Small shafts of light filtered in through the block stone floor above William as he let his eyes adjust to the darkness. The darkness itself held no fear for him. He spent considerable time in meditation and thought and knew it wasn't the darkness itself that was to be feared. His new blade, Armamix, he held loosely at on side, mithril buckler strapped to the other arm. Comforting weights as he began to make out more detail. It was a rough hewn cave, sections still mired in shadow where there was no flooring above it. Near the middle rested a single cage.
This was his opportunity to prove his worth as a slayer of evil, as a bringer of light. The kobold in the cage was small, and looked at him fearlessly as it's reptilian tongue flashed up to lick it's own eyeball. The dull thump of the hatch sealing behind him caused him to start slightly, but he didn't turn. Daren't let himself be distracted. Especially now. Another audible click and the sound of a mechanism activating as the cage door slid open, releasing the kobold.
He was more than twice it's size, and naturally it fled, into the darkness, into the shadows of a nook. He followed, nearly tripping on a peat boulder beneath his feet but his practices had left him very sure of foot and he recovered without even a stumble. Flow with the motion. Make the opponent's movements a part of your own.
His sword came up as he advanced. The kobold had only it's claws and as he approached it hissed slightly at him, before jumping out. It missed and his sword came up, scoring a vicious cut along one arm. A second swing caught the kobold in the torso, knocking the wind out of it and throwing it back. The kobold recovered and pounced again, claws raking off William's shield. Armamix danced out and struck the kobold again, severing a leg at the knee.
The kobold writhed on the ground in apparent agony as William took a step back. With a growing consternation he realized the kobold wasn't in pain, it was changing. An ebony scorpion with cerulean eyes was rapidly taking shape in front of him and his hesitation to approach the beast was nearly his undoing. Is a matter of heartbeats it had fully changed and whirled to assault him anew, fully formed. The creature was fully the size of a mastiff and he had no doubt that a sting from such a creature would be fatal. One way or another.
The scorpion drove him into the same corner where the kobold had been as he parried and blocked, striking out with his sword as opportunity arose. The scorpion took no lasting damage from his blows however, and any other creature would have succumbed to injury, but still it pressed on. William impaled a leg, then a pincer. He beat the tail into what should have been a pulp. Stabbed the torso, cut the mandibles, but still the scorpion pressed the attack. It was a ferocious beast and he could gain no ground.
All he could do was hang on and pray that either help came or the beast tired before he made a mistake. Any mistake, could prove fatal for him. It was then that he realized the creature had stopped, and was changing again. Before him once more stood a kobold, breathing heavily, but unharmed. He quickly pressed his attack but the kobold jumped to one side and tried to rake him with it's claws. He sidestepped and reversed his original swing, catching the kobold in the torso with a powerful blow. It gave a high-pitched squeal before toppling to the ground, bisected.
The hatch clicked open behind him as he regained his breath and he let his eyes slowly re-adjust to the increased illumination. He had won. But his victory was shortlived. A shout from the gate snapped him to attention and he sped out. Shout of Drow! and An Ambush! filled his ears and as he made it to the Depot a steel-clad Arthur was right behind him. The pair made it out over the bridge to see Ari, frantically defending herself with her flint-lock pistol. She was clearly losing but was hanging in there remarkably well. The pair attacked the drow swordsman, and the battle rapidly turned. Arthur struck the killing blow, impaling the drow in the chest with his steel longsword, but by this time several other drow ambushers had joined the fray. The attackers and defenders nearly paired off but William soon found himself facing first one, then two and three drow at once. He glanced over to see how his companions were faring and the situation was bleak.
Arthur had taken a slash to the arm, a nasty gash that was bleeding profusely and had begun to retreat from combat. Ari, well, there's no coming back from what happened to her.
William was nearly impaled when he was momentarily distracted by another shout from the walls. He didn't have time to listen to what was being said, but he considered any such implications to be making things worse. Not better.
Ok, Arthur is injured and out of combat. He will run, I cannot control that. But he did get a drow kill.
Ari is dead. Unfortunately and despite the heroes.
William is engaged in combat and in direct line of attack for Xob. I cannot direct him and he will engage the FB soon.
Any other takers for a battle free-for-all?
(Heydude, the ballista are all set up and you have plenty of ammo to use. I sent you to the library for Siege weapons and your skill level is now 4. So you're doing better. I'll just have you keep at it.)
Poll
Author
Topic: ☼Choose your own adventure☼ Human Trade center (Read 14402 times)