3 - 038: The Third Piece

[K Man]

Newt and Garor - The massive doors split fully open, perhaps for the first time in decades as King Grandil and nearly every Dwarf in Bazarkrak seems to have lined up behind them. King Grandil stands at the front, arms crossed and face soured, barely.

It appears the King is having a difficult time containing his elation for your sudden appearance. He wipes his face stoicly clean and stares into your eyes.



"Aye, I did call ye back to Bazarkrak under dire flags, Garor. Your brothers and father are dead, as are all of the high clerics of this mountain."

"The reason ye are told of my death is Marg Rockhammer, high advisor expected it. We were betrayed by the Drow and Deurgar of the mountain, though not of their own will."

"It is only through the kindness of two strangers that I have survived." Grandil seems to swallow a lump of pride as he continues. "But Bazarkrak is left without heirs and ye, as the only remaining son of a high cleric, are next in line for the throne."

"I am willing to retract ye exile and allow ye to become a Dwarf of Bazarkrak once again..."

The entirety of the mountain seems to hold its breath, awaiting your every word.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Caelith and Callian -

With the world forming from dirt around you, it becomes clear you are in a dense forest - 'The Glade'. Just as Newt and Callian spoke of it, just beyond a thick ring of trees rests a ghostly outline of building that does seem to exist in two worlds. You see the occasional flash of battle - a sword dropping, the flapping of a demonic wing - it appears nothing less than a hellish skirmish.

Almost immediately, your eyes rest upon a lithe figure, a woman emerging from an extremely thick bush nearby. The leaves and twigs of the small shrub seem to bend away, allowing the woman to exit, the very essence of beauty.

She nods to Callian knowingly, but is dressed differently than you remember. A few pieces of bark are collected to form a crude armor that hangs from her smooth skin. Her hair is pulled into a tight topknot and she carries a simple sharpened pike as a long spear.



"You have returned, Callian of Blackwing, with a companion. We are pleased you have come."

Allessia Storm-Maiden extends a hand for Caelith to take.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hero, Krysta, Girud and Galdren - [Jeez, post a battle with some dragons and people are screaming about battlegrids and actions...]

Battle Grid

|_|________|_|
___1_¤______
___2__KM____
±___H______±
____________
|___________|
____________
____________
±__________±
____________
____________
____________
±__________±
|-|_________|-|====S=F===
---------------------RR------------
---------------------R-------------

Legend:
¤ = Where the Crystal used to be.
|_| = Beginng of Ravenshead Castle Steps.
|-| = Main gates and rampart entrance.
± = Statue or figure
= Rampart. (40ft from the ground.)
R = Dragon body. (It's large)
S = King Sturmguard
F = 'The Faceless Knight'
M= Mordrock The Strong
K = Krysta
1 = Girud
2 = Galdren

[Ok, so based on the above battlegrid, I'll give people a post to ammend actions, reorientate etc. Hero - A rampart is the crenellation atop a castle wall. Like what an archer hides behind to fire arrows. It's 10ft wide and could easily fit a horse. However, you will need to climb to the rampart from inside the main guard house.]

['Suprise Round']

Gurid fires his bow. [Attack Roll = 14] The shaft sails past the Dragon harmlessly.

Gladren follows suit, pulling back and loosing an arrow. [Attack Roll = 20] The arrow barely knicks the wings of the dragon, but continues past.

Krysta fires, followed shortly after Mordrock. [Attack Rolls = 19, 22] Mordrock's arrow flies straight and true, entering the Dragon's gullet just below the chin. {Damage Roll = 6}

Current Damage Summary
Dragon 1 (Near Rampart) = 45
Dragon 2 (In flight) = 29

[Initiative: Dragon 1, Mordock and Hero, Krysta, Girud, Dragon 2, Galdren and Sturmguard, The Faceless Knight.]

[Those with ranged weapons can target Dragon 2 as it flies by, otherwise you can move to Dragon 1 on the ramparts. Dragon 2 will be forced to land when it reaches 3/4 of its HP.]

Battle On!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romar - Giving a few last words to Yuri, you make your way to Veya's tent, pulling aside the flap and almost immediately being blasted by heat from within. It is a multiple room tent, connected by flaps of fur and animal skin. Most of the building material here was probably a result of the large birds' hunting and the women's skill with fabrics.

There is a small fire in the center of the first room, keeping everything warm and casting a light glow. Soon Veya enters, pulling the flap tight behind her. She smiles and offers you a seat atop a warm pile of furs nearby and a cup of steaming tea.

She sheds a few layers of clothes, her lithe form becoming visible the more comfortable she gets. She also takes no actions to conceal herself for propiety.



"I'm am sorry for that Romar, but you are the first visitor to our small encampment in more than a year. The woman grow cold and lonely, I hope you do not blame them." Veya takes a sip of her tea and closes her eyes, savoring the moment. "So tell me, since we have time to pass as you don't want to travel until nightfall, what have you seen? Is the battle going well outside of this small mountain world we have created for ourselves?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yuri -The dark-haired woman enters her tent moments before you do, smiling and holding the ten flap open for you to enter. The first thing you notice here is that it's much colder than you expected. A dying fire barely maintains a flame in a center pit and the furs lining the tent walls are half-hearteded at best.

As you spin to look at the woman closing the tent flap, you can't help but also notice she is scantily-clad. She wears little beyond a sheer linen dress that looks plucked straight from the closet of a noble. Normally, you'd think someone would freeze at such heights with such thin garments, but she seems no worse for the wear.

Once the tent is secured, she spins and smiles, her pale blue eyes softly illuminated in the dying fire. She wears a dark markup that surrounds her eyes, giving her the appearance of the walking dead but remains strikingly beautiful.

Before you can react, she is upon you...

Her hands wrap around you and her lips press into yours. She forces you to your back on a pile of furs and continues to drift over your body. It is now that you realize, the 'walking dead' analogy was not far off.

Her skin is cold...like yours. She's a vampire.

She lifts her head and stares at you with beatiful eyes.



"The fates have blessed me this day. Eternal life was supposed to be cold and unforgiving...now I find a spark of warmth buried in the afterlife."

She continues to press the sexual attack, becoming more agressive and extending fangs, running them over your neck mockingly - like you were prey.
__________________________________________________________________________________________

[TheUdjat]

Caelith gallantly takes the proferred hand, bowing a bit with his forehead near the back of her hand. "Caelith e'Quis'norai mar Ilduroth, formerly of Carealal. Now I also serve the Blackwing Kingdom." He releases her hand, his attention drawn, naturally, to the strange spectacle before him. A monument, half-there, with images flashing of battle beyond.

He recalls what Callian said about Karn's tomb being trapped between realms. It is all very difficult to comprehend in the moment, though. He looks to Allessia. "What happened here?" While she explains, assumedly, Caelith will move closer and investigate the scene himself, wracking his brain for any knowledge on the subject. [Knowledge The Planes and Religion, if applicable. Trying to figure out what exactly is happening to the tomb and how they might be able to stop it or bring it back.]

[Fangor the Fierce]

"Get some cover and press the attack!" Krysta points to a statue for Mordrock to move to, providing cover for hiim while he continues the attack on the dragon.

(Move action for Mordrock to gain cover, and then attack at the nearest dragon at that time.)

Mordrock is only using a MW Shortbow, +9 to hit, 1d4 dmg...x3 crit

Krysta stands steady, as Hero moves towards Sturmguard. She continues her assualt, with great fluidity.

Full attack, +11/+6 to hit, 1d8+2dmg+1d6elec, x3

She will aim for the flying dragon, if it is within range at the time, or she will aim for the downed dragon, if she can have a better chance.

[Merovingian]

Newt shifts a little with the excitement of knowing yet another king.

[Japic]

Once everyone is clear of the BoH, Girud swipes it up and moves forward to attack.

Advance 20 ft closer to the gates and fire at the dragon that's the easiest target. {Whichever would be eaiser to hit for Girud, AC or Cover wise.}

+6 to hit 1d8+4 damage

[Hero]

I move towards the king as quickly as possible. If I get close enough, I will try to assess how hurt he looks. I plan to summon my mount as soon as I get atop the wall unless the king is very wounded.

[Jevva]

Galdren moves 20 ft. towards the dragon that's on the ground, all the while frantically firing arrows at the flying dragon.

+8, d8 +1 +1d6 shock, +1 Ghost Touch Mighty Composite Longbow of Shock

[GeneralMHB]

(OOC: Nice twist, I gotta give ya credit man. ;D )

Yuri's reaction to this is one of shock, but that is soon overcome. Fear does not consume him simply because he knows what he is up against. He is what he faces... after all. Yuri looks at her, fangs beared.

It appears I am not alone in my plight after all. Are you friend...

He kisses her passionately and rolls her over.

Or foe...?

He kisses her yet again, praying the answer is friend.

[glow=green,2,300]Having fun in there?[/glow]

I was expecting a noble woman, instead, I find a....

There is a pause.

[VemuKhaham]

Romar thankfully accepts the tea. He sits down on the furs and takes a moment to think before he answers the lady's question.

"Though I travel much for my quest, and I even have concerns in this war myself, I don't think I can help you much as to the current state of our world. I can tell you what I did see and heard though..."

He pauses another time, this time looking her in her eyes as if to say already that some of the news to come might not be too pleasant to hear.

"Have you heard of the fall of Carealal? To me, the war began there, as it was where I lived. I served during its defense, along with my brothers, but none of us and neither one of our superiors truly where prepared for the onslaught that awaited us. We were defeated with heavy losses, and as with all who fall to the Master's armies, most of them were brought back to serve as the undead.

That was the starting of it. I traveled far, to Ravenshead, to find safety for the body of my fallen brother Ludhèr. When arriving there, it seemed I was not the only one though. The entire city had turned into a refuge for the needy. Merely looking at it ensures anyone that even mighty Ravenshead, the Last Bastion, is running out of capacity and sources quickly.

Among all the suffering one bright crystal shone however. It seems as if though the good king Sturmguard has put all his hope into it, as it heals the wounded nearly instantaneous. He even seemed to have found out that there was another crystal, and me and Yuri where among the group of volunteers to secure it.

Since then, we have traveled even more. I have seen Boon's Freehold besieged and outnumbered by far. I have seen the dwarven kingdom of Bazarkrak victim of betrayal, causing civil war among his people. I have seen war bands of orcs roaming freely trough the lands far beyond the reach of the Deathspew Swamps. And now I see Rocroost Bay lies in ruins too..."

He sighs, knowing that he has put quite an emphasis on the bad things he witnessed.

"But there were good signs also. I believe the friends of my old group of volunteers have secured the crystal we went out for from the master. I have seen the mighty elves of Astoril and their prince Irynis aid in this matter. It seems the elves of that far-away empire know of the crystals as well, and they have shown me that Astoril is an active ally of our cause as well. Also, the problems at Bazarkrak Castle have been solved, and its king Grandil showed me that, as the elves, the dwarves have not forsaken our cause by locking themselves away from the suffering. I have no doubt that by the end of this war, no matter who may prevail, those who took the dwarves' actions as cowardly will have to take back their words. Also, I know that besides the two crystals we already found, the dwarves have another one, and that means it is safe as well. These things have immense power, though not all the same. They could surely mean much in a fight against the Master."

[BluSpecs]

Aye the prospect of that would be most welcome indeed.

My companion here is Newt he is aligned with King Sturmguard of Blackwing as am I.

Might we come in to disscuss the news and affairs that have affected us all in the past months?