Turn 43 - The Enemy of ProgressLars rather wisely decides that perhaps the woods are not the best place to look for civilized company wise in the ways of navigation. With that in mind, he heads down the road instead.
After going down the road for some time, he finds very little of interest. No people, certainly. It's gotten terribly dark already, and Lars can hardly see five feet in front of him anymore. Not to mention that he's walked for many miles already and he's getting tired. Luckily, this is hardly the unfriendliest terrain one could find themselves on. It's the plains, and very few are as familiar with plains as Lars. Though it is unusual to walk down the road for a whole day and not see a single person.
* * * * *
Shashari, having supervised the obtainment of materials, goes on to instruct the Siren to start building a fine bridge over the raging river for both of them (and the ram) to cross.
[Construction roll: 5]
With her wise supervision, the Siren performs a whole lot of labor placing the trees over the river carefully, then securing them to the ground with the aid of flexible twigs and heavy rocks found nearby. Soon enough a perfectly serviceable bridge is constructed right over the river.
Shashari, in her infinite wisdom and recognition of who did all the work here, names it after herself in a short, but touching ceremony.
That is, it would have been a touching ceremony if not for the filthy screaming man charging out of the woods right at her just as she was about to bless the new construction!
[Screaming Man vs. Shashari: 2 vs. 2]
Shashari shrinks back as the man stops in front of her and begins to yell in a shrill tone!
"WITCH! How dare you tame this mighty river! It was meant to run free by the grace of the Water Goddess!""By every god and their mothers, what is wrong with you, man?""Ah! Siding with her, are we! Well, how about this!"[Screaming Man vs. Siren: 5 vs. 3]
The man punches the Siren right in the mouth, causing him to reel back! The ram is rather displeased at the man's noisemaking in the meantime.
[Ram vs. Screaming Man: 2+1 vs. 6]
It charges at the man, who proceeds to jump on it and ride it like one would ride a horse, except in an altogether more demented-looking, jerking and jumping fashion.
"No foul beast can be a match for a man of faith!"* * * * *
Elizas look at the man speaking to you. He is dressed in white robes and carries a rather nasty metal blade. His expression is quite stoic.
"I am afraid I do not know what you are talking about. No Gezerim lives within this house. We did, however, track down a con artist seeking to misappropriate ill-gotten funds to this place and are apprehending the slippery son of a whore as we speak. Perhaps 'Gezerim' is the name he gave you? I'll describe him."A few sentences later, he realizes that it is probably Gezerim the guard's talking about. Hm.
* * * * *
Phiali, upon speaking to the gray woman and receiving a most holy quest and the bucket to perform it with, takes the coveted vessel of water carrying and heads over to the village well. Fortunately, there still is one.
Rather unfortunately, the mechanism to operate it seems quite broken. Which is to say that it doesn't work. Seems like something's jammed the mechanism. Something of that nature, anyway. Also, the rope for it is missing.
* * * * *
Gronok, upon causing a slight misunderstanding with the head priest and then resolving it, sees that his less loyal converts seem to have gotten out of the corridors mostly unharmed.
"Well, I'll let you fellows sort this out. Come, ...er, what's your name? We'd better back away from the fighting.""My name? I do not rightly remember, have to say. But yes, let's get back.""Was about to suggest you do that myself. Right then. Guards, fire."[Kezilamite Guards vs. Prisoners: 5+1+
1 vs. 3]
As Gronok and his good buddy backs away a bit, the thirteen guards all draw their bows and take aim at the approaching prisoners, then fire a volley of arrows, followed by another one. Each arrow seems to find a mark, and more than ten of the about thirty prisoners are mowed down immediately. The guards then quickly put the bows on their backs and draw blades in unison.
[Prisoner morale roll: 6-->2]
The prisoners, led by the strongman, decide on an all-or-nothing approach, charging right at the guards before they can take up any more defensive formation!
[Prisoners vs. Guards: 6 vs. 2+2]
They grab two of the guards, pulling them away and relying on the force of the crowd to trample them into submission.
[Guards vs. Prisoners: 3+2 vs. 5]
The guards try to pay the prisoners back for their insolence, but the mass of people draws back, then attempts to envelop them to lessen their advantage.
[Prisoners vs. Guards: 4 vs. 4+2]
This maneuver proves foolish, as there are only two prisoners per one guard now, so the numerical advantage is not quite superior enough to nullify the fact that the guards are both better armed and better trained. To prove this point, the guards stab several prisoners right in their impudent abdomens.
[Guards vs. Prisoners: 6+2 vs. 1]
"Right. Let's stop fooling around, men. Kill the rest.""You heard the man! Kill them all!"Suddenly, the fight takes on an entirely different character. Something loosens in the guards' mentality, and they become relentless. They bear down on the prisoners, slicing off limbs and heads, covering their robes, their blades and the floor with blood. At the end of the orgy of violence, not one of the prisoners is left standing. The strongman was the last to fall, getting no fewer than six blades stabbed through the chest at once, then summarily decapitated.
When that bit of business is done, the guards stand in line in front of the priest.
"Are the two beaten ones alive?""Yes, barely."The priest nods.
"That's good. Take their swords and oversee their recovery, you two," he says, pointing out two particular guards.
"When they feel better, tell them to get their shame swords and clean up this mess. The rest of you, burn the corpses and the still-living ones in the same pile outside. Hopefully they'll be accepted by Kezilam in death."Thus instructed, the guards tend to their respective tasks. The priest turns to Gronok and the old man.
"Now, unless there is something else you want, I would advise you to leave."Lars: 5 MP
Shashari: 5 MP
Elizas: 3 MP
Phiali: 0 MP
Gronok: 0 MP
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Topic: Prophets of the New God: most unfortunately dropped. (Read 72956 times)