Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 2884028" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #344] Please Ignore the Man Behind the Curtain[/PLAIN]Morier shouted a warning, "Behind the curtain!" before turning his attention to the red-furred monster in their midst.Shamalin tugged on the chain of her holy symbol, drawing the spell focus from its hiding place in the event that she needed to perform any miracles. At her side Ayremac drew forth his morningstar filling the chamber with pure white light before stepping in and slamming the weapon against the broad hairy shoulder of the creature menacing Karak. The beast roared in pain as the weapon smashed against its pelt.The dwarf answered its cry with a bellow of his own as he brought his waraxe round in a vicious arc... that failed utterly to connect with the beast. He turned the weapon and brought it back, slicing at the thing from the opposite direction and again missed completely.Morier took a step around to the creature's flank and slashed with Ravager, but the monster managed to twist away and avoid the deadly saw-toothed blade. As it dodged, it came at Ayremac with murderous intent.The holy warrior was able to deflect its rending claws with a sweep of his shield, but its toothsome maw darted in and clamped down on his weapon hand, drawing blood and a grunt of pain from the man.When Lela heard Ayremac's cry, she rushed up from Karak's shoulder eager to help her friends. Seeing the shaggy red thing with its back to her, she took aim at it. Shouting behind her, "Huzair, I need your help!" she called on the Green as quickly as she could and summoned a Flaming Sphere at the hairy creature's feet.Or at least she tried. The thing took an opportunistic swing at the Sprite, back-handing her as she cast. She spun in the air, almost losing the spell along with the blood that flowed freely from her smashed nose, but she managed to hold her concentration and dropped the Sphere on target. The beast tried to dodge out of the way, but was unable.Even so, the creature didn't seem overly discomfited by the fire licking up its bandy legs.The next moment the room and the hallway outside the door was filled with bilious green vapors. Both Huzair and Morier immediately recognized the effect as a Stinking Cloud - not that recognition offered Huzair any protection from it. Still it was enough to allow Morier the opportunity to suck in a lungfull of fresh air before the cloud fully formed. Beside him both Karak and his opponent seemed unperturbed by the vapors, Ayremac, however, doubled over suddenly and emptied the contents of his stomach all over his own boots.Shamalin's ordeal in Miller's Pond had inured her to a great many things, and apparently the nauseating effect of a Stinking Cloud was one of them. As Huzair retched uncontrollably at her side, she called on the power of her goddess to Hold the Person whose braceleted arm was visible sticking out of the curtain along the wall. She felt the spell go off, but it seemed to have no effect whatsoever.Clutching his heaving stomach, Ayremac withdrew from the fray. The long armed thing tried to take advantage of the Officer's condition, but Karak slashed at it with his waraxe, opening a frost-rimed gash in its side that nearly split it in two. Somehow, it didn't go down, and even managed to duck Morier's attack; Ravager drew blue sparks from the stone floor. In turn the monster reeled on Karak, its claws and fangs clattering ineffectually against the dwarf's armor.Swallowing back on a mouthful of bile, Lela concentrated on rolling her Flaming Sphere up against the monster venting its impotent rage against Karak. Again the thing failed to get out of the way, but again the ball of fire seemed to have little effect on the creature.Karak was struck full in the chest by a coruscating beam of magic originating from the curtained alcove and he felt much of his strength draining away as the Ray Enfeebled him.Had Huzair been watching he would have recognized the spell for what it was, but he knew full well that as long as he remained within the Stinking Cloud effect, he would be of little use to anybody. His gut spasmed unmercifully as he retreated back down the hall until he was outside the cloud.Ayremac too was making for the hallway, his face ashen and vomit flecked on his lips and chin. He felt something strike him in the back and to his horror saw that the homunculus had landed on him and was seeking some way to bite him through his armor. He tried to strike it away, but found that he was too nauseous to do much of anything.Shamalin saw the man's predicament but there was little she could do apart from using her longsword and she didn't quite feel ready to try that in actual combat just yet. She cast Detect Evil instead and was little surprised by the results.Karak, sagging under the sudden weight of his heavy armor, brought his waraxe up into a defensive position. "Now listen up lads, lassies, and faeries. Let the forces of chaos feel OUR wrath. I have confidence in ye all," he bellowed. "Now let us get to it."Morier felt a swell of Inspiration at Karak's words and swung Ravager with renewed vigor. The jagged black blade slashed upward, splitting the hairy red thing from crotch to chin. It fell back, dissolving into sulfurous smoke even as it dropped. It was completely gone before it hit the ground. The albino merely stepped through the spot where it had stood and made for the curtained alcove and the spellcaster beyond.Lela beat him to it, however. She moved through the narrow opening between the two heavy curtains and hurled a pinch of Dust of Great Slumber into the face of the first person she saw. The man was naked and bald with gaudy gold hoops decorating his ears. He wore cold and jewel-encrusted bracelets and an amulet that was all but lost in the many folds of blubber at his chin. And that was all although his hanging belly hid anything too objectionable from view.She hurled the dust and the man dove out of the way moving with a grace that seemed incongruent with his vast bulk. He rolled across the bed, coming up with his naked back against the far side, his hands already moving through the motions of a spell. "Fulgur sagitta!" he roared and lighting shot from his hands.The Sprite was able to avoid the worst of the bolt, but she still felt the jarring sizzle of electricity course through her tiny body. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably and her hair rose straight up and away from her head like a strange halo.The homunculus continued to scramble over Ayremac's armor looking for any opening in which to sink its fangs. It was having little luck as the man's movements caused it some consternation even if he couldn't mount any sort of active defense against the tiny invader.Karak plodded forward behind Morier imploring Shaharizod to let him Strike True as he came. Morier thrust aside the curtain with the blade of his bastard sword, took in with a glance the enormous bed that took up most of the alcove beneath a drift of rich silken sheets and pillows. Then he leapt forward and brought Ravager to bear on the obese wizard. The point of the blade drew a line of blood across the mage's belly and the man ground his teeth together biting back on a scream.As it turned out, he only needed to worry about it for another few seconds before Lela hurled another pinch of dust into his face. This time he was unable to evade the attack and instead fell onto his side amidst the sheets snoring contentedly.The homunculus, seeming to somehow realize the danger its master was in, abandoned its attacks on Ayremac and flew back into the room, chattering angrily. Karak cut it from the air with his waraxe as it flew passed him and the two ichorous chunks of homunculus slammed wetly into the wall beside the curtain.At the same instant, the fat man's body convulsed once, his back arcing impossibly before he fell still on the bed, rivulets of blood pouring from his nose and ears.</blockquote>

Verification