3 - 116: The Third Piece

[K Man]

{Alright, majority has spoken. You may level up. 2 levels, per standard. Anything you need help on, let me know. I'm keeping the numbering pattern the sam until you actually obtain the third shard.

Yuri and Romar - At the least, I would ask that you do it after this battle with Daniel. Romar, you are more than welcome to post-pone until the numbering scheme changes, I won't penalize you for it. }
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Krysta, Girud, Mordrock, Galdren, and Garor - Brother Hingar nods.



"Very well, rest while the Order watches over you."

"Vorren, Jannoch. Assist with healing however you can."

{Everyone can be brought back to full HP}

Brother Hingar also helps however he can, bandaging wounds and calling upon the powers of faith to aid. Once he's done what he can, he unsheaths his longsword and moves to the mouth of the alcove. He plants the blade into the stone floor and leans against the wall. Vorren, the fighter moves to the cave mouth with him and the duo keeps a sharp eye out.

Jannoch takes a seat in the middle of you all, after helping to police an area free of bodies. Sleep comes quickly, much more quickly than you expected it would while in hell...

Hot...

So hot....

The heat is sweltering and the sweat on your forehead nearly blinds you....as does the blood.

You can't help it, there's so many of them, the undead, they just keep coming in waves and droves...like the relentless pounding of sea surf. Your blade, your magic, your skill...all seem to do nothing to stem their approach and you find yourself overwhelmed.

And somewhere, within the thick of battle, you hear laughter...

"Now I am 'The Master'!!...

You wake up, feeling refreshed, though your skin still shivers in the cold sweat of your horrid dreams. Shaking the nightmares from your mind, you stand and find that, in addition to Jannoch, Vorren and Hingar, there are two more figures in your midst. Brother Hinger addresses the newly arrived duo as you wake.



"They arrived sometime last night, patrons to the temple that were also pulled into Hell...like the rest of us." He points to an attractive woman bearing clerical robes.

"This is Adelia."

She nods, looking at Krysta as she gently undoes a small holy symbol of Pelor. Brother Hingar motions to a halfling dressed as a scout.

"And this one calls himself Alton."

The halfling looks to Girud, enamorate with his size and girth.



"They are good souls and I figured we could use all the help we could get."

"We'd better get going. We've been out of the temple for a long time and only Pelor knows what could have happened in that time. Rooms could have shifted, more devils could have arrived..."

"Whatever has happened, we're ready for it!"

Brother Hingar, Vorren and Jannoch all unsling their blades, ready for combat...

{Those of you that wanted cohorts, now have them. It's a good time to introduce them, maybe role-play a little interaction between your PCs...I know Mordrock will think it hot that there's TWO chicks with him now. }

COUNTDOWN - 01:24 Hours to Apocalypse Clock Chime...

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Yuri and Romar - Romar lays into Daniel with a fury of betrayal...the war...Veya back at Ravenshead...everything that has ever set him off comes out in the swinging of the blades. [Attack Rolls = 24/Nat. 19, Crit. Confirm, Success, 20/19] All four attacks land, shredding the over-sized robe that Daniel wears into tattered remnants, barely worthy of a peasant. [Damage Rolls = 9/21, 12/10 (52)]

The Cleric staggers, holding his chest and arms, trying to stop the bleeding. He slumps against the wall, and eventualy collapses to the floor, his breathing coming in short, raspy gasps.

Daniel is on Death's Door. (-1)

{After a bout like that, I'm tempted to call Romar 'Ginsu' (A set of knives that cut through anything, it's American slang)}

Yuri watches as precious blood pours from the unconcious cleric...calling to him, speaking to him in whispers of crimson...the hunger...


{Hadn't counted on Daniel going down like a chump...so now the next move is up to you guys.}

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[VemuKhaham]

Wow! You should see the smile on my face now! However, Kman, you may call me anything, from Romar to Ginsu, but don't start calling me Yuri; it's confusing.
edit: I see you just changed it

---

Romar's frenzy proves nearly fatal, and indeed not often before, perhaps only during their short encounter with Hirsuthe on the borders of the Deathspew Swamps, could he been seen so driven and bloodthirsty as now. However, just as quickly as he ripped appart the cleric's cloth and flesh and spilled his blood he now tries to stop the blooding before he passes Death's door.

"Help me, Yuri, quick! We need him alive if we are to hand him over to the blasted demon outside!"

---

Heal: +4

[Japic]

{OOC: <shit> I spent so much time updating that I don't have time to even contemplate role-playing out my guy's reactions. I'll have to hit the board up tonight after I'm home.}

[GeneralMHB]

Yuri looks at Daniel with a degree of hungary lust, but realizes the importance of him being alive. Without much words, he moves to aid Romar in his attempt to patch up his wounds. He then makes a suggestion.

We should bind him. No sense in letting him free. We should get him to the demon as quickly as possible. My hunger is starting to waver...

(OOC: Aid +3)

[Fangor the Fierce]

Krysta kneels, reaching down at the fallen bodies of the warriors from the recent battle. She sees something in the dull colors that have taken the fallen warrior glimmering still, and reaches out for it. Removing the object, she holds it in the palm of her hand. The symbol of Pelor.

If you can truly hear our pleas, and watch over the likes of us, then you must have some power left to aid us.

"Are you a believer of Pelor, or simply calling out for aid?" comes the voice of the woman behind her. Adelia watches Krysta, taking in her recent talk with the god in silence.

"I have taken a long journey to get here, and now that I find the temple in dire straits, I believe Pelor has asked that I do what I can can to aid this war. You seem to ask for the same. Perhaps it is his will. Come, let us hurry and get this temple safe-guarded and restored to its proper place."

Krysta nods her head in agreement, while tucking the symbol away on her person. Glancing at the armour of the cleric, she quickly speaks out. "If you are going to be helping us, then you need some better armour than that. Take what you can use, and lets be on our way..."

(OOC - If available, Adelia will look over the available armour, and take any magical breastplate if she can find it.)

Mordrock, seeing the new woman and how well she and Krysta are getting along, simply grins. He licks his hand, while combing his hair back in a sleek look. Bulging his muscles to make sure she can see, he grins with drool on his face.

"I hope I don't have to kill that one..." Adelia says to Krysta, while walking away from the goblin and towards the doorway...

With mouth agape, Mordrock is a bit dumbstruck (yes, I actually used dumbstruck and Mordrock in the same sentence), as he watches the compelling figure walk by.

"SHE SAW ME!" he grins as widely as ever. Obviously, her taking notice of him seems to have taken a profound effect on him.

[Japic]

Thinking over how much time has elapsed since they have decide to rest, Girud feels a bit bad not knowing what lies before them. The time on that clock is running much shorter than it used to be, and he was afraid that they may have already dallied for too long.

With a calculating stare he sizes up the newcomer that seemed so interested in him. The little guy was pretty average as far as halflings go. Girud had the impression that in the woods the little fellow would be lost to his eyes dressed in the colors of the forest as he was. He carried a small backpack, and was practically bristling with weapons. A regular sized short sword stuck over his left shoulder appearing very similar to the way that Girud carried his greatsword. On the fellows one hip was a shortsword appropriate for his size and on the other a quiver of arrows. In a case on his back he wore a tiny bow, it’s surface glowing with faint blue runes. The sight of the tiny warrior was almost laughable, but then remembered that people were seldom what they seemed in this world anymore. He fixed a message his mind telling himself to give the tiny fellow a chance before writing him off. The fellow DID carry himself with pride and a certain familiarity with the weapons on his body. No new recruit could manage that look. Yes, he would have to watch this one.

From about four feet down the little man was regarding the Half Giant with a similar gaze. The giant was exactly that, a giant among men. Most men were taller than he, but this one was even bigger. The man was wearing a battered suit of plate armor, bearing some sort of star emblem on it. He wondered then if the man were a knight. The remainder of the man’s gear was a little less knightly though, starting with a gigantic crocodile skull atop his head. His deep copper skin provided an interesting contrast to the muddled shine of the platemail. On his back was a quiver of arrows and a bow larger than Alton himself. Over the giant’s other shoulder is a massive sword easily two or three times Alton’s size, and with the way the Giant’s muscles bulged, he got the impression that he knew how to use it. To sum up this man in one word, Alton could only choose formidable. For a moment Alton imagined the giant standing guard at his village, this man would put fear into anyone thinking of fooling with any place he was guarding.

Alton had seen Karn from afar, holding an army back with his awesome fighting prowess, but something about this warrior, this giant, put hope in his heart as the visage of Karn had not. In this man he saw a mentor, in Karn he saw only death. Perhaps this journey had not been in vain afterall.

Carefully approaching the giant man he reached up a hand with a few simple words.

”Ay, Alton, that’s me it is. Been stuck down here with these fellows and we were hoping that there was a way out the direction you came from. Any luck?”

From his higher position Girud removed the mudmaw helm and squatted near the little man, easing the helm to the floor. When the little man offered his name and a hand, Girud suppressed a smirk and took the tiny hand in his massive paws. In response to Alton’s question Girud shook his head gravely.

”I am afraid not little one, we came in by way of a metal pod that dropped through the sea. I’m afraid that there’s nothing but water and ice back that direction. We were rather hoping that there was a way to free the tomb entire from this place. Hopefully then we’ll not need find an exit in Hell.”

Bristling with indignation at being addressed as ‘little one’ Alton’s tone becomes clipped but he holds his anger inside having learned that it was the ‘Master’s’ will that brought them here, not this soldier’s doing. His anger would better suit an battlefield at a later time, not here among allies. Silently he wondered if they ever would get back to the world he knew.

”For your information, Giant, where I come from a man’s size matters not but rather the courage he shows in the face of adversity. I have more heart than you could possibly know.”

Surprised byt the halfling’s clipped words Girud smiles at the little man, yes, this one was not as he seemed at all.

”Forgive me, friend, I meant no offense. I will reserve my judgement for another time. Perhaps I will see you in battle someday, then I will decide a proper title for you.”

With a satisfied nod Alton nods his head at the paladins.

”I believe they are ready to lead your party to the temple. We should get going before more demons descend on this place.”

”Sounds good to me, I’ve been waiting a while to meet this Karn.”

[VemuKhaham]

Romar, still trying to stop the bleeding, appreciates Yuri's help and agrees to his plan. Once this fallen traitor is stable again, he will rebel, but when bound it will not matter.

"Then let us bind him. Your bloodlust shall have to wait for now."

If Daniel is stabilized, Romar retrieves a quality silk rope from his backpack and starts binding the unconcious man.

---

Use Rope: +3, though silk rope makes it +5 I believe. Also, on a sidenote, Romar will try again and again to heal Daniel if he is not succesful at the first attempt.