• NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.

The Blade of Phoee (Updated 12/08/08)

Good Disney - My @ss

If it weren't for two Story Hour spoiling fact, I would have killed that priest(ess) where he/she stood.

Grumble Grumble Grumble
 

log in or register to remove this ad


Grumble Grumble

And your lucky my wife was there too.
Or I would have beat you after the game session.


Ok yes, Cassock will seem very 'evil' at times.
But he does believe it is for the greater good.

Think about it folks,
Goblin, shouting strange words at you, you have been attacked at every turn. He has a Wand.... What would you do?
Priest of Ara-Kull, he already tried to kill you through Posion. The town taken over by his troops. The Mayor killed. I see it as justice done. But in Hindsight, I should have took his head with me. Speak with dead is useful.

O and we need to find a better Chineese place.
 

Yeti said:
And your lucky my wife was there too. Or I would have beat you after the game session.

Bring it ON!!!! :D

Now...the Goblin you can rationalize perfectly fine within the context of In-Character Knowledge. Yes, he was waving a wand. And although it may have been a cure light wand, I would've interpreted that as a threat as well. I was just seeing if we had any pacifists or thinkers in our group to actually stop and ask them a question. After all, how many of you speak Goblin? Quite a few in reality.

As for the Priest, the attempted poisoning was strictly Out of Character Knowledge...so while you can claim out of Character that he needed to pay for his sins (as it were...hehe) you cannot claim that in character. No one drank from those vials and they were destroyed. And never, in character, did I say that the shattered vials singed and killed the grass. You know that's just an embellishment. Furthermore, you don't really know if one of the vials was poison, or not. For all you know, that could just be an addition to jazz up the Story Hour. :D

I think, since we're using a lot of Out-of-character knowledge though, it should be stated that the priest in question, Tobus Matlick, had two domains at his command. #1 was Protection. #2 was Healing. (I have the pdfs at work if anyone doubts my word ;) ). So, you be the judge of what that means.

Yeti said:
O and we need to find a better Chinese place.
Agreed. Cat said the same thing after everyone left. We will switch to China King next time everyone wants some "Asian".

:D
 

Funeris said:
Quite a few in reality.
Ok who speaks f'ing goblin. I might have held the mace on that one.

Funeris said:
As for the Priest, the attempted poisoning was strictly Out of Character Knowledge...so while you can claim out of Character that he needed to pay for his sins (as it were...hehe) you cannot claim that in character. No one drank from those vials and they were destroyed. And never, in character, did I say that the shattered vials singed and killed the grass. You know that's just an embellishment. Furthermore, you don't really know if one of the vials was poison, or not. For all you know, that could just be an addition to jazz up the Story Hour. :D
I killed him before you got to the potion portion of the SH.

Funeris said:
I think, since we're using a lot of Out-of-character knowledge though, it should be stated that the priest in question, Tobus Matlick, had two domains at his command. #1 was Protection. #2 was Healing. (I have the pdfs at work if anyone doubts my word ;) ). So, you be the judge of what that means.
I knew not of his domains, even at the time of his demise. Either In or Out.
What I did know was the souls of the dead being ripped away and not proceeding to the afterlife as they should.


Funeris said:
Agreed. Cat said the same thing after everyone left. We will switch to China King next time everyone wants some "Asian".
:D
Ok cool.
Though I do eat Chineese every Wednesday anyways. That's what the other group devours, or Indian.

------------------------------
And yes I did enjoy the straight Role-playing of Friday.
There were a couple of points I did have to shut my mouth though. Because, prior character knowledge, would have been handy, but that knowledge was no longer with Cassock. If Funeris wants to explain that cryptic explanation he can. But he hasn't reached the point of the SH where even that explanation would make sense.
So I guess he needs to UPDATE.

:D :D :D
 

Ok...I'm going to try to give you a string of updates tonight (cuz I'm cool like that). The intent is to finish the battle that everyone should be expecting...and thereby finish the chapter. At the end of the updates/chapter I'll attach a map of the area they battled at. It's hand-drawn then photographed with a cheap digital camera...so you'll forgive any distortion (I hope).

:D

~Fune
 

Chapter 2: Journey into Darkness Continued (Concluded)

Tobus Matlick shifted uncomfortably near the tree. The powerful ring on his right hand hid his form from those he had been sent to watch. He worried desperately about the outcome that would occur soon. Already, the priest had waited hours for the return of the ‘heroes’. They should have returned by now.

And yet, that was probably the most comforting of thoughts. Perhaps Fate or the Will of Ara’kull had already eliminated the problem. If this was the case, then the outcome of events could only be positive for the cleric. Deep down, however, Tobus knew that the Ara’kull would not prevent the judging. End-bringer’s tone had confirmed that fact. Tobus felt his life and hope wither.

A short distance ahead, Leiban Malabrandt crouched near the stream. The Captain was obsessed with examining his own reflection in the quick moving water. A rogue had applied a decent amount of make-up to have the Captain appear beat and bloodied. Hopefully, the lure would bring the ‘heroes’ across the bridge and into the waiting arms of six Inquisitorial guards.

Perched a bit farther from the melee waited the ‘Elven’ ranger Thorne. Of course, Thorne was not truly Elven but a human mercenary with a bit of magic about him and an intense love of torture and murder. He had been employed by the priest in the past, albeit only a few times, but had not once failed. If the battle were to occur as planned, his services may not be needed. But in the event of the ‘heroes’ realizing their peril, Thorne would shoot to kill. The Master of the Forest’s presence gave Tobus a little hope.

The priest’s eyes shifted again, focusing upon the six plate maille clad guards. Their armor, painted black, aided the camouflage that the high bushes eagerly applied. The men had not budged since their positioning behind the shrubbery nearly six hours prior. Tobus wondered if they were actually men. He had never seen their livery removed and so perhaps they were something closer to the demon End-bringer.

Tobus shuddered. He refocused his eyes past the hopefully-able Captain and focused upon the edge of the forest.

Not more than three paces behind the priest, End-bringer waited as patiently as he could. The disquieting vibrations of the enemies of Ara’kull grew ever closer within its senses. Their number had increased by two it seemed, since beginning their travels. Not a good sign for the priest Matlick. The demon had to quiet his laughing or risk revealing himself.

Inside the cloak of pure shadow it wore, the vicious chains hungered for fresh blood. They slithered silent, snakily around his torso, their three-pronged ends, razor-sharp like teeth, snapped soundlessly together. Its body trembled for a moment, the energy of a forthcoming battle dancing across its rotting limbs and chains. The chains stopped their complaining just as the first of the ‘heroes’ burst forth from the dark wood.

--o--o--
 



Chapter 2: Journey into Darkness Continued (Concluded)

Ana was the first out of the forest, Aramil following with Ariel attached to his leg still. Bringing up the rear Cassock, Spinum, and Gabrielle watched behind, fearing attack. Their heads turned round prevented them from noticing the head of the train stop suddenly. With various grunts, the party slammed into itself and somehow managed to keep atop their feet.

Leiban Malabrandt, glanced up from the edge of the small stream. He stood, carefully as though his body was racked with pain. His right eye was swollen, nearly closed and a large laceration stretched down the left half of his face. The Captain made an attempt to cross the bridge but doubled over in pain.

“I don’t trust that,” mumbled Spinum to no one in particular. Still, Cassock rested a hand upon the haft of his war-mace.

“Leiban, what happened!?” Lady Ana shouted.

“Inquisitors,” the glorified guard stuttered, apparently his teeth had been shattered as well, “Attacked the town. Killed Mayor Rowen. They took control.”

“That settles it for me,” Cassock steeled his body as he withdrew the weapon. “I hope you prepared some fun spells, mage,” he hissed before returning his attention to the Captain. “Where are they?! I will show them how a true God deals justice.” The cleric stalked forward and a small hand snatched out to grasp him. The priest turned to Ariel who stared fearfully upward.

“He is wearing makeup. It is a deception,” the child hissed. [1]

“He must be working with the Inquisition,” agreed Spinum. “They do not let their foes escape alive.” The necromancer shivered in horrid recollection.

LIAR!!!” Cassock of Cael raised the bloodied mace and stalked across the bridge. Leiban stumbled backward in a rush, accidentally brushing a bit of the makeup off. “I will send you to meet my maker!!!

Leiban! What have you done!” Screeched Ana. Her bow had risen with an arrow nocked upon its string.

“Lady Ana, do not be a fool,” stated the Captain as calmly as he could manage. “Turn from these heretics; they will only condemn you to a torturous fate. You can be free. These heathens cannot mean that much to you.” The words continued to flow; Leiban continued to step cautiously back. “What I have done is restored law to our Town. Your…I mean Mayor Rowen was nothing but a conspirator against the King. He violated every one of our Lord’s mandates.

“But you need not fear, dear Lady. You can rule beside me.”

Treacherous knave!” Ana shrieked again, letting the arrow fly. In her rage, the shot missed and skittered harmlessly across the path in the distance. Cassock chose the moment to charge the Captain war-mace raised and stumbled to a stop as a yelp exploded from the rear.

Gabrielle crouched upon the earth, an arrow splitting her hand in twain. Blood dripped caustically upon the green grass. Cassock’s head pivoted back to his target. Six black-clad Inquisitors now blocked his intended target. Observing the steep slope of the bank and realizing the warriors would be hard pressed to cross except at the bridge, the cleric backed away.

Another arrow whined shrilly through the air, embedding itself in Aramil’s neck. The rogue dropped to the ground, moaning in agony.

--oo—oo—

Tobus chuckled quietly. The whole affair had not started too badly. Perhaps everything would work out for the cleric.

--oo—oo—
 

Into the Woods

Remove ads

Top