"And with that, I'm gone-"

Borimer sprints to the earthrocs, leaping onto one's back and getting ready to urge it into the air.

Having invisibly handed the Portable Hole over to Kahan upon his request, Adaran, who up to now has remained silent and unseen, finally speaks. "You've aided us - but we've aided you every bit as much, so that's no bargaining chip. As Draaz was so fond of saying, we've all saved each other's lives, time and again. If you're really our ally and not one of the orcs, then you have no business demanding anything from us in exchange. Tarimar is as much your enemy as ours, after all we've been through, so you're not doing us a favor, you're furthering your own agenda and helping the orcs in exchange for lands and power. If you're one of us and not a sell-sword, then don't use your position to cut deals with us - help us because you choose to. Help us because you're not an orc or a human - you're a comrade. And comrades don't sell out their friends for wealth and power, no matter what King's making the offer - human, dwarf...or orc." His last statement seems to indicate Tarimar, Krugoth and Kurshyk all with equal contempt, all sharing a common dishonorable ground.

"As for 'His Grace's' most generous offer," he adds mockingly and with bitter disgust, "I'd rather take our chances on our own than lift one finger to help an orc, the same vermin who've enslaved us all for years - and now the only thing standing in their way from gaining total dominion is Tarimar and his slimy, double-crossing dwarven sheep. This isn't our battle or our war. I say we flee this whole bloody mess while the going's still good and let the two have at it, and not do a single thing to tip the scales in either's benefit - let them slaughter each other to the last man while we escape with our lives, and deal with whichever side survives another day."

As Borimer arrives at the same conclusion, he tightens his invisible grip on Flint's robe and says to the group, "Let's get to the earthrocs and get out of here - fast."

Seeing that the other members of his group aren't sticking around, Kahan gives Grung a pat on the shoulder and replies, "You can keep the dragon as long as you swear not to open it until we are far enough away that you can't see us, and even then, only one side; never take it out of the box, or it will wipe out all magic in the area. As a token of good will, I'm sure the king's flying beasts will be staying out of our way, I presume, your grace?" He looks up at Kurshyk with a mild look of disdain as he tucks the portable hole under his arm and runs after Borimer and the others, hopping on an earthroc as soon as possible, calling his dog onto his lap and giving his charmed wolf an appraising glance, trying to figure out if it would be plausible to still fly with it aboard.

As Borimer leaves toward the earthrocs and Grung is talking to an invisible Adaran, the king stands up.  "You were not dismissed," he calls out to Borimer and any who follow him.

"I told you they were impudent," the orc captain says.

You notice a disturbance at the wall.  Suddenly, Tarimar and the others around him sprint down the stone steps and away from the double gated entrance at the top.  This is the closest to fear or concern you have seen on their faces.

Three creatures emerge in that doorway.  They are all too familiar.







The demon, its lesser demon companion, and the death knight walk down the stone steps.  They still seek to destroy those who opened the gate at the Temple of Ashmere.

They have apparently walked on the bottom of the ocean and from the western seacoast since the time you saw them on the desert isle and have not stopped their relentless pursuit.  They ignore Tarimar and the others...for now.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:27, Wed 04 Jan 2012.

"This is not our war. You got what you wanted from us, now let us leave in peace." Kahan replies to Kurshyk as he continues towards the earthrocs, quietly giving his wolf some instructions, before (hopefully) hopping onto his ticket out of there with the others.

The king stands and points down at Kahan.  "You are all my subjects. Those who take the medallion are deserters and will be dealt with as such."  Then he seems to catch his temper, and he says more softly, "I have tried to give you respect that I do not show to any non-orcs.  Defeat Tarimar with me and I will make you lords with lands and serfs, such as no non-orc has ever known under my rule."  Apparently, the sight of Tarimar is making the King afraid.  Maybe he thinks he needs your strength.

"Grung," he says, "you must use Augmantium on Tarimar before he uses his magic."

OOC:
(The king does not fully appreciate that not all of you have the medallions, so he lumps you all together into one group.  This is probably so he can get his way as well.)

However, you are aware that the king keeps his promises, which is why the orc kingdom has not turned into an anarchy of clans, but has instead solidified under his hegemony rule.

Borimer sighs while sitting atop the earthroc.  He looks to the sky one last time before sliding off to the ground.

"So let the orc king believe we fight for him, and for his wealth. He helps us kill Tarimar, and then we wait until we can kill him."

The large warrior raises his sword in quick salute to the orc king and then purposefully strides towards the death knight, and his fate.

"As you wishen yer grace.  I will fight by da side of me father and die iffen need me." Grung states in common.  Standing his ground he makes no move for the earth rocs and seems at peace.  Hefting the Augmantium he says in orcish to the king, the orc he now knows to be both his father and sire, "Your graqi E an riajy at your qonnamj."

OOC:  For those who speak orcish, http://www.freewebs.com/transl...ctrolltranslator.htm

Seeing Borimer get ready to fight, Kahan asks Adaran to take the Portable Hole again, readying his rod and book to cast a spell at the Death Knight. He takes a spot in front of the king and states, "Let's hope we can win this fight. Do not underestimate Tarimar. He has far more power than any person I have ever known of, and the only one that can equal his power is probably not even on this planet anymore."

Can we have an updated map?

The king seems to ignore your surprising obeisance as he stares, mouth agape, at the demons and death knight.  "WHAT...ARE...THOSE...THINGS?" he says, probably more loudly and fearful than he intended.  He clearly sees that they are not with Tarimar.

"Demons," Shrlok says.  (You avoid the temptation to say, "No S*%@, Sherlock!")

"The hells have opened their bowels," the orc cleric next to the king says.  "They will kill our men, every last one.  We must withdraw."

"But Tarimar is right there!" the King says, pointing.

The cleric says, "And when you've lost all your men, yea, even your own life, how will you respond when you discover that you fight only another of Tarimar's dopplegangers?  It will be for naught."

"Fire at Tarimar!" the king yells back to the cannons behind him.  The cannons begin raising their arc to fire over your heads.

The cleric begins a soft chanting.

MAP: I didn't make an updated map yet (no time), but essentially you have the orc army to your east, the earthrocs slightly to the north where you left them, Tarimar and Krugoth with a handful of men on the far southwest corner of the map, and the demons and death knight walking nonchalantly toward you, a few squares east of the western wall.  You have approximately 2-3 rounds until they reach you.

"The demons are after us, not you, for disturbing the sanctity of the Temple of Ashmere, where we found Augmantium. Feel free to help us defeat them, but I can almost guarantee they will not attack your men." Kahan replies, muttering a spell and tapping Borimer on the shoulder before he passes by him.

The cleric's eyes are rolled up as he mutters.  After Kahan speaks, he says, "Demons are uncontrollable and will attack anything.  If these men are the targets, they should leave the battlefield and take the demons with them."

The king nods.  "Take your leave, then," he says to you, "and leave Tarimar to us."

Tarimar seems to think the demons are on his side, and he and Krugoth and their men begin following along behind the demons, letting the demons lead the way like human -- er, demon -- shields.

Flint will make sure to take up a position close enough to the others but near to earthrocs,  "I will help where I can, and make a point to guard the earthrocs from either side.  Perhaps both sides will weaken each other enough to make it easier for us to resolve the issue both sides present.  For now I agree with siding with the orcs."

OCC: the conversation is meant for the group only

Taking back the Portable Hole from Kahan, Adaran lets go of Flint's robe and sprints full speed toward the cave where the earthrocs are hidden.

Borimer turns and sprints to the earthrocs, jumping onto one as soon as possible and hoping to get airborne.

Darting into the cave, Adaran quickly untethers the earthrocs and vaults up onto one's back, preparing to take flight as soon as the cannons fire.

Kahan gives a final salute to Grung and king Krushyk, and follows the others, giving his wolf some quiet instructions before ripping off a small strip of his cloak, wrapping it around the wolf's neck. He grabs his dog, and hops on the earthroc, getting ready to fly with the others.

Except for Grung, the party sprints to the earthrocs, untethering them and preparing them for quick flight.  Meanwhile, the demons are lumbering with Tarimar and his men right behind them.

Cannons fire.  They miss Tarimar and the demons.  Whether magically deflected or just because they are difficult to aim, you are not sure.

You rise overhead on the earthrocs, looking down below.

Grung is preparing Augmantium.

The demons stop in their tracks to stare up at you.  Tarimar's men practically plow into the back of the demons.  The demon roars in anger at you.



It reaches behind it and snatches up Tarimar, surprising the wizard.  The lesser demon grabs Krugoth.  In one motion, they fling the mage and the dwarven clan leader up into the air with an impossible strength.  The two bodies flap and fly in the air, screams escaping their lips as they approach you like human cannonballs.

They come within thirty feet of you and then arc back down.  Tarimar is now casting.  But Krugoth is not so lucky.  The dwarven leader splats onto the ground not twenty feet from the orc king, his body twisted and dead.  Tarimar, on the other hand, begins to float about 15 feet in the air.

You watch like voyeur spectators down on the scene.

Grung turns Augmantium on Tarimar.  With a curse, Tarimar falls the fifteen feet to the ground, where he is set upon by the orc warriors.  You get some sense of satisfaction in seeing a powerful mage being cleaved to pieces by low level soldiers after Grung has completely de-magicked everything Tarimar holds.

Grung turns Augmantium on the demons, which are now going after him.  Augmantium seems to have no effect.

The death knight, seeing the orc king, sidesteps Grung, and approaches the king, standing within five feet of the leader.  The orcs are fearful and stand back.  The king and the undead knight stare each other in the face.  Then the death knight raises a bony finger, points it at the king, and utters one word. (power word, kill) The king clutches his heart, his eyes widening in pain, and then he falls dead off his throne.

The king's cleric flees, urging Grung to follow him and saying something to him.

What remains are two demons and a death knight engaging the orcs, who have no magic weapons and do no harm whatsoever.  In other words, it is a massacre.

Krugoth's men and Tarimar's men have fled back to the western wall.

And then your earthrocs are high above and away, and the death and destruction is too far away to see.

END OF ORC BATTLE

OOC:  Now you need to figure out where you're flying to.


Kahan's dog has climbed aboard the earthroc with him.  The dire wolf is skirting the battle and following on the ground.  No doubt the demons will not be far behind him.  (So when the dire wolf next turns up, you will know the demons are coming too, but not before.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:40, Fri 06 Jan 2012.

Grung's eyes open wide at the demon's power.  Heeding the orcish cleric's call to flee, Grung's immense legs churn as fast as possible away from the battle scene.

Pamaran is leading Krugoth's forces away through the western gate.  Due to his limp, he had been behind Krugoth and Tarimar, and thankfully so.  He avoided the battle and now, as general, is the leader of the compound in the wake of Krugoth's death.

Grung escapes to the east with the cleric.  The cleric is talking to Grung.

The cleric signals to the remaining orcs, and they begin a retreat to the east.

The demons seem not to care.  They look to the sky at the disappearing forms of those they must destroy and begin walking...

"We need to free Nimith." Adaran calls out as their earthrocs soar high up into the sky. "He was just a decoy to divert our attention from Krugoth and Pamaran. He could help us."

"And how do you suggest we do that? We're outnumbered a hundred to one!" Kahan replies, shaking his head. "I agree with the sentiment, but I think we need to cut our losses and go see this Syrissa that Azaron - I mean, Ashe - mentioned."

"The dwarves are on foot." Adaran calls back. "We're faster. If we head straight for the prison, we can free Nimith and fly off before they reach us."

OOC: Only the dwarves with you were on foot.  The rest of Krugoth's army is presumably back at the compound.  Granted, they won't know what happened for about 10 minutes or so, but you also don't know what Krugoth told them.  After what he did to the two counselors preaching doom and gloom, Nimith may have already been executed as Krugoth had warned he would do at dawn.

"To hell with Tarimar, Nimith, and the dwarves, let's get out of here while we can."