled out onto the path and slowly approached the hesitant to charge headlong into the field. “Hey, get up off your hands and knees. We’ve surprised them with are attack, get up in there and kill something!” Lavender shouted as screams of terror erupted from inside the cloud sounding nothing like a dwarf or an elf.Slyphwhisper waited until the hexblade shouted from within the cloud before he progressed into the darkness. The gnome noticed that as he passed through the barrier that the light darkened to that of a sky just before the thunderstorm starts. He spotted Gramps and Lord Horatius engaged with black-purple skinny elf-like creatures next to them were two burning carts that rocked back and forth on their own volition as another black elf lay at the foot of the right cart smoldering and unmoving. Immediately in front of Slyphwhisper, however stood a robbed black elf watching the battle intently as barking out orders to the rest of his people.  Slyphwhisper crept quietly behind the elf and in a practice motion, slipped the blade midway up the back of the drow and to the right of its spine.  The drow shrieked in pain and tried to reach for the blade in the middle of his back, as he turned slowly to face his attacker one hand groping for the weapon in his back that was just out of reach and the other hand raised to cast a spell at his attacker. Slyphwhisper was ready though and as the drow’s arm went up, the gnome’s second dagger went down and wedged itself through the drow’s elbow. Blood raced down the drow’s arm as the spell failed and fizzled in midair. Defeated, the drow dropped to his knees as his blood pumped externally from the two wounds. The drow put the hand from his good arm on the ground in front of the gnome as his breathing became ragged. Lifting his head up to face his killer the drow began to enunciate a final spell. Slyphwhisper kneed the drow in the mouth and put his index finger to his mouth in a hushing motion. Shushing the drow and then using his third dagger to end the mage’s life. As the drow mage fell to the ground the cloud of darkness too collapsed. The remaining four drow were instantly blinded and two were felled quickly as they dropped all defense to cover their eyes. With the cloud gone, Discordia joined in the fun by blasting the off-balanced drow from her safe vantage point. Lavender scanned the scene looking for the source of the screaming still going on. She spied the two alight carts and saw the bound humans squirming in them. Lavender without delay began aiming her healing bolts into them before they lost their battle with burn wounds. The cheese maker called out to the enermancer to help her put out the flames and save the captives.  As the enermancer and Lavender reached the first cart, Discordia dropped one of the drow as Gramps and Lord Horatius moved to tag team the other drow. “Don’t kill it we need some answers.” Slyphwhisper’s voice called out The two men turned their weapons and took turns pommeling the consciousness out of the drow and then turned their attention to rescuing the captives the Lord Horatius’ random firebombing had set on fire. An unapologetic Lord Horatius tried to use the last burning pieces of wood from the carts to reignite the drow that had been burned to death. “He’s dead, you can stop now.” Slyphwhisper commented“Burn him again, here I help ye.” Gramps responded, and the two men busied themselves with trying to make refried drow.Lavender and Discordia retrieved some rope from their backpacks and debated the best way to tie up the knocked out drow. The enermancer offered to complete the job for the women, gladly they handed over their ropes and the enermancer approached the downed drow. He took one of the ropes and tossed it on the drow. Then waited.The women gave each other sideways glances as if to tell the other one that this was the other’s fault. “What are you waiting for?” Lavender inquired“Shh. I’m calling on the god of hemp to bind the drow for me.” Replied a concentrating enermancer“Why don’t you smoke the other rope, maybe he’ll get here faster?” Discordia smirked“Here, let me do it.” Lavender says as she slips the remaining rope off the enermancer’s shoulder and begins to bind the drow’s hands and feet.“You do that like you’ve done some bondage role-playing Lavender.” Discordia observed“I’ve done my share of hogtying calves.” Lavender replies“Why would a cheese maker need cattle?” the enermancer asks“Uh… to make the cheese. From milk.” Lavender explains“Barbaric, haven’t your people heard of self-induced cheese making? Here I thought your vast acreage was being used to house all of the bodies needed for proper cheese making. Turns out you’ve been pulling cow teats all this time.” The enermancer responds“What the heck are you talking about; I need the milk to make the cheese I sell.” Lavender states“You should move into the less violent realm of cheese making, I myself have made from fine bricks of the stuff if I should say.” The enermancer boasts“Really, what’s your best cheddar?” Lavender asks“I don’t do cheddar; I make toe cheese and fromunda cheese. Has a heady flavor with a slight nutty aftertaste.” The enermancer answers to two nauseated listeners.Slyphwhisper finally cut the bonds of the drow’s prisoners and helped them off the path and under a tree; he shared Gramps’ waterskin that he had pilfered while the dwarf busied himself trying to re-burn the dead drow. Slyphwhipser learned that all of the prisoners were magic-using individuals of some sort and that the drow seemed to focus on just them during their respective battles. They drow moved through the battle and grabbed them. The drow then quickly retreated back to their camp and tied them up and threw them in the wagons. They told Slyphwhisper that they had been traveling for just over a day. The gnome thanked them and then left them to their own devices. The drow was beginning to come around as Lavender, Discordia, and the enermancer prepared to interrogate the creature. Discordia propped the drow up and the enermancer squatted in front of its face. “Where were you going?” The enermancer questionsNo reply came from the drow, “from where did you come?” the enermancer spoke againAgain no reply from the drow, “I guess he’s not going to talk.” The enermancer relayed with a shrug of his shoulders“What kind of interrogation was that? We’re not his babysitters step aside and let the fiend in there.” Lavender demandsThe teifling glares back at the cheese maker, “I don’t know what to do. Just because my mother had some extra kick in her DNA doesn’t mean I know how to impress upon a drow that his life is in danger if he doesn’t speak to us.” Discordia replies“He’s dead anyway, you’ll kill him after we’re through getting what we need out of him.” Lavender answers“Well that’s kinda harsh, who kills an unarmed tied up assailant out of spite?” The enermancer inquires“You do once we find out what he’s been up to and if he knows where the duke’s son is.” Lavender answers“Way ahead of you cheesy.” Lord Horatius replied as his began striking his custom made flint stone onto the strips of dried cloth he had just placed on the drow’s head.“What are doing?” Lavender questions“Killing him as requested.” The hexblade answers“That speech was for show of strength to the drow, they won’t talk to you if they think you’re inferior.” Lavender explains her strategy“Oh he won’t be thinking inferior when he’s begging me to put out is azer-like head.” Lord Horatius explains his strategy“What should we do?” Discordia asks Lavender“Stop him from setting him on fire obviously, do something to get that to happen.” Lavender answersDiscordia begins to disrobe“Great, well at least he stopped trying to set the drow on fire. You get the flint from him.” Lavender pokes at the enermancer who himself is also watching the warlock go to work.“Fine I’ll do it.” Lavender reaches out for the flint but Lord Horatius pulls the rock back“Don’t touch Mr. Blister.” The hexblade commands“What? You’ve named your rock?” Lavender exclaims“Of course, when you’ve been through as much as we have together a natural bond forms.” Lord Horatius explainsGramps shuffles his way up to the downed drow and already wheezing bends over and hacks up some phlegm for the dark elf’s complexion.  “Lookie here darkling, we can do this the respectful way where I kill you anyway, or we can do this the screaming to yer momma way where my buddy here slowly burns off yer appendages and I mark the stumps with symbols of Eilistraee.” Gramps tells the drow“Yes!” Gleefully Lord Horatius quickly gets a fire going with some twigs and pieces of unburned wagon“I tell you nothing Crap of a giant’s diarrhea.” The drow spat“Burn him.” Gramps said Lord Horatius yanked the drow’s left hand free and shoved it into the lager than necessary fire he built next to the drow. The dark elf bit his lip back in pain and grunted loudly but still did not yield any info.“Do it again.” Lavender commanded“You going to say anything or are you going to let this torture continue?” Slyphwhisper asked of the enermancer“You think I should tell them?” the enermancer asked, the gnome nodded in affirmation and the enermancer spoke up to the whole group this time.“I wouldn’t be burning him if I were you, if you ingest any of that black smoke you’ll get dizzy for a week and after that you’ll sprout stalks on your head with eyes in them! Better you bury him upside down in the ground and cut open his feet so that the maggots can eat away the beholder mist in their bodies first. Then we can dig him back up after a fortnight and burn him safely then.” The enermancer offered“Tell you what pal, you tell us what we want to know, and I won’t give you over to the crazy guy once we’re done with you. “ Lord Horatius explained“We were instructed to capture as many mages as possible and bring them to a predetermined exchange point.” The drow spoke“And where was that?” Lavender questioned“I was not privy to that information; perhaps if you had been valiant in your battle then the blade sticking out of my leader’s back wouldn’t prevent you from asking him.” The drow related“So you’re telling us you’re useless to us?” Lavender implied. “I. uh. Er..” the drow stammered“Gotcha.” Gramps responded“Tsk. Tsk, and here I was looking forward to having more fun with the drow.” A disappointed Discordia said as she began to re-dress herselfThe enermancer leaned in close to the drow’s right ear, “dude, come up with something useful, talk about your home world or a good recipe for rhubarb pie.” Gramps slammed his shield into the face of the drow knocking him unconscious again. The party hid the wagons off the path and dug shallow graves for the dead drow. The drow prisoner was tied and gagged to a tree and left to fend for himself much to the chagrin of Lard Horatius who begged and pleaded for a pyre to be built to get rid of the bodies.After a brief break for lunch the party approached the cave as the sky began to get overcast. The enermancer looked nervously skyward as they approached the cave. The party save for the enermancer crept up to scope out the cave. The enermancer stayed back with the party’s gear and gazed upwards.Slyphwhisper, began detailing the outside of the cave entrance to the party, showing the tracks leading in and the lack of exterior gurads likely meant they were too confident or there were traps inside. The sunlight dims perceptively as the orb slides behind a fluffy cloud in the sky. The enermancer sensing the encroaching darkness, thrusts his head up towards the sky to find the sun missing in the afternoon sky. “Aaaaaa! I’ve failed, the sun has been extinguished!” the enermancer screams and runs for the hexblade’s backpack Lord Horatius who had wondered over to hear what the gnome was explaining, turned his head towards the sounds of the male screams behind him and spied the enermancer digging through his pack and producing a torch. Panic sets in as the hexblade sprints off to interrupt the thieving enermancer. “Stop! Don’t touch Susan!” the hexblade shouts The enemancer looks around for a female held against her will, finding none and nothing out of the ordinary except for a running Lord Horatius, begins trying to light the torch. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” The hexblade demands as he closes the gap to the enermancer “I’m lighting this torch to re-ignite the sun, the damp clouds have extinguished its light.” The encermancer responds “You’re doing it wrong. Here let me.” The hexblade replies and shoves the enermancer out of the way  In two short strokes of the flint, Lord Horatius has the torch burning. The enermancer grabs a hold of the torch but Lord horatius refuses to relinquish his grasp “Let me have the torch I must re-light the sun!” the enermancer screams “Take your hands off Susan!” Lord Horatius exclaims The brawnier enermancer manages to dislodge the hexblade’s fingers from the torch. The enermancer turns and flings the torch skyward in an attempt to hurl the burning wood through a cloud bank thousands of feet into the air. The small stick tumbles over itself for a few seconds before gravity claws at the torch and begins to bring it back to the ground. “Susan!” The hexblade cries as the torch lands just short of a hundred feet from their location on a dry forest floor The enermancer looks up at the sky with a defeated glare, with the hexblade sobbing behind him the enermancer turns and puts a hand on Lord Horatius’ shoulder. “It’s okay let it out. I too shall miss the sun. I know not why you called it Susan but I respect you for giving me the torch that may have saved us all from a dark cold death.” The enermancer spoke “What?” Lord Horatius responded as he looked up from his wet palms to see the forest floor ablaze with the remnants of flame the torch brought back to the ground, “Yeah!” Lord Horatius shouted as he sprung off his knees and pumped his fist into the air at the sight of the forest afire. “What the hell did you two freaks do? The whole forest is going to burn down and we’ll be found out for sure!” Lavender squealed “Blessed be the light, the sun has chosen the earth we walk on to replace it in the celestial sky, isn’t it glorious?” The enermancer announces *sob* “yes, it’s beautiful.” The hexblade commiserates crying tears of joy at the birthing of a forest fire The sun creeps out from behind the cloud bank and the enermancer falls to his knees sobbing, “I did it, I saved the sun!” The thick smoke created from the decaying plant material coupled with the dry leaves crawls across the path and washes over Gramps who in a fit of coughing passes out from the lack of oxygen. Like a carpenter ant and a roses bush both relishing the falling log, Lord Horatius and the enermancer danced gleefully in front of the fire for their own reasons. Discordia rushed to the dwarf’s aid and bent an ear down to the dwarf’s mouth. “He’s still breathing barely; someone should give him mouth to mouth.” The warlock announces “What about you? You’re already there.” Lavender chastises “Me?” Discordia spoke and then felt the wave of heat sluice across her body as the fire began playing with the wind currents, “I’m too hot to do it.” Discordia replied while slipping off her boots slowly and in an exaggerated manner. Then leisurely draw the laces apart on her corset.  “What the?” Slyphwhisper spoke, “Apparently the enermancer’s insanity has spread, the cheese maker is flipping out, the dwarf is dead and the warlock is getting naked. I’m going to go down that hole, that’s got to be a better place than up here.”</blockquote>

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