Campaign Logs | New Beginnings 02 >
SESSION ONE - The Bright River Gang!
ST ::After arriving back in Nulam, the Circle spent roughly three or so days gathering their bearing and recovering from the long trip. A considerable amount of that time was also spent in consultation with the Nali (Almetheia's family), Jhord, Detrick Orone and the Town Council. There were many things to do.::
ST ::However, the depredations of the Bright River Gang seemed to be the most immediate source of danger -- and, most likely, shouldn't be all that difficult to deal with. The most trying part of the endeavor would be finding their base, which was well-hidden, but there were means of doing such.::
ST ::The Evening Crest could serve as bait, drawing out some attackers. You could simply scout the riverbank, following their attacks and looking for a pattern. If all else failed, one of the local Gods probably knew where they were hiding and could be persuaded to give up the information.::
ST ::The 'Crest was stocked up for a short voyage, and the Circle sailed off downriver, waiting to see what would come to pass...::
ST ::Thus, we focus our attention now on Skyla and Jackal, standing upon the bow and watching the river banks carefully -- discussing the plan for dealing with these bandits, and what will come next after they're all routed...::
ST ::The various crewmen of the merchant vessel move about the Tops on their various tasks, or scurry about the decks, doing the various tasks necessary to keep a ship moving at all times. There's no real place to get privacy on a boat, but you're out in the breeze, at least.. The River stretching out before you!::
{Skyla} leans against the railing, feeling the wind on her face. "It seems so peaceful, it's hard to believe that the bandits are around here."
{Jackal} leans over the railing, watching the water go by. "Well it's a good place to hide. Lots of wilderness and nobody is willing to go out without something against the beasts."
{Skyla} "Yeah I guess that's true."
{Jackal} "Well there aren't much easier pickings than Nulam...atleast until we showed up." Smiles and stands straight looking out into the woods.
ST ::And the other villages around the Sarine, while not as pastoral and peaceful as Nulam, are just as easy targets for river bandits...::
ST ::...still though; how to find the Base?::
{Skyla} sighs
{Jackal} "Do you know anything about Gods Skyla? I'm not exactly a scholar but maybe they would know."
{Skyla} "It's sad that we NEED to defend them. I know what Gods are worshipped here, I've worshipped them myself for ten years... but I never MET one."
ST ::Not PERSONALLY, at least. The Grain Goddess occasionally visits the Harvest Festival, but she's fairly decent. And your not sure where she lives...::
ST ::Though rumors say it's in the hills outside town.::
ST ::Nobody really knows where the Goddess of the River is, but there are all kinds of smaller gods all about...::
{Skyla} "Um.. maybe we could ask one of the river's small gods, I'm not sure where to find the Grain Goddess, or the Goddess of the River..."
{Jackal} "Sounds like a plan. How do we contact them though? We need a name to pray to."
Finnre`Merayen steps out onto the deck, looking at Jackal. "We should ask our patron for his wisdom, and the knowledge seen by his great eye."
{Skyla} "Not for the smaller ones, I think... "
{Skyla} "The Sun? Isn't that a bit.. extreme for a bunch of bandits?"
Finnre`Merayen "At least, we should pray for a time so that he knows we remember him."
Finnre`Merayen "And I don't suggest he aid us beyond granting simple sight."
{Skyla} "Hmmm.. well maybe we can pray to Him and to the River Gods... they'd know more about the area anyway."
ST ::Gods usually answer prayers via omens and the occasional bout of luck, in any event...::
{Jackal} "Well i'm no good with grand ceremony. Finnre?"
ST ::As you begin to move further and further from the city, in any event, the signs of the bandits begin to get heavier and heavier -- off to the port side of the boat, on the riverbank, a fair amount of burnt and broken wreckage lingers...::
ST ::The waters have washed away most of the blood, and the rest of the ship rests on the bottom, but the violence is implied to a certain amount. Honestly, it's something of a surprise that you didn't get attacked coming in... Few ships have made it past.::
{Skyla} "Do you think they know we're on this ship?"
Balthasar comes above deck, draped in whites, and with a finely wrought sword hung from his waist. He nods and smiles to everyone he passes, pausing here and there with some, to speak.
Balthasar makes his way to the starboard and scrutinizes the coasts quietly, after this all.
Finnre`Merayen sits on deck taking care of her bow. "I think these men, if that be what they are, are monsters. We should offer them the chance to make up for their misdeeds, but at the same time, I fear they will likely attack us for it."
Balthasar sets mode: +oo Finnre`Merayen Molten Iron Badger
{Skyla} "Hello Balthasar!" she smiles to him. "We're just talking about how to find the bandits... and how we're surprised they haven't attacked us yet."
ST ::Your coming up on a bend in the river -- Balthasar, at least, knows that most River Pirates like to hide behind bends and then come up behind... It's not an uncommon tactic, and hard to avoid. He's got lookouts keeping an eye peeled, though, on every bend.::
Balthasar then strides to the port side, and examines that. Though, just as the sight of the wreckage comes into his view, he hears his name.
Balthasar glances up.
Balthasar grins slightly, and continues over to the port side.
Balthasar Hello, Skyla. How fresh do you think that wreckage is?
Balthasar gestures.
{Skyla} shrugs a little, and eyes the broken wood of the ship
{Skyla} considers, the way the wood is getting waterlogged, but hasn't rotted yet.. "Looks like.. maybe a week or two."
Balthasar Yes, I'd judge about two weeks.
ST ::The Hetman think's the bandits have been around...a little more than a month.::
ST ::And that their attacks on farms have increased a fair bit the last two weeks or so.::
ST ::Fewer ships coming through, most likely.::
Balthasar taps his chin, pondering.
{Skyla} "Merayen says that we should let them make up for their misdeeds, but... how do you do that? I doubt they're going to just talk to us and suddenly feel repentant." She leans on her hammer, which is resting with its head on the deck.
Balthasar raises a brow.
Balthasar Hm?
{Skyla} " 's what she says."
Finnre`Merayen shrugs. "I wish they would not play as the cat, when we could finish this whole thing, given the time. Innocents keep suffering as long as they keep their distance from us."
Balthasar I suppose it depends. Merayen can be persuasive.
Balthasar Oh, they'll close the gap soon, if at all. We're in familiar territory to them, now.
{Jackal} "And if not i'm sure all four of us could be very persuasive.."
Finnre`Merayen "I never said it would be easy, or that such was even likely. But, our duty isn't just to offer judgement, Skyla, but to also offer forgiveness and mercy should they repent."
Balthasar nods.
ST ::The way these bandits are attacking everything, though, killing madly -- it's not just taking slaves, the killing seems to be just as important to them.::
ST ::The farmstead you investigated on your way back to Nulam was a massacre.::
{Skyla} "They're killers though... how can you make up for that? I mean, it's not like it's a fair fight or anything."
ST ::You round the bend in the river...::
Balthasar just keeps watch as the last of the remnants vanish down the coast. His jaw almost unconsciously tightens.
Finnre`Merayen shakes her head at the rashness of youth... had she ever been so eager for battle with such as these bandits? She believed not, though she had been loyal to an extreme to Lookshy for a time.
{Jackal} "Men'll do many things if they get paid to...or ordered to."
ST ::Balthasar, keen eyes used to the way things /should/ be, spots the area where a ship had laid aground on the riverbank not so long ago -- small indentations, a bit of disturbed vegetation. That was one of their ambush points...::
ST ::If he finds a few more of those, he might be able to trace them back to their base...::
ST ::Though, moving down another bend, a bit more wreckage shows up downriver a little more. They've destroyed a LOT of ships.::
ST ::You hadn't noticed it all coming up the river, not having been looking for it.::
Balthasar This wreckage might thicken enough to slow us down, if it keeps building.
{Jackal} "Maybe that's their plan?"
{Skyla} "Maybe we should gather some of it up on the way back... people could build new boats then."
Finnre`Merayen "It makes one wonder what they might seek to accomplish, or if that might be it."
Balthasar would, at least, use the ships he were to crush as dams against more, himself. If he were prone to that sort of thing.
Balthasar It might be their plan.
Balthasar pauses, and admits:
Balthasar It's what I'd do.
Balthasar shrugs.
Balthasar takes a few steps, and climbs the rigging a bit to get a higher viewpoint.
ST ::Most of the wreckage you've seen just seems to be the general remains of burned merchant ships, that've floated over to the riverbank rather than sinking to the bottom of the river. But there's no telling what they might be up to...::
Balthasar calls down, "I'm not sure how much timber is salvageable. It's been soaking a while.
ST ::Moving up the rigging like he was born to it, Balthasar takes up a high perch, watching over the river as he does so -- his eyes glancing over the area all around, looking for telltale signs...::
{Jackal} grabs his old spear from where he left it leaning against the railing. "I just wish they'd strike and get this over with. I hate the waiting..."
{Skyla} "Hmmm.. well if we dry it out, I bet we can make sOMETHING useful out of it." she peers over the edge, contemplating... she doesn't really know how to work wood, but she supposes someone in Nulam does, and if not, she could always learn.
ST ::The ship swings a bit, following the river. Another bend coming up. High reeds and vegetation making, even from Balthasar's vantage point, spotting any potential Ambush difficult...::
Balthasar shields his eyes from the sun, and takes into mind the features of the coast. Not only has he sailed here many times over the years, but the sodden clefts of driven silt look like scars on the river's edge, if you know how to look just right.
{Skyla} "Yeah, Jackal... me too."
ST ::Plus, even as ignorant of Shipcraft as she is, Skyla has spotted a million ways she could make Balthasar a better ship...::
Finnre`Merayen thinks that as the way she'd attack is to let your ship appear to be another wreck among the many, then strike... at least now.
ST ::Overlooking the area, what he can see now compared to what he saw a few days ago, Balthasar pieces it all together... Yes; he knows where the base is -- and, focusing clearly, yes.. Another Ambush point, ahead, past this bend. And he's fairly sure, though it's just a guess, that there is a ship there.::
Balthasar Everyone at the ready.
Finnre`Merayen steps over the Balthasar, "I suspect they'll be hiding their ship among the wreckage, to pull out and strike... it's how I'd hide myself now on the river."
Balthasar turns and bellows, "Below decks, men! Hurry it up!"
{Skyla} "Oh, is it time to fight now?"
ST ::The men, that can anyway (the ship still needs to sail) get below decks...::
ST ::The ship aches, as it makes the turn...::
Finnre`Merayen goes to prepare herself, crouching at a higher area of the ship, waiting for the likely coming attack.
{Jackal} nods. "Balth knows more about ambush on the water than I do. I'd get ready." Scans the woods, making sure they aren't going to be bursting from the foliage at them.
ST ::Sure enough; you can see the "wreck"... But, upon closer inspection, it's NOT a wreck... It appears to be a working merchant ship, that has been converted into some kind of unholy abomination. Burned in places, covered in blood, some bodies nailed to it here and there. As you make the turn in the bend, the ship pushes off, coming off to approach you from behind...but you were expecting them.::
ST ::There are about 10 bandits on the ship, all dressed in dirty grungy clothes that are covered in refuse, dirt, blood and shit. Their long cutlasses are stained a deep red, rarely cleaned if at all, and they hoot and howl as they approach!::
{Skyla} hefts her hammer up, setting it on her shoulder... "Just try ambushing us... then you'll pay for all the blood you spilled!" she mutters.
Finnre`Merayen spins an arrow in her fingers, seeing if she can get a shot at the tiller, aiming carefully.
{Jackal} nods. "Let them come. I think it's time we showed anyone watching why you don't bother Nulam."
Jackal "I'll see you on the ship, Sky." Chokes up on his spear and leaps from the deck of Balth's ship onto the pirates bloodied deck, landing with a loud thud he stabs the nearest pirate in the knee with a quick jab of his spear. "Men, you aren't welcome around here."
ST ::The bandit, a spear through his gullet, goes down with a wet gurgle!::
ST ::Several of the bandits turn on Jackal, but he expertly manuevers to avoid getting anyone into his blind spot, parrying their blows and butting them aside with his spear...::
ST ::MOST of the Bandits, too distracted to have noticed the fellow and figuring he'd get taken down by their friends, just wield their scimitars and await as the ships grow closer..::
Finnre`Merayen aims a single shot, then fires with all her heart, the arrow seeming near burning as it strikes the tiller hard, turning the ship quickly starboard even as she hopes to see it crack and shatter from the blow.
ST ::Your arrow sinks deep in the Bandit-Tillers heart, causing his hands to go loose, and he falls from the wheel of the ship... which spins wildly, no longer on a direct intercept course with the other ship...::
Balthasar swings hand over hand, dropping deftly from the rigging. He casually swings his slashing sword from his waist, and crosses to the edge of the ship holding it at the ready.
ST ::Four of the Bandits, who had been holding ready, are perceptive enough to note that they've lost their location and quickly leap as far as they can -- just BARLEY making it onto the other ship, and rushing forward to engage whomever they can...::
ST ::Another of the bandits rushes back to try to get the wheel.::
Skyla catches two of the bandits mid-leap, one with the business end of the hammer, and the other with a jab of the haft.
Balthasar drops his guard almost instantly. They ought not to have rushed past him as though he weren't a threat. Smoothly, he intercepts the bandit going for the wheel and it's man.
Balthasar 's hand blurs, and the wind itself seems to split in two as his blade passes upward, across the bandit's chest.
ST ::Skyla, swinging her massive hammer even as the two jumpers reach the ship, hits one RIGHT IN THE FACE -- knocking him out near instantly! The other one, though, ducks under the backswing just in time.::
ST ::Balthasar's blade is running with blood, after he skewers that bloody-minded almost madman bandit... He drops to the ground, gurggling blood.::
Balthasar doesn't blanch when his stroke tears the man life from limb, and indeed wipes the blade on the fallen man's pant legs. Casually, he strolls towards the remaining men. A solid, steely glint shines in his eyes, from out of his otherwise featureless expression.
Skyla "Leave one for questioning!" she shouts, as the bandits fall one by one...and two by two
Jackal "No more slaughter," He rolls along the deck into the nearest group of pirates, impaling one upon his spear "No more pillaging" Who he then kicks off of his spear into one of the other pirates, hoping to knock some over.
ST ::Jackal, on the bloodied horror ship, finds himself facing considerably fewer -- two men lie dead, one is over by the tiller... Only 3 remain, by him, trying to keep his attention.::
ST ::Jackal's first spear thrust impales one of the bandits entirely, his blood flowing into the ship along with the blood of so many of his victims -- the other bandit, still recovering from his blow, gets kicked on the chest and slips in the bloody deck...going down.::
ST ::Two more bandits remain on each ship!::
ST ::The bandit by the wheel is struggling to get the ship back on coarse, while the last remaining bandit by Jackal jumps into the water and starts swimming to shore -- this strange figment of his imagination is frightening, and he doesn't want to play with it anymore!::
ST ::The two bandits on Balthasar's ship looked confused and upset, their bloodied dirty bodies tense, their hands tightly holding their swords. One of them launches a mad attack on Skyla...::
Finnre`Merayen cries out, "Throw yourselves down and repent, for the day of your judgement is here," as her arrow flickers out, once to destroy the tiller, the second to the foot of the tiller man, pinning him to his own ship with it's shaft.
ST ::The OTHER bandit, who doesn't attack, seems to be onguard -- staring at Balthasar, not saying anything, unsure what to do...::
Balthasar drops into a low crouch, and swipes at the legs of the one advancing on Skyla. He connects the flat of his blade with the back of the fellow's knees, swiping him off his feet, if all goes well.
ST ::The man GOES DOWN as Balthasar tricks him...::
Skyla turns to see the bandit go down, "Thanks!"
Balthasar Disable the other, please.
Balthasar lifts his blade swiftly, the point coming just beneath the fallen bandit's chin.
ST ::Your attack against the ships wheel...isn't that impressive -- but an arrow DOES sink very heavily into the wheel, jamming it momentarily, maintaining the current course. The tiller, on the other hand, gets an arrow through his foot and ends up pinned to the floor - he screams from the pain!::
Skyla flips her hammer around and drives the flat of her hammer into the blade, and both into the deck. "I'd stay RIGHT THERE, if I were you." her hand slides from the haft of the hammer as it falls, and grasps the man's wrist.
ST ::The bandits blade goes flying, and Skyla grabs at his wrist, glowering...::
ST ::Jackal, on the other ship, glances at the trapped Tiller who is not clutching at this foot and moves himself to stand over the now-prone Bandit whom he'd kicked a second ago...::
Skyla "How do you feel about fire ants?"
Bandit glances up at Jackal as he comes over him, growling and showing his teeth, almost animalistic!
Balthasar draws back, and hoists the man by his collar.
Bandit ::The ships, their coarses no longer on intercept, are now slowly drifting apart...::
Balthasar step by step, drags him to the port side, where most of the wreckage is visible.
Bandit ::But Jackal has control of the other ship, monstrous though it might be.::
Balthasar roughly tosses him against the railing.
Hoisted just glares, single-mindedly, as if Balthasar didn't even exist!
Hoisted goes overboard!
Hoisted *splash!*
Balthasar raises a brow. "What..?"
Jackal "Enough of that." Clocks him once across the head with the butt of his spear, not needing TWO concious crazies on board...
Balthasar ...
Hoisted goes *BAP!*, then, up against the wailing, grimacing a bit from the sudden pain!!
Balthasar examines his hand. He frowns, lost in thought for a moment.
Balthasar Oh, hell.
Jackal heads up to the screaming wounded man. "Can you talk?"
Balthasar Bind them! This won't be easy.
Finnre`Merayen steps over to Balthasar... "Please allow me." She steps over to the next concious pirate, and begins to speak. "Why have you acted so? What has brought you to this place. Give up that which has brought you to wickedness and as a sign of your repentance, tell us all you know. Please!"
Balthasar raises his brow.
Tiller goes for Jackal's throat with his teeth as he comes near, the quick motion causing him to pull at the arrow through his foot... it causes him yet more pain, but he endures it, going for jackal..
Balthasar Merayen, these men.. I think they've had their souls eaten.
Skyla roughly twists the bandit's arm behind him, and takes a length of rope, binding his arms behind him. "Their souls? How?"
Balthasar Let's bind them, and then seek reasoning. It will not be easy, like I said.
Tiller ::Or, perhaps, just the parts of their souls that let them understand that other men are distinct and separate individuals.::
Finnre`Merayen puts her scarred hands on the shoulders of the man. "I know, but the sun has the power and light to reach even into the souless depths."
Jackal "Hm. It's a wonder you could even pilot a ship..." Cracks this one on the head as well and moves the wheel to intercept the others, yelling over to Balth's ship. "They're animals! They just growl and snap."
Balthasar bellows in return, "Aye. Merayen is trying to break through to one, now!"
Skyla lashes her bandit to the deck railing, probably a bit tighter than necessary.
Finnre`Merayen continues to murmur to the one, making those sounds most like the earliest heard by any living being, seeking to give them a chance at a 'rebirth' through the Sun's grace in her words and actions.
Captured just glances up at Merayen, his eyes unfocused, looking at her oddly...
Balthasar grins at Skyla as he passes, then, while the others are occupied, goes to check on the Jackal's progress.
Balthasar Do you need a raft, Jackal? I can be over there shortly.
Jackal "Aye, i've got two over here. One jumped overboard and ran for the shore...even beastmen have more sense."
Finnre`Merayen "Hello there young one, I hope you're with us again. I know it's been long and hard, but we're here to save you. Come back through the mists, come back to join us."
Balthasar notes the progress the other ship is making, and nods appreciatively.
Skyla watches Merayen curiously
Finnre`Merayen rests her hand against the side of his face, touching softly, trying to draw him back through appreciation of the differences, but also connections between all beings.
Captured reacts somewhat to the hand, and the kind words, nuzzling her a bit...
Captured "Niloga," he cooos, softly. "Missed...you..."
Finnre`Merayen begins to stroke his hair. "I know, I know. But, I'm here with you now."
Captured cries a little...
Balthasar turns and observes Merayen's progress with some note of appreciation.
Skyla "What'd you do?"
Captured quite obviously hasn't talked in a long time.
Captured teeth are somewhat stained with blood, and he has horrible breath.
Balthasar suggests, "Merayen, perhaps if you got him inside and got him comfortable, he'd be more at ease to speak."
Finnre`Merayen "What happened? I have been so worried about you. You've been gone such a long time. Come, let us get you some food and drink."
Balthasar I can send some damp rags.
Balthasar nods in agreement, "Yes, and food."
Finnre`Merayen "Maybe cleaned up, it's obviously been hard for you out here."
Balthasar then glances back to the other bandit, still being handled by Jackal.
Skyla looks at the remaining bandits uncertainly... had it been wrong to kill them?
Captured "Ahrmaine... almost have enough; soon, we go, Ahrmaine... Killing, and blood; like a dream. All for you, for Niloga..."
Finnre`Merayen leads him inside, stroking his hair, one arm around him gently. "I know, but it's enough and over now. You can rest. I'm fine, and we'll be together again."
Balthasar 's observations eventually note Skyla's troubled face. He turns, "Grellis, a minute please?" he calls to one of the few men who normally remain above decks. "Could you please make sure Merayen has plenty of damp rags, food, and water for her guest?"
Captured ::Grellis just nods, and gives you a little bow; he'll get right on it!::
Jackal "What do you want me to do with these?"
Skyla stares at the bandit she's bound, wondering if he was a victim, or if he deserved his fate.
Finnre`Merayen has this horrible sensation that perhaps something had just been unleashed in this man... and what if he had killed Niloga in his blood dream? He had wanted money, and would do much for it... but what if such was true of all these men, victims of a force that made them do anything for their desires?
Balthasar Grellis! Man, bring some others up. We'll need to stow these beasts.
Balthasar Hold on to them until some men arrive, Jackal. If you need some help...
Finnre`Merayen shakes her head, and continues to lead the man on, planning on continuing the slow work to return him to humanity.
Captured sniffles a bit...
Balthasar Something troubling you, Skyla?
Balthasar moves over to apprehend one of the Jackal's captives, and begins to bind the feral man.
Finnre`Merayen wipes the Captured man's face with her sleeve, still touching and holding him gently.
Jackal carefuly removes the arrow from the deck, not sure how to remove the arrow from the mans foot...
Captured "Are...return to your... home? I miss..."
Skyla looks up from her contemplation of the bestial man, startled. "Oh.. uh..." she looks down, "What if they were innocent victims too?"
Captured ::Actually, Jackal should know that he can break the shaft and then pull it out since it went clean through. Not much else you can do.::
Finnre`Merayen nods. "I know. We'll return there when you're feeling better. It can be a long trip, and we'll both need our strength up. So let's eat and get clean, yes?"
Captured "Yes..."
Captured "Anything...you wish..."
Captured seems both sad and happy, at being reunited with his Lady Niloga.
Skyla "We didn't have to kill them, any of them. We could have knocked them out, or you know. Just stopped them from being able to attack."
Finnre`Merayen leads him down into the ship to get clean and fed.
Jackal breaks the shaft and pulls it out then gathers bother men and brings them aboard.
Balthasar purses his lips.
Balthasar nabs one of the men as they come aboard. Now he begins to bind the feral man.
Captured is led off... (while Bri takes a small break)
Balthasar Would you rather have our men died? They weren't exactly being peaceful.
Feral`Man pulls and protests, as he's bound, but ends up bound none the less.
Feral`Man ::The other one, still mostly knocked out and off-guard, is bound much more easily.::
Skyla looks around to the others, lying groaning on the decks of the two ships... "I think maybe I should try to help the ones that are hurt, and not dead..." she shakes her head at his question, "No, but we could have disarmed them, like we did with these." she gestures to the bound men
Feral`Man ::The one Skyla bound is just growing lightly on the deck.::
Balthasar binds his legs, too, then leaves him to struggle on the deck.
Feral`Man ::Only the one Merayen managed to get through to is behaving in any human fashion.::
Balthasar We did what we could for whom we could.
Feral`Man struggles, for a while, before he tires out..
Jackal "So what did that to them anyway? Men don't go wild like that out here..."
Balthasar nods to the wounded, "I think you could be useful there, yes. Do what you must, Skyla. Shout if they do anything odd."
Skyla moves about the deck, binding limbs, then wounds, and easing pain where she can... "They can face the justice of the Council."
Balthasar straightens up, and belts his blade again.
Balthasar Well... if I had to guess, it seems like these were crewmen who met a very ill omen.
Balthasar The beasts beyond Creation bear mouths which can eat at a man's soul. These men seem to have suffered such.
Skyla shudders, "I can't even imagine what that would be like."
Feral`Man ::Skyla, working as fast as she can, tends first to the one that Jackal had disemboweled with his spear -- keeping him from bleeding out, before working on the others, leaving the one she had brained for last. He was bad off, but not in as much immediate danger as the others...::
Balthasar looks at the men. "You don't need to. The results are right here."
Feral`Man ::In the end, only the one that Baltahsar split near in two perishes. Several minutes later, her work done, and her patients as well as they'll be for the next few days...::
Balthasar ((He was going for the wheel! He was going for the wheel, man!))
Skyla "No, I mean.. what would it FEEL like? What does it feel like to lose... part of your soul? I don't want to know..."
Balthasar frowns slightly.
Balthasar You... don't really feel it, I imagine. Not for long.
Feral`Man ::From what he's read, most of the victims of the Fair Folk /crave/ their consumption.::
Feral`Man ::Until, eventually, nothing more to give -- they are cast aside.::
Finnre`Merayen comes back up, leaving the other resting below, talking of his Lady Niloga in his sleep. "I would say that these men have had their respect for others... taken or overwhelmed. What they did, they did for mortal reasons, if they were without care for others. The one I spoke to said he needed money... needed just a bit more, as he talked of the blood."
Skyla "Does that make them bad men? Did they deserve this?"
Feral`Man ::There is ONE thing they still care about -- whomever this Niloga is.::
Jackal "I don't think anyone deserved it but I don't know what we can do to help them. Although a better question would be who do they follow?"
Feral`Man ::Though even that, Merayen somewhat suspeects, is hollow... As if the part of them that could love was gone.::
Finnre`Merayen "I would say, no... they had human desires and went about it in human ways... but then somehting crushed the restraints most men have on their actions, and they became monsters.
Skyla "But what about normal bandits? Do they deserve death for their crimes? They kill for money, they steal to survive..."
Balthasar grins.
Finnre`Merayen "These... are victims. But, I'm not sure they are quite men as we know them either. They need help, and while I can likely reach them, reach what little is left of their empathy... I don't know how to fix what has been taken."
Skyla "But they were bad men before they were victims."
Balthasar Oh, I don't know about that.
Finnre`Merayen "I think I can, given time, make them less likely to be dangers, though until cured, I doubt they'll be completly safe... no no, I suspect they were honest, working men."
Skyla "But there have always been bandits on the river."
Balthasar The one who took a liking to you, Merayen, spoke a name very familiar to me. Not one associated with crime.
Finnre`Merayen "They sought money, but sought in legal... or at worst through smuggling... I can't be sure."
Skyla "Niloga?"
Finnre`Merayen nods... "This one needed money to be with her, and I believe that he took on a job that drew him to this fate."
Balthasar Ahrimane.
Skyla "Who's that?"
Balthasar Lord Ahrmaine is a man of some power in Great Forks. And a quite generous, kind man, at that. Very wealthy, besides.
Balthasar I would guess these "bandits" were in Ahrmaine's employ.
Skyla "So... Niloga was his girlfriend, and he was doing some sort of trade mission for Lord Ahrmaine to get money to buy her... something?"
Feral`Man ::Thinking; they didn't really SAY money...and they hadn't really been ROBBING places. Most of the farms weren't pillaged, so much. They took /people/; those they didn't kill...::
Jackal "Well what's the point of taking the people then? Maybe the thing wants more food?"
Balthasar grimmaces.
Finnre`Merayen nods... "Yes, perhaps he didn't refer to money. But, it seemed like it from what he said."
Balthasar Yes. It does.
Finnre`Merayen "Well, yes... and the more "food", the more bandits to help bring more to it.
Balthasar To be honest, these things reek with the stench of hounds. They've been sent for more 'food'.
Finnre`Merayen "This thing is ravenous, and would devour all the land if we let it."
Jackal "Then we see if he can lead us back to it. The sooner the better."
Balthasar nods.
Skyla "We need to find this.. Niloga. Its all his fault! Probably."
Feral`Man ::It occurs to Balthasar, though, that these things have no restraint, no real power to hold back their desires -- in addition to their lack of emotion. They couldn't maintain any kind of command...not by themselves, anyway.::
Feral`Man ::Or at least most of them did; the "Tillers" seemed to have a bit more control than most of them.::
Balthasar Well, if I had to guess, either these were cast-offs, or we have already missed our beast. There were a few who had some bit of discipline in them, but not enough, I think.
Finnre`Merayen thinks... "I know little of their way of eating, but perhaps some we could draw something of their being back from the monster that did this."
Feral`Man ((Don't forget the base; you doubt they all attack in total.))
Skyla "Can we track them? OR let one go and see where it goes?"
Finnre`Merayen "But, in the end, there is likely a home... and while I don't like it, we could hide on their own ship.
Balthasar Hmm.
Balthasar If we do that, I will have to turn the Crest home. I cannot leave her men in dangerous country without being present.
Jackal "Yeah but what are we going to do with them? I doubt they'll lie for us."
Skyla "Well, We can always sail this other ship back.
Finnre`Merayen "What better camoflauge to hide an attack than to attack from within the belly of these bandits? And of course... I wouldn't expect you to bring them with either. We shall need help though."
Finnre`Merayen "Exactly, Skyla... we pretend to be bandits like these, in their ship and then strike.
Balthasar So, switch vessels, and send the Crest home?
Skyla nods, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."
Jackal nods and silently heads back onboard the ship.
Balthasar We'll send the prisoners back with the ship. Unless, Merayen, you would like to take the lucid one?
Finnre`Merayen "The question is... can they recognize each other in some way we don't know?
Skyla "I guess we'll find out."
Finnre`Merayen "No, it would be better to get him away from the source of this madness."
Balthasar nods.
Balthasar Then everyone get ready, promptly. We must act now if we wish to maintain some degree of mystery in our decisions. There might be sentries on us already.
Skyla "I'd suggest wearing their clothes, but I don't think I can stomach it.
Finnre`Merayen "If so, we may be able to take them out, in small amounts, rather than assaulting the whole group... maybe create fires, I have the feeling they don't like fire."
Balthasar We'll discuss strategy on the way. For now, let's prepare.
Skyla nods
Balthasar turns, in a swirl of white robes, and descends belowdeck.
Finnre`Merayen nods... "We'll need to dress the parts."
Finnre`Merayen goes to gather her most torn and dirty of clothing, to wear to this gathering.
Feral`Man -- fade --
Feral`Man ::Balthasar leads the group, in their stolen ship (which, despite its heavy modifications and ill-omened decoration, is still quite sea-worthy). This leads them to a small cove, hidden in a niche of the River, where another ship much like the one they're currently on is currently resting -- pulled up onto the shore. The bodies on it rotting, less fresh than these.::
Feral`Man ::The place doesn't seem very active; there's a camp further in, but nobody is paying much attention to the cove itself. A large bonfire in the center of the camp, a few crude lean-tos. A number of the ravagers lurk there, maybe 9 or so.::
Feral`Man ::If there are more, they must be out on a raid, doing lookouts (they have to know ships are coming ahead of time) or some other such goal..::
Feral`Man ((A few more, of course, could be hidden from sight.))
Balthasar stays crouched below a burlap cloak. That was the only concession he would make about not adorning himself in rags: He doffed his white robes, in favor of simply a shadowy silken long-coat and a white and gold mantle upon his shoulders.
Balthasar peers between gaps in the railing as the lean-tos pas by. "Not far now."
Finnre`Merayen nods... her plan had been to perhaps burn the encampment down, if they reached a situation like this... strike, then burn to draw the other bandits back home.
Skyla has darkened her cloak with river mud, and smeared some of it on her face and hair as well. "How do we know which one niloga is?"
Ravager wanders over in the general direction of the Cove, as he notes the other boat coming in, laughing and growling.
Balthasar You must ask Merayen on that.
Jackal "I'd wager we could recognize it whoever it is. You don't eat the souls of men and still look human."
Balthasar watches the Ravager intently, eyes narrowed into slits.
Balthasar Oh, it could look somewhat humane. But ultimately, still nothing like these poor wretches.
Jackal is weraing a dirty cloak that he covered in mud and the blood from the deck. Might as well look the part he figured...
Skyla peers around, flexing her fingers around her hammer, which has also been 'redecorated'
Finnre`Merayen moves forward, taking on the mein of the tiller men... one who is above them, still holding something of their being. Her dirty clothes and matted and caked hair still showing she's one of the Ravagers.
Balthasar pulls the burlap close, so it conceals his lower face. He mans the craft towards the shore, reasoning that to be the only anchor these mongrels know.
Ravager comes up in front, growling out to throw a line; he's, apparently, here to help you pull the ship up to the shore -- or decided to do such in any event.
Ravager throws a few insults in afterwards!
Finnre`Merayen snarls at the Ravager, waving her hand for him to help, after throwing a line, then snaps a hand to tell him to leave, tossing a few colorful insults of her own.
Balthasar mutters, "Dear Lord. Someone bark back at him."
Balthasar nods to Merayen, relaxing some.
Ravager doesn't look entirely caught up in Merayen's act -- the vective wasn't entirely right, and she didn't seem to have the proper way of speakin'... Though he can't put his finger on any of that, he just knows that something feels wrong.
Ravager backs up a bit, frowning, growling a bit..
Skyla "Uh oh.." she whispers
Balthasar whispers, "What? Oh hell, I'll try."
Finnre`Merayen waves a hand to Jackal and Balthasar to come forward, growling angrily.
Balthasar mutters again, "Merayen, sorry about this. Play along, will you?"
Jackal tenses, glancing down at the "man"
Jackal snarls at the man below.
Balthasar roars, coming up from the side, appearing damn pissed off at Merayen. He shoves at her, getting her out of the way, and barks down at the bastard below to get a move on with the row. It's about damn time someone learned their place.
Balthasar finishes: "And I'm still hungry, you little bastard!"
Ravager glares a bit, then seems to ignore it, taking a line and heaving to get the (rather small, flat bottom) ship up on the ground. Within a few minutes it's done.
Finnre`Merayen glowers at Balthasar, as if considering to fight him for leadership almost.
Ravager wanders back off, back to the camp, his task done.
Ravager is apparently one of the ones that still has a lil' Self-Control.
Balthasar turns his back to the man below, and says quietly to Merayen, "I hope you don't take that personally. It was all I could think of to show him he was talking to someone important."
Finnre`Merayen relaxes slighlty, while hiding it. "Of course, it was the best way to handle things."
Ravager ::Back toward the camp, you hear a bit of commotion...a glance reveals, someone dressed in a heavy red overcoat (itself red, as well as probably being stained in blood).::
Ahrmaine beats someone's head in with his fist, and yells madly at him!
Ahrmaine "BAAAACK!!!! BEASTS!!!"
Ahrmaine roars.
Ahrmaine ::The others clearly submit.::
Balthasar narrows his eyes slightly, then they widen again reflexively, "That's not possible. Ahrmaine?"
Ahrmaine "We are almost ready to return; only a few more souls to gather for our lady!!!"
Ahrmaine screams that out, to the triumphant cheering of the others...and that's when you notice it.
Ahrmaine ::Toward the back of the camp, there is a large bamboo cage...filled with people.::
Balthasar What in the hells?
Balthasar Oh... Oh! Look!
Finnre`Merayen looks to him... "I suspect that he's the least touched... but is firmly enthralled."
Balthasar All the people
Ahrmaine "We shall burn the farmland to the northwest, we shall rape the women and eat of the children, and those that please me the most shall return here!"
Skyla "THAT is armaine?"
Ahrmaine "FOR NILOGA!!!!"
Ahrmaine ::the masses chant it!!!:
Balthasar Nevermind that.
Ahrmaine "GATHER YOUR WEAPONS!!!"
Balthasar growls.
Balthasar Let's break this up before it starts.
Jackal grunts. "Niloga's not long for this world. Who do we hit first? The cage or the people?"
Finnre`Merayen "Jackal, do you think you can beat Ahrimaine, considering, I think he's been empowered somewhat by Niloga?"
Balthasar takes a few steps, and nimbly dances down the ropes anchoring the boat to the ground. At the same time, he unceremoniously tosses the burlap from his shoulders, letting it flutter to the ground shortly after he does.
Jackal "No sweat. I want a crack at Niloga though. I don't like what it's done with these people."
Skyla leaps from the boat, growling, a little madness in her eyes... "YOU BASTARDS! YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO PEOPLE!" she heads straight for this Ahrmaine person, smashing the skulls of anyone in her way
Finnre`Merayen "I say that I sneak around to free the people... the rest handle them."
Ahrmaine ::Skyla, leaping out, her massive golden hammer SHINING soon enough despite the fact that she tried to cover it in blood, runs off toward the people!::
Finnre`Merayen slides down the rope and into the water, disappearing to slide around the backside of the encampment, while the others distract the group.
Balthasar starts, and then without any further hesitation, darts off after Skyla, the blade she forged for him swinging free of his hip and to the ready.
Ahrmaine turns toward the intruders, once he notices them. He is, indeed, the Noble that Balthasar once knew...but he would never have imagined it if he'd not seen it himself.
Jackal "Sky? Damn!" Leaps from the deck towards Ahrmaine, tucking into a roll that scatters the dead leaves and mud of the camp. Wordlessly he strikes at Ahrmain with the blunt end of his spear.
Balthasar makes a bee-line for Ahrimane himself.
Ahrmaine --slow motion, as the group runs toward the camp and the group gets itself ready--
Ahrmaine is tall, his face covered in a thick beard that he'd never had when you knew him, his powerful green eyes twisted by madness. Long black hair is caked in blood in places, but his clothing are still those of a Noble...just a noble that hasn't changed them much (though more often than most of these people).
Ahrmaine ::One of the most serene men you ever knew has his face in a mask of rage, one of the most level-headed men you know roars with anger and rage and draws his blade, charging you like a Berserker...::
Skyla feels the world blur as she focuses on her enemy... the one that gave the orders - he knows what he is doing... whether or not he is a victim, it is on his orders that the others are doing what they are... Him and this Niloga... "You won't hurt anyone else!"
Finnre`Merayen slides through the shadows of the encampment with quick movements, knowing that it will be near impossible for them to notice her with the noise and light of the others. She moves almost on a direct course to the cages, right under the faces of the foe.
Ahrmaine ::Skyla, glancing up, barely notices through her essence-driven Rage as Jackal SOARS over her even as she continues to run forward herself...::
Ahrmaine moves toward Jackal, as he comes down running, slashing out once and twice with his blood-stained blade...glaring and roaring out a battle kai with blind abandon!
Ahrmaine ::Jackal raises his spear, though, batting the blows aside and readying for his own attack!::
Ahrmaine ::Merayen, moving quietly over the terrain behind the lean-tos, makes haste toward the Cage with the prisoners in it...::
Skyla takes a running leap, bringing both hands behind her head, then swinging the gigantic hammer forward in a blazing arc.
Ahrmaine ::Sky, while leaping, becomes engulfed in a massive bonfire of essence that engulfs the entire camp!::
Ahrmaine ::WHAM!:: Your Hammer comes with with a resounding CRACK on Ahrmaine's head, knocking him solidly out and probably giving him a bit of a concussion...::
Ahrmaine ::Some of the bandits, seeing their leader go down, lead -- but most of them are beyond that, and rush up toward Skyla and Jackal...::
Skyla growls as the hammer connects solidly, but does not pause...she only looks for the next enemy to take down
Ahrmaine ::Merayan, moving steatily, quickly dodges to avoid some of the Ravagers that are running away and makes haste toward the gate -- it's getting closer now. She can see some of the people inside, in horrible condition as they are, and some of them can see her...eyes alight with hope.::
Ahrmaine ::There must be 30 or more people in there!::
Jackal turns to the charging bandits and lashes out with the blunt of his spear, and crackling with energy, turning the ground almost pale.
Finnre`Merayen draws her blade with her right hand, preparing to slice the closing ropes appart, before turning to aid her companions. She motions for the people to be quiet.
Ahrmaine ::One of the ones that was charging Jackal screams and flees after the Anima goes off! Another runs RIGHT into the spear, practically impaling himself, though Jackal pulls it away quickly enough and spears another while kicking at the third...who bats the attack away, and stabs at Jackal with his short sword!::
Ahrmaine ::Looking around as he bats the sword point away, Jackal sees that several of the others have also given up the fight in the face of the Dawn... Skyla, consumed with battle-rage, chases after one of them...::
Prisoners call out to Merayen as she approaches the cages! "Free us," "Bless you," "Thank you!"
Balthasar smoothly dashes past one of the men with his blade held to his side. He pauses after passing, glancing over his shoulder. After a pause, there's a grunt, and a squelching noise. His lightning-fast stroke is soon felt, though, perhaps, not for long.
Finnre`Merayen quickly slices through the ropes holding the cage shut as she flips the blade in to rest so someone can grab it. "Take it and get away." She slides to a stop and takes aim on the knees of two Ravagers, with a small prayer. "By your light, and righteous justice."
Balthasar watches the last of the bodies tumble to the ground, and strides to Ahrmaine.
Finnre`Merayen starts to put arrows into the legs of those trying to run, hamstringing or crippling their knees, trying to take as many as possible, for the day a cure might be found.
Balthasar 's jaw clenches, and his sword hand flexes around his blade.
Balthasar slowly lowers the edge to Ahrmaine's neck.
Balthasar then passes it over his shoulder, wiping the blood from it.
Balthasar belts the scimitar, jaw still clenched.
Skyla lays about herself with the hammer, sending bandits flying across the camp in her wake
Balthasar Poor bastard.
Jackal starts blocking off the escape route of the last of the ravaged, herding them towards the others and incapacitating the occasional straggler.
Finnre`Merayen starts to look for the captured villagers. "You can return now, it's safe. Please come back so we can see to any wounds you might have."
Balthasar stands in the middle of the chaos, hair and coattails whipping in a sudden wind. He lifts his head, and looks towards the West: There, the sun sets slowly.
Prisoners ::The Farmers and Merchants are in horrible conditions; the ones that have been here for over a month are whip thin and malnourished, while the ones who have only been here are only slightly better. The women have fared worst of all, having endured weeks of time among numerous monsters with no self-control or ability with restrain themselves...::
Balthasar puts his hand on his chin, and returns his gaze to the unconscious Ahrmaine.
Prisoners ::Most of them just cluster around Merayen, keeping away from the madly glowing Anima's of the others...::
Balthasar thinks to himself of the sacrifices. Departing at sunset? This was a midnight sacrifice, no doubt. And perhaps, some miles away.
Balthasar certainly has no golden halo, at the moment. Although, his shoulders and chest do gleam, liquid-like, in the light of the setting sun.
Balthasar is adorned there, after all, in lavish golden pictographs.
Finnre`Merayen walks among the Prisoners, speaking and talking to each, offering to hold them if that is what is needed. "We have come to save you, and keep the monster that did this from ever hurting you or anyone else ever again. I swear, they will do you no more harm."
Skyla finally returns, her hammer dripping fresh blood but her eyes cleared again.. she rushes over to the cage, and...assuming they don't all run away from her, begins to tend the wounded
Jackal goes about the business of tieing all of this feral monsters up.
Finnre`Merayen feels almost shock at being treated so well, scarred and terribly messy as she is. Tears slowly work their ways down her cheeks, cleaning them in trails as she holds the women harmed, the men who suffered from lack of food and treatment as a human.
Prisoners ::The farmers and merchants are obviously frightened of Skyla and her bloody hammer, but many of them (the Farmers mostly) know her, and react to the billowing aura and castemark with only a bit of shock rather than anything else. Still; yet more rumors to add to the growing catalogue you've all been building over the last year. The merchants more than the villagers.::
Prisoners -- fade --
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