In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 383):

"I think if it keeps people's attention off the archer in the back lines, I'm all for it," Brennan smiles.

"I also think we should discuss tactics for tomorrow's encounter. Listen carefully, for this is knowledge gained from my time at the Academy."

Brennan proceeds to give a brief overview of the weaker demonic thralls he expects them to perhaps encounter, particularly regarding the silent ones standing guard outside the witch's cave.

"We will at the very least have to contend with those and the serpent, and the witches themselves. But summoning new demons takes hours... they will only be able to use what they have available at the time."

He finishes by raising the cup (but not drinking from it).

"Tomorrow morning, we will drink from the cup and gain a measure of protection to assist us. We will enter the cave and play nicely. We will lie. We will tell them the task is complete and ask for the stone.

Once we have it... well, then we look for our opening. If combat looks ill-advised at that point, we simply flee. I don't need to possess the stone, only see it, such is the power of my memory. But ending their threat to the world would be better for the townsfolk if possible. We can achieve that by killing them... or by cutting our their tongues. I recommend killing them, as butchery and maiming folks isn't really my style. Thoughts?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:31, Mon 11 July 2016.

"Are you sure they are not people?" Enrei asks, easily distracted from Titus's display, "Can we take them to village instead of cut tongues?  This is less messy too, yes?"

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 385):

Demonic.... thralls....

Does it say people anywhere in there? 

Titus smiles viciously

I'm all for it.  Big damned heroes. 
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 20:22, Mon 11 July 2016.

"I do not know," Enrei responds earnestly to Titus, "What means 'thralls'?  Also I do not want to be damned hero, damned to hell sounds very bad place."

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 387):

A thrall is a subhuman shell, it looks kind of like a human but is truly a husk that can only do the bidding of its master, and killing is much cleaner than mauling in my opinion.

and damn is a modifier that means really really big hero. 
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Mon 11 July 2016.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 388):

After a moments thought

Though mauling then killing does have its merits...

Can they see us now?  It seems their influence spans well beyond the cave...

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 389):

"Possibly. It depends what sorts of allies they have and what arrangement they've made with them."

Brennan frowns.

"Enrei... if we take them captive, Bryce will know that we've hurt his friends. He might not understand that it was necessary. If he gets violent over it, we might have to hurt him. Is that worth trying to bring the witches into town alive to you?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:34, Mon 11 July 2016.

Enrei seems to ponder for a moment before nodding, "I think is better to hurt three people than to kill two people," he explains.  "If we go to town before we go to bryce then we donot beed to hurt him at all," Enrei suddenly realises, "This is best, yes?"

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 391):

Not really they won't go quietly and will try to kill you and me and Brennan the entire time we drag them down the mountain...

he tends the fire

...and what do you think is going to happen in town you big oaf?  Besides I can always 'slip'. 

"No, no, they do not try to kill you if they are not awake.  I know, I do this many times when people try to kill me."

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 393):

Setting up camp is easy because there is very little choice of space, just a few bare patches of earth and barely enough burnable for a small fire if you wish.

The looming stones provide some cover from the cold wind but you can hear it tearing into the trees lower down.

If you look over the eastern side, you will see lights from the town in the valley burning bright.

Between gusts of wind, if you listen closely, you will hear faint rustlings and slitherings in the tall dry grass, but you will see nothing.

OOC: just setting the scene, by all means continue this conversation!

In reply to GM (msg # 394):

Titus sighs.

These are witches, like I said they are not like people, and as such can still hurt you when they are not awake.

You'll see when we get there. 

He sits down and fashions a stake that you would tie a witch to, looks at Brennan significantly and drops it into the fire.  He then twitches his eyes to Enrei and shrugs.

So.... do you want stories about witches?  Or stories about sunshine and lollipops before bed?

"Oh, I want to hear the story where we slay demon and save little children. That was good story," Enrei suggests.

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 396):


Brennan stiffens slightly and peers at the undergrowth, coughing abruptly in the process.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 397):

Titus sits back lazily and plucks at a  lutestring

AAAAHHH The tale of Azazel.  It gets better every time I tell it!

He falls into a slow patina of storytelling a bit slower than normal, and when he pauses he uses those times to casually scan his surroundings.

[Sense + Search 2x10, 2x1]

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 398):

Safe Haven on the Summit

The rustling, which could TOTALLY just be the wind, is broken briefly by a throaty hissing sound.


Titus paces around the campfire carefully, stretching and peering about nonchalantly.

Enrei, having been appraised of the presence of snakes by a small child, listens intently to Titus's story, with no concern for the sounds of the mountain.

In reply to GM (msg # 399):

The story ends on a high note and smiles and bows mechanically.  He turns and shrugs at Brennan

And that was all I saw... and nothing else...

and on a note of our glorious victory let us rest for the night.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 401):


Brennan looks uneasy, and keeps glances at the thicket. He whispers something to Titus, then turns to Enrei.

"Did the snake attack you at night, or did you startle it and did it defend itself?"

"Oh, the sea serpent.  I do not think I startle it.  I do not see very well at dark, so Deev lead the way, then sudden it try to crush Deev and I try to save him, and then it try to crush me before it run away."

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 403):

"Would it surprise you to learn that it's here?" Brennan asks, pointing toward the brush in a specific place. "Do you think you can catch it?"

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 404):

"Really?  It was not here before." Enrei peers fruitlessly into the dark, "It is very big, is very easy to catch.  But is very very big, last time I catch it it still has enough to catch Deev too.  I think is better to slay this monster." Enrei stands and dusts off his hands, "You and Titus can watch camp," he suggests.

In reply to Enrei Omal'i (msg # 405):

Enrei wanders around the summit, being as stealthy as a crash of rhinos.

His stomping, kicking of tall grass, and hollering about "coming out for good fight" does not produce any results.

Clearly the thing neither wants to be found nor to engage at the moment.

In reply to GM (msg # 406):

Brennan sighs in frustration.

"Ok. Whoever's on watch, be alert for its inevitable attack and wake us as the first sign of trouble. Keep your weapons close."

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 407):

The remainder of the night passes uneventfully.  Whoever is on watch will hear the rustling of wind, the howling of distant wolves somewhere down the mountainside,  and, possibly, something large moving in the underbrush but nothing attacks you.


It is the 15th Day of the Queen's Month

You awaken at first light, both due to the cold and rugged camping and due to the palpable tension in the air about what lurks nearby.

It is still dusk, but will be bright and sunny soon from the looks of it.