Kobolds At The Pit

May 27th 2007

Players: Nikarn, Aipoc, Blu'Shim, Kazrik

"There is a thundering Boom and a cloud of sulfurous gas is seen rising from the area of the Pit, shortly after a roaring laugh is heard booming out into the city. This is followed a few minutes later by shrieks and screams as little dog faced men start rushing out of the pit onto witch hill road attacking any that are so unlucky to be present.

The road here is of inferior quality, pits and grooves built up over the years of minimal maintenance. It's not that there's a lot of traffic, but more the fact that no one seems to much worry about it. It fits well with the sort of people who dwell in the area. Poorly or distastefully dressed vagrants and scoundrels make their way to the questionable establishments that stand in shoddy condition. If one were to look away from here, it's easy to see that this spot happens to be higher than most others, a raised pocket of depravity. This clear by the oppressive atmosphere and downward glances of the locals as battered and limping men wander out of The Pit. In addition, all the homes here are small huts of buildings, even the best one in disrepair. A few of the larger buildings loom quietly, no one seen coming or going, the locals seeming to avoid them. A small trail weaves its way away from the area to the North East, offering one escape route.

As you arrive at the entrance to the pit you see a body or two laying face down in the snow crossbow bolts sticking out of their backs. All others seem to have successfully fled the area. Remarkably there does not seem to be any foes here, or any sign as to what had killed the unlucky two.

Aipoc moves into the area, strapping his moon graced shield to his arm as he moves. Once he arrives, he unhooks the flail from his belt, roughly turning one of the bodies over with the toe of a boot, glancing at the dead to try and determine if it was peasant, adventurer, or guardsman. After his brief glance, he looks around the area to determine if he can spot the enemies.

As soon as the small gnomish woman spots the bodies with the bolts sticking out of them she immediately takes to the shadows to hide and sneak her way up to see what's going on now.

Nikarn comes to where a half-orc stands looking about. On his arm is a huge tower shield, and in his hand a war hammer. He kneels next to the bodies, which he finds are exactly that, and then rises to his feet, searching out what may have caused their untimely deaths.

Immediately spotting something out of the ordinary - or so Aipoc considers it, he quietly begins murmuring and gesturing with his flail. As he finishes speaking his flail glows for a brief moment and then the glow washes over him. The audible creak of leather straps expanding and even the tendons and muscles in his body tearing and growing up over themselves as he suddenly bulks up much bigger. He doesn't even slow as he begins a steady pace toward several of the hovels.

Blu'Shim decides to stay hidden for now as she's not quite sure what might jump out when, and she prefers to be the one jumping out to surprise people or nasties.

Nikarn studies the half-orc who stood not far away while the beast casts its spell. The grim set of his face becoming grimmer, he strides over, and gestures down the hill. "My name is Nikarn, Paladin of Mod. Well met, Orc-kin." Of course, humans would notice the orcish half of the halfling. "I think they are waiting in ambush just there, inside those huts, though I cannot say what awaits us."

Among rubble and trees and other debris the small Blu'Shim tries to see if she can spot anyone or anything, she squints as if she's not sure if she really saw something move.

Nikarn gestures to a hovel, not to far away. "It seems they are waiting all around us, and I think we should start there." He points out a few more hovels, and a doorway down the road. "And they are in those buildings as well. Numerous." A small smile crumbles the stone of his grim face. "Perhaps today is a good day to die," he says as he takes his first steps toward the first hovel he indicated, shield raised in case a crossbow bolt should be loosed.

You hear blood curdling screams as bolts fly toward the group from the far hovel and from everywhere it seems small dog like men come running toward you with spears in hand readying to kill you. A volley of Bolts fly through the air two missing everything one come to a stop quivering in Nikarn's shield and one grazes the half-orc drawing blood but not much else

As the Kobolds charge up the hill, Nikarn leaps forward, raising his warhammer and bellowing, "For the Light and Mod!" He meets with the first of the Kobold, swinging his hammer down... The skull of the Kobold makes a sickening squash sound as the hammer meets, and the poor creature falls, dead before it could hit the ground.

The half-orc doesn't even respond to the Mod-dite's spoken words. What he does respond to is the slashing blade of the crossbow bolt grazing his cheek. Whipping his head back to avoid the bolt, then forward once more to see the rushing kobolds, Aipoc takes a moment to bare his fangs at the enemy, roaring rage and hatred out upon them, slavering jaws creaking wide as he whips his flail around, still roaring, in a deadly arc that slams down into the closest kobold, splashing blood, startlingly vivid and bright into the air to rain down, hot and steaming, some pattering into Aipoc's open mouth as his flail finishes its circular journey down through the kobold, forcing its skull to end up somewhere in its chest cavity. It slumps, instantly lifeless to the ground, skidding to a boneless halt at the ravening half-orc's feet.

Two of the kobolds seem braver then the rest one stabbing at Nikarn and one stabbing at Aipoc both missing horribly the do keep from falling over due to their stabs but one just barely keeps his balance.

The small blue gnomish woman makes her presence known as she leaps from her hiding spot just to the right of the two large fighters she was watching get surrounded by the little dog men, as she lunges out of the bushes drawing her rapier out as she goes. Blu'Shim gives her small war cry as she plunges her jewel encrusted hilted rapier into the back of the small kobold and slides it down it's spine, hearing the bones breaking in its back, splattering her lovely robes with the grotesque creatures blood. She gives Aipoc a smile as she watches the little creature slump to the ground dead.

Another volley of bolts come flying from the Kobolds down the road, this time most fall harmlessly but one bolt flies true embedding itself into Nikarn up to the quills there is a shout of victory from the kobold that was shooting before it starts to reload. Two of the attacking Kobolds seeing the big half-orc smash their brother into a pulp decide to descend on him in a flanking attack both miss in their brave attempt at vengeance. The last Kobold to attack tries to deal some pain to the little blue woman that just appeared but due to his surprise at her sudden appearance he misses badly.

Nikarn's satisfaction at the death of the first Kobold and easy evasion of the other two is not long lasting. With a grunt, and a half startled look on his face, his attention is drawn to the fletchings sticking out of his side. Blood gushes from the wound, but Nikarn hardly stops, anger registering on his face. With a roar, he turns on the next Kobold and brings his hammer up with a mighty swing. The Kobold doesn't even have time to react as the Hammer crushes into its throat and sends it flying a few feet through the air in a mockery of a back flip.

The half-orc doesn't even pause as first one, then two and finally three kobolds move to try and overcome him. He grins wickedly at one of the kobolds then suddenly reaches out and grabs the other two kobolds by the heads, one in each hand, letting his flail dangle by its strap. Grabbing their heads like that he flexes his arms mightily, bringing them crashing together in the middle where both kobold's heads split like rotted pumpkins. Holding one of them up he sucks the brains out of the crushed skull and swallows it down still whole and steaming - firing off electrochemical signals to body parts it's no longer attached to, but those in this place wouldn't know that. Looking at the third kobold Aipoc grins through suddenly blood-stained fangs and mouths 'You're next' to it.

Upon seeing her large friend mangle two of the little rascals at his ankles, she decides to rid him of the last one on him. Stepping up between the two large men she slices the horrible little creature, by stabbing him in his stomach and slicing up wards to it's neck, her eyes get wide as it's innards ooze out of it's body in a massive pool of stinking yuck. Blu'Shim brings her small foot up and kicks the foul smelling thing off her beautiful blade.

The kobold archers seem to have been quite shaken by the action of Aipoc and BluShim seeing as there shots were by far a long way from hitting anything but dirt and the last one to shoot almost shot the last remaining Kobold in melee range as his bow fires of with an odd clang the bolt flies and behind the bolt fly pieces of the broken string and bits of the bow itself.

The last kobold stabs forward at Nikarn with a shaking spear that bounces off the big man's shield. the kobold looks back over it's shoulder toward the pit and wet himself when his spear misses yet again.

Nikarn, not satisfied with just knocking kobolds through the air and smashing their skulls, whirls on the last one standing within reach. Fear was already plain on its face, but as its eyes met Nikarn's, the creature could see its death as plainly as day. Still bellowing his rage, Nikarn swings his hammer crossways... Half of the kobold lands further down the hill, toward its remaining friends, the other half? Whats left of the other half is trailed across the ground down the hill. Even Nikarn seems surprised at the Kobolds demise, his bellow cutting of short as blood spatters across his face.

The mountain of muscle begins moving sedately toward the archers, shield in one hand, flail in the other. A certain determination is upon him as he begins moving toward the archers. Slamming the haft of his flail on his shield he chants out: "I am come to destroy you, flesh of might, killer of your kith and kin. I will rend your bones from your flesh and devour the flesh of your kindred. I will revel in the screams of your souls as I send you, shrieking unto the bosom of my Mistress. Forstorelse, prepare mine enemy a place at the foot of Thy table that they will so shortly be joining. I AM BECOME YOUR AGONY AND DESTRUCTION!"

Seeing that the big men seem to have done away with the pests down here she holds firm her trusty rapier in her hand she books it toward the archers like a crazy ass gnome, running in a small zigzag pattern to try to avoid getting hit by any arrows. Blu'Shim tends to get a bit crazy when being shot at.

The remaining kobold archers take aim one at each of the on coming adventures this time their bolt all fly true one hitting each of their foes and striking hard. The last kobold turns and runs into the pit trying to get away, there is a flash of light a barking yelp of pain and the body of the dead kobold comes flying back over the lip of the pit head missing and horribly burned.

Nikarn only hesitates a moment after the obscene death of his last victim. Turning, he runs starts running toward the remaining Kobolds, surprise etching his blood-stained face as another crossbow bolt appears, protruding between the bands of his armour, blood dribbling. He does not pause, though, and runs toward the Kobolds, no battle-cry on his lips this time. Their not quite close enough for him to close before they could reload, though.

The half-orc is suddenly flying into motion, ignoring the crossbow bolt growing out of his body now. It doesn't even seem to phase him in his current state. Instead he suddenly rushes the archers, picking one of them out and bearing down upon him...his flail contacting the kobold's head, almost literally vaporizing it into a spray of blood, brains and bits of hair misting out into the evening air. Screaming out his booming laughter Aipoc kicks the body to the side and roaring out his victorious fury, this cleric apparently revels in the blood death and destruction of these creatures as he laughs with the sheer evil pleasure of their utter destruction.

Running at full tilt the little woman, covers about half the distance between her and the archers, she sees them pull back on their arrows once more and lets them fly, as she sees one flying at her she tries to dodge it and gets it right in her shoulder "You son of a whore" she yells as she feels the white hot pain and the warm blood run down her arm. She charges at the kobold that just hit her in the shoulder, swinging at it she just misses it as it steps to the side a bit.

The Kobold that had been shooting at Nikarn seems to be quite afraid now with his crossbow visibly shaking there is no surprise that the bolt went wide, the other kobold though shot straight and true at Blushim not a surprise since his bow is almost touching her.

Aipoc casually flicks his flail with deceptive strength in the direction of the kobold shooting at Nikarn and tears an arm off the creature. Snapping it like a chicken wing, the small creature goes down in a piteous cry of pain and a gout of blood, bleeding out onto the cobbled ground at the Half-orc's feet. A malevolent chuckle burbles up through the Forstorelsian Cleric's throat as his glowing red eyes take in the last gasping breaths of his enemy.

Blu'Shim tries to take another swing at the Kobold that fired at her, it seems to block her blade with its cross bow as it steps aside "Stand still you fucker" she yells at it when it keeps moving on her.

With a sudden burst of speed, Nikarn takes bounding, lunging steps, and sweeps his warhammer up in an arching attack, smashing the Kobold in the face and knocking it flat on its back. Nikarn skids to a stop, just the other side of the fallen creature, the last of its life twitching out of it.

After the last Kobold falls you hear a booming laugh from the edge of the pit. looking over you see a 12 foot humanoid with giant bat wings and a flaming Great sword in his hands. He looks at you with a fang filled grin his voice flows out in a silent roar into your heads stating "Well Done little ones you have won through the first of the tests" his Laughter then booms out again for a moment as his wings stretch out to there fullest and with a brief hand motion he disappears in a puff of smoke.

Being the nosy gnome she is Blu'Shim starts searching the bodies of the dead archers, seemingly frustrated she gives up not finding anything except bolts and decides that she's getting low on those and pockets them. With that she shrugs and heads to search the other bodies down farther.

Always messing about with things they shouldn't. I shall have to tell my order of this. Perhaps they will know what particular circle such a demon is from." He glances over at Blushim and says, "Good job little one." to Nikarn he nods sedately and says "You as well Moddite."

Nikarn glances around at the fallen bodies. "That was a test?" Nikarn asks the question more as a statement, though the low, cold tone of his voice lets on little of what he thinks. He stares at the sky once more, where the creature had been, obviously a wizard of some sort. With a shrug, and putting his weapons away, he begins studying the bodies more closely.

Nikarn watches as the other two begin their examination of the bodies. With a sigh, he says, "I suppose Mod will not be angered if I search the dead. They do not need their belongings in the afterlife." With that, he bends to searching the bodies of the archers. Amongst the items he finds, he produces a few sets of ankle and wrist shackles, and some small trinket, which he merely glances at, then stuffs into his belt pouch.

Blu'Shim looks over at the haul that Nikarn found and drops what she has found, she sees him merely glance at a small trinkety item, her gnomish nosiness rears up again "Do, do you mind if I have that little trinket?" she asks as gnomes love collecting little things.

Nikarn looks to the gnome, rising to his feet. "It was nothing of importance." He squints his eyes at the gnome, a look on his face that says that the trinket would not be given up. "Would you like these shackles? I have no use for them. And I will take the smallest portion of the gold. It is not right to take from the dead, as is."

Blu'Shim smiles sweetly "but if it is not of importance to you that is why I would like to have it for my collection" she says sweetly, then looks to the shackles and chuckles "I might take one set just in case ya never know when you need to tie someone up" she says with a shrug.

Nikarn smiles a little bit, the grim look of his face cracking slightly. "It is merely a curiosity. I will hold it as a memento of my first battle in the defense of Vintermor..." He holds one of the sets of shackles out to Blu'Shim. "Here, I might keep a set for myself as well. Who knows when I might have to bring one who Walks in the Dark to justice, alive." He says it as if Justice were usually served best by death. Aipoc wordlessly studies the shackles that he found, then tosses them to the side with the other loot. Looking out over the lip of the pit he doesn't seem to hear the others words as they banter about the trinket. Instead he seems intent in his own thoughts.

Not giving up on the little trinket Blu'Shim tries to bargain with Nikarn "How abouts I give you a different trinket, then you can say that at your first battle you got a trinket from one of the only cloud gnomes in the city" she says with a large smile.

Nikarn actually laughs, a sound like ice caps breaking and mountains crumbling, booming out over the street in an avalanche of sound. Not something that Nikarn was used to doing, and not something others would expect to hear out of the stern man. "No, little friend. But, perhaps when I grow tired of seeing it every time I open my purse, I will give it to you." Amusement lights his eyes, though the face has returned to its usually grim state.

BluShim seems irritated as her eyes narrow a bit at Nikarn "Ignorant cuss" she sticks her tongue out at him "You fought well my friend" she says to Aipoc "Do you want me to stay with you?" she asks figuring that he may stay to burn the bodies. She appears to be speaking in Orc

Aipoc glances over at Blushim and says, "You may stay if you wish little one. We will have to gather together a pyre for these dead. Perhaps some of the good citizens of this city will help." he moves toward the mouth of the street to call upon the citizens to help gather the wood for the pyre. He appears to be speaking in Orc Aipoc begins a chant for the dead as a few of the people bring bundles of firewood. Tossing the bodies and the wood down into the pit, the half-orc continues his chant, singing the spirits of the dead to the table of Forstorelse, intoning their worthy destruction unto the gods with his words as he works to begin building a pyre.

Nikarn looks at the gnome for a moment, and then watches as the two move about their tasks. He fingers the pouch thoughtfully, then turns down he hill. He disappears around a corner, as if to leave, but returns a moment later with a large war horse and some rope. In one of his hands is a healers kit. "You two want me to bandage those wounds?," he asks, grimacing at the two bolts still jutting from his armour. "And..." he hesitates, then pulls the trinket from his pouch, "Would either of you recognize this? It is an elven woman being burned at the stake..." He thrusts the trinket that he had hid so well from Blu'Shim out.

Blu'Shim not wanting anything to do with the trinket now that she can't have it pulls one of her wands out and after pulling out the bolts in her, she lightly touches the spot where it was and uses the wand of cure light wounds on it, fixing it up tho it still aches a bit. She does this to the next one as well.

Aipoc stops what he is doing for a moment, letting some of the citizens pile the wood onto the pyre. Not touching the icon he instead reaches up and grasps the haft of the crossbow bolt and yanks it out, tearing flesh as it comes. His stony face is set though and he says, "You should be wary of keeping such as that Moddite. You hold in your hands the icon of Korinthar, holy symbol to one of his priests. To keep such as that is to call the burning one's attention to you and those about you." he tosses the bolt aside in disgust and flexes his arm a bit, allowing a slow trickle of blood to rivulet down the sleeve of his robe.

Blu'Shim goes about collecting small pieces of wood that may be laying around the site, helping the citizens up here to build the pyre, she then goes over and builds a small fire away from the larger pile of wood, listening all the while to Aipoc explain the trinket's meaning to the Paladin.

Nikarn grimaces, staring at the trinket again, then tosses it at the pile of wood. "Your advice is sound, Orc-kin." He glances at the gnome, seeing what she might think, and then begins pulling the bolts from his own person. Once the bolts are removed, he closes his eyes, resting his hands on his temples. A faint glow surrounds him, and when he opens his eyes next, he seems, if not rejuvenated, at least less tired than before.

Aipoc nods and dismisses the matter, instead he begins his chanting again, prayers for the souls of the damned as he piles body after body onto the pyre.

Using her small gnomish fingers and her keen eyes, Blu'Shim goes over to the pyre and carefully so as to not cause a big mess goes digging through the pyre wood until she finds it. She looks at the trinket and slides it into her pouch. Upon standing up she looks down and realizes that she's made more of a mess then she thought. She looks sheepishly at Aipoc and shrugs as if to say that she's sorry and then quickly starts re-stacking some of the wood.

Nikarn glances around, then helps to gather the remaining bodies, not seeming to notice the gnome digging in the wood pile. Once that task is done, he returns to his mount, not waiting to see the pyre go up. "Well met indeed. Much honor to you, Orc-kin. And to you, Madame Blu. Your strength is always welcome where my sword sheds the blood of evil." From a follower of Mod, perhaps as strong a praise as any. Without waiting much longer, he turns his horse and rides away from the scene.

Blu'Shim looks up from fixing the wood pile "Um, does he know who you worship?" she asks curiously as she watches Nikarn ride off a bit confused.

Aipoc shakes his head and says, "I know not Blushim. Moddites are idiots all. Strong of arm and thick of head is how that one likes his followers." he tosses the last body on the pyre and reaches for a bucket of pitch that one of the men of the city hands to him.

Blu'Shim nods and shakes her head and walks over to pick up a stick from her small fire and brings it over to you "I mean, it's not like you didn't even praise Forstorelse during that battle" she says sounding dumbfounded and then shrugs.

Aipoc nods and says, "Like I said. Thick of skull. At least he was strong of arm. Perhaps one day he can be brought to see the light of the Bloodmoon." he takes the flaming stick from Blushim after spreading the pitch on the bodies and pyre. Words rising to the skies he prays for the departed souls of the dead, "Forstorelse, greet my enemy into your halls, train their souls in the ways of your strengths, guide them into your merciless path and lift their souls to your final embrace. May they serve your ways or forever more scream their agony into the pits of the abyssal darkness." he tosses the flaming stick onto the pyre, watching as it catches flame.

Stepping back Blu'Shim doesn't interrupt the prayer to your god, and not wanting to get singed by the flames. She settles into a squatting position beside the smaller fire to watch.

Kazrik trudges upward toward The Pit, carrying a half-dozen timbers on his shoulder. 6x8s, it looks like.

Aipoc bows his head down as he continues to pray to his goddess. The flames leap and spread through the pyre, reaching toward the skies as it grows. Finally Aipoc glances over at Blushim and says, "I would not keep that 'trinket' overlong small one. It could cause no end of trouble for you...or anyone else who holds it in their possession." he glances over and nods a polite greeting to Kazrik.

"I don't plan on it, but thank you" Blu'Shim says to Aipoc, and goes to say something else until another half orc carrying some would catches her attention "Friend of yours?" She asks Aipoc sounding a little worried.

Aipoc shakes his head at Blu's question and says, "He is a Moddite, as well. We do not...travel in the same circles."

Kazrik's beady little eyes narrow, his jaw clenching slightly as he hears the prayers to Forstorelse and sees a large pyre burning with small bodies adorning it. Sucking air in for a moment, he turns his head and spits through his teeth before saying in a calm, polite, eloquent, and otherwise sophisticated accent from the very halls of the imperial capital, "D'hell d'joo do, Warchild?" Ok... maybe not the /capital/...

Aipoc bows his head once more, politely at Kazrik's unorthodox greeting, "I simply sent them to the Bloodmoon's feast-hall for eternity. They attacked the citizenry around the Pit at the direction of some sort of Demon thing. Apparently the demons have seen fit to plague this city of late. It is good to see you well and still strong of arm."

Blu'Shim doesn't seem to know how to take the exchange between the half orc's and is even convinced that the second one hasn't even seen her yet, so she just stays beside the small fire.

Kazrik nods slowly, looking back toward toward the pyre again. "Good deat's? Wen' down fightin', or didja crush d'skulls after d'poor sods gave up?" He shifts his weight a little, his grip the large bundle of wooden beams on his shoulder shifting from the way one carries a yoke... to a greatclub. A really, really, oversized greatclub made up of close on 200 lbs of wood.. probably won't get much bat speed on it.

Aipoc nods and says, "Very good deaths. They fought until they were crushed. If they had fought any harder, their hearts would have exploded in their chests, but they were no match for us. One of your own clergy swung his hammer beside me this 'eve destroying them alongside myself and Blushim."

Blu'Shim looks up from cleaning her rapier that was covered with kobold blood, at the mention of her name she just looks over at the other half orc, not saying anything yet.

Kazrik has gas. No, wait, that's a sour smirk. Or gas. Damn half-orcs. Damn /ugly/ half-orcs. "An' dat's gunna mean whut? Men make m'stakes. Trust d'wrong people. Met too many o' 'my clergy' too concerned wit' keepin' crap as 'friendly games' when dey oughta be deliverin' a swift boot." He looks to the pyre again, then back to the taller, if slenderer, cleric. "Demon, eh?"

Aipoc nods and says, "Yes. Big, red, batwings, flaming greatsword - the whole deal. As to your clergy, I do not often fight alongside them, so I know them not as well as you obviously do." he takes a moment to bend and clean the head of his flail of bits of flesh and brains before hanging back at his belt.

Kazrik nods. "Yep. Dat's a demon." What a mind. What a keen observer. "Anybuddy not fightin' hurt?"

Blu'Shim remains quiet by the small fire she puts her blade down across her lap as she tries to patch up a sore spot she didn't realize was there until she was more calm.

Kazrik nods slowly. "Make sure y'say sumptin' nice fer dem, too." He turns to continue trudging up toward the Pit, then pauses and turns back. "Where'd y'see d'demon?"

Blu'Shim frowns a bit as she doesn't seem to recall a big demon with big red batwings and a flaming greatsword, her face skewed a bit in confusion. "Musta saw that while I was sneakin about" the gnomish woman comments, saying something finally.

Aipoc points over to the lip of the Pit and says, "It appeard just there, right near where you are."

Kazrik spits again, well clear of the gnome. "Sneakin' about, eh?" He looks her over for a moment, then nods, "Recon's 'mportant. Don' let nobuddy call y'nuthin' bad fer it." He shakes his head, continuing, "Seen too many heavy liners tossin' words like 'coward' 'bout. See how dey'd last, bein' up ahead an' alone upcountry, one eye lookin' fer spoor, d'udder whatchin' deir own ass. D'ones as go talkin' crap 'bout scout wit'out d'balls t'put deir own asses out dere... dat's d'cowards." He nods to Aipoc's words, then turns toward the Pit again, "Well... let's see if tall, dark, n' smelly left any callin' card den, hey?" Unfortunately, Kazrik has used up his allotment of words for this month, and will be unable to speak until Friday.

Aipoc nods to Kazrik as he turns back to tend his prayers over the dead.

Raising a bit of a confused eyebrow, Blu'Shim puts her little finger in her ear and wiggles it a bit after listening to Kazrik "If they start talking about how I fight as being the way of the coward, they're liable to find my blade stuck in them like the pigs they is" she says still unsure of exactly what the other half orc had said.

Kazrik's answer is a toothy... very toothy... big teeth... grin. "Good."