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In the immediate aftermath of the battle with the ogres...
Spoiler
Neshi barely felt his blade slice into the ogre's paunch. He tried to draw it back and prepare another strike, but it seemed that it was hooked onto some bone within the massive monster. He desperately tried to pull it out again but it was lodged firmly in the ogre’s flesh.
“Thousand spitting camels!” Neshi swore beneath his breath. Gritting his teeth, he drew a sickle and flexed his knees, preparing for the inevitable counterattack.
His opponent grinned with blood frothing at its tusked maw as it raised its huge axe. The eyes of the Eker'ri glazed over with crimson mist--- whether with bloodlust or a fey premonition, Neshi knew not.
The heavy axe head gleamed wickedly as it swayed in the air for a moment then came crashing down with all the strength of the mountain-spawned monster. Neshi tried to dodge but knew the strike was too fast, too powerful, and so he raised his shield and hoped to the highest heavens that he’d have the strength to weather such a blow. Despite his training, despite his discipline, he closed his eyes against the coming blow and was glad that his helm hid this shame.
TA-KRACK! SHKLURTSH!
The blow never came. Neshi opened his eyes and nearly started back when he saw his foe’s weapon swaying a handbreadth from his face, a hair away from splitting his skull open and rending his whole body asunder.
He dared look up and whistled appreciatively. A crossbow quarrel, fletched with the same feathers as the bolt in his foe’s ribs, was stuck in the ogre’s right eye, sunk nearly up to its whole length--- only the last bits of feather were visible.
Blood dripping down his face and chin, the ogre’s jaw hung agape, shocked at Daiyanissa’s skill. The hands of the Eker’ri twitched in their death-spasms and the axe fell to the ground from nerveless fingers. The ogre stumbled back for a few steps and then collapsed utterly.
WH-BODOGG!
The monsters fell with a great crash, like one of the trees the twain had felled. Neshi glanced back at the cart and locked eyes with Daiyanissa. “Awesome archery, milady! Truly, even in thy condition, thou art a blade a bow above all others!” Was it divine inspiration that guided her skillful shot or was it something far more sinister, something that knew what darkness lay in the heart of that Eker’ri, judged it unworthy of her blessing and so made her strike true?
Yeeessss, my dear… thou doth still know me well…
Neshi shivered at the sinister whisper. Was it some shadow in the wind or that which spawned shadows? At these dire thoughts, he shuddered again and nervously made the Sign of the Falcon over his heart.
Armor clinked and the breeze sighed. Neshi heard a heavy blade sink into the soil, jarring him out of his dreadful reverie. He tried to make some contact with Daiyanissa but her eyes were obscured, both by her helm and some stray locks of red hair.
He saluted her and then turned to his fellow warrior, Yorrick. He was leaning on his great sword, seemingly drained after the exertion. His armor and face were spattered with a deluge of blood and the ground at his feet was slick with gore. His crushing blow must have cloven straight through the neck and out the armpit, for Yorrick’s ogre was missing both its head and left arm.
Neshi strode boldly over the carcasses of their foes, clapped him on the shoulder, and said, “Thou hast done well, trooper. Thou hast the strength of a lion and the courage of a crocodile” His face then turned stern as he continued, “But then, my good fellow, if we were in the army, thou’d likely been assigned to latrine duty for thy insubordination yet promoted for thy fearsome feat” Neshi again clapped him on the shoulder and laughed.
Turning to Chuck, he remarked, “Once again, thy battle prowess hath amazed me, little man. Truly, the world of war hath grown great indeed to produce warriors of thy ilk”
Neshi walked over to the fallen Martin and offered him both congratulations and a hand to help him back to his feet. “Mage Martin, without thy spell, we would have likely suffered gravely… methinks that but one good blow from one of those Eker’ri would have shivered any of us betwain in one fell blow”
But then, as Neshi got close enough to aid Martin’s standing, he clattered to the ground in a thunderous crash of armor. “Shards of…!” he sputtered. He tried to get up again, but came crashing down once more in the greasy spot.
Giving up, he crawled out of Martin’s space and was somewhat surprised to find that the greasiness faded away from the mage. He looked around for a long stick to use to help Martin out of the quagmire but merely scratched his head in puzzlement when Neshi saw that Martin had already gotten up and was having no difficulty.
The digging of graves…
Spoiler
Chk…shhk…chkk…
Neshi’s brow furrows at the sound of digging. He whirls around and staggers aghast at Daiyanissa trying to dig graves for the fallen Eker’ri. Why does she not let them lie and feed the vultures? But then, if so she wills, then so be it.
The young templar would have rushed forward and dragged her away from such a menial task, especially in her condition… but her words earlier flashed back to him, sapping his strength. “…stay the hell away.”
As she stumbled away from her new-scratched furrows in the ground, Neshi pleads to her, “Milady, I beg of thee! Tax not thy strength thusly!”
His countenance grew stern once more as he walked over to the ogre whom he’d helped slay. He put a foot on its belly for leverage then took a firm grip on the hilt of his khopesh.
With a sick, squelching sound, he pulled it free of the vile carcass’ guts. Neshi leveled the blade, still dripping with gore at the hobgoblins in the cart. He roared at them, “GET OUT!”
He strode forward to the trembling lot and slashed his sword in front of their faces, causing ogre blood to flick into their eyes. Blinking in terror and loathing, they cringe away from their tormentor. “Bury the Eker’ri, thou brigands!” Neshi ordered, menacing them with the flat of his blade.
Neshi sighed, and said to Daiyanissa, “Milady, what use would battle-captives be if they were not put to use thusly?” Flinching from her glare, he continued, “Please! Please, milady, stay thou mounted and conserve thy energy. These ‘hobgoblins’, as thee and thy Northern brethren name them, have forfeited their liberty through their dishonorable crimes. Restitution to society by slave labor be far better than torture or execution. Verily, ‘tis how they make up for the ills that they have done”
Departing the field of battle…
Spoiler
Neshi started at Martin’s sudden outburst and Daiyanissa’s uncharacteristically terse reply. The darkness within her must be acting up again, but thank Horus-Re, she seems to be controlling it…
Neshi walked up to the mage and said, “Doubt thou not an ogre’s iniquity for they be vile spawn of Seth--- and incredibly powerful ones at that. I tell thee true, we were both lucky and blest to have caught them by surprise, else I doubt not that ‘twould be our guts on the ground and not theirs”
He put his arm around Martin’s shoulders and gazed into the eyes of his their comrades. “My friends, let me tell ye a tale of woe from long ago” he began. “In the lands of the East, there once stood a majestic Cedar Forest and it was said that these tallest of trees were the pillars of the palaces of the gods”
He paced to the center of the clearing, his hands gesturing wildly as he was caught up in the sermon. “But lo! There came from the wastelands, a beast most vile and horribly powerful. He felled many of the Cedars and wrought his fortress from the ruins of the Forest. His name was Humbaba Eke, and he was the first of the Eker’ri, these monstrous miscreants whom we have, by grace of the gods, just defeated, are his descendants”
Neshi’s eyes were aflame with the passion of the tale as he continued, “Both gods and men were much troubled for the sky was falling--- and if it fully fell upon the world, then all would dissolve into chaos and darkness. And so it was that the great Gimilgammash and his loyal Enkita sallied forth to defeat Humbaba”
His eyes darkened and the zeal in his voice grew as he neared the climax, “When the great champions fought the forefather of the Eker’ri, they were routed by his sheer power and would have been slaughtered had not Amon-Ra stepped in and aided their valiant endeavor. Lo! It took the strength of thirteen whirlwinds to merely restrain Humbaba Eke but even then, his blasphemous breath and constant curses made it hard for Ra to maintain his grip. Gimilgammash finally wounded the despoiler mortally and the father of the Eker’ri fled into the wastelands from which he was spawned, never to be seen again”
Neshi, finally having achieved release, heaved a sigh and finished his tale, “So you see, comrades, ‘tis why the vile Eker’ri seek to destroy civilization and despoil the forests, ‘tis also how they are so strong and yet so dull”
Upon reaching the prospective campsite… ((WARNING: contains scatologic material))
Spoiler
Neshi looked around the hills. And he frowned at the fields of tall grass. The lack of tree cover also worried him. What an excellent place for an ambush…
Daiyanissa, however, commanded a halt and so he obeys. Remembering how she taught him the ropes of setting up the tents of the current age, he had little difficulty in helping set up camp.
After eating a frugal dinner from half a strip of snake jerky and some berries that he had collected en route, Neshi snuck off and went behind the nearest hill.
(1d20+5)[9] Spot Listen (1d20+3)[10]
Looking around to make sure that he wasn’t followed, he proceeded to defecate. His face hardened as he saw the remnants of food from a dinner more than a thousand years past go out of his anus.
Wiping himself off on the grass, he trudged wearily back to camp. Seeing Daiyanissa’s silhouette near the watch-fire, his heart leapt. He wanted to go to her and try and relieve her once more of her self-appointed burden but he recalled her stupendous skill and her stubbornness and decided against it.
Neshi heaved a sigh and knelt, bowing down to the West. Making the Sign of the Falcon upon his chest, he took off his pack and his armor and then laid down He smiled, confident that his god will wake him when his turn for taking the watch.
Sometime past midnight…
Spoiler
Neshi awoke to see the stars once more marching across the heavens. His nostrils flared at the smell of burned-down cinders.
Praying quickly, he got up, donned his banded mail once more, and buckled on his shield and his weapon belts. Looking over at the sentry fire, he was shocked to find that Daiyanissa had fallen asleep on sentry duty without rousing somebody else to take her place.
Neshi looked around, fearful that some creatures of the night might have infiltrated their camp. He quickly relit the sentry’s fire and rounded a couple of quick patrols around the camp, checking and double-checking both his comrades and the captive hobgoblins.
Satisfied, he laid his shield down and picked up a rather large rock. Grunting with the effort, he placed it near the sentry’s fire to give himself a better vantage point. He even dug a second shallow pit and lit a second fire on the other side of his stony seat.
He went and knelt by Daiyanissa’s side, pondering what to do with her. He briefly considered carrying her to a safer, more comfortable spot but decided against it, knowing that she was likely to be awakened rudely by such churlish action. Trying to make her slumber at least more comfortable in her current location, Neshi pulled out his own wool-and-linen blanket and draped it over her sleeping form, tucking her in up to the neck and shoulders.
Brushing away some stray scarlet locks, he smiled at her. He sang, “Ever bright, milady fairest, thou art. Sleep thou well, dream ye sweet. Ever steady, flows the River, steady as my love for thee”
He bent and was about to kiss her cheek in token of a “goodnight” when her words the previous day came hauntingly back to him. “…stay the hell away… I love you”
Neshi rocked back and suddenly smiled craftily to himself. “…stay the Hell away…” He muttered to the darkness. He drew his khopesh as quietly as he could and drew the Signs of Salvation on the ground around her: the Ankh, the River, the Serpent and the Falcon. He made the Sign of the Falcon again upon his chest and also over hers and intoned, “In the hallowed name of Horus-Re, I Protect this woman from Evil. So mote it be”
Smiling confidently, he walked over to his rock and took out a rag. He polished and cleaned his equipment into the early hours of the morning.
There were times, he knew, that he committed the sentinel’s sin as well and napped on the job, but he was a light sleeper and a few moments’ shut-eye served him as well as an hour. Whenever he awoke, he went about on patrols, fastidiously checking the camp for signs of intrusion.
The Eastern horizon afire with Horus-Re’s dawning light, Neshi bows down before his glory. After an hour of meditation, he stretches and stirs the ashes of the two campfires and relights the smaller one.
Neshi sets some water to boil in an improvised kettle, his helmet. Taking a pair of flat stones, he grinds some herbs and a pinch of hippopotamus fat together and then mixes them over the simmering water to make some tea.
He sings a love-hymn while he waits for the tea,
“Milady, never dark, art thou
Dream ye sweet and fight thou well
Steady as the River,
Steady flows mine love for thee…”
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Hey, you. Yes, you. Come on. SMILE.
(1d10)[9] HP! oh yeah i took 2 new feats! 1 from class and 1 becuase im 3rd.
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"Ok so what did you get to hit?" "I rolled a 1 again..." "That is your sixth one!!" "It's not me it's the sword, it's a cursed magic item!!"
"Oh thats how you deflect on coming arrows"Says chuck as he is walking. Why didnt i think of that, Throw the guy to the ground when he is charging at me. That is brilliant! Man now i really want to spare with yorrick or daiy! Then we could have some good fun becuase im getting better at this punching thing. Wonder why they need swords to protect them so.
Looking towards daiy he says,"I'll take second or third watch just bne sure to wake me up. Then he walks towards one of the few trees and climbs up and starts to go to sleep in the tree.
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"Ok so what did you get to hit?" "I rolled a 1 again..." "That is your sixth one!!" "It's not me it's the sword, it's a cursed magic item!!"
Daiy slowly opened her eyes, blinking rapidly. She kept her body as it was, and moved only her eyes to gaze around her. Suddenly she realized that she fell asleep at her post, and shame filled her. Feeling a blanket over her, keeping her warm throughout the dawn from her incompetence. 'Who covered me up?' Furious with herself, she stood up, shedding the blanket to the ground. She felt lightheaded at the sudden rise, and sat down immediately. Waiting for the lightness to pass, she picked up the blanket and folded it. She attempted to stand up again, pleased that she wasn't woozy this time. She quietly crept up behind Neshi, set his blanket at his left side, and knelt down at his right.
She enjoyed listening to the heavenly sounding song flowing out of Neshi's lips, and felt sad when he stopped to look over at her when she knelt beside him. At his curious gaze she looked down, blushing. She peeked at his beautiful eyes, her face beet red.
"..Thanks...", she whispered, leaning over to place a kiss on his cheek, so light it was like a butterfly had landed on it. Her face was flaming from embarrassment as she withdrew and stood up. She scurried away to he horse to start getting her items packed, and a ration out for breakfast. She continued to blush the next few times she caught his eye.
Do you wish for me to scout out ahead daiy?I would LOVE to go look out for us to see with yorrick, Come on please! Im really good at not being seen since im so small. If you dont want me to *sigh* i guess i could stay. Looking to the ground and quickly peeking up a little to see daiy's expression (hopefully not annoyed). Then he looks towards the smoke and towards the hobgoblin.
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"Ok so what did you get to hit?" "I rolled a 1 again..." "That is your sixth one!!" "It's not me it's the sword, it's a cursed magic item!!"
(I was thinking of getting a new guy to have as a party rogue or ranger PS will need it for later. I just want to know if you guys want a new guy in or not)
Sounds good to me. Are you gonna put out an application process in the recruiting forum?
Ah, by the way, everyone, I'll be posting soon (and replying to your PMs, Nexus and Daiy). I've just gotten caught up in other things... Tonight, it was defusing an argument at a website I administer, so I'm a bit drained. I swear, carefully worded diplomatic posts are harder to write than anything I've done here...
Derek, I think I already asked you this, but the Tome of Battle Crusader class is alright for my third level (and probably any future levels), right? If not, I can change it, but I really like all the special moves and stances. Suppose it appeals to me as a fencer... It also fits rather nicely into Yorrick's past as Khur-kol the Demonsbane, so I thought it wouldn't be too much of a stretch.
In case you don't have ToB (I have a friend's scan), the maneuvers can be found somewhere at the WoTC website, so you can be sure I'm not making things up.
Story posts coming tomorrow, I promise. By the way, Yorrick'd doesn't have much of an eye for scouting... (IC, as well as no real Spot bonus OOC) You might be able to find someone better, Chuck, if this looks to be a more sneaky/Spot-intensive mission. He'd probably do just as well with a map scratched out in the soil. Heavy armor doesn't exactly move silently.
OOC: im all in for a new guy (or girl) as long as the person isnt greedy backstab the party type o thing. We could use a rouge or ranger or even a rouge ranger... Like in mine derek. So bring in the new guy ( or girl)!
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"Ok so what did you get to hit?" "I rolled a 1 again..." "That is your sixth one!!" "It's not me it's the sword, it's a cursed magic item!!"
Do you wish for me to scout out ahead daiy?I would LOVE to go look out for us to see with yorrick, Come on please! Im really good at not being seen since im so small. If you dont want me to *sigh* i guess i could stay. Looking to the ground and quickly peeking up a little to see daiy's expression (hopefully not annoyed). Then he looks towards the smoke and towards the hobgoblin.
"Alright Chuck, go scout ahead. Please be quiet though, as i do not feel like being taken surprise" She sighed
((OOC: I have also considered that and I agree. But then, why don't we just cross the bridge when we get there? As in, how about finishing this hobgoblin hunt, going back to town, getting to a tavern and putting up the good ol' "Adventurers Wanted" sign?))
Nearly six hours ago...
Neshi was totally relaxed as he tended the tea. Totally relaxed and totally oblivious of the movement around him.
He did not see the shadow moving on the ground and did not feel the swish of Daiyanissa's cloak as she passed him by. He did not sense the blanket returned at his left nor did he hear the grass get crushed at his right. The tradition of meditation during second-dawn tea was something that he'd picked up during his stay at Sanctum and it was a tradition that he kept.
And so it came to pass that the tea was just about done by the second repetition of his hymn and he had yet to notice the hesitating prescnce beside him. He took a pair of rags and used them to hold the still-hot helmet and bring it nigh to his lips.
As he blew on the tea to cool it, there sprang a sudden gust of wind from the South. Ah! Heaven smiles upon my day, Horakhe be praised..., he thought as the he felt the cool wind kiss him, whispering and sighing. Sipping reverently, he stopped as something dawned upon him.
And then a sudden question jarred the serenity of his being. What is I feel upon my cheek, wet and warm? Wet and warm...? Bleeding blazes of the Abyss! I am a stupid sentinel! Scorpions have come!
KLA-DSHHHH!
He threw away his tea-helmet. Neshi clapped a hand to his supposedly bleeding cheek to staunch the blood and half-drew his sword and almost yelled, "To arms!", when another sudden realiation hit him. It's... not blood? He glanced around, feeling both a tad foolish and yet still wary.
Daiyanissa's beet-red face looked away as she was getting up from the seat that they had shared. Neshi's mouth hung open as she walked away, barely meeting her gaze. Wha...? Sh-she kissed me?
Flies swarmed around his gaping maw as he stared at her receding form. The joints in his jaw cricked as he spoke once more, his once deep, rich voice naught but a hoarse rasping, "Hooooly Haaaaathor!"
"She kissed me" He continued stating the obvious to naught but the laughing winds, much to the flies' delight, for they then had a good supply of sweat and dripping saliva to feast upon.
Two hours ago,
CLONK!
"OW! Haaa-TCHENG!" Neshi stumbled and sneezed for the hundredth time on the march. The dust was not that thick, nor the cold that biting. The rocks and pits in the path they were taking were not all that large and yet he kept on stumbling, his usually-focused mind distracted.
Why, oh why am I so stung with her? It was merely a kiss was it not? And yet... what did the scribes call it again? Is it a foreshading, a prelude to something greater betwixt us? By the shards! Why am I acting so thusly craven? Did I not work toward this... ever since we met?
*'chooo! GRaaaH-TTSSIIIIIIIINGG!* Neshi's head nearly fell off with the latest sneeze and he disgustedly took in two fingers a long, thick strand of mucus dripping down from his nose. "Shud ob Shetth!" He swore and flicked the mucus away.
He had tried getting to her but ... *zzBLG-'tsiiIIINGGG!*... decided against it, fearing that he might contaminate her. Besides, whenever he sallied forth towards her, he always found himself on the opposite side of the convoy as her--- stripeless-zebras are apparently faster than plodding donkeys.
"Dabbit. Vie graysh o'godsh I kad heal woundsh buck... *sssnnnuuurck*... cand heal ze kobbod kohd? *GA-TCHENGG!*" Neshi muttered to himself as he marched along, complaining against the cold. Hmph. If this is the price of chivalry, the price I have to pay for love, then so be it. HAH! I'd rather defend her from a thousand fiends or snatch her from thehaws of Apepi himself than face this blasted cold, though
Half a minute ago
As the companions crested a rise and sighted the far-off smoke, Neshi almost sighed with relief at the prospect of action... and some much-needed heat. He made the Sign of the Falcon over Chuck as he left to scout out the disturbance but did not dare pray aloud, for fear that he might misintone from his cold.
"Shtupig shud of Shetth!" Neshi swore with a rueful smile, slapping his forehead. Why, oh why didn't I think ofthat before?!?
He sauntered to the back of the caravan, hiding behind the cart, away from prying eyes. ((Heal check(1d20+7)[25])) Seeing that none would witness the purging of his disgrace, he took a deep breath through his mouth and pinched down on the bridge of his nose.
Summoning his courage against the coming disgust, he blew through his nose as hard as he could. *BVVVSSSSSHHHHK!* Twin thick streams of greenish mucus shot from his nose and spattered the rear end of the cart, causing the hobgoblins within to skitter back and laugh condescnedingly at him.
Neshi paid them no heed, wiped his face thoroughly and straightened up, feeling like a new man after his purging. He pumps a fist into the air and shouts exultantly, "Praise Horus, Lord of Victory! Praise Isis, Mother of Healing!"
On his way to the vanguard, he passed by Martin. Something about the mage's face troubled him. He tried to put up a smile but his cheer withered beneath the latter's furrowed brow. "Martin, art thou troubled, pray? Deign thou speak and I shall hark" Neshi waited for the other to take up his offer of a confession but, seeing that his troubles were probably those arcane mysteries that mages oft contemplate, Neshi sighed and merely made the Sign of the Falcon over him and then moved on.
Presently
Neshi marches confidently to Daiyanissa's position at the head of the column... or tries to. The mere sight of her makes his extremities cold with nevousness and his neck flush with heat. Nevertheless, he maintains his stance and falls to his knees, bowing down to her. "I beg a thousand pardons, milady. I am sorry for my... reaction earlier. To my... utter shame, I was... shocked... when by all rights, I shouldn't have been. I beg a thousand pardons"
* post roll count doesn't match database
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Hey, you. Yes, you. Come on. SMILE.
She looked down to Neshi, her once blue eyes glowing with a knowledge she didn't know she had, and smiled. "Get up off of that cold ground" she extended a hand to assist him in rising. When he stood facing her, she bent down to his ear and whispered huskily, "Be happy I didn't do more than that". She smirked and nibbled his earlobe, shocking him a purpose. "Just wait until i get you alone next time"she lowered her voice seductively.
Without another word she raised her head and sat straight up in her saddle, looking forward. With a shiver she looked down at a shocked Neshi, her eyes normal again, wondering what had caused his shock. "Are you alright?" she asked innocently
"Aye". Neshi snaps to attention twice, rigidly. "'Alright'? Fine am I, mistress fair"
His heart hammers with excitement and wonder. The once-grim templar can no longer contain the joy that bubbles up from within and he grins madly, alabaster teeth glittering in the sunlight.
Blazes, 'twould... 'twould be just like mother and father... she was the commanding officer then as well...
And then his brow furrows. His heart darkens.
Images flash before his eyes. The sounds and smells of a thousand years seem fresh to him, bitter memories that suddenly spew forth their woe like a gangrenous wound.
The lightless dawn was utterly cold but the blood within his veins even more frigid than the biting air during the Time of Troubles. Two of his childhood friends who also served with him under the banners of the Efer-nim Guard, Tolen and Thyra were guilty of high treason. They had forsaken their watch posts to frolick beneath the moon and beneath their blankets. The troop was taken by surprise by a fiendish foray and over a hundred men died that night ere the call to arms could be sounded. The two were found insensate within their tent and I executed them summarily for their negligence.
Neshi's teeth grind together in seething, inward rage. His fists clench and crackle over the handles of his arms.
Caught up in his inner turmoil, he does not notice the passing of the weather until a sudden flash of golden noontide sun flashes down from behind clashing clouds and warring winds. Neshi at first shields his eyes from the sudden glare but he has not the will nor the way to shield his heart.
Voices that he knows, voices that he yet cherishes speak from the celestial flare. From the sands of time, from the sea of ages, they speak forth...
His vision flashed to the time when he had asked for a discharge from the Scorpions. "If thy heart be not of Scorpion stone, then so mote it be" his father said, cloaked in shadows stern and sad. But forgiving and proud, he continued "What-ever thy will, my son, I shall be with thee, for ever am I of thee proud"
The sky beat down with fumes dark and choking, but his friend Khur-kol was still laughing for the fury of Apepi the Night Serpent was in vain. Lo! There walked through the valley of great darkness, a woman more fair than mortal tongue could tell. In her hand was a flaming sword with a hilt so long and as she strode and as she smote, fiends withered and fell. "Isn't our salvation beautiful?"
The light was too pure, too white, and it burned him, tore him apart. He was dying when he heard the voice of his beloved. "...live your life, Neshi! Love on, for love is the one true light!”
Neshi gasps and stumbles back, his sight still swirling. His heart sings within his battered frame, enlightened and exultant, freed from chains wrought long ago. The clouds move on and the sun's light fades but flares on true and true within his soul. Neshi feels like jumping, like shouting, but his body aches and his throat feels parched.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daiyanissa
With a shiver she looked down at a shocked Neshi, her eyes normal again, wondering what had caused his shock. "Are you alright?" she asked innocently
Smiling sincerely, he stands tall and meets Daiyanissa's worried gaze. "I am fine, mistress" He gulps but once, looks away into the column of smoke on the horizon and turns back to her. He takes her hand in his and asks her, "If all be well later this eve, wouldst thou deign to speak with me on... certain matters of... personal import?"
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Hey, you. Yes, you. Come on. SMILE.
Smiling sincerely, he stands tall and meets Daiyanissa's worried gaze. "I am fine, mistress" He gulps but once, looks away into the column of smoke on the horizon and turns back to her. He takes her hand in his and asks her, "If all be well later this eve, wouldst thou deign to speak with me on... certain matters of... personal import?"
She looked at his face, puzzled at his question, his hand holding hers. She was thrilled at the warm touch of his callused fingers, the light caress sending jolts of pleasure up her arm. Her eyes widened at the realization of what he meant, and she was unable to get out a sentence to reply. "I.....um...well...you see...um.....sure." She panicked at her reply, hoping he didn't think her rude or a blubbering idiot, she swallowed her shock and attempted to reply again. "I mean, that is...of course....Of Course I would like to speak with you!" She looked down immediately, her face blushing a bright red from embarrassment of her forwardness. She chuckled lightly to ease the tension she felt. "I...um...I would...need... I need to go see how Chuck is doing...yes.." She turned, hesitating to lose the touch he had initiated, but deciding to escape so she could get a hold of herself.
She rode Sir Micheal away a yards and slowed down, lifting her hand to hold her heart. 'I need to get a hold of myself.....Why is my heart so tight?' She looked back to him and felt happy. 'Oh well, i can breathe any time.' And smiled as she looked around for signs of Chuck.
"Good gods!" Neshi blurts. What idiocy! I should behead myself for this negligence! We were supposed to watch for out for the scout!
His heart calms down with the prospect of action and his mind races, thinking once more like the captain of old. He scans the horizon for any signs of the returning Chuck, but is hard pressed. The dipping hills and the swaying grass, coupled with the inclement weather make him spit in frustration.
(1d20+5)[8] Spot
He looks up the path and smiles at Daiyanissa's flare of red hair, streaming from her helm, a crimson banner. Neshi waits until she has crossed about half the distance between the company's present position and the far-off smoke before snapping out marching orders.
"Troop, hold steady" he begins. "Yorrick, left flank, five feet from the cart! Bow out, make ready to cover our scouts' withdrawal. Cover the prisoners as well"
Neshi then glances back at Martin and says, "Snap out of it, man. We need you. Check the prisoners' bonds and make thou ready what charms ye have. I don't like the look o'that smoke"
He then loads a stone into his sling, holds it at his side, ready and moves to a position on the right flank, reciprocal to Yorrick's. Neshi raises his shield arm and lets it fall, his voice grim. "Troop, steady. May Horus bless our foray. Forward march!"
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Hey, you. Yes, you. Come on. SMILE.
Looking up from the ground is Chuck who is smiling as big as ever before. So many thoughts racing either blackmail or jokes or even advice becuase he seen them talk this whole time. "So..... has this been going on for a month year or days ,.. weeks? By the way i didnt depart quite yet i wasnt done talking but i guess now i am. By the way neshi ..... Nice! Im going to have to give you a little advice talking to eachother though becuase youcan barley understand things never mind- Oh wait is yorrick and martin hearing this? Want me to call em over? I can i bet martin has some spells that will help and yorrick can make sure no one is watching. Looking around he looks back and whispersWant me to keep this a secret? I can keep a secret, *Cough at a price Cough*. Say maybe even ummm, I know! One.... Whole....Night....Of....Drinking! Oh yeah so when did you guys meet? Was it early or what and once you tell me if you want it a secret or not i gotta go scout so lets not waste time and i bet you hate me for this! The gnome says smiling.
I wonder why he likes her and she likes him? Maybe she digs the whole carnage bloody thing too. Wait! Is she acannibal as well? Can a palidin be a cannibal but only eat bad guys? Does that mean shes keeping those hobgoblins for later.... Oh gods!
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"Ok so what did you get to hit?" "I rolled a 1 again..." "That is your sixth one!!" "It's not me it's the sword, it's a cursed magic item!!"
Sorry for the lack of story posts, I'm caught up in a few other projects (including [fencing] training) right now. I promise I'll be back this weekend (hopefully) better than ever!.
...i gotta go scout so lets not waste time and i bet you hate me for this! The gnome says smiling.
Indeeeeed...
Yesss, give in to thy hatred, release thy anger and take thy rightful place at mine side!
Neshi grits his teeth against the temptation but his pride and his love cannot stand the disgraces that the miscreant gnome had just spouted. He rips his khopesh free and brandishes it at Chuck's receding form. He roars hoarsely, "NYAARGH! Get back here and be chastised, thou foul miscreant beggar!"
Seeing that he has no chance of catching up to the small, fleet-footed gnome, he slows his mad charge down to a jog. Recalling the sinister smoke column on the horizon, he calls to the others. "TROOP! Stealth be damned, there could be folk trapped in those burning ruins yonder! MARCH DOUBLE TIME!"
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Hey, you. Yes, you. Come on. SMILE.
Daiy canters Sir Micheal over to chuck and stops in front of him, pulling out her sword and resting the blade on his throat. "Don't interfere" She growls, her voice deeper than usual, "I will not stand for it. Now go and do your bloody job before I send your head to do so and leve your body behind with me." With that she swung her sword around to decapitate him, but stopped right at the last second.
"...Leave..now..." She gasped, trying to keep control over her actions.
Neshi skids to a stop, shocked at what he had just witnessed. Had Daiyanissa almost summarily executed an ally who was unarmed andhad no true malice intended?
And then he heard the voice, sibilant and sweet... yet succumbed to sin. That voice... was Ankhutar's. Neshi's mind reeled with the implications. No! No, it couldn't be!
Yes, 'tis so, beloved. She has fallen...Grraaah! Give me his head!
"NO!" Neshi yells and slashes the air with his blade, the shining sword flashing through the Sign of te Falcon. In the heavens, thunder crashes and lightnings rumble. In the distance, black smoke, billows.
He looks down at Chuck, grim. He places his hand on the gnome's shoulder and pushes him off, saying, "Despite thy sottishness, you are a good man, Chuck. Go. Save yourself"
He looks back to Martin and Yorrick and tells them, "Go on ahead. If there be trouble, fight a retreat. But go swiftly, for I fear there be folk needing help at the smoking ruins over yond!"
Closing the gap between Daiyanissa and himself, he sheathes his blade and looks up into her eyes but does not see them. Her countenance was dark, cold, shadowed against the sun.
"Please dismount, milady", he requests. Neshi kneels and, though for his life he fears, he bares his throat to her and pleads with the outstretched arms of a supplicant. "I beg of thee, milady, dismount. Thou art unwell..."
At that point, one hand snakes into his pack and unstoppers the vial of holy water that she had given him not three days ago. "Thou needs to be treated, mistress"
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Hey, you. Yes, you. Come on. SMILE.
Martin was deep in his own mind, muttering to his pet rat about the wonders of the Arcane Order, when suddenly...
"NYAARGH! Get back here and be chastised, thou foul miscreant beggar!"
Whuh..
"TROOP! Stealth be damned, there could be folk trapped in those burning ruins yonder! MARCH DOUBLE TIME!"
Martin jumps back into the real world, and races forward to witness the scene. "What's going on?," asks Martin, too softly to be heard. All he receives is half an explanation - Daiy mock-executing Chuck. WHAT!? Do my eyes deceive me?
"Go on ahead. If there be trouble, fight a retreat. But go swiftly, for I fear there be folk needing help at the smoking ruins over yond!"
Martin's complaints are ignored, yet he still goes on with them. "But.. but what's going on... why..." As Yorrick and he are drawn away from the turmoil and into the heart of hobgoblin territory.
Daiy saw through her unseeing eyes at the pleading of Neshi, her very soul crying out for help. She didn't want to kill the little miscreant, she wanted to let go of her Sword, and release her own will from this hold that was placed upon her.
'That little brat thinks that his Holy water will effect me, let me tell you a secret my pet, I am protected by your pure blood. Your pureness of heart and love for life will protect me, for I am in your very soul'
'But my soul is pure, my lifeblood will fight you, I have my Love to protect me from your darkness. I will over come you! I will win!'
She laughed deeply and replied smugly,'Don't even try, you have sampled my power. I can twist your mind into so many knots that even his magic cannot find them to untie. I can destroy you and all that you care about. I am all powerful, and I am being lenient with your impudence. Remember, I can destroy you by destroying those you love.'
'Don't be so sure' said a soft, ethreal voice that Daiy didn't recognize.
Daiy was shocked to feel her hair grow longer then imaginable, turning golden in color as her eyes became a peircing blue. She was illuminated for a few moments as her sword dropped to Neshi's side, her arm suspended in the air. Her mind filled with Knowledge and wisdom that only a goddess could maintain.
She felt enlightened, as if ina different body and mind as she spoke to Neshi, with words she knew not she had possessed, "Keep Fighting love, the battle is still to come..." Smiling brilliantly, she felt as if she could do anything, as if she were being guided by a warm, bright light. When she went to move, her mind flickered in and out, the warm presence she felt before, the understanding and knowledge gone. She was back to being Daiy again, except with her features still changed from before. She didn't question it, appreciating her new look, and looked back to Neshi, with a peaceful love in her soft eyes.
"Let us go to battle my friend, we have much to do", she dismounted to pick up her sword and rested her free hand on his vial of water. She lifted her hand to rest on his cheek, tracing lightly down his strong chin, resting on his full bottom lip. Light as the bumblebee, she rested her lips on his and whispered, "I'm fighting back, love. Im fighting back"
She looked at him with pride, and a smile. "Now how about we go help those poor kids out?"
((OOC: Whoops my bad didnt see that! Between work, New viedeo games and playing On evermeet in a campaign(Advanced derek). Im sorry i didnt post those rolls but i will do so now.)
As he is sneaking through the grass and hiding behind the trees while the sun is high he seems to be breaking lots of twigs and cursing in his mind. He thinks he is going to have to practice this sometime later. As he looks to the sun he says under his breathe he has plenty of time to think of how he is going to make me into a cababob. This is going to be fun. Smiling he looks over the hill throught the grass and hopes its nothing big with scales,wings and a firery breath.So Does that mean that daiy is going to eat us? Thats kind of weird. I knew someone was a cannibal. Maybe she AND neshi are cannibals. Does that mean were going to have to fight them? WICKED i finally get to spare them.... well not spare but fight but i'll make sure they dont eat martin becuase he cant defend himself. Thats why loge left! He didnt want to get eaten!!! I'll have to defend the party. Martin is smart and yorrick Can back me up but we'll have to make sure they dont go around eating people. Well i better make it back alive if i want my plan to go into action.
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"Ok so what did you get to hit?" "I rolled a 1 again..." "That is your sixth one!!" "It's not me it's the sword, it's a cursed magic item!!"
you see a fire about 16ft tall in the air engulfing a house and you see a hobgoblin in druidic armor behind it. And down the road you see some sort of wagon or caravan going away
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Re: lich ruler
It also fits rather nicely into Yorrick's past as Khur-kol the Demonsbane, so I thought it wouldn't be too much of a stretch.
.... Oh gods!
