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Sniktch's Story Hour Prelude - From the Beginning (UPDATED 04/22)
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<blockquote data-quote="Sniktch" data-source="post: 420567" data-attributes="member: 7704"><p><strong>The Cave</strong></p><p></p><p>The crossbow bolts raced through the air towards Jack, but he was not caught completely off guard. He raised his shield and felt the bolts impact as Eli’s voice sang out in a melodic chant of arcane syllables. He recognized the spell of sleep as Eli ended the cadence, and then he heard several distinct thuds from the cave mouth. He hurried forward into the cave.</p><p></p><p>The rest of the companions rushed towards the dark opening as Jack disappeared inside, and arrived to find him dispatching the last of four sleeping orcs. He looked up and grinned as they entered. “Nice timing, Eli,” he said, “this coulda been a tough fight.”</p><p></p><p>Ike knelt to examine the corpses. “They must have all just been paid - all their pouches are filled with silver.” This statement was followed by a small cheer.</p><p></p><p>The cave itself was rough hewn and held nothing of interest save the sentries’ bodies. However, a well-worn track lead to the back of the cave, where the walls gave way to a carved stone corridor that ended in a stout oak door. Ike crept down the tunnel and began examining the door, with Welby following right behind him. The others waited in the cave, Jack with readied axe and Eli and Crow carrying their bows. </p><p></p><p>Ike found the door to be unlocked. He reached into one of his pockets and extracted a small cone of metal. Placing one end against the door and the smaller portion to his ear, he listened intently for several moments. He could hear faint noises from the other side - someone pacing maybe, a short exclamation in the guttural tongue of his orcish ancestors. He looked back at Welby and nodded. “Several guards past this door,” he whispered. “It doesn’t sound like they know we’re here.”</p><p></p><p>They sneaked back to the cave to discuss the situation with the others. It was decided that Jack and Welby would lead the assault on the room and the rest would cover them with missile fire. </p><p></p><p>On the count of three, Welby pushed the door open and went into a diving roll across the floor. Jack followed him into the room and immediately stepped towards the side of the chamber. A volley of arrows from the others passed him by, and one surprised orc sentry got struck in the shoulder and throat, collapsing in a quickly spreading pool of blood. The room was filled with clutter, lined with boxes and barrels and tables covered with various tools and supplies. The five surviving orcs in the chamber overcame their surprise and moved into action. Two picked axes off the floor and charged toward Welby and Jack, while the other three grabbed crossbows and upended a table, taking shelter behind it.</p><p></p><p>Ike cursed under his breath. The advantage of surprise had evaporated quickly, and only one of the guards had been accounted for. Now Jack and Welby seemed locked in stalemate with their opponents, none of the combatants able to deal a telling blow, and the other orcs were too well sheltered behind the table to be hit. He traded his crossbow for his mace and sprinted forward, weaving and tumbling to avoid the arrows flying back and forth. Avoiding the melee, he ran straight towards the three archers. As he approached the table he dove, feeling a stinging hit in his hip as he did so. He rolled to a stop on the opposite side of the table, reached up and grabbed the edge, and pulled it down on top of himself..</p><p></p><p>The orc archers suddenly found themselves bereft of cover, and two of the three were immediately hit and killed by Eli and the Crow. Meanwhile, Jack and Welby had finally dispatched their opponents, and the final orc lost his heart for the battle. It sprinted towards an exit leading further into the cavern complex screaming for help but did not get far. Jack dropped his axe and pulled a light hammer from his belt, flipping it end over end towards the fleeing orc. The heavy mallet struck the orc in the back of its skull and it dropped with a sickening popping sound. Jack strolled over and retrieved the weapon, then moved to Ike and bent to examine his wound.</p><p></p><p>A crossbow bolt protruded from the half-orc’s hip and he looked up in obvious pain, eyes glazed over and teeth clenched. Jack shook his head with new-found respect, “Ike, I canna decide if that were the bravest or the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, I’ve nearly exhausted my healing prayers fer the day, but I c’n take some o the sting away.”</p><p></p><p>Jack suddenly glanced off to the side, “What was that?” Ike looked away, distracted, and Jack grabbed the bolt and pulled it forth. A scream bubbled from the half-orc’s lips, but before Ike had finished Jack had sealed the wound with a minor prayer and was applying a poultice to the wound. He checked to make sure it was firmly in place before offering his hand and helping Ike back to his feet.</p><p></p><p>While Jack tended to Ike, the Crow took up watch in the exit and Eli rummaged through the room, making a catalogue of all the tools, supplies, and weapons he found. The orcs and their masters obviously had some sort of mining operation going on, and he found many picks, chisels, and hammers, a large supply of rope and lantern fuel, and a crate of crossbow ammunition. He also understood the monsters’ motive for the raid on the supply wagon; he found precious little food in the crates, and many of the containers were empty.</p><p></p><p>Welby was trying to take his mind off of his stomach. He had risen before sunrise and raided a small building he’d discovered in the village that was just filled with fat, slow-moving chickens. That had been good for a small feast; he’d had two birds and half a dozen eggs. Then he’d breakfasted with the others when they woke, consuming a stack of delicious pancakes, but he had not eaten since. He ached from his wounds and he was tired of walking, and he was hungry. How the others could go three hours without showing any sign of hunger was beyond him. Was that movement in the corner?</p><p></p><p>Welby jumped to his feet, shortbow in hand, and fired at the corner of the room, before dropping the bow and diving into the shadowy recess. Eli saw the movement out of the corner of his eye and shouted in alarm, bringing the rest of the group running. Welby emerged sheepishly from behind the crates and barrels. In his hand he held an arrow, which had neatly skewered a rat. “Hungry,” he explained, and then to everyone’s collective horror he took a bite out of the rat.</p><p></p><p>Even Jack turned a shade paler. “Ahem. Uhh, we should keep movin. Might be more orcs about.” He spun on his heels and marched out of the room. Eli, Royston, and Ike were close behind him, but Welby took his time. The others had a good lead by the time he entered the hallway, licking his fingers and making satisfied little smacking sounds.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Sniktch, post: 420567, member: 7704"] [b]The Cave[/b] The crossbow bolts raced through the air towards Jack, but he was not caught completely off guard. He raised his shield and felt the bolts impact as Eli’s voice sang out in a melodic chant of arcane syllables. He recognized the spell of sleep as Eli ended the cadence, and then he heard several distinct thuds from the cave mouth. He hurried forward into the cave. The rest of the companions rushed towards the dark opening as Jack disappeared inside, and arrived to find him dispatching the last of four sleeping orcs. He looked up and grinned as they entered. “Nice timing, Eli,” he said, “this coulda been a tough fight.” Ike knelt to examine the corpses. “They must have all just been paid - all their pouches are filled with silver.” This statement was followed by a small cheer. The cave itself was rough hewn and held nothing of interest save the sentries’ bodies. However, a well-worn track lead to the back of the cave, where the walls gave way to a carved stone corridor that ended in a stout oak door. Ike crept down the tunnel and began examining the door, with Welby following right behind him. The others waited in the cave, Jack with readied axe and Eli and Crow carrying their bows. Ike found the door to be unlocked. He reached into one of his pockets and extracted a small cone of metal. Placing one end against the door and the smaller portion to his ear, he listened intently for several moments. He could hear faint noises from the other side - someone pacing maybe, a short exclamation in the guttural tongue of his orcish ancestors. He looked back at Welby and nodded. “Several guards past this door,” he whispered. “It doesn’t sound like they know we’re here.” They sneaked back to the cave to discuss the situation with the others. It was decided that Jack and Welby would lead the assault on the room and the rest would cover them with missile fire. On the count of three, Welby pushed the door open and went into a diving roll across the floor. Jack followed him into the room and immediately stepped towards the side of the chamber. A volley of arrows from the others passed him by, and one surprised orc sentry got struck in the shoulder and throat, collapsing in a quickly spreading pool of blood. The room was filled with clutter, lined with boxes and barrels and tables covered with various tools and supplies. The five surviving orcs in the chamber overcame their surprise and moved into action. Two picked axes off the floor and charged toward Welby and Jack, while the other three grabbed crossbows and upended a table, taking shelter behind it. Ike cursed under his breath. The advantage of surprise had evaporated quickly, and only one of the guards had been accounted for. Now Jack and Welby seemed locked in stalemate with their opponents, none of the combatants able to deal a telling blow, and the other orcs were too well sheltered behind the table to be hit. He traded his crossbow for his mace and sprinted forward, weaving and tumbling to avoid the arrows flying back and forth. Avoiding the melee, he ran straight towards the three archers. As he approached the table he dove, feeling a stinging hit in his hip as he did so. He rolled to a stop on the opposite side of the table, reached up and grabbed the edge, and pulled it down on top of himself.. The orc archers suddenly found themselves bereft of cover, and two of the three were immediately hit and killed by Eli and the Crow. Meanwhile, Jack and Welby had finally dispatched their opponents, and the final orc lost his heart for the battle. It sprinted towards an exit leading further into the cavern complex screaming for help but did not get far. Jack dropped his axe and pulled a light hammer from his belt, flipping it end over end towards the fleeing orc. The heavy mallet struck the orc in the back of its skull and it dropped with a sickening popping sound. Jack strolled over and retrieved the weapon, then moved to Ike and bent to examine his wound. A crossbow bolt protruded from the half-orc’s hip and he looked up in obvious pain, eyes glazed over and teeth clenched. Jack shook his head with new-found respect, “Ike, I canna decide if that were the bravest or the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, I’ve nearly exhausted my healing prayers fer the day, but I c’n take some o the sting away.” Jack suddenly glanced off to the side, “What was that?” Ike looked away, distracted, and Jack grabbed the bolt and pulled it forth. A scream bubbled from the half-orc’s lips, but before Ike had finished Jack had sealed the wound with a minor prayer and was applying a poultice to the wound. He checked to make sure it was firmly in place before offering his hand and helping Ike back to his feet. While Jack tended to Ike, the Crow took up watch in the exit and Eli rummaged through the room, making a catalogue of all the tools, supplies, and weapons he found. The orcs and their masters obviously had some sort of mining operation going on, and he found many picks, chisels, and hammers, a large supply of rope and lantern fuel, and a crate of crossbow ammunition. He also understood the monsters’ motive for the raid on the supply wagon; he found precious little food in the crates, and many of the containers were empty. Welby was trying to take his mind off of his stomach. He had risen before sunrise and raided a small building he’d discovered in the village that was just filled with fat, slow-moving chickens. That had been good for a small feast; he’d had two birds and half a dozen eggs. Then he’d breakfasted with the others when they woke, consuming a stack of delicious pancakes, but he had not eaten since. He ached from his wounds and he was tired of walking, and he was hungry. How the others could go three hours without showing any sign of hunger was beyond him. Was that movement in the corner? Welby jumped to his feet, shortbow in hand, and fired at the corner of the room, before dropping the bow and diving into the shadowy recess. Eli saw the movement out of the corner of his eye and shouted in alarm, bringing the rest of the group running. Welby emerged sheepishly from behind the crates and barrels. In his hand he held an arrow, which had neatly skewered a rat. “Hungry,” he explained, and then to everyone’s collective horror he took a bite out of the rat. Even Jack turned a shade paler. “Ahem. Uhh, we should keep movin. Might be more orcs about.” He spun on his heels and marched out of the room. Eli, Royston, and Ike were close behind him, but Welby took his time. The others had a good lead by the time he entered the hallway, licking his fingers and making satisfied little smacking sounds. [/QUOTE]
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Sniktch's Story Hour Prelude - From the Beginning (UPDATED 04/22)
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