Post by K Man on Nov 22, 2004 13:41:32 GMT -5
Krysta, Girud and Galdren - The last of the Elves are transformed and lifted away leaving the mages still on the platform. They utter a few arcane phrases and lift into the air on their own power, robes fluttering in the wind as they take to flight behind all of their companions. The fog disappears quickly and you lose sight of it as the landscape passes by.
Mordrock is still with you, carried on the back of a giant bird, and despite the tragedy around him, he still has a smile across his face. He lifts his hands into the air and squints as the wind rushes past him atop the great bird.
It is a meager example of how happiness and hope can exist in dark times...or blatant ignorance and stupidity.
Still, the trees and brush beneath you streak past at an alarming rate. The green leaves seem to lengthen and turn into streamers of brilliant green and brown. this continues for sometime until the birds slow down, decreasing the powerful flaps of their wings and, one by one, you are placed on a cliff face...far from Cannon's Foot. Mordock is soundly dumped on his back from the bird's neck and gets up, dusting himself - still grinning like a child.
The mages are last, landing gently with their palms slightly extended. They casually take notice of who survived, glazing over your cold glances and stares. One of them, you believe his name is Laucimust, looks back to Cannon's Foot while half-way addressing your rage.
"Don't look so surprised. I doubt from this point forward you will underestimate our Queen's...ambition."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Callian - [Now to be renamed Callian the Cajone!] Moving to the other side, you spit out the dirt flavor that 'Vein-Riding' always seems to leave and you watch...in abject horror as massive trolls bear down on you, holding axes and mauls nearly the size of you.
The remaining Trolls around the wall pound again. With the force they repeated strike the wall with...you doubt it will hold up beyond a few more minutes. Even now, with your valiant effort...there are other Trolls, just as large leering towards the walls of the city, ready to rip the guards from them like apples from a tree...
There are four in your immediate area...and their mouths seem to drip in anticipation of your flesh.
[Initiative; Callian, The Enlarged Trolls.]
~~~~EE~~~~~
~E~~~~~~E~~
----------------
*************
-------C-------
^____________^
E = Enlarged Troll
C - Callian the Cajone
- = Normal ground
* = Wind Wall
^ or _ = Cannon's Foot Wall
~ = Fog
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hero, Caelith, Garor, Newt and Angelus - [Diplomacy Check, Hero with Caelith Aid] Delomme stops and releases his grip on the sconce. He closes his eyes and sighs, getting a grip on his newfound reality.
"When I envisioned the building of this - a weapon so great and so powerful that we could practically slap 'The Master' from the safety of our home - I never imagined it would cost everyone their lives."
"I knew 'The Master' would come for it...I knew he would strike hard, but not like this. I expected a chance." Delomme sighs, opening his eyes and turning around to face you all.
This is not the first time you've seen a face like this. Duke Tevin of Boon's Freehold had nearly the exact expression when he realized his home...and all that he had worked for was going to be lost.
Not the first time you've seen the look, and doubtful it will be the last...
"Although every ounce of my heavy heart aches with the choice Caelith, I see no alternative..."
"You saw the force at the walls...they have us surrounded and they pound on every inch of weak stone guarding us. They will break the wall down in its entirety and faster than you can prepare for."
"You think we can stage a collapse? Save the women and children? All in the time it takes to blink an eye?" Delomme stiffens, the glimmer of hope apparent in his eyes. "At your best..I do not think we could move the ederly and young that quickly. They will become a liability...and most likely a tragedy."
"We need to light everything here at once, but no one here is made of iron and none will survive."
You hear the sounds of chaos and battle outside and something eats away at you, perhaps the small chance that Delomme is right.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romar and Yuri - King Grandil tilts his head at your questions, smiling as only a Dwarf can.
"Karn was a great man laddy, a great man...but great tales are only told over great food." Grandil shouts into the cavernous depths, annoucing his intent. "In light of the victory, I feel it be time for a feast!!"
A series of cheers and yelps through the stone halls shows that every Dwarf here agrees. You're escorted out of the Plan Library and through a series of tunnels that have been bloodied from the recent battle. The Dwarves seem to grasp the idea that their dark brethren did not willing betray them, that their recent insurgent activities were the direction of a darker thing, for they help police the bodies and tend to the wounded as much as their own kind.
Although there is tension in the air, it seems that things will get back to normal with time...as all things.
You are allowed to wash up and do what you wish while the food stores are freed again and food is prepared. By the time the smell of spiced meats and rich ale permeates the air, you are called to the main dining hall by a few Dwarves dressed in relatively ceremonial gear.
The dining hall is overly large, to almost obscene proportions, extending several hundred feet on all sides. Stone benches and tables are arranged on the floor to allow for hundreds of Dwarves to sit at them. Even from here, you can see that food carts are being pushed between the tables laden with meats, mugs and dishes.
The Dwarves usher you to sit at Grandil's side - as guests of honor. Nearly every Dwarf you pass gives you a solid slap on the shoulder or mutters something about your greatness for your deeds of late. You wonder, if this is how the Dwarves repay a bit of kindness - you shudder to think how they repay the slightest betrayal.
Grandil sees your approach and casts his hands into the air, nearly knocking the cleric Marg over.
"Friends! Welcome to the finest feast ye be having in a long time...also, I arranged a little entertainment for yer meal..."
Before you can react, the sound of pounding drums begins to deafen your ears. Chairs are almost shoved under you and you take a seat as torches around the dining hall are snuffed out to a darkened level, leaving only a ring of haloed light near the center of the hall. The drums lower to a decent level but maintain beatng, and a single Dwarf, dressed in regal clothing, steps forward, reading from a scroll. Several other Dwarves move to the edge of the haloed light ring, dressed in armor, robes and other disguises.
It appears you are about to see a play...
Mordrock is still with you, carried on the back of a giant bird, and despite the tragedy around him, he still has a smile across his face. He lifts his hands into the air and squints as the wind rushes past him atop the great bird.
It is a meager example of how happiness and hope can exist in dark times...or blatant ignorance and stupidity.
Still, the trees and brush beneath you streak past at an alarming rate. The green leaves seem to lengthen and turn into streamers of brilliant green and brown. this continues for sometime until the birds slow down, decreasing the powerful flaps of their wings and, one by one, you are placed on a cliff face...far from Cannon's Foot. Mordock is soundly dumped on his back from the bird's neck and gets up, dusting himself - still grinning like a child.
The mages are last, landing gently with their palms slightly extended. They casually take notice of who survived, glazing over your cold glances and stares. One of them, you believe his name is Laucimust, looks back to Cannon's Foot while half-way addressing your rage.
"Don't look so surprised. I doubt from this point forward you will underestimate our Queen's...ambition."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Callian - [Now to be renamed Callian the Cajone!] Moving to the other side, you spit out the dirt flavor that 'Vein-Riding' always seems to leave and you watch...in abject horror as massive trolls bear down on you, holding axes and mauls nearly the size of you.
The remaining Trolls around the wall pound again. With the force they repeated strike the wall with...you doubt it will hold up beyond a few more minutes. Even now, with your valiant effort...there are other Trolls, just as large leering towards the walls of the city, ready to rip the guards from them like apples from a tree...
There are four in your immediate area...and their mouths seem to drip in anticipation of your flesh.
[Initiative; Callian, The Enlarged Trolls.]
~~~~EE~~~~~
~E~~~~~~E~~
----------------
*************
-------C-------
^____________^
E = Enlarged Troll
C - Callian the Cajone
- = Normal ground
* = Wind Wall
^ or _ = Cannon's Foot Wall
~ = Fog
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hero, Caelith, Garor, Newt and Angelus - [Diplomacy Check, Hero with Caelith Aid] Delomme stops and releases his grip on the sconce. He closes his eyes and sighs, getting a grip on his newfound reality.
"When I envisioned the building of this - a weapon so great and so powerful that we could practically slap 'The Master' from the safety of our home - I never imagined it would cost everyone their lives."
"I knew 'The Master' would come for it...I knew he would strike hard, but not like this. I expected a chance." Delomme sighs, opening his eyes and turning around to face you all.
This is not the first time you've seen a face like this. Duke Tevin of Boon's Freehold had nearly the exact expression when he realized his home...and all that he had worked for was going to be lost.
Not the first time you've seen the look, and doubtful it will be the last...
"Although every ounce of my heavy heart aches with the choice Caelith, I see no alternative..."
"You saw the force at the walls...they have us surrounded and they pound on every inch of weak stone guarding us. They will break the wall down in its entirety and faster than you can prepare for."
"You think we can stage a collapse? Save the women and children? All in the time it takes to blink an eye?" Delomme stiffens, the glimmer of hope apparent in his eyes. "At your best..I do not think we could move the ederly and young that quickly. They will become a liability...and most likely a tragedy."
"We need to light everything here at once, but no one here is made of iron and none will survive."
You hear the sounds of chaos and battle outside and something eats away at you, perhaps the small chance that Delomme is right.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romar and Yuri - King Grandil tilts his head at your questions, smiling as only a Dwarf can.
"Karn was a great man laddy, a great man...but great tales are only told over great food." Grandil shouts into the cavernous depths, annoucing his intent. "In light of the victory, I feel it be time for a feast!!"
A series of cheers and yelps through the stone halls shows that every Dwarf here agrees. You're escorted out of the Plan Library and through a series of tunnels that have been bloodied from the recent battle. The Dwarves seem to grasp the idea that their dark brethren did not willing betray them, that their recent insurgent activities were the direction of a darker thing, for they help police the bodies and tend to the wounded as much as their own kind.
Although there is tension in the air, it seems that things will get back to normal with time...as all things.
You are allowed to wash up and do what you wish while the food stores are freed again and food is prepared. By the time the smell of spiced meats and rich ale permeates the air, you are called to the main dining hall by a few Dwarves dressed in relatively ceremonial gear.
The dining hall is overly large, to almost obscene proportions, extending several hundred feet on all sides. Stone benches and tables are arranged on the floor to allow for hundreds of Dwarves to sit at them. Even from here, you can see that food carts are being pushed between the tables laden with meats, mugs and dishes.
The Dwarves usher you to sit at Grandil's side - as guests of honor. Nearly every Dwarf you pass gives you a solid slap on the shoulder or mutters something about your greatness for your deeds of late. You wonder, if this is how the Dwarves repay a bit of kindness - you shudder to think how they repay the slightest betrayal.
Grandil sees your approach and casts his hands into the air, nearly knocking the cleric Marg over.
"Friends! Welcome to the finest feast ye be having in a long time...also, I arranged a little entertainment for yer meal..."
Before you can react, the sound of pounding drums begins to deafen your ears. Chairs are almost shoved under you and you take a seat as torches around the dining hall are snuffed out to a darkened level, leaving only a ring of haloed light near the center of the hall. The drums lower to a decent level but maintain beatng, and a single Dwarf, dressed in regal clothing, steps forward, reading from a scroll. Several other Dwarves move to the edge of the haloed light ring, dressed in armor, robes and other disguises.
It appears you are about to see a play...
) 
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