3 - 005: The Third Piece

[K Man]

Hero, Garor, Callian, Angelus, Caelith, Newt, Krysta, Girud and Galdren - When you each awoke this morning, in these troubled times, you had no idea if you would survive the day. War often takes its toll in lives...much like your companions from Boon's Freehold that were supposed dead...as 'The Master' rarely takes survivors.

Now, here you are, staring friends you once thought dead straight in the eye... They stare at you, equally disbelieving that you could have survived the fated events at the Freehold, suspecting you ghosts or spirits come to haunt them. You know you are neither...but the tensions are still high.

[Hero, Detect Evil = None in the vicinity radiate as evil, although a few of the mages do have the dull thud of vile deeds...]

"Are you dead or living? Speak!"

"How is it that you are alive when all others taken by the master have died?"

To which the responses fly back, equally stained with mistrust.

We had help escaping from the clutches of the Master by these elves. And by god, we are not spirits, but the same flesh and blood we were when we were holed up together in Boone's Freehold."

Delomme watches all of this unfold as though the force at his gates is nothing but a fleeting summer memory. His face sours.

"I take it that the Trolls are at the gate? We saw signs of them from outside, that's why we used magic to bring ourselves in. Let us hope they have no such magic at their disposal. What is the situation? More importantly; have you seen a crystal such as the one Sturmguard holds?"

"More people after this damned shard! What madness does this stone bring to our city!? First, the representatives of Sturmguard carry it in on a cart seeking refuge, then the 'SlaughterFog' pounds on our threshold, demanding its release...and lastly, crazed half-Giants 'pop' out of nowhere asking for it as well..."

Spinning to the mages, Krysta poses her questions, eyes alight with the potential for help.

"You may have given me an idea! How quick could one of you teleport to your Queen and tell her our position? If you could get there quickly, and alert her as to our plight, then she would surely know of a way to defeat these Trolls. With the information that we have, and their ability to teleport groups, she would be able to send what aid she would think would be able to deal a mighty blow to the enemy. If you can make this jump in time, you must also go to the Knights in the Temple. Tell them that a great host of enemy troops of Trolls is at our feet, waiting for a battle. With the fire of battle to stir their slumbering minds, they would surely heed the call and come bearing arms. Unless, any has a better idea, speak up now!"

The mages and warriors all take a moment to look to each other, their stoic faces melting little in the mid-morning sun...then one of them finally speaks. A lead warrior of the 'Elite'.

"I have a better idea... Why don't we take the shard and leave?"

Almost all talking stops when the Elf spits his words.

"The man said it himself, they brought it in here. It must be here somewhere. We find it, take it and leave... let the fates have them. We're unders orders from the Queen to take it."

"Our mission is important...more important than a petty border scrabble with 'The Master'."

The Elf moves little as he drops his words for all to hear as though he is impervious to the retort...a true Elf.

Delomme whistles, a shrill noise that pierces the morning air. Nearly all on the wall look down to your area, their attention drawn from the fog at the gates. Delomme's guards bring their weapons upright, shifting aim from one person to the next.

The Elven elite waste little time in matching the threat, bows drawn tight...it appears as though there will be a show-down...



"ENOUGH! No one takes this crystal from here! I will not open the main gates to allow ANYONE through and risk the lives of all here."

"I should put this damn thing into a ballistae and send it over the wall... let 'The Master' have it in exchange for out lives."

"Or better yet... put it in 'Fortress-Breaker', fire it towards the heart of the land and let you all chase it!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romar, Sehanine and Yuri - [Yuri, these are EXACTLY the same type of Drow you encountered earlier.]

Romar squeezes into the secondary forge, sneaking towards his targets. The Drow do not seem to notice your approach.

Focusing his mind, Yuri unleases his mental powers, devasting the Drow. [Energy Missle Each Drow. Ref. Saves = 1 success] Each bolt strikes home. [Damage Rolls = 12, 14, 15, 7 (Success)] Three of the four Drow seem wounded and stagger slightly, looking about for their attackers.

Romar, (Readied Action) charging across the dusty floor of the forge, you bring your blade to the first Drow. [Attack Roll = 29] The blade digs deep and hard into the chest of the Dark Elf, drawing a spray of blood. [Damage Roll = 5]

Battle has begun...

{Initiative: Romar, Yuri, The Drow.}

Drow 1 down (12)
Drow 2 down (14)
Drow 3 down (15)
Drow 4 down (12)

---------T--------
--------DD-------
-------D--D------
-----------R------
------------------

T = Tube to Plan Library
D = Drow Warriow (1-4) Romar, you're next to 4
R = Romar
(Yuri is still out in the hallway having not moved in. He is 100ft. away.)
__________________________________________________________________________________________

[TheUdjat]

Caelith is at once angry at both Delomme and the other elves with Krysta and the others. He rests his hand on his rapier, his other hand beginning to gesture for spells, such is his desire to hold onto the crystal. When Delomme says his final words, Caelith spins to face him, prepared to make an angry retort.

And then stops. He blinks, the anger fading rapidly from his voice. "That, Delomme, is an excellent idea. Tell me, how far could you fire the shard from that massive cannon of yours, and how accurately?"

The idea races through Caelith's mind. He looks to Hero, Callian, Garor, Newt, and Angelus, including him in his thoughts. He speaks low, so as to keep his words out of his former companions' hearing. "We can travel in the blink of an eye, can we not? If he can fire that crystal halfway to Ravenshead, that is half the trip we must make! Let them send it somewhere known, somewhere near a town we can pick up a new, fresh cart at. Then we can beat these damned elves and the Master both to the crystal. What say you?"

He looks briefly to the assembly with Girud, Galdren, and Krysta, inwardly feeling a pang of regret that their motives are apparently at odds. But Caelith swore allegiance to Strumguard, and no elven contingent will sway his mind.

After all, where were they at Carealal?

[Hero]

Hero smiles a small, sly smile at Caelith's suggestion. She likes it.

[Hero takes note of the evil mages for a later time.]

[BluSpecs]

Garor nods in agreement.

Said in a low whisper These elves will not be taking this shard without some heavy consequences

Garor takes note of the obvious elven wizards and keeps a hold person spell ready for them in case things go south.

He never liked haughty elves anyway, in fact he's almost welcomeing an excuse to shut the lead elfs mouth

[Artemis]

Angelus smiles at Caelith's suggestion. And keeps a close eye on the mages so if any of them casts a spell he will try and counter it.

[VemuKhaham]

Romar now uses both his swords and swings at the drow he hit earlier, but first he takes a careful step into the middle of the 'drow circle', threatening them with his blades if they lower their defences. If the drow falls before the end of his attack, he will proceed with the next drow.

---

5-foot step into the drow half circle. Attack drow 4; if he falls drow3, and so on , AC20
MW Longsword (+8/+3, 1d8+3, 19-20/x2, S)
Shortsword (+7/+2, 1d6+3, 19-20/x2, S)

[Merovingian]

Newt smiles and nods while trying not to giggle a little, this sounds like a truly fun game. Although he wonders why these elves all seem so mean Newt will try to get lost in the crowd in case the others do try to stop the plan. hide +19 Move silent +15 try to get into a flanking position on the other side if the other group

[Wizard]

(OOC: AWESOME idea! However, common sense requires me to interject...)

"Can we be sure that the shard would survive the landing? To have come so far only to shatter it by accident would be folly."

[GeneralMHB]

Yuri focuses another wave of energy missiles of the same type at the Drow before they fire their deadly cargo.

[glow=red,2,300]What do you care? He's better off dead anyway...[/glow]

He has to be alive or I will pay the consequences

[glow=red,2,300]What of the elf?[/glow]

No time to discuss that now

[Fangor the Fierce]

With a reaction that comes as a reflex, Krysta turns to the Elves, and galres at the one that mentioned the taking of the Crystal Shard. The following words escape her before she can think as she moves in between the groups.

"Your Queen has sent us to lead you. And you will do just that. Even Elves should have some honor in ranks. These are our friends, and you WILL NOT harm them. To get to them, you would have get through me first." She eyes them coldly, knowing the way of the elves and the focused attention of the Queen on retreiving the shards at all costs is apparent.

She finally turns her attention to all on the walls, the other group, and the elves. "What is this? Another madness of the Master? When the world should be pulling together to rid this vile creature, we instead are fighting each other, for various objectives. If this is the way it is going to be, then the Master is sure to win. I am not asking that you elves go against your beliefs, or that the inhabitants of Cannon's Foot should idly let the Master have this shard, or that we should turn our backs on each other. It is not about who is right and who is wrong, but about how we can help each other. Dwarves, Elves, Humans and all the other inhabitants of this world that are subject to the Master's destruction would be better off if they simply learned to work together, and not apart. Even the lone Goblin has learned that much. And if a Goblin can learn to work with Humans, Half-Giants and Elves, then does that mean you all are not even as adept as he is? This war has taken much from all of us, and I fear that it will take more if this hatred and untrusting nature does not make way for reason. If we do not work together, then we WILL FAIL!"

She turns to each group, first the elves, then the inhabitants of Cannon's Foot, to the other group that was seemingly lost at Boone's Freehold, and lastly to the Goblin, who has shown that even they can adapt to the times and learn to work to rid this world of the Master. Her eyes are cold, and calculating. She speaks from the heart now, and only wishes to see this to the end.

She turns to Hero, the most noble looking one of the other group, who seems to be in a chat with the others. "You would know well of honor and commitment. Would you turn your back on allies or aid them? We are not here to argue, but to get us all out of this predicament unscathed. Your allegiance to Sturmguarg is true, as ours is. We took the same oath as you, and have now run into a chance to end this war. We need to speak, and quickly."

She then turns to Delomme, with a raised eyebrow. "We would need your counsel as well, for you are the representative of Cannon's Foot and we will aid in any way we can. We need to talk NOW! Is there somewhere where we can speak? We have but one hour, from what we have learned."

OOC - Whew...that was a long one...She is looking to meet with the other group, and speak with them and Delomme about the plan. This is all dependant upon how they all react to her speach...

[Japic]

Torn between self preservation and the want of not harming his allies Girud watches the scene unfold as though he were watching through someone elses eyes.

This madness cannot be happening.

At Krysta's speach Giurd looks back and forth between the involved parties, hoping for a peaceful resolution.

Let us hope they are willing to negociate with us.

{Await the other's reactions to Krysta.}

[Jevva]

Galdren looks between Krysta and the recently recovered "friends." Shaking his head at the amount of anger going between the two groups, he just sits back on his heels, waiting for a hopefully peaceful resolution.