The Last Paladin IC (Frosty)

[Maquise]

Mirabelle, having little skill in dealing with people, simply stands there, doing her best to act empathetical. Davkas, on the other hand, is quite skilled in such manners. He gives quite a moving performance, amending your speech at the perfect times with shows of emotion and affirmation.

Total Score: 19

The half-dozen patrons in the bar take note of you at first, quite interested. But as you continue, you can tell your words are falling on deaf ears. Most merely shake their heads, turning back to their food and drink.

"A good speech," remarks Gaeba, "but they don't have any hope. As far as they're concerned, this is just the way life is, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. It will take more than-"

A figure in a dark corner of the room stands up, and struts up to you. He is a large man, body covered in sculpted musculature. A pair of twisted horns curl out of his temple, and a barbed tail emerges from the base of his back. Curving, jagged tattoos cover his bare torso, arms and face.

"Pretty words," he says, examining you for a moment. "Almost as pretty as you. I am Garm. I go where I wish, and I do as I wish. However, you strike me as a sort of person who can accomplish something."

Gaeba regards him coolly, but notes so only you can hear, "He looks like a decent sort in a fight."

[Frosty]

The paladin sighs. At least she is in a warm place now, and if she has to go out again, she can wear my armor without her silks for one day (silks are still wet). She turns around to meet the newcomer, again without any show of embarassment (although there are some signs of frustration).

"I thank you for your compliment, Garm, and you're right, mere pretty words won't change the world."

She lets him examine her nude body for a few seconds, and then walks forward, extending a hand. "You can call me Ms. Ye. Pleased to make your aquaintance. And yes, I like to think that I can be effective in making a difference. Your scars tell a similar story. What do you have in mind?"

Karrin gestures Mirabell over. "Garm, meet my friend Mirabell. Mirabell, Garm. Mirabell has been traveling with me for a short time, and has proven useful with a blade."

[Maquise]

Mirabelle and Garm examine one another. Garm inclines his head, then as though seeing your hand only now, gives it a firm clasp.

"I presume you will want to dress promptly. I will wait for you at my table; we can discuss your plan then." He turns back around. As he does so, his tail curls around and presses lightly against your rear. "Forgive my clumsiness," he says with a hint of mischief.

"This has gone on long enough. Both of you, come this way at once!" Gaeba says. She leads you back to your room. A pair of outfits lie upon your beds.

"I shall discuss nothing more until you get yourselves proper," she says, closing the door.

As she slips into her undergarments, Mirabelle remarks, "She seems to be in a pleasant mood," a touch ironically.

[Frosty]

"Yeah. I think she's just upset that we tried to stir things up and recruit her customers. Speaking of which, I do apologize. Not for asking you to help. You've been of great help. Instead, for failing to successfully take advantage of our situation. I think my plan was on the right track, but we couldn't quite pack the oratory punch this time."

Karrin starts dressing as well. "And not only were you of great help, you LOOKED great as well." she says and winks.

When they are done dressing, Karrin takes Mirabell back down to the common room, and Karrin makes sure she still has her lance. Before going back to talk to Garm, the paladin makes sure to thank Davkas one more time for his help.

Once at Garm's table, Karrin sits down with a knowing smirk and says in a playful tone, "Don't think I didn't feel where your tail was trying to get to. What kind of girls do you think we are?"

Once settled, Karrin tells the tiefling (presumeably) about their wish to hunt down the orc warlord. "You definitely look like you're the practical sort. This something you're interested in doing?"

[Maquise]

Garm considers your words. "I do not have, and never will, a compulsion to lend aid to anyone other than myself. I've been scorned as often as not for my blood, and walk my path alone. However, your words are true enough, at least to the point that they justify cracking skulls, which I am already inclined to do."

He leans forward. "I must warn you, however, of the danger of taking me as a companion. The dark power of the abyss flows in my blood, and it is both a boon and a curse. In combat, I can call upon its fury to unleash a bloody death upon my foes. However, I risk succumbing to it, and falling into madness. If this happens, I will be unable to tell friend from foe."

"I do not succumb easily, and I can control it in all but the most deadly of times. It has saved my life on numerous occasions. Nevertheless, the threat is there."

Garm leans back. "Do you still desire my companionship?"

[Frosty]

The paladin looks Garm squarely in the eyes. "I've never judged a person based on his or her 'saintly-ness' before, and I'm not about to start now. As you may have guessed, I'm not exactly a saint myself. It would be...wrong to discriminate, and I certainly won't do so based on your blood line. You are not a fiend."

Karrin looks at Mirabell, to see if she has any objections thus far. "Any aid in bringing down threats to peace around here is welcome. I wanted to get the people to try to protect them selves." She thinks of the previous village she failed to protect and grimace. "The Three Thrones knows I can't protect everyone myself. But, like I feared, and perhaps more than a little suspected, these people aren't willing to help themselves. Pfft. At least YOU are willing to stand up for what you believe in, even if it may not be for charity. That is worth some respect."

Holding one of Mirabell's hand in her own, Karrin continues, "Mirabell here is determined to take down this orc warlord, as you can tell to how far she was willing to go to try to raise support from the other here. I'm sure she'll be willing to take almost any help. Still, for our peace of mind, can you tell us more about this madness? When in this state, do you strike equally at anything that moves, or are you less likely to strike at familiar sights? Also, would there be anything we can do to prevent you from succumbing to the madness when you call upon it?""

[Maquise]

"During battle, I usually keep a cool head. However, if I suffer more than a flesh wound, the fury of the demons overtakes me. I gain great boosts of strength, but an insatiable blood-lust fills me. I begin to kill, and keep killing. With some effort, I can keep it under control. I am unsure as to how fully it affects me when I lose control completely; I do not recall these instances."

"All I know is, my state of mind seems to reflect how much of my own blood has been spilled."

Garm seems to contemplate something. Mirabelle leans over and says, "As long as we keep a safe distance, we are a lot better off with him than without."

[Frosty]

Karrin nods. "We'll be happy to have you on board, and will be careful if you take more than a flesh wound. Perhaps healing your wounds would help keep control? In any case, do we know about how far away Lindekaima is from here?"

[Maquise]

"The journey is about seven hours on foot. I know a few hidden paths we can take that will help us avoid unwanted attention. When do you wish to depart?"

It is midday.

[Frosty]

"Mirabell, what do you think? We both could use a bit of recovery from the cold. On the other hand, if we choose to camp closer to the fort, we can more easily see if the orcs start to move." She winces in pain from one of the cuts across her tits. For the fourth time today, her hand glows, charged with white, healing energy. She reaches into her cleavage for a moment and soothes herself.

Spoiler

Show

Swift Action: Lay on Hands on self - (2d6)[4][2](6)
Now at 38/48 HP

[Maquise]

"I say we leave at once. Every hour we wait, we risk losing Gorgeroth."

[Frosty]

Karrin nods. "Let us go then."

They get ready to leave, and Karrin makes sure to thank Gaeba for the hospitality before leaving. Karrin makes sure to suit up in her armor of course, and they get on their way.

[Maquise]

As you prepare to leave, Davkas approaches, your silks in his hands, now dry. "With your permission, I would like to take quill to your victory over the dragon. It would make a great story, along with being quite, and I mean no offense, farcical. A great dragon being defeated by a naked opponent, and all. That reminds me," he hands you Vul's horn. "I believe this is yours."

Gaeba gives you a bundle, which contains 3 wandermeals, a dose of bodybalm, and a healing kit. "Just a few things I thought you could use."

She takes you aside to talk to you. "I know what you were trying to do earlier. It was a good plan, but people are going to need more than a rousing speech to convince them there is a chance. They will need a beacon to rally to, an example."

"You are a more than just a good person, although there are few enough of those in the world. Davkas told me about the dragon fight; I know you are a paladin. Remember this, and that people will look to you as an example."

"Another thing. You are of no use to anyone dead. Swear to me you will do your best to stay alive, and that you will think like you keep your brains in your head and not stuffing your bosom."

Gaeba returns to her hall as Garm emerges. His legs and shoulders are clad in armor of bone and hide, and a great maul is strapped to his back, the head of which resembles a snarling wolf.

The three of you set off as such. You follow the old man's directions, passing a broken bridge, what looked like an abandoned campsite complete with rotting corpses, and the remains of a skirmish between some lemures and dretches.

At nightfall, you crest a hill, seeing the elven ruin of Lindekaima. A watchfire glows brightly within a circular courtyard surrounded by a crumbling wall. The fort has two structures: A tower tipped with a strange bulb-like glass room, and a domed, flat building. At the front gate, which is a rusting portcullis, there flies a banner: a red gaping maw on a black field.

"Do you have a plan?" asks Mirabelle.

[Frosty]

Karrin finds it amusing that people will want to hear stories about her adventures, but she gives her assent anyways. "It wasn't my victory, friend. It was OUR victory."

To Gaeba, she listens respectfully and then again thinks back to the previous village. She was not able to rally anyone to her cause to help defend there either. "I wish I can agree with you, but I've had no success being a beacon of light, so I figured I should try what I was good at before the whole world fell apart. To be honest, the methods of those like Garm often seem more...effective in defeating the fiends. But...I promise, I will be as safe as I can while doing everything in my power to wipe out evil. Thank you, Gaeba."

After they leave the inn, the paladin sighs. "I wonder if there is any hope for most of those in the inn. They don't see a light at the end of the tunnel." She shakes her head. "And Gaeba told me to use my breasts less to achieve my ends. As if I'm not using the other parts of my body. Can you believe that?" She says that last part obviously jokingly."

Once near Lindekaima, the party halts. "I think we should wait until the day time. We want to observe them to see a pattern in changes of guard. Plus, I hear that orcs can see in the dark, so there's no advantage in sneaking about at night."

[Maquise]

You observe throughout the night. At ten o'clock, the guards change out, and now there are two orcs stationed above the gate. The rest huddle close to the fire.

At half past midnight, you hear a low-pitched wailing horn in the distance. One of the orcs on guard pull out a horn of their own and answers back. The three of you watch as a band of orcs about fifty strong march into the fort, bearing spoils and slaves. They bear the same black and red standard as their fort. At their head is a particularly nasty looking brute, arrayed in a fur cloak.

"That's him," hisses Mirabelle. "That's Gorgeroth; I'd know him anywhere." She is visibly anxious at this point.

The horde bustles around loudly in the courtyard for a few hours. You can hear their voices, loud and harsh, all the way from your hiding place. Eventually, just before dawn, they retire to the inside of the fort. You cannot tell if, in the commotion, the guards changed. However, after dawn, the new guards have hoods over their eyes.

[Frosty]

Lay on Hands on self (2d6)[4][4](8)

[Frosty]

Using last Lay on Hands for the night on Mirabell if she has any wounds at all. All of this is before dawn.

(2d6)[3][4](7)

[Frosty]

"Look there! The hoods! The light isn't really that bright, especially in the winter time, yet they cover their eyes. Direct sunlight must inconvenience them somehow."

Doing some quick math, Karrin decides that charging in against more than 50 Orcs is just not a winning proposition. "We have to divide and conquer. I say we wait until another warband goes off to pillage, and we try to kill the guards here and free the prisoners. If they're not cowards, hopefully they'll join us in the fighting. Then, we lie in wait for the warlord to return and try to ambush him. Even with that, however...just his warband has 50 orcs. We'll still nee dsomething to give us an edge. Garm, Mira, any ideas?"

[Maquise]

"If we bar the gate, we can hold them off for a while and wear them down with arrows and other ranged weapons. I'm certain their armory is stocked. Gorgeroth himself will probably try to take the fort himself at that point."

"The next question is when the next raid is. It won't be tonight; they'll need to rest and recover. It'll likely be anywhere from a week to a fortnight. This may give us time to find another advantage."

[Frosty]

"That's a good idea, Mira. We'll observe and wait for the next raid. Then, we'll take them by surprise. The two guards on the walls will be a troublesome. Mira, Garm, how good are you two at climbing? I, unfortunately, am not a gifted climber, although...I think I have a spell that can let me maneuver up there. It would only last a few seconds, however."

With nothing else to do, Karrin waits...and observes.

[Maquise]

(Waiting for OOC response)

[Maquise]

SURVIVAL (Garm): (1d20+4)[24]
For every 5 points above 15, you consume one less food supply out of 5.

You observe the fort for several days. The orcs are most active at night, appearing to sleep during the day. They can be seen sending out hunting parties at night, which you take care to avoid. They also occasionally dispatch smaller parties, carrying slaves and goods, who return bearing other goods.

Around sunset upon the fifth day, you notice much more activity. The warband bustles with activity, gathering in the courtyard fully armed and with savage looking canines upon leashes.

"Looks like they're gearing up for a raid," remarks Garm.

You hear a deep booming voice carrying upon the wind. He carries an air of command, but his words are indistinct; you doubt he is speaking common anyway.

"Gorgeroth again; I recognize the voice," Mirabelle says.

The iron gate is raised, and the warband moves out. They turn south, and move at a steady march. They must have padded their feet and gear; they move with a quietness you were not expecting.

After they move out of sight, Mirabelle asks, "How do you want to go about this?"

[Frosty]

"How many guards do we see right now? Like I said, I really want to take out any guards stationed on high ground. Who's good at climbing? One of us needs to do that so the orcs can't send some sort of signal or flare for help, and then the other two will hit the o ther guards hard and fast, before they have a chance to say...use the slaves as hostages."

[Maquise]

Mirabelle pulls out the longbow strapped to her back. "I'm not a sniper, but I'm not out of practice, either."

Garm indicates the front gate. "I doubt they're going to open up if we knock."

[Frosty]

ooc - need a slight retcon. Since we've had days to experiment. Does Wings of the Eagle allow me to carry Garm's weight? Thinking of flying us over the gate.

"Think you can just bash open the gate?"

[Maquise]

(No, the weight is too much)

Garm considers for a moment. "I can try, but I hope that is your last resort."

[Frosty]

ooc - can you describe the encironment to me one more time? I'm not sure I understand it all the way. So the fort has walls surrounding it on all sides? And inside are two buildings right?

"The walls are crumbling. Perhaps that is a better place to try bashing? Actually no, we want the defenses to be solid for when we wait for the warlord to return. Hmm...I *do* have rope. Once we take care of the guards on the wall, I can tie the rope to something on the other side and you can climb over?"

[Maquise]

(here's a map. Note the brown ramp up to the walkway behind the wall)

Garm nods. "That will work." You note that he seems to be getting excited.

[Frosty]

"Alright. Given the layout, here's what I think is the best way to approach this. Mirabell, you'll need to act as a distraction while I fly over and get Garm inside. Pelt them with arrows, and try to get all the guards closer to the front gate so they won't notice me flying over the wall between the dome building and the tower. If you get lucky and drop the guard(s) on the wall steathily, then terrific, but more likely, they'll make some noise. If they're already making noise, then start insulting them or something. Anything to get them to not notice Garm and I so that we can come in and killt hem from behind."

Karrin then looks at her rope. "Wait...do any of you have a grappling hook? If so, Garm might not even need me to fly over before he starts climbing. I have silk rope, but not a hook."

[Maquise]

Neither one of them have a grappling hook.