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[Generally me]

Smoke
Because Gerald wants to kill stuff

[escaped lurker]

Smoke
Because Gerald wants to get killed by stuff

Fixed that for ya'.

....

+1. Let's enjoy the plot-armour while it lasts! ;3

[Parsely]

Pretty sure we lost our sword, but AFAIK we still have our bow. We'd just end up being forced to run away or defended again by Esther, even if we don't die, we might get her killed if she needs to protect us.

[Generally me]

Naaaah... I'm sure we could wrestle them to death or use INTERPRATIVE DANCE to confuse them

[Glacies]

Trails of smoke come from the woods, and Gerald goes to investigate. Esther voices some concern. “The greenskins that attacked us might have been camping there, or, uh, there might be more of them there.” Gerald shrugs. Could be, he thinks, but we might also find someone friendly, with help or medicine for our friend. Or even a Cleric, if we're lucky.

Of course the answer is a bit of both. As they get closer, it becomes obvious that it isn't just campfires burning, but an entire camp. Peeking from the treeline, they see a clearing full of burning tents and the recent dead.



Several mutilated elves are nailed up to trees around the clearing, their tents smashed and burnt, their pack animals killed over hastily improvised cookfires. One bonfire contains what Gerald eventually recognizes as the burnt corpse of an elf. It seems from the tracks they were attacked by a raiding party, overwhelmed by superior numbers, and subsequently slaughtered.



As they make their way to the center of the wreckage, they spot a survivor. He's tied naked to stake in the very center of the campsite. He's in bad shape – one eye is a red ruin and the other is tightly shut, most of his fingers are cut off quite crudely, he's got several surface cuts and bruises, and it also looks like he's been castrated. Still breathing shallowly, he calls out, first in a language neither Gerald nor Esther understand, then “Who's there?”

Esther responds a bit weakly “We're...we're not here to hurt you...”

“Betrayed.” he croaks. “Killed our sentries, killed us all. Left me as a warning...”

What does the party do?

- - -

It was only after I finished writing this entry and drawing the pictures that I said to myself “Holy crap! This went to dark places real fast!” Hope I don't alienate my audience by trying to be grimdark...I bet you guys ask to communicate with the elf in interpretive dance.

[Lyeos]

Look around for anything of use, since Esther quote clearly has to handle communication here.

[escaped lurker]

interpretive dance Gesture to untie him. Or do so.
Unless they also have broken his spine, there is little chance we could make things worse for him. If we are capable of bringing him back to the hideout without dooming our other patient, would be a more pressing consideration though.

Look around for anything of use, since Esther quote clearly has to handle communication here.

+1, As I doubt they have taken all of the elven knifes, swords or whatever they had before the attack.

It was only after I finished writing this entry and drawing the pictures that I said to myself “Holy crap! This went to dark places real fast!” Hope I don't alienate my audience by trying to be grimdark...I bet you guys ask to communicate with the elf in interpretive dance.

This being bay12, you would need to make a detailed and prolonged account of torture to alienate... the forum rules. Else, I daresay that most have commited worse fates with or on their dwarves, intentionally and unwittingly. Quite possibly both.

[ShadowHammer]

interpretive dance Gesture to untie him. Or do so.
Unless they also have broken his spine, there is little chance we could make things worse for him. If we are capable of bringing him back to the hideout without dooming our other patient, would be a more pressing consideration though.

Look around for anything of use, since Esther quote clearly has to handle communication here.

+1, As I doubt they have taken all of the elven knifes, swords or whatever they had before the attack.

It was only after I finished writing this entry and drawing the pictures that I said to myself “Holy crap! This went to dark places real fast!” Hope I don't alienate my audience by trying to be grimdark...I bet you guys ask to communicate with the elf in interpretive dance.

This being bay12, you would need to make a detailed and prolonged account of torture to alienate... the forum rules. Else, I daresay that most have commited worse fates with or on their dwarves, intentionally and unwittingly. Quite possibly both.

+1

[Glacies]

First, Gerald quickly scours the camp for anything of use.

Gerald:14(+2)=16 (Minor success!)



He finds a set of decent steel knives and a short sword of better quality than the one he has*, and a quiver of good quality arrows that got overlooked. Meanwhile, Esther does her best to treat the injuries the elf has, and then they untie him and improvise a stretcher to transport him.



Once untied, the elf loses consciousness, and while he doesn’t lose much blood, that's because he doesn't have much to lose. Gerald and Esther leave the burning camp and trek through the woods back towards the cave with their injured friend and the goblin in it. The forest is oddly still as they make their way back, as if it is holding it's breath.

The goblin is still there when Gerald and Esther return with the elf. He's scouring the blade of the magic sword with a lump of steel wool and seems to have taken much of the rust off. “Oh, you're back – and you brought a friend. Great.” he says.



They gently put the elf down and Esther and the goblin start administering first aid.

Goblin: 10(+16)=26 (Major Success!)
Esther: 12(+7)=19 (Success!)

Gerald is suitably impressed with the speed and precision with which wounds are sewn, bandaged and generally attended to. The goblin winds bandages all around the elf's face, “He's go blind if he tries to use the good eye too soon...” and then they move on to the man from the party, who also receives stitches and a nice herby poultice.



“We should open a freakin' hospital.” the goblin says. “The hell did you find this guy?” Esther explains what happened. The goblin's expression is grim. They survey their handiwork, then Gerald and Esther fix the goblin with expectant stares. “I suppose you want some answers now, right?” He sits down and produces a pipe, and begins to light it. “Ask away.”



“First, who are you?” asks Esther.

“You can call me Kurt.” he says. “I'm named for the god of Kobolds, which is damn odd for a goblin, but there ya are. I'm a senior professor of mechanical sciences for the Machinists, which probably doesn't mean a hell of a whole lot to you. I'm from the capital, and I'm not with the guys that jumped ya, if that wasn't already obvious. I already got a handle on who you are, cause' I came out lookin' for you to find out what some nobody's squire – sorry – is doin' with a symbol of Sycarixian. Might have taken a peek at your mail.” he shrugs apologetically.

“So, why are you helping us?” she asks.

“Seemed like the decent thing to do, that's all.” he says dismissively. “So you got any idea why someone's sending you diabolic sigils?”

Gerald shakes his head.

“I was afraid of that. Someone's tryin' ta use you as a pawn, just your luck. Anyways, here.” he hands Gerald the sword, now much less rusty. It glows faintly blue, enough to light the small cave handily. “Dunno what that thing does just yet, but at least it makes a decent readin' light.”

“So now what?” Esther asks.

“Well, I think you ought ta get back into civilization soon as ya can. It ain't just a couple little raiding parties out there – looks like a full on invasion's goin' on. Looks to me like the orc federation crossed the steppe under magical cover. Which is one hell of a feat. Best get home before it's burnt to the ground.”

Kurt hands the Esther a map. “This will probably help. Anyways, I'll stick around with ya until you get back to more civilized land, just to be sure. Oh, looks like your friend is coming around...”

Sure enough, the injured man groans and attempts to sit up, only to wince in pain and lie back down. He looks around without moving his head too much. “What happened?” he croaks.



Esther explains the situation while Gerald shares his waterskin with the injured man. He doesn't seem that pleased. Esther asks who he is. “Name's Vincent...who's the goblin? Why's he helping us?”

Gerald shrugs expressively. “Did anyone else make it?” Gerald shakes his head, and Vincent sighs deeply and closes his eyes. “Damn, damn, damn...”

It will take a little while for everyone to recover. Now is the time to formulate plans, discuss general strategy, and take stock of the situation.

Gerald's inventory:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

map
parchment, scraper, charcoal sticks
Silver Flame prayerbook
elven steel short sword
iron short sword
rusty magic long sword
shortbow
quiver of 25 arrows
quiver of 30 good elvish steel arrows
whittling knife
dagger
cloak
protective charm
globe of light
waterskin
a couple of days rations

Esther's inventory:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

book of shadows
dagger
a couple of days rations
pouches for spell components
heavy robes
crow feather mantle

Vincent's inventory:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

chainmail shirt
a couple of days rations

Kurt's inventory:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

He isn't telling, but you've seen:
steel wool
some odd bottles
A lantern
A pair of matching curved green metal daggers
small wrench
small screwdriver
an oddly thick cape
goggles

Map of the area

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

*That I keep forgetting to draw on him!

[ShadowHammer]

Stay here until everyone's recovered enough to travel safely, then stealthily make our way to the Baron's castle. Maybe we can find help there.
While we're waiting, learn to read more. Stay alert, though.

[Glacies]

With Vincent and the elf in the state they are, the party is in no fit state to travel, so a few days will have to be spent resting. To save on lantern oil and candles, Kurt suggests they prop up the magic sword with a couple of rocks and let it light the cave. To keep himself busy, between tending to the wounded, Gerald and Esther continue the reading lessons.  At this point, Gerald has a pretty solid command of the alphabet and feels comfortable enough with writing words like Dog, bed, cat, run and bee. Kurt quietly cleans and sharpens every sharp thing in the cave for the party, and then moves on the cleaning and repairing Vincent's chain shirt with a bit of steel wool, a small pair of pliers and what appears to be a bottle of lemon juice. Even that doesn't take him terribly long, so then he moves on to repairing everyone's leather shoes, rewaterproofing them and reinforcing them. Occasionally he leaves the cave for a few minutes to do a bit of quick reconnaissance, but returns within fifteen minutes or so with a disappointed look.



Esther spends a little bit of time working with her book of shadows, which Gerald sees is a tall, thin volume bound in hide and covered with occultist symbols. Vincent spends most of his time sleeping, but when he's awake, he tells everyone about how he grew up at a farm on Sir Bernard's land and how he was taken on some six years ago as a man-at-arms. He's twenty, or thereabouts at his reckoning.

“We should go back and bury Sir Bernard, and the Lady Thurlow and everyone else...” he says. “It wouldn't be right to leave them there.”

Esther agrees – “They could rise as angry spirits if they felt abandoned” – Kurt adds that their corpses probably have a lot of useful stuff that could be of use on the journey and Vincent and Esther both give him withering looks.

Later, the elf quietly groans, and then whispers “Er ég á lífi?”

Kurt responds. “Fyrir nú. Þú ert með vinum. Sofa og batna.”

Apparently satisfied with this, the elf goes back to sleep. By the second day, Vincent is capable of standing and slowly walking around, though it is a little painful. “I guess I could get along with a crutch good enough.” Gerald then whittles a very rough  -wooden crutch- with his woodcarving knife.



Kurt suggests it's time to formally decide on a plan. “Do we wait till our friend here is capable of walking or do we carry the git and leave sooner? Do we go out and give last rites to your old boss and your pals or drop that in favor of makin' better time? And lastly, if we wanted, we could cut north through the woods towards the riverboat landing and then get the elves to loan us a boat, or we can just travel south overland the whole way. Whaddya think?”

Esther and Vincent are both in favor of giving the dead their last rites, Vincent is in favor travelling south overland while Esther and Kurt want to try the boat method. Somehow, against all odds, they're all waiting on Gerald's opinions as if he's somehow become party leader. He is the one with the magic sword, after all.

[The Froggy Ninja]

Last rites, carry and boat.

[Generally me]

Last rites, carry and boat.

+1 whether we should bring the elf along

[Lyeos]

Last rites, carry and boat.

+1 whether we should bring the elf along

+1, though I wouldn't be surprised if the elves are dead.

[Glacies]

April fools update.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Kurtulmak is now main character

the goblin become main character cos gerald is boring.



So goblin is best character. He based on my wow char. He so cool. An stempunk. I like kurtulmak cos he's like mah author avatar, but I digress

aanyways he ditches all those loser characters. Why did I even write them. But he can keep Esther I guess. Only she blonde and pretty now and also a princess and not a witch



So I wuold ask you all fors suggestoins but instead I tihnk I will just ignore them. Feel free to still give input I will just ignore but polite.

So anyways

Kurt goes to the town, and Malleus is there! But then he ashot lightning out his hands to kill people



and kurt say “NO MAL Y U BETRAY?!”

and den

they get out ten foot knives and knife fite.



suddenly, interrupting gerald wants revenge for ruin thread, he jump in on a shark



and gerald yells “As you know, since I cannot talk, we must decide the fate of the thread in a dance off!”
and then three-way dance off!



Gerald is probably star-lord

[image of a giant robot killing everyone here]