Flying Tigers

August 14th, 2007

Players: Siriel, Ellis, Demetria, Robin, Heather, Katherine, Serena

Suddenly the quiet of the night is shattered by the peel of alarm bells ringing, and screams coming from the gate house. As suddenly as the sounds started they stop and silence is returned to the night, this silence lasts for a short moment before a booming laugh is heard loud enough to be heard throughout the city, then there is nothing but silence."

The permafrost continues along the surface of the Port Road heading off to the southwest, but here, it intersects with Border Street. Both roads are cut from the rock face in the most likely path along the edge. Waves crash the rocks below on the east side, getting steadily farther away as the roads ascend in either direction. At the intersection are some small shops and the tariff office for the final stop on the way out of the city. Descending along the Port Road is the namesake of the road, Vintermor Port, on the east. A gatehouse is positioned along that side of the road giving the impression of the final stop in civilization before the long journey.

When you arrive at the gate house all is silent, the first thing you notice is the snow, which is normally a grayish brown from all the traffic, is a solid blood red covering the entire area in front of the gate house. With a quick look you can see a total of five hands laying about on the ground some still attached to part of an arm otherwise there is not a piece of a body to be seen bigger than a hands width. Nothing else can be seen at this time and is seems whatever did the damage has left.

Katherine's approach hurried as it can be, cloak drawn close, hands curled in her skirts, keeping the hem up and off the ground. Slowing as she approaches, slowing even more as she sees the blood red snow, the slight woman stilling beyond the circle of lantern light, looking, listening before stepping closer.

Heather comes running down with a quick pace looking around, as soon she sees the body parts on the ground her eyes glow a bright blue as if trying to find magical auras that would be in the area.

Robin pulls the hood of her cloak over her head as she starts sneaking around. The woman takes a deep breath, as she moves. Her first real job in a long time...The Elf hopes her cloak and rogue training helps her as she starts to move in the shadows.

Ellis appears in a small puff of smoke. he was talking with Serena, and he brings her with him, the teleport spell bringing them to the source of the disturbance rapidly

Brought upon the chilly west wind, Demetria stays with in the shadows as she arrives. Her dark eyes and keen ears give a glance to the world about her. The world is silent, not a death gargle or scream from those who where attacked and Demetria bows her head in the presence of death. lifting her head again a new feature crosses her face, A cold look of retribution as she starts to move farther down a road. At the moment. Nothing is to be seen, and then. There it is. A shadow moving wrongly against the back drop of the night further down the road and Demetria's eyes narrow.

Serena 's silver eyes look about the crimson covered ground and the carnage that covers the ground. She draws a wand from within her robe and peers about the destruction fearing that those whom caused it still might be lurking nearby.

Out of nowhere comes the sound of a deep voice stating get them my pets and again all goes silent.

Siriel arrives from the road that leads to the wilds of Vintermor. She's wearing her traveling clothes, thankfully. She heard the maniacal laugh before and ran to see what was going on. As she arrives she pulls her new bow from her shoulder and immediately pulls an arrow from her quiver. She hears the voice as she gets there and looks around for it's 'pets'.

"With pleasure," The shadow's answer as the creature of it growls, "Ellis." A gruff voice come from the shadows, "I hope you prepared some water..." And with that the shadow that is Demetria Erikit looks up to a roof top and then...Leaps upwards. Legs tucked under her body, the woman soars up and lands onto the roof top before disappearing once again into the shadows.

"No!" Katherine's voice ringing out like chiming bells, clear and loud, stepping into the lantern light and blood red snow. Hands rising, calling into the darkness, to that sourceless voice, "Come out and speak, no more violence tonight. Come out and tell me why. Come out and tell me why, blood drenched one!"

Ellis' eyes are blazing with brilliant blue fire as he looks around. He speaks clearly and calmly "Two targets. " he points one way with his staff "Faint traces of magic there on the rooftop, " but his attention is the other way "There is the main target" as he says this his free hand is moving in a magical spell.

Heather looks around for the creature of the sounds but figure its best to summon her weapon and shield from her gloves with two Draconic words "Well I figure this will be a good time to finally use your new enchantments old friend." after that she cants a few words in a strange tongue that makes a fire aura around her.

Robin moves deeper into the shadows. Oh for the love of gods, please let her be hidden good. The woman draws her new Masterwork bow, and pulls the elven cloak tighter to her as she starts prepare for combat....

Serena hears the voice and her brow arches. She slips into a shadow nearby with her wand still held tightly in her hand ready to strike the first enemy that shows itself. Her gray cloak seeming to make her meld into the shadow and disappear to most eyes.

From above comes the sound of flapping wings moments before great beasts land on the ground and attack. They appear to be giant tigers with the wings of giant bats. One of which is still chewing on what looks like the remains of the sixth hand. From the darkness down the road also come running the shapes of wolves charging towards the group that have arrived, their eyes glinting red in blood lust.

Robin lets fly an arrow towards the lead wolf of the pack. She smiles a bit, and lets it fly true. The elf smiles evilly as she felt the arrow fly. She takes a deep breath, and then blinks when she hits the wolf. It stumbles a bit, but when the wolf starts running at her, Robin blinks a few times. "Awww....fuck!", she says, trying to get another arrow ready to fly.

Katherine sighs softly as there is no response, save for the snarling of beasts and the chewing of unhygienic meat. Delicate hands lifting away from her skirts, fingers twisting in an eye watering pattern and apparently passing through themselves twice, her voice lifting in clear tones that recall the lapping waters of a still shore. Stepping forward, five Katherine's suddenly there, each of them reaching into their cloaks.

Ellis begins to rise into the air, his form wavery and somehow insubstantial.. as though he were seen through a haze "Watch out Serena.. other things are coming.. I am going after the source of all this.. Call me if you .." he gets that far before the strangest thing happens.. as he finishes the spell his staff flares, wreathing itself in brilliant red flames "KORINTHAR!!" a voice very different from Ellis' rings out, higher pitched and with an ancient lilt to the accent "This is of Korinthar.. I WILL DESTROY!"

Heather takes 20 feet steps back hoping Ellis statement is a ploy, but she contributes in this fight as she pulls out a small trinket on a silver chain and spins it around. That causes a huge spinning disk that comes above one of the winged creatures wounding it... well more like a soft scratch.

Serena points her wand at the wolf charging Robbin and a fireball flies forth consuming the wolf in it's flames. The sickening smell of burnt hair and wolf flesh fills the air and the animal yelps and is hurt but still alive. Some of the flames lick at the dire tiger and it turns it's eyes to Serena looking for the source of the fireball, though it does not look to be hurt.

Wing bound tigers, these are not what Demetria has seen before but at the name of the Primordial, the halfling narrows her eyes. Two daggers flick from her darkness flying out with a deadly accuracy. Both hit the creature she aimed for, both having that extra punch only a rogue can give, Injuring, and angering them both.

Siriel drops her bow to hang on the crook of her elbow and puts her arms above her head in a vee shape "Mighty Green Lord, please send me one of your beloved winged children to help me in this time of need" she calls out to the direction of the woods. There's a loud screeching as a large celestial eagle comes from the direction of the woods, it swoops down at one of the winter wolves that has passed her, it claws at the wolves eye before flying back skyward. "I thank you my lord" Siriel says as she grabs her bow from her elbow. She appears to be speaking in Sylvan

The last of the wolves looks around after being attacked by a glowing Eagle, it turns it's reddish glare on Siriel. "A caster are you Elf you will taste all the better for it." is heard in a growl before it launches at her biting her savagely.

Robin takes a deep breath, but blinks as the wolf charges towards her. The Elf panics as she tries to fire an arrow, not use to being seen. Her shot goes wide, missing her intended target.

The wolf seems to grin as the arrow flies wide as it leaps toward the Elf landing on her it bites her savagely shaking its head to finish the job. drooping the now limp body it growls in pleasure as elven blood runs down its muzzle.

The great beast that was attacked by the Hafling launches itself into the air lashing out at her landing a slash with each claw and just missing with its bite.

Demetria slashes out quickly, two daggers get but one attack each, bitting into the flesh o the beast, carving at its hide, "Mother Fucker." she shouts to the creature, "Wait for it, This is going to hurt like a bitch.."

Charging across the bloody field A loud growl is heard as a Wolf jumps into the air landing by Serena its jaws clamp down on her tearing a great chunk of flesh out of her. Standing in front of her it is sprayed with her blood in a great red shower.

The largest of the tigers attacks Heather its claws scraping across her armor with a high screeching sound, she remains unharmed for now.

The Katherines move swiftly when they see Robin fall to the wolf, all of them scattering left and right, passing through one another, a rush of blue skirts and blond hair to reach the fallen one. All five leaning down, slender hands extended, words like the distant surf rising in the air, a sudden sharpening of the salt scent, as if the wind suddenly blew from the docks, the fallen woman stirring, her deep wounds closing over.

Ellis continues to slowly rise in the air. his hands work intricate patterns and the flaming staff seems to work on its own, a flaming ball of flame leaps from the end of the staff to streak into the air, exploding around the invisible commander of this attack. Even as the Fire streaks forth, magic energy gathers around Ellis visibly in blue and white that crackles forth, first a streak of lightning strikes downward, hitting the wolf that has struck Serena first, leaving little but a smoldering corpse left, The secondary strikes that streak away from the now dead wolf strike all of the animals around them. killing the wolf that attacked Robin and hurting all of the other wolves, the tigers, though hit, are only barely effected. After that he looks up at the commander and speaks quite clearly "I see you.. if you wish to fight here over MY city.. Fight Me By EVIGHET!!!!" at the last word his final spell of this moment releases and there is a visible rippling in the air that streaks forward to hit the commander. It perhaps does little real damage, but it has undoubtedly drawn some attention.

Another winged dire tiger attacks heather leaving the weaker adventurers for the wolves again the claws scrape along her armor this time however blood drips through a rent in the armor. The flames around the elven woman singe it's hair but no noticeable harm is seen

From the darkness flames appear then shooting towards the group is a 12 foot horned humanoid, giant bat like wings flare out as it rears up by Ellis. A great sword of flames swings out multiple times passing through the man or missing completely the whip swings out wrapping the mage is a ring of fire but does not damage him before being pulled back for the next attack. The demon is surrounded buy a flaming wall of armour.

Seeing its pack mate die in front of Robin and Katherine a winter wolf turns to them. Knowing that one is a healer it attacks Katherine doing a good deal of damage, only to have the image shatter in its jaws.

Heather gives that look on her face that some one gives when there hear nails on a chalk board when the first time the tiger attacks misses. then the second one seems to hit her with a scratch its self makes her get serous look on her face as a black aura comes all over her and in a hollowed voice she points at the wounded tiger she says "Oh fire mistress please bring death upon this prat." the black aura engulfs the one tiger hurting him nicely but even with the haste of the spell one tiger got a lucky hit in.

The 4th tiger takes advantage of a flanking position to attack Heather hurting her with a claw growling in pain as the claw goes through the fire shield.

A Tiger launches itself into the air using a flanking attack on Demetria it bashes her twice and then bites her ripping out a mouthful of flesh it drops her off of the building.

Serena stagers in front of the wolf laying in a cinder before her. She quickly drinks down a potion to help stop the bleeding and knit some of her flesh back together. She slips into the shadows and takes cover in a nearby building in an effort to mend her wounds and recover somewhat.

Demetria has one of those moments where she gets to just laugh, Sure she is at her limit before dying, but when she is no longer in the spot where her daggers are returning, they continue onto the creature there....the dire tire. Hitting it solidly and killing it the halfling lets out a gleeful laugh that allows others around her to know, she is still alive, and then the sputter comes as she drinks her potion. OH and look that dire tiger...falls right beside her depositing her daggers with in reach, "TOLD you."

Siriel staggers back from the winter wolves attack, the celestial eagle turned and goes to dive at the winter wolves head again. The eagles claws take out one of the wolves eyes. It howls in pain as Siriel pulls out an arrow notches it quickly against the string of her new compound bow and fires at the wolves head, the arrow lodges itself deeply within the animals skull with a sickening squishy thunk. Not realizing that she'd killed it with that shot she pulls out another arrow and fires it before noticing that the animal was falling to the ground.

Robin gets back to her feet, nodding her thanks to Katherine before noticing Heather in trouble. She takes aim, and fires a shot at the backside of one of the Dire Tigers...and comes up short. "God fucking dammit. I hate all combat but training!", she hisses, as she watches the arrow miss...

A Tiger rakes in on Heather using every advantage to the numbers attacking her each claw drawing blood and a growl of pain.

The Katherines scattering, one of them falling to the ground, crying out from the wolves, the other four letting out a piercing shriek, a loud cry that oddly grows... not quieter, but more distant, vanishing down into a pearlescent ball in their hands, cast forth, streaking to strike one of the wolves, released suddenly in an ear reaming scream.

What damage they had left done, the Katherines slip away from the blood soaked snow, the four of them darting into an alley, skirts hissing all along the way.

Ellis starts to look a little irritated "Damn Demon" as he works his magic blue flames seem to engulf him, and then he makes a punching motion, a faint image grows from his fist and streaks out in front of him to slam into the demon before him, knocking it back and stunning it, but doing very little damage.

The demon hovers in the air stunned for the moment. The first tiger attacks at Heather but misses.

Heather getting pissed but keeps her temper to her self she doges a attack from one in a blur speech she sends a aura to heal us all and a wall of blades from the fire.

The two Tigers that are on the same side of the barrier as Heather both attack the half elf both scoring hits and neither seemingly hurt by the fire shield.

Demetria grabs her daggers and takes to the shadows, Looking around the halfling woman quickly flicks her daggers out, two right on one that is attacking Heather as it is the only one that gives her the most benefits from her attack, Two daggers slam into the creature dropping it quickly,

Siriel sees the last of the winter wolves over by Robin she looks to the celestial eagle looking a gaze with it she nods towards the wolf. The eagle soars towards the wolf swooping down and clawing at the animals eyes, stopping the wolves approach towards Robin. At the same time the eagle swoops to claw the wolves eyes, Siriel pulls back on the string of her compound bow and fires a shot right into the back of it's head, killing it instantly. She nods to the bird and pulls out another arrow.

Robin focuses solely on her next shot. She takes a breath, and lets go of the arrow, watching it fly. She then realizes that she's shooting through Heather's Blade Barrier...The Elf eeps a bit, but sees the Arrow pass though, and hit her target. The woman gives a small woot for actually hitting something now...

The largest of the tigers moves slightly to trap Heather between the two tigers and her blade barrier, it then attacks her but misses.

Ellis is starting to look a little miffed.. he casts spells, First a streak of four blazing balls of fire streak right through the demon.. and then a bolt of green light .. both do little to no damage.. the hovering fist is still there and smacks the demon again.. but that just seems to aggravate the demon

The demon laughs at the efforts of the mage then states "This test is passed, until next time" then raising his hand creates a portal of darkness beneath himself and drops into it leaving nothing but a loud boom behind.

With the disappearance of the demon the tiger that has not attacked yet leaps into the sky and flies away.

Demetria looks up at the creature on the roof and flicks out her daggers that just came back. Two fly with the deadliest of aims, Slamming into the flesh of the creature. Its hurt badly, but not dead yet, "Damnit..."

After the last of the winter wolves has fallen Siriel notices the huge wall of blades blocking her way, but spies the Tire going after Demetria. She calls to the Celestial Eagle in another language, it suddenly goes flying straight at Demetria till it suddenly darts straight at the fiendish dire tiger's face again going straight for the eyes with it's razor sharp talons. As the bird screeches and the tiger roars in pain, Siriel again draws back and releases an arrow at the beast that was stalking Demetria catching it right in the ear, it pierces through the tigers head. The animal suddenly convulses and as it goes limp and starts to fall, Siriel yells out in her mother tongue but it's too late. The tiger has fallen over right onto her friend, Demetria.

Robin draws an arrow, and gets to a good position, and tries to fire an arrow into the back of one of the sleeping ones, only to miss it...."HEATHER! I need Arrows that actually hit things..."

Robin looks. "Heather, I'm low on arrows. I'm pulling back. Introduce me to your Rogue friend with the daggers sometime.", she says, retreating to the shadows, and moving into the city.

Heather smiles "well old friend I finally get to use the new enchantments on you." said as she sticks the one tiger waking it up and pissing it off a lot.

After being hit by the half-elven woman breaking the command the Tiger launches itself into the sky and flies away.

Demetria wiggles her way out from under the tiger, Her pants a little dirty, she won't lie. How ever the halfling woman flicks her daggers out again at a creature. Tossing them hard and fast, she kills one of the tigers