Forgotten IC

[NeoSeraphi]

The prisoner looks up at Marcy.

". . . It's Fenris. Fenris Alvantis," he mutters after a moment. "I was a schoolteacher in Milantis."

[Diachronos]

"...A schoolteacher. You're a teacher, and you're fighting in the war."

[NeoSeraphi]

Fenris nods. "Of course! General Kina is a celebrity in the Empire. When she asked me to join her regiment, I could only gasp at the honor and happily accept. I have served her, faithfully, for six years. And now...we have won."

[Diachronos]

"Yes, your general asked you to join her personally... and then she just abandoned you the moment it looked like she was in trouble."

[NeoSeraphi]

Fenris glowers and struggles against the ropes holding him. "I am expendable! She is far more important. She did what she should have done, for the glory of the Empire!"

[Diachronos]

Marcy grabs him by the scruff of his neck. "Well, she expended you. Now you're in our hands. Why is Milantis even trying to invade Anoira to begin with?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Fenris averts his gaze. "That's...! It's because..."

Laura looks over at Marcy. "The Milantines have always been primary importers of natural resources. Their land is rather barren and thus they have spent most of their wealth on developing technology and becoming conquerors. However, their population has expanded beyond what they can reasonably sustain through imports. So now, they plan to take control of the Anoiran farms and turn their owners into slaves that produce a surplus of food for the Milantine people for free."

[Diachronos]

Marcy grits her teeth, furious that her homeland was being targeted for slavery. She gives Fenris a shake. "Maybe you're worthless to Kina, but you've got value to us. If nothing else your knowledge is a valuable asset."

[NeoSeraphi]

Fenris sighs. "Whatever. Are you done? Can you let me go now?"

Marcy briefly wonders if this man has seen Timaeus.

[Diachronos]

"Not yet. I'm... looking for someone. An Anoiran soldier named Timaeus. Have you seen or heard of him?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Fenris narrows his eyes. "Oh? Him. Yes, I know him. He was engaged in battle with General Goan. I don't know the outcome, but facing such a powerful enemy alone, he surely is rotting at the bottom of a trench right now."

[Diachronos]

Fenris' absent dismissal hits a nerve with Marcy; prisoner or not, she still gives in to the urge to punch the man square in the nose. "Where. Is. My. Brother?!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Fenris howls with pain and tries to rub the wounded area, but he is tied up.

Kerry gasps in shock, looking at Marcy with disbelief and worry, while Grayson grabs her fist as she pulls back and shakes his head, pushing it down towards her side.

Fenris glares at her. "I'll never tell you anything!"

[Diachronos]

Marcy snarls and tries to tug her hand free of Grayson's grip, but after a few seconds she reigns herself in. "...Keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't try to slip away. I'm going to scout ahead." She storms off down the trail ahead of the rest of the group.

[NeoSeraphi]

Grayson grabs onto Fenris and holds him still, looking angry.

Kerry watches Marcy go and looks upset, but unsure of what to do.

However, Taylor walks up behind her. He follows right behind Marcy, and no matter how fast Marcy charges ahead, he keeps up with her pace. After a few minutes, the two of them are walking ahead, alone.

[Diachronos]

Marcy finally stops walking. "...Are you going to say anything, Taylor?"

[NeoSeraphi]

He speaks in Orcish for a few moments, before stopping and clearing his throat.

Unlike before, when he speaks, it is at the same pace and with the same level of mastery that Laura displays. It does seem to be hurting him, though.

"You are angry. When you are angry, you make mistakes. You cannot fight well when you are angry. I will protect you, while you are angry."

[Diachronos]

Marcy sighs. "I see... thanks." She leans against a tree. "I'm sorry, I just... I've been trying to find out what happened to my brother for a while now, after I stopped getting letters from him. And now that Milantis broke through the front lines and invaded, I... I'm starting to worry that he might be..."

[NeoSeraphi]

Taylor cuts her off. "Stand," he says, back to his usual way of speaking.

"No kneel...stand. Walk. No find...brother...if no stand and no walk."

[Diachronos]

Marcy stares at him, not quite sure of what he means. Regardless, she nods and straightens up.

[NeoSeraphi]

An arrow flies out between them and lands in the tree that Marcy was just leaning against.

Taylor snorts and raises his fists angrily as three dwarves with the Milantis insignia on their armor start to surround them.

[Diachronos]

Marcy jumps and hefts her halberd. Y'know, just saying 'enemies, look out' would've worked...

[NeoSeraphi]

The dwarves attack!

Spoiler

Show

Longbow against Marcy: (1d20+4)[18]/(1d20+4)[6]
(1d8+1)[7]/(3d8+3)[18]

Battle Axe against Marcy: (1d20+5)[8]/(1d20+5)[18]
(1d8+3)[11]/(3d8+9)[16]

Earthbreaker against Marcy: (1d20+7)[19]/(1d20+7)[15]
(2d6+6)[14]/(4d6+12)[25]

[Diachronos]

Marcy avoids the arrow and axe, but gets hit by the hammer. She makes a wide swing, aiming at the two nearest dwarves.

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Cleave
Vs Axe Dwarf: (1d20+11)[13]/(1d20+11)[15]
Damage: (1d10+7)[15]/(3d10+21)[38]
Flaming: (1d6)[2]

Vs Earthbreaker Dwarf: (1d20+11)[29]/(1d20+11)[27]
Damage: (1d10+7)[8]/(3d10+21)[40]
Flaming: (1d6)[5]

[NeoSeraphi]

Marcy misses the axe dwarf, but the earthbreaker dwarf takes a big hit.

Taylor dives onto the bow dwarf, preventing him from taking aim as the half-orc pummels him.

Spoiler

Show

Attack: (1d20+6)[22]/(1d20+6)[20]
(1d8+4)[5]/(2d8+8)[20]

(1d20+6)[8]/(1d20+6)[25]
(1d8+4)[11]/(2d8+8)[11]

The two melee dwarves attack Marcy again!

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+5)[17]/(1d20+5)[6]
(1d8+3)[7]/(3d8+9)[23]

(1d20+7)[15]/(1d20+7)[12]
(2d6+6)[13]/(4d6+12)[27]

[Diachronos]

The dwarf with the axe manages to hit her with her open stance, but she still blocks the earthbreaker. Marcy retaliates with another wild swing!

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Cleave
Vs Axe Dwarf: (1d20+11)[17]/(1d20+11)[26]
Damage: (1d10+7)[11]/(3d10+21)[36]
Flaming: (1d6)[5]

Vs Earthbreaker Dwarf: (1d20+11)[13]/(1d20+11)[27]
Damage: (1d10+7)[13]/(3d10+21)[35]
Flaming: (1d6)[1]

[NeoSeraphi]

This time, she manages to hit the axe-wielding dwarf, but misses the earthbreaker dwarf.

Taylor tries to finish off the bow dwarf while the other two dwarves check Marcy in the face.

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+6)[19]/(1d20+6)[21]
(1d8+4)[9]/(2d8+8)[20]

(1d20+6)[25]/(1d20+6)[11]
(1d8+4)[9]/(2d8+8)[17]

The two dwarves are flanking and using Coordinated Maneuvers for a +2 bonus each.

Disarm attempt (earthbreaker): (1d20+11)[29]

Disarm attempt (battle axe): (1d20+9)[12]

They both provoke an attack of opportunity, but Marcy only has one AOO per round.

[Diachronos]

Marcy aims a swing at the dwarf with the axe!

Spoiler: Attack

Show

AoO to attack the axe dwarf: (1d20+11)[22]/(1d20+11)[18]
Damage: (1d10+7)[14]/(3d10+21)[45]
Flaming: (1d6)[2]

[NeoSeraphi]

The axe dwarf passes out!

The earthbreaker dwarf knocks the halberd out of Marcy's hands!

[Diachronos]

Marcy is disarmed, but she grabs the dwarf's dropped axe and swings with it!

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Picking up the axe provokes an AoO. Assuming the axe is a normal axe

Hit: (1d20+8)[19]/(1d20+8)[15]
Damage: (1d8+4)[10]/(2d8+8)[18]