Re: Come on come on come on!!!
Nota Pixie Insight said:
Mr. Cyronax'd better hurry up...getting antsy pantsy over here!
The scary thing about Nota Pixie Insight, is that she uses phrases like "antsy pantsy" in real world conversation.
If I can force myself away from the wild times in ole "Hoodbridge" long enough to get to the third session Story Hour, you all will be quite familiar with Nota Pixie's charming way with words. The third session is when her character is introduced. So watch out!
Anyway, here's a short update. I won't promise to get further updates posted today (yeah right) or tomorrow (hopefully) or even next week (more likely), but be warned: despite my stop-go progress so far, this Story Hour will be long, long, and long. Not a threat, just a statement.
Muu-hahahaha,
C.I.D.
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Session II (Part I)
“Don’t worry about Gareth! We need to go after the last archer!” Li Hai snarled as he began to follow Kelec on to the second island.
Before following the Halthyte’s order, Gorbag, bent over and scooped up the unconscious form of the second swordsmen, and tossed it into the deep, held back marsh. Gorbag then retrieved his sword and followed after his two companions.
The trio quickly found the remaining archer. The solitary guard was hiding not far off the reed choked path on the second island, and after barely missing Kelec with surprise shot from hiding, tried to head deeper into the second island’s tall reeds. Kelec and Li Hai quickly wrestled the man to the ground, beat him unconscious, and then tied him up with some silk rope that Gareth had stowed in Gorbag’s backpack (6). For good measure, Li Hai ripped off a piece of cloth from the man’s clothes and gagged him with it.
With the last man subdued and hoisted over Gorbag’s shoulder, the three companions returned to the bridge to retrieve Gareth’s unconscious form. As Kelec further tended to Gareth’s wounds, Li Hai searched the battleground for any items of interest. Except for the fact that all four men were dressed in tabards from the Clover Trading Company, Li Hai found nothing of value on the men, save for a few gold pieces and two nearly full quivers of arrows.
The druid was able to better bind Gareth’s wounds, and soon he said that they could move him. Kelec made Gorbag carry the armored nobleman’s inert form along with their captive guard. Gorbag seemed happy to oblige.
Everyone but Li Hai was wounded, and after a quick debate, both Li Hai and Kelec agreed that they needed a place to rest. Kelec said that they shouldn’t travel too far, since they were all hurt, and suggested that they find some remote corner on one of the marsh islands to lay low for awhile.
After crossing on to a third island and then a fourth, Kelec finally found a suitably isolated patch of open ground off the beaten path. It was barely big enough for the party to all stand in at once, but Gorbag was able to flatten down some of the tall reeds, which he used as a bed for himself. Kelec put the unconscious archer and Gareth side by side in the center of the clearing.
Over the course of the next eight hours Kelec rested, healed himself, and then tended to Gareth and Gorbag as best he could. The dwarf was able to bring Gareth back to consciousness, at which point Li Hai made several snide comments about Gareth’s reckless charge into battle. Gareth did little to defend himself, and seemed ashamed of his poor performance.
The now grimy noble seemed truly miserable, and merely said, “I wasn’t trained for that type of fighting.”
As everyone was now feeling rested and up for further exploration, they decided that it was time to ungag their captive for questioning. Gareth wasn’t able to get much information out of him. The man seemed quite lucid and matter of fact, and despite an occasional head lock from Gorbag or threatened beating from the entire party, he seemed quite ready to die right then and there.
What they were able to glean from him was that the intricate bridge where they had fought him earlier was called the “Floodgate.” Its purpose as far as the party could discern, was to build up enough water to create a “vengeful reckoning” on the “cruel people of Cherry Knoll.”
The guard also said not a few times that even though he and his fellow guardsmen had been defeated, the destruction of Cherry Knoll was inevitable. This was the “Wise Master’s” will, and if the party progressed any further into the heart of the swamp, they too would be cleansed and enlightened by his virtuous leader.
The man seemed unable to relate why his master hated Cherry Knoll so much, and he likewise would give little description of him or his true power. In the words of their captive, “my Master’s weakness is his strength and you won’t find him caught unawares.”
Further questioning revealed a few more things about the man. It seemed that the man was indeed one of the guards who had been escorting the Clover Trade caravan at the beginning of the summer. The man talked like a religious zealot; like someone who had once lived in sin, but now had found purity.
He spoke harsh words about the filthy ways of Archaven. The hypocrisy and greed of the Church and its “thugs” the Stokan Knights, and would have gone on and on if Gareth hadn’t told Gorbag to knock him out.
After quietly listening to their captive, Kelec said, “He be charmed or brainwashed….I think. This “Wise Master” sounds pretty tough. I hope him and the “Bringer of Storms” aien’t the same guy.”
“Actually, if they are, that makes for one less enemy to deal with.” Gareth said.
“Aye I suppose,” Kelec, his brow furrowed, then said, “But if these idiots have been ensorcelled, we might not want to be using deadly force.”
Li Hai said, “Heh, I’m surprised you care dwarf. I don’t think we have the luxary of using kid gloves, no matter what the circumstances.”
Gareth added, “I agree with you Li Hai, but don’t forget that there was a rich daughter of one of the Clover Traders in that caravan. She’s worth a lot alive.”
Looking at Gareth disgust, Kelec said, “Do you always think with your purse like that, you prissy fancy boy?”
“A dwarf of all people is lecturing me about greed?” Gareth mocked, and continued to say, “Come now, you have to agree that we can’t hold back against people trying to kill us.”
The druid shot back, “First of all, I think most dwarves are even worse than you humans, so don’t lump me in with them again, you hear!? And second, I will only kill when necessary, now that we know that these people have been…..uh…tampered with.”
Kelec didn’t wait for the Mytherian to respond, and was already grabbing his gear and making his way through the tall reeds towards the path.
Gareth, speaking to the dwarf's back, "Heh....I was going to say......"How do you even know they're charmed," but I guess that's a stupid question."
Li Hai just shrugged at Gareth, readied his crossbow, and followed the dwarf through the reeds.
Gareth dragged Gorbag to his feet, helped the orc position the unconscious guard on the orc’s shoulder, and then followed after his companions.
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(6) Gareth, due to his mediocre strength, often had Gorbag carry his non-essential adventuring gear. The other party members, being even weaker than Gareth, soon mimicked this practice, and ever after Gorbag would be charged with carrying the party “kitty.”
