The Evil of Ravenholm - Chapter 2: The Ashen Mountains

[NayrVentess]

Gregg Torchbearer kept his cool as an unknown drow warlock threatened him from the darkness. But, as the dry and emaciated face of Gerash walked into view, Gregg's resolve wavered. Showing open shock and horror, the human turned away, and then looked back again. In stuttering words he said, "You, look dead...how is this...how is that possible?"

As he stood there, mouth hanging slightly open, "Catch." Grashuk threw Gregg a piece of bread. Which hit him in the face and landed on the floor, Greggs expression not changing in the slightest.

((Sorry for acting for you Grashuk, I just thought that would be funny whee you can dis-regard if you wish))  

[SporkMaster5000]

"It's just magic. I catch the eye of all the barmaids back home," he rolled his eyes, not wanting to bother with a real explanation, "If you don't start with more explanations and fewer questions we might decide it's not worth the trouble of keeping you alive."  

[NayrVentess]

Gregg gulped and tugged at the furs around his neck. You notice a single bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. "Uh, well yes. OK." He then seems to remember how hungry he is as he bends down, picks up the mud soaked piece of bread and munches on it hungrily. At which point he finds a slightly drier piece of ground and plonks himself down. He seems to be ignoring the fact that two of you still remain hidden.

Gregg swallows and then begins, "Well, I suppose you won't have any qualms about the reason I am here, I doubt you have any love for the city of Valleta. I am, or rather was, a soldier in the Valletan army. My troop was sent to the nearby ruins of Castle Carnarvon, with the intention of clearing out the beasts there and then starting on a rebuilding program. But, I uh...was caught stealing from Commander Heth, and he stripped me of my rank and cast me out with but a few old animal furs for warmth. I believe his intention was my death, he never liked me anyway. So I have been wandering for I think three days now, I am not a skilled huntsman or survivor and although I have had no trouble with water, the rain being what it is, I have not eaten at all. Sustinence is hard to locate in the Ashen Mountains." He then licks his lips and holds his stomach, hinting at the want for more food.  

[Vorastrix]

"fascinating story," Pelloth said with no sincerity in his voice. Deeming the pitiful man hardly a threat finally stepped into the light. "It seems that ending your miserable life would benefit us all, yourself included," holding up his rod with an evil smile spreading up his face he asked, "any last words?"  

[SporkMaster5000]

"Pelloth, he's already scared shitless and talking. Stop waving that thing around or I'll send you to Zehir," Gerash demands. Then, turning back to Gregg, he speaks with just as much monotone malice, "Tell us about Castle Carnarvon. How many troops and why is Valletan rebuilding it? Talk first, sustenance later." This unlucky soldier just might prove useful after all.  

[NayrVentess]

Gregg looked worried by Pelloths threats, but then he sort of seemed relieved when Gerash 'told him off'. After swallowing his nerves, Gregg answered the dead ones' questions. "Castle Carnarvon once was a great stronghold of Valleta. It protected the city and its surrounding settlements from encroachment from the creatures of the Ashen Mountains, and during the time of Serrin Bloodstone it was critical in weakening his forces. But it fell into disrepair decades ago, and we left it in ruins. But the Nobles now want it rebuilt and manned at all times. I am not sure exactly why, but some of the men think that there is a hidden motive behind the move. As for troops, while I was there there was four full squads of seven men. And then those four squads were lead by Commander Heth...Umm, so there were twenty nine to begin with. But now I've left, and I believe that some men may have been wounded or killed in battle with the creatures of the Castle ruins."  

[SporkMaster5000]

As Gregg talks Gerash slips his hand into the bag of holding at his hip. He plams the orb within as a sort of nervous habit, but doesn't remove the implement yet. "And what can you tell us about those creatures?" he encourages the former soldier.  

[NayrVentess]

Gregg ruffles his hair nervously. "Uh, unfortunately I can't help you out there, I was ignobly discharged before we encountered any. But we knew almost for sure that something was there." He sits for a few seconds, before all of you hear his stomach rumble very loudly.

At the same moment, an elven Bloodstone Stalker walks into the clearing, holding a hand crossbow and looking furious. "Who the ******** is this guy?!"  

[Vorastrix]

Pelloth glanced up to the elf, "He's some pathetic excuse for a soldier that was a part of a unit dispatched to Castle Carnarvon. He tells us there was over a score of men before he left, but that likely some of them have been killed but the creatures in the ruins." Pelloth also noticed something else and asked out of curiosity and not concern, "didn't that loony Kenku follow you into the woods? And is that the only wood you gathered?" he asked indicating the crossbow.  

[SporkMaster5000]

"Mmm," is Gerash's only response to Gregg's reply. "We should probably quiet that stomach," he remarks, just before Daelos makes the scene. Slipping his orb out of the bag at his waist, Gerash summons his favored shards of force around the soldier to rend and tear at him. He turns to Daelos as Pelloth explains the doomed man's presence, and eagerly awaits the elf's explanation of Cain's whereabouts.

((20 vs. Gregg's reflex, 10 force damage +3 on his turn if he's not just straight up cut down))  

[Arc Vembris]

Hars' face droops "Oh no, that's never going to build a fire!"  

[NayrVentess]

As Gerash withdraws his orb, Greggs eyes take on a scared look, "Wha, what are you doing?" And as the daggers conjure around him he lets out a loud yell. Which only gets louder and more gruesome as the blades cut into his flesh and tear down to his bones. As Gregg falls to the ground dead, his blood begins to seep out over the mud. But the rain will take care of that mess soon.

Daelos looks on as Gregg dies without any sign of remorse or even being bothered by the death. He then turns to Pelloth and smiles devilishly, "I doubt Cain will be returning to us tonight, he has been summoned by our Lord." The elf then shrugs off the accusation of having no firewood and says, "No matter, I'm sure we can make do." You notice that unlike before he left, he is no longer shivering, as if the cold and rain isn't bothering him.

Meanwhile, in the woods not too far away, a Kenku walks. He is seemingly quite happy to carry his collection of firewood back to camp. His...ears?...p***k up as he hears the sound of a man screaming his final breaths. The camp can't be far.  

[Arc Vembris]

If Torchbearer wasn't so gaunt, Hars might consider wearing his skin, literally. He cared not for Daelos' comfort, Hars was still freezing.  

[joe-dude667]

Cain could hear the scream somewhere in the distance, sounded like the guys were having fun. Always having fun without Cain... It didn't matter, he had his symbol of The Elder Eye back. Walking towards the sound, he eventually came out of the small wood with the tinder in his arms. The dagger hidden with the wood.

"We've come with wood! Have fun while I was away?" He said, eyeing the fresh corpse. He walked over to get a closer look at the body, throwing the wood down next to the deceased. "Oh Daelos, you left your dagger in the woods."

Suddenly the crazy Kenku pulled out the hidden dagger, throwing it at the Elf.

"So who's the meat bag?" He asked, as if nothing out of the ordinary happened.

[[I hate the Dice Roller. stare 15vsAC. If that hit's 5 damage, if it doesn't Bluff: 14vs insight for it to look like I was just passing it with a little too much vigour... O=) ]]  

[Vorastrix]

Pelloth arched his eyebrow at the elf's response, "As if that on would listen to any sort of summons from Zehir." As if in response to what he had said, the Kenku appeared carrying the wood. "Ah, now this will make a wonderful fire. Thank you Cain." then talking once again to the elf, "He has already been far more useful then you, both in battle and in acquiring wood."