Decadents and Dropouts IC

[Belinda35]

The Narrator - Haerdon
"Yes. And will do you both tonight." he grinned. "Then you can check how much she can stretch, and I will do as well. You will get yours. Just now let us go through the plans again." he sat down. "Tea? Phh... But what the hell. Better then nothing."

 

[Nidhogg]

-Z-

The boat hadn't started moving. They hadn't pulled up the plank or untied it. The last thing Z wanted was for Maralai to slaughter Phyliss, Trunfor and Gryph. The old man and Colin would probably be killed along with them, either to remove witnesses or just to be made an example of. Maralai wouldn't have brought her hunters her or made her move if she hadn't planned for a way to deal with everyone here. That's how she worked. She planned and planned and planned. Hundreds of contingencies for every minor variation of her plans. The Stags would have changed the political face of the world if they plied their trade as mercenaries or assassins. Instead, they just want the genocide of any species they find "monstrous." Z had a feeling that every species would find their way to that list eventually.

Z shouted back towards the boat, still staying completely still so he didn't provoke the hunters. "You have your boat, gorgon. Take it and go. There is no reason for you to get killed in some misguided attempt to help me. Everything the commander says is true. I am a doppelganger, I was raised by the Cabal to assist in the plot to overthrow Maralai's kingdom and enslave its people. I am not anything that you think I am, and I am not worth getting your friends killed over." The two crossbowmen still had perfect shots aimed right at him, and if anything seemed amiss, he'd have two bolts in him faster than he could blink. This was not a battle he or the others could win through combat abilities. Z hadn't been paying enough attention and got caught by surprise, he'd have to think his way out of this. But not until he wasn't risking the life of anyone else.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Gryph

He got up and walked to the railing, looking at the scene in front of him,

"A doppelganger hey? Interesting that."

He placed his foot on the railing and leaned on his raised knee with his elbow and looked at the Stags,

"What we can do is try to get away with your new friend or leave him to be tortured and maybe even killed. I can help you out a bit to keep the soldiers at bay, but I sense magic, strong magic, so the period will not be very long."

 

[DormantEvil]

Relic

"Imagine the fullness of eating a loaf of bread dipped in gravy, and you'll know the use of such a herbal blend. Water and leaves and you can post pone starvation and hunger pains for days if need be."

Breathing in the aroma again, she faked another few sips and relaxed back into the chair. Holding a foot up as if wanting him to rub the soreness out of it. But the grin she held on her face showed she was just messing with him. Why would he care to rid her sore feet of pain? He'd more likely stomp her feet to cause it.

Watching as he drank some of the tea, she soon stood up and walked over to rinse her 'empty' cup out under the flow of hot water from the kettle. Setting the cup upside down, she turned around and gathered her shirt that now had no ties to it intact, and her pants. Mixing some hot and cold water together to wipe the inside of her legs, and the outer surface of her body with a cloth to remove the smell of him. Of course it just looked like she was a hygiene conscious whore.

"Finish that up and I'll take you to some of the mercenaries in town who would do anything for a few coins."

She waited for him to finish the cup, even though only a few mouthfuls would be enough for the toxin to begin its work. Already she could feel the smell numbing the inside of her nose. But once inside his stomach, it would quickly cripple him with pain before sending the poison around his bloodstream. Within seconds his muscles would all tighten up, and he would find it impossible to move more than a few feet. His throat would become paralyzed first, along with his face...then slowly the rest of his movement. Only his bloodstream and lungs would continue to function...oh, and his pain receptors and brain.

It was why it was her favorite way of drugging the men she slept with. They would feel anything she did to them.

 

[Belinda35]

Phyliss Ovida

"This worries me. We could kill them easily, if they did not have a really good magic backup..." Phyliss shouted over to the villians. "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THIS POOR MAN?"

 

[Belinda35]

The Narrator - Haerdon

"Good. We have to take out her friends first. I want to slay the big one myself, and then, when I get my hand on the gorgon bitch..." he stopped talking. He instantly knew what has happened to him, but it was to late. Damned drow, how could he trust her... he collapsed to the floor.

 

[DormantEvil]

((Last post before bath...))

Relic

Hearing him fall to the floor, Relic pulled her pants up over her legs and buckled them around her waist. Turning as she then pulled the soft smooth silk of her purple shirt over her upper body, leaving it open as there was no other way to tie it together. She would fix it later. For now, she wanted to return to her group, present this man...minus his possessions and find out what they had been up to.

She knew there would be hell to pay.

Waiting a few more minutes for the toxin to take its full effect, she bound his hands and ankles tightly. Removing his gear and weapons until he wore only his underwear. She knew her way around knots very well. But not stopping there she bound his elbows and knees as well. Making it impossible for him to do more than wiggle around like a worm. With a gag and blindfold she tied a rope around his feet before heading outside. She collected the rest of her possessions, along with any valuables that he carried on him. Wrapped the rope around her horses saddle, and clicked her tongue so it moved forward. Haerdon was dragged out of the shed onto the porch. Once there she used the porch roof supports to hoist the heavy barbarian up, and tied him onto the other horses back.

With her prize, and heavy saddle bags she took to the back streets on her way to the docks. Her keen eyes picking up the bright lights as she neared the last corner. Dismounting, she checked Haerdons gag was secure tightly before looking around the corner.

Gryph stood firm on the boat, random soldiers seemed to have caught Zahn and stood between her and the boat.

Very interesting.

Keeping to the shadows, she watched on. Knowing she had at least an hour with certainty before the barbarian would wake, taking into account his strength since a normal man would be unconscious for at least half a day.

 

[Belinda35]

Phyliss Ovida

Even before baldie answered, a plan formed in Phyliss mind. Good she only had one goblet of wine yet. The would act like cowards, but it was the only chance. She whispered very low. "Skandölf . get ready to move the boat as soon as I say. You Colin, prepare to get the boat lose as soon as I say. And you Gryph, will blast the whole damn dock with fire, if I say so, but only after we have left."

 

[Nidhogg]

Narrator -White Stags-

Maralai shouted back to the snake bitch. "He is not a man! He is a doppelganger! You should feel lucky that we consider him such a threat, or your head would be my latest trophy! If you think you can kill us so easily, then so be it! Your willingness to set this city ablaze even when I have offered you mercy shows you truly are the monsters I thought you to be."

Maralai wondered if the gorgon had never seen a wood-elf. Her pointy ears were not just for show.

"The doppelganger seems to want you to live. Last chance to sail away!"

At the slightest hint of an attack, Maralai would signal her soldiers. Z would be hers, and the freaks that defy her will be put in their places.

 

[Belinda35]

Phyliss Ovida

"ALL RIGHT. WE LEAVE. MAY THE GOODS PUNISH YOU FOR YOUR CRUELNESS." she signaled Colin, who quickly undid the tropes and pulled the plank in, then he hurrier to aid Skandölf. Although they had never met before, they performed very well as team. The boat was moving quickly, gliding away from the dock. Phyliss whispered in Gryphs ear. "When we are at a safe distance, just blow the fire. We can not flee and leave Zaehn to be tortured, after he tried to help us. At least we must try to give him a chance."

 

[Nidhogg]

-Z-

Somehow Z didn't think that Phyliss and her crew would not try something. Something caught Z's eye though. A movement that the Stags hadn't noticed. Possibly Relic. She had the skills to hide that well. These particular Stags had one serious flaw that they could all now exploit. They only function as a single unit. They were too in step, too focused on fighting with their squad that if they split up, they'd be vulnerable. Chances are...they wouldn't split up. Hit them from enough directions...and they would not be able to focus.

It was unlikely anyone here could outright defeat them. But an escape now seemed possible.

 

[Belinda35]

Phyliss Ovida

Phyliss felt that their distance was good enough. "Now, start the fire Gryph. Even if it does some distration, it is good enough and all we can do." Sadly the reach was to far for a crossbow now. Even if she would not miss, it would do no damage. They should have installed a boltthrower on board.

 

[DormantEvil]

Relic

Leaving her horse, and the one carrying the unconscious barbarian tied around the corner. Relic slipped through the shadows along the side of the buildings that bordered the docks. Her eyes on the soldiers for any movement indicating they had noticed her. Funnily enough there were still people standing around watching, that being said...most were drunk.

Her hands finally pressed against the wagon that someone had been loading with rum and supplies for their journey. But the drows mind didn't wander to them, she only noticed how volatile the wagon would be if a simple spark caught it.

Pulling out her flint stone and some parchment, she quickly struck the stone several times until the small flame lit. Before tossing the paper into the dry packing material that held the rum and other supplies steady. Moving up to the railing that the wagon was hitched too, she felt the hot breath of the two big heavy horses that pulled the wagon on her neck. As they watched her nimble hands cut through the leather reins.

Soon the horses began to look around, before stamping their feet. They could smell the smoke behind them. With a quick crack on their rumps with her open hand, she drove them on down the street. Heading straight for the soldiers. Who seemed to mostly have their backs turned. With a loud neigh and whinny the rum bottles caught fire and ignited loudly. Causing the horses to move into a bolt, galloping wildly. They had bottlenecked themselves on the dock, with nowhere but forwards to run.

Watching on for a few quick seconds, Relic hoped they would keep their backs turned just a few seconds longer.

Soon the wagon was on fire well and truly and she retreated into the shadows as an angry owner ran out of a shop nearby. Damn humans.

She soon found herself mounting up, around the corner from the confusion.

 

[Nidhogg]

Narrator -White Stags-

Maralai wasn't going to waste any more time with these games. Every second the doppelganger was free was a second everyone in this town was in danger. She gave a short and sharp whistle.

-Z-

He was trying to make a plan, taking a quick inventory of the resources he had with him, when Z froze. He barely heard Maralai whistle, when the pain shot through him. Looking down at his body, he could see that the crossbowmen had loosed their bolts and struck him. One shot in to his left knee, just above the armored knee-cap and pierced through his leg shattering the bone. The other struck him in the left side of his chest, just under his ribcage and angled up so it went through his lung.

The shock hit his system hard...but Z had trained for this. He had practiced what to do when taking sudden injuries. He just needed to shift...a quick shift would stop the most severe bleeding...just shift. Shift...

Shift. He couldn't. Like needing to blink and discovering your eyelids were gone...he felt trapped in this form. Trapped, frozen, paralyzed. A searing pain coursed through his body. Like liquid fire in his veins, he could feel it move and consume him from the inside. His mind seized up, barely able to recall a memory.

The last thing in his mind before it went dark...his dad telling him about how someone is trying to find a poison to kill their kind. His dad telling him he needs Z's medicinal knowledge to help make a counter. His dad asking Z to wait as the young man says he is tired of being a pawn.

Narrator -White Stags-

The doppelganger staggered backwards as he was hit precisely where he should be. The shots would disable him, but would not be life threatening. Z's muscles were convulsing and he was jerking around, slowly moving backwards down the pier. The poison always caused seizures, but never this violent.

"Grab him!" She didn't get the words out before the chaos started. A split second distracted by the mad horses with flaming wagons charging was all it took. By the time Maralai looked back towards Z, all she saw was his boot as he went over the side and in to the river.

"NO! NO!" Maralai shouted it over and over. Her commanding demeanor was gone, she was so enraged that she couldn't even move from her spot.

From a shadowed balcony, Doc had watched the whole thing. Just as he planned. With a wave of his hand, a shadow portal engulfed Maralai and sucked her in. The spell was obviously a teleportation spell, but Doc didn't care who saw that she had just been spirited away. She wasn't fit to lead the White Stags anymore. The 6 man "elite" squad was left to fend for itself. If they could think for themselves, they would have been fine. But Maralai's drugs had turned them in to little more than automatons that followed orders.

"It seems I have just been promoted." Doc chuckled. "There's an opening for a first lieutenant, brother. Interested?"

The one handed half-orc standing with Doc just smiled. "Hah, think they'll take scumbag like me?"

Doc smiled. "My dear, Grot. I think the Stags are going in a whole new direction now."

Doc waved his hand again, and the two half-orcs teleported away. The six white stag soliders stood locked in their formation, unable to move without their orders.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Gryph

There was a few torches and it was on this that Gryph focused, then the flaming cart came into view and Gryph grinned, fabulous. With the added fire and the fuel it was almost like snapping his fingers, suddenly flames shot up from the ground between -Z- and the Stags, engulfing the dock and threatened to envelope the group of hunters, but remained away from them, clearly just to impede their vision and not harm them. Gryph grinned and just for a theatrical effect, created a dragon's face in the flames, letting it swell up and explode over the water in a shower of flaming debris.

"Now it is up to your doppelganger friend to get away,"

he looked at Phyliss,

"Somebody helped us, provided more fire than there was and it made the spell stronger and more difficult to quell."

 

[Belinda35]

Phyliss Ovida

Phyliss frowned. "Strange. Who could this be? Mad Dog? Or more likely, Canut? Maybe he followed us here and now he is caught at the dock. Turn around!" she yelled at Skandölf. "And we must get Zaehn out of the water."
Skandölf knew that a boat could not just turn around that easily, but you do not discuss with the captain. He slowed down the boat, giving it a slight turn. This might give the halfelf or whatever a chance to swim close. But he could not just drive backwards, as this girl probably wanted to.

 

[DormantEvil]

Relic

Having headed out through the side of town, it took the drow and her prize several minutes before the two horses burst out of the underbrush and onto the sand along the rivers edge. She hadn't seen Z fall into the water. Or the display of fire from Gryph. But she knew the boat was heading this way. It should have been in view already. Perhaps they had tried to delay their depature?

Then she would be stuck with the barbarian. She had spent enough time with him already, although not all of it was so bad.

Trotting along, she found a shady spot and pulled the horses up. Getting down, she stood watching the river. Waiting.

 

[Belinda35]

Phyliss Ovida

The gorgon looked over to Tronfur. "You can fly, please look if you can see Zaehl, before he drowns. Or if you see Canut. But take care for the crossbows and dodge baldie, she has magic powers I do not know." Phyliss herself looked into the water, looking for the halfelf.

 

[Belinda35]

Phyliss Ovida

Phyliss had instructed Tronfur to look if Zaehn had been washed to the shore, and to look out for anything else of interest. She expected him to fly, but he used some magical spell to do so instead. As long as it would work, this would be fine with her. Skandölf had slowed the boat down. She hoped that he was right in judging the speed of the water. Phyliss herself sat on the railing staring into the water. It was impssoble to tell how this would end for Zaehn, or Zahl and however he might be called.

 

[Avellan13]

OOC: why would my character fly, while in armor and robes (which restrict flight) when Trunfor could just use a Scry spell on Zheal? Also, flying around near a city would attract the city guard who`d surely attacked him. Please try not to control what my character does.

Trunfor had watched the events with interest. He itched to case a Wall of Fire spell at the eneies on the dock but that would cause more probles than wha was needed. At Phyliss`s request to look for Zheal, Trunfor nodded and walked over to a bucket of water. Leaning over the water, Trunfor muttered a spell of scrying. Using the right components, the water rippled, then became clear and showed Zheal.

 

[Nidhogg]

(-Zheal- The small gnome turnip farmer named Zheal became very paranoid. He was certain he was being watched by someone.)

 

[Dizzyfish]

Naunet

The closer that she got to the pier, the warmer the waters were. The Sea Ghost preferred the warm waters much like that of her far away home land. She swam through the outstretched hands of deep river sea kelp. Dug her body into the murky sands that had yet to be littered with garbage. Small schools of fish slinked past her, their scales glittering in what little light the night sky above provided. Naunet had no trouble navigating these waters with crystal clear vision.

She found herself clinging to a random yet seemingly ancient post that was surely a human contraption. No trees grew from the river bottom up, unless the river flooded the area after the tree's birth which didn't seem to be the case. The slime of the algae was warm against her near corporeal form. She wanted to cling to that post for as long as the night lasted, however bright colors from above the water's surface caught her attention. It certainly wasn't the sun peeking up over the horizon, of that she was certain.

She peeked her head slowly above the water, her nose still underneath the murky depths. Her human form came into view as she surveyed the dramatic surroundings unfolding upon land; there was never a dull moment for those on the shore and she had to respect them for it. The Sea Ghost returned to the water, her body fully submerged and started her swim towards the further parts of the river she had yet to investigate. Her long and flowing hair suspended weightless and motionless around her shoulders when she stopped to ensure she was still at a safe distance from the pier.

Naunet was close to the water's surface now, certain she heard shouts and very angry conversation. There was nothing she wanted more than to stay far ahead of that, even looking over her shoulder to ensure she was still in the clear. That was of course, before she looked ahead just in time to watch the figure fall directly on top of her. It hurt. More than anything she had felt in a long time and in a flurry swam swiftly to a nearby seaweed patch and peered through the scattered leaves. It was definitely humanoid as legs and arms became apparent. Didn't these creatures know that falling on someone midswim was not very nice?

However the body did not stay long enough for her to really study as it began floating down stream at a rather rapid rate. Naunet pushed off the bottom of the river floor with her feet and with great strides swam curious circles around the limp form of this weird humanoid. Coming close to its face with her own to reveal the sad state of his well being. The Sea Ghost looked up towards the water's surface with some level of longing and took hold of the creature's back and pulled him above the bobbing surface. The gentle waves splashed their faces but Naunet had no trouble swimming against the current, it was the body that was making it difficult. The longer she spent with him in her arms the less energy she had to pull him to shore.

Switching from two arms to one, Naunet used her now free arm to paddle them both to shore. Once she could feel the slimy and rocky surface her arm could finally rest and the strength of her legs could take them the rest of the way. "You are so heavy!" Naunet admitted, yanking him by his arm and shoulder to get him far enough away from the river's reaches so that he didn't end up back in the same predicament. Both of them were soaking once safely on shore, the Sea Ghost put her head to his chest to see if he was still breathing. When his chest heaved she was certain. It was only then that she noticed the wound and the crimson that was seeping from the cracks in his skin.

After a quick dip towards the river's bottom, Naunet brought back a handful of seaweed, selected only for it's strong healing properties. Not that it was actually going to heal this wound, it would merely postpone any danger bleeding out posed. The pale girl pushed back the humanoid's hair and looked at his quiet expression, then used her fingers to part his eyelid to look deep into his eye. "Hello?" She giggled. "I see you..." Naunet lifted the stranger's hand and put it to hers, the webbing between her fingers the only visible difference between the two of them.

That's when the sound of strange footprints made her gasp, but she did not want to leave her river find alone on the shore. Her head moved back and forth looking for the source of the sound.

 

[Avellan13]

Trunfor Blackheart

Trunfor ended the spell in disgust then felt a little bit weaker as the spell took its toll on him. He got up and reported his results to Phyliss. He thought to himself as he walked over to the railing and gazed out at the water.

 

[Belinda35]

Phyliss Ovida

"You saw a gnome?!" she yelled, saying nothing else. Everybody on board focused on the water, but probably only a few could see really well in the darkness. Phyliss meant she saw a humanoid figure close on the shore. It didn't remind her of Zaehn (sic), but if he was a shapeshifter... It happened to fast to tell. "To the shore!"
Skandölf brought the cog close to the shore, and Phyliss jumped off before even the anchor went down. She simply forgot to take one of the crossbows along, and she went back to the place where she had seen the movement. She came closer and saw a female that had dragged indeed Zaehn to the shore. She was not sure who or what the girl was, but there was something unusal about her, maybe a nymph? She was about the same age as her and didn't look very dangerous. She had not reacted yet to Phyliss, maybe she haven't even noticed her. How would she react to a gorgon? It didn't matter, she had to help the halfelf, who was unconscious and hopefully not dead. The girl would probably not attack her or be very dangerous. Phyliss expected her to simply run away before she had a chance to thank her or to explain that she meant no harm.

 

[Dizzyfish]

Naunet

The voices that she heard were closing in, closer now than the had been. She did not want to leave what she now claimed as rightfully hers; after it had fallen on top her, what else was to be concluded from that transaction? Naunet looked about her, still unable to see figures approaching, she had a few minutes. "Come on, wake up." Her voice filled with some level of nervousness. Her webbed hands took hold of the stranger's shoulders and shook them lightly. But he was not moving, possibly drifting in and out of consciousness if not for the fact he was bleeding and there was little she could do. The seaweed would only absorb so much before they became useless. By then his life would be too close to death to save.

It was then that Naunet saw the figure, squinting to make out features, judging the distance, she was too far from the water and the figure too close to make the run successfully. The Sea Ghost lightly slapped her sleeping companion with little to no avail. "You sleep too much..." With that she heaved him towards the water, his clothing snagging on scattered rocks and fallen branches making this escape attempt even more difficult. Naunet gave one more heave and lost her hold on her find and fell feet over head back towards the shallow parts of the river, those parts of her body submerged in said waters seemingly disappearing. Her heart was racing too fast and dove back into the waters out of fear.

She would not go far. That was HER find, the river had given him to her, she would not lose it to someone else. For now, she eyed the creature from the shallow depths of the river.