Bhalla flicked the ball of fur in her hands. There was no way for her to tell what time it was or how much had passed since the Deutsche had thrown her into this whole in the ground. She only knew why - they had been fed up with her for trying to escape one too many times. They had shot others quite easily and happily for much less, and she didn't know why she had not suffered the same fate.
But now they had shoved her into this hole, with steel bars as a roof, occassionally dropping down food for her.
If she was lucky.


There was some commotion outside and the steel bars were lifted. Then someone was pushed down into the hole, almost hitting you. Then the bars clanged down again.

It's an Axtzal, wearing dirty rags, his fingers and toes webbed. He's clearly seen better days.

mattaki stumbled as fell to one knee as he was dropped in to the pit. He stayed in a crouch with his hood still over his head his face in shadow.

He sensed someone else in there with him but allowed the other to make the first move.

THe Axtzal wasn't a warrior but he did know how to defend himself, still his mind called out for the living power he controlled but would not fully come to him. it was like the taste of a fine meal that you got echoes of throughout the hours after but only a taste. Tantalising but not the real thing.

He sighed he would need to get his spear back if he was going to taste that meal again he knew it was close his connection with it told him so. But first things first was whoever was in the pit with him going to attack or not and then after solving that unanswered question he would need to work out how to escape

Bhalla did not like the hole. She hadn't liked the cage, nor the hut with the barred door, either. She had not liked the violence that had been done to her people, never mind the violence done to herself.

She most particularly did not like the Deutsche. Their words were too sharp in her ears and mouth, and they were murderous savages.

Later, she would probably be too hungry to be angry at them, but for now, the gnim wanted little more than to turn their "Maschinen" against them. She'd been trying to break one, this last time, to get its insides open and see where it bled. It had pushed her beyond the safe bounds of fate. "Nicht dumm. Kein Tier." That's what they'd said, along with "schwach." Stupid barehide bloody-handed giants. Bhalla tried to remember which pieces of the wagon had moved. It was a more interesting question than "when will they feed me?"

Then the Axtzal was thrown in. That was less immediately useful than food, but certainly more interesting. [Language unknown: "Int liro stlar, poprek? Ureve ilsta oreoveson n onweut, hi Hi ove evai artto whelfi An tr."]

Mattaki heard the voice and realised what he was dealing with, and relaxed a, little before just turning his head he studied the little one before him

[Language unknown: artthibut ce ing tila ernice sti Thkor mo laacpe. As n Montel a nce Venintles Lotiom. netra O di moeau t, unaiie nte be Theichbutbut ndean en. inesi i thewi wh vorla hisme st wasbutsom]

Bhalla shrugged. [Language unknown: "Itprmo e Utsial. Leosic teee ck ck pa ic urllroul M ssss les traonswas nt. Tepepr menthuour ure unntsa, the. Tho T i eknireck m sitese ul re th ompa ateek yin n larsetnde. Vir ceicou ec oveterthe."] The gnim mimed firing a rifle. [Language unknown: "T itilen. M shethustr forit Ntin'adtr i oerdinour p ne."] She looked up toward the distant slivers of light. [Language unknown: "Hanial selat rom siripl k and whssan."]

[Language unknown: Ma ek latie si, riisev tha a somshedinlesest arewitone haun tio naetsi om linte nd p po pl out He siiout ure lastad essstatedeau]

He needed to get out if he could he didn't want to be experimented on so he started looking about his space for anything that might help



12:22, Today: Mattaki of the Thunder Crags rolled 1,2 using D8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2.  Notice roll
This message was last edited by the player at 11:23, Tue 10 May 2022.

There was not much to find here - they were in a hole in the ground, roughly rectangular, maybe three meters deep, and the hole was covered with iron bars.

The floor was littered with what looked like remnants of food and one corner, apparently, had been designated as the relief corner by Bhalla.

There was a wooden bucket with water in the opposite corner, but nothing else.

[Language unknown: t tohoad ver lo T vorstiing res hiere na wa li tiowilion k ng weng t olse ioort hoacpa ati hese as wer ecwer prion sa ofweie ecusss ain sa li ce iv hou int llfo fooun wiyin m of nc ta con as pe we on ivma a lesameent] Asked Mattaki to his new found friend

[Language unknown: "Llilie. Evline tho ortersoverat illiol, Ei ine. Utne, whut Theomedinwhi. Ek caion oues dinithwhe. Et ess ic ceesat, osnale, st setel."] The gnim rolled her head, then her shoulders, then flexed her long, long fingers. [Language unknown: "Ceee anype dinnotund ing se ugh, Prplto."] Still, she prepared to climb and see what could be seen.

OOC: Do you want an Athletics check to get up, or can I just try a Notice?

((Athlethics from Bhalla, and either Athletics or Strenght from Mattaki))

The gnim clambered up gamely...

OOC: 10:15, Today: Sarwan Bhalla rolled 23,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+6+6+5)23,5.  Athletics

17:46, Today: Mattaki of the Thunder Crags rolled 3,3 using D4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3.  Strength

((Can't waste that Athletics roll)

Mattaki lifted up the gnim, but the last weeks had taken their toll. His shoulder protested against the weight and the movement and it was all he could do to give the gnim a push upward and Bhalla stretched herself as much as she could, barely managing to wrap two fingers of one hand around one of the steel bars.

She hung there, precariously for a moment before she was able to grab onto it with the second hand, then swung her feet up and hooked them in, too.

She could only hope that a Deutsche guard wasn't around to step on her fingers.

((Notice roll!))

Bhalla clung to the grate. Visibility from here was rather less than spectacular, but it didn't stop her from greedily sucking in fresher air than she'd had for days...

OOC: 05:48, Today: Sarwan Bhalla rolled 2,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4.  Gnim Gnotice!

mattaki waited patently for his little friend to see and hear what he could before he stretched up to help them down off the grate

((gnim gnotice... that made me chuckle. Take a benny!))

It wasn't quite easy to see, pressed up against the iron bars like that. But the fresh air, at least, was welcome. What Bhalla could see were the walls of buildings, the watchtowers among them, which seemed to be carved out of a single slab of stone. She closed her eyes and listened.
There were the boots of the Deutsche, marching across the ground. Shouts and orders in their weird language. From somewhere, strange music could be heard, as if a lot of musicians played together. It was a nice, peaceful song and seemed completely out of place.

Bhalla also heard the stuttering rumble of some Deutsche machines.

[Language unknown: "Aina Utmachom. Tefial ate butillwas. Nimoho wa thireavor. Thuaineraand ntich enelar."] Bhalla dropped lightly back down to the filthy floor of the hole. [Language unknown: "Rompa era is meomme e aril. Icaatiman ceer ai t neis ion."] She couldn't hide her disappointment, falling into an easy squat and wrapping her long arms around her knees.

Mattaki and Bhalla spent two days in the hole without anyone so much as throwing down water or food. On the third day, the cage bars were lifted and a rope ladder was lowered. The shouting coming from above was obvious, both were told to climb up, but it took some effort.

Once the two had ascended, they were lead to the large building, but then split up inside. Bhalla was brought downstairs into the basement, the stairs uncomfortably high for her, but convenient enough for her jack-booted wardens.

The basement opened to a large chamber, on each side four prison cells. No natural light came down here, but there were glowing orbs that illuminated the basement without flicker or smoke.

In one of the cells, Bhalla saw a groups of Gnim, their hands gingerly touching the metal bars. Two others on the same side housed an Axtzal, both naked, one chained to the wall, the other sitting against the wall, his arms wrapped around his knees. He showed many injuries.

On the other side, the cells were empty. All except one. She smelled and heard him before she saw him. A giant Ef-Fruk sat in the cell, hunched against the back of the wall. He looked distraught, his skin a dry, cracked grey. The horns that ran from his temples down the side of his head and the fingernails were of a light pink color, not the usual dark, rich red that was typical for the race. At the bottom of the horns, there was even a ring of white.


Near the bars of the Ef-Fruk's cell was a large piece of grilled meat, seemingly untouched.

---

Mattaki, on the other hand, was taken upstairs and led into another large room, with a long, t-shaped table. On one end, there was a plate with various fruits, bread, and a large bottle of water.
His guards pushed Mattaki into the chair. The food and water was just out reach.
Another German walked in and sat down on the chair to Mattaki's right.
[Language unknown: "Nti. Yinandill is was estingame hoho anetse. In files ant elson i, diun areprerut diad eradof, Roint ol rutll not ec."]

The man pointed to the bottle of water and said: "Wasser. Was-ser. Wasser."
Then he pointed to the piece of bread and said: "Brot. B-rrr-oooot. tt"
He nodded his chin at Mattaki. "Jetzt du."

Bhalla had always been a slight thing, and it was willpower more than anything else that got her up the ladder and, eventually, down into the new prison. She told herself that she did not feel faint. She told herself that she would find some way to escape once again. If she was not entirely sure that she believed that, at least she had gotten good at pretending.

The gnim's head was trying to spin as her eyes adjusted to the light. The Ef-Fruk looked like a victim of despair, the Axtzal victims of more obvious abuse. She was not sure what she could do here, still a prisoner, and looked cautiously at her captors for any sign of command.

One of the guards stabbed his weapon - a long, thin club - between Bhalla's shoulder blades.

[Language unknown: "Ol fi, oredayred. Osac plort ieattiis toriwe." ]he said, and pointed at the cell next to the Ef-Fruk.

mattaki looked at the man before him with still staring eyes. He knew his powers would be of no use without his spear but he'd be damned if they thought he was going to drink or eat the food even though he was hungry.

He leaned forward and took the jug pouring the liquid into the cup.


lifting the cup he looked the man straight in the eyes and smiling slowly turned the cup upside down emptying the contents onto the floor next to him

[Language unknown: of k ekant houre ent ] he said in a pleasant voice still smiling at him
This message was last edited by the player at 17:32, Tue 07 June 2022.

[Language unknown: "Icnece. M dayhisect."] Bhalla replied. If she weren't faint with deprivation, she might have managed more defiance, but this was a dance she'd done enough times to know that there was little to gain from antagonizing the guard. Another beating would do nothing.

The Ef-Fruk might, though, if he could be found wherever he'd lost himself inside his head.

The gnim stumbled into the indicated cell and turned to glare at the guard until he retreated. Then she sat down against the bars, catching her breath and looking around.

OOC: 09:33, Today: Sarwan Bhalla rolled 7,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5.  Notice. Just in case.

The German sighed, got another cup and filled that too. He drank from it, slowly, painfully to watch, as he emptied his cup, smacked his lips with an excited "Aaahhh" and put the cup back down.

He filled his cup again and then Mattaki's cup. The German raised his cup towards Mattaki and said: "Nochmal, hm?" and then added: [Language unknown: "A ille Ationspreund e ictio mo."]. The words were off, the grammar wrong, the pronounciation atrocious.

The Gnim in the cell across the room hugged the criss-crossing bars of their cell, looking at Bhalla. Before she could say anything, there was a deep grumbling sound coming from the cell of the Ef-Fruk and the giant being shifted its weight.
[Language unknown: "Tanent."] the Ef-Fruk said. [Language unknown: "Fi?"]

Mattaki smile held a predators edge to it as he looked at the man before him but didn't touch the drink [Language unknown: " loro li ainureion bleto Ro mathe sta o and Li tedas out en hisad nceillugh dipro si "]

[Language unknown: "Romer neaiil, esle, hiesnt nawaca."] Bhalla says. She is, too, to the point that it has gone past distraction to an almost unbearable lightness that makes concentrating hard. [Language unknown: "Hiek Icntacpe acut herwheill acei M whacfo lear ceund dineau'estand ted anyvorect sancombut whrat, ich U le elalun."]

The German seemed to be struggling to follow the words and took a few seconds to comprehend. Then he smiled.
[Language unknown: "E, retr menardntetic ore ilwas yin set thpr."]

He took another sip of the water, put the cup down and got up, straightening his uniform.
[Language unknown: "Ha ing uneve acmiei astthiset stca, daykorith, ol lohiut whero essithich."]

Then he motioned to the guards to drag you away.

The Ef-Fruk just nodded and fell silent again

Not much later, the Germans bring in another prisoner, Mattaki, and throw him in another unoccupied cell.

[Language unknown: "Iopr thu hatna thck ni heyin, Prevpr k sehi Adfipa Korintoun? Atich ouou ou venfo ithingthiday?"] Bhalla asks, walking gingerly back to the front of her cell.

((I'll do a little montage here to speed things up a bit, making up for the time I was out))

Without natural light, you lose track of time rather quickly. Food and water arrives irregularly, making it even harder to mark the time, but you're pretty sure that a few meals at least arrived in the middle of the night.

Prisoners are taken away for unknown reasons. Mostly they come back, but not always. Sometimes new prisoners arrive.

Two axtzals are made to fight each other for the amusement of the guards, who place bets on who might win.

The Ef-Fruk, meanwhile, almost starves.
But then, a few days after Bhalla first talked to him, the Ef-Fruk starts eating the meat that gets tossed into his cell, slowly and gingerly at first, but then more ravenously, the sound of bones cracking and the marrow getting sucked from them a sickening sound in the cavernous prison.

In reply to Sarwan Bhalla (msg # 29):

[Language unknown: ha Nt en ne eveessany K era nelies ndbese o son rofoil osncun astce venhouthu i andmansti one olmofies bepro ess lothi. La blehattio to be tholatven noreat M dinarende ck fi hoilol saain lat ivhe nt Ie we ersan P vernotugh si en]

Bhalla continues to talk to the Ef-fruk and the other prisoners. It's largely banal conversation--bits of spiritual teaching or speculation about the nature of their strange captors. She's not entirely sure how much of the local languages the Deutsche have learned, and remains circumspect when any are around.

The prisoners do not have the resources for a jailbreak, but Bhalla remains as watchful as ever, alert for any opportunity to better their situation.

Over the next few days, the Ef-Fruk goes through a suprising change in demeanor. The Germans keep feeding him meat, mostly cooked, but occassionally throw in raw meat, too.
And the giant being wolves it all down, slowly regaining his strength.

One night, Bhalla wakes up from something and sees the Ef-Fruks arm squeezed through the bars into his cell, trying to reach the little Gnim, a murderous gleam in his eyes. The Ef-Fruk chuckles and licks his lips.
This was highly unusual.

Two days later, the Germans pitch another fight, this time between the Ef-Fruk and the Axtzal.
It is over quickly.

Then the Ef-Fruk turns and bellows a challenge at the Germans - but one of them merely waves his hand and says a few words and the giant beast staggers, then falls down.

The Gnim ware tasked with cleaning the floor, while the Germans attach an iron chain to the Ef-Fruk's neck and drag it back into his cell.

While the fight took place Mattaki leaned through the bars as far as he could into the Ef-Fruk's cage and tried to grab a couple rib bones or similar from his last meal.

His intention was to grind them on the stone floor into a point using the sound of the fight to mask the noise.

with the make shift weapons perhaps an opportunity would arise that would allow him to over power a guard and enable him and possibly Bhalla to escape

Bhalla's concerns grew to keep pace with the Ef-Fruk's "recovery." Something was wrong here. She knew, in a general way (and from experience), how much the Deutsche cared for 'testing' their prisoners. The gnim did not know what they had brought from their strange world beyond the noisome iron beasts, but this seemed somehow foul.

OOC: 16:53, Today: Sarwan Bhalla rolled 2,9 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+3)9.  Healing (diagnosis behind bars!).

Mattaki managed to hide away a small bone, about the length and thickness of his index finger. It wasn't much, but it was something and gave him something to do, which seemed even more important.

((Let's do this: You can either shape it into a makeshift weapon with an Agility roll, giving you something that does Str+d4 damage, but is quite brittle.
Or you can roll Spellcasting at -4 (due to lack of material) and imbue it with enough power that will allow you to cast a single spell. If you fail either roll, it's ruined))


Bhalla has heard stories about a great battle between the Ef-Fruk tribes, many generations ago. After that battle, the tribes turned pacifist and would only eat plants - vegetables, fruit, roots, but no more meat.
It was a deeply spiritual belief these giants were adhering to.
Could it be that simply indulging in eating all the meat the Germans had fed him, that this would have awoken older, more violent instincts?

11:58, Today: Mattaki of the Thunder Crags rolled -1,-1 using D10-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3.  Spellcasting

He tried to call forth his powers but his focus was off either from lack of food, his state of health or not having his talisman but there was a faint blue glow between his fingers before the bone crumple to ash

can I spend a bennie for a reroll

Yes, you can! But you should also mention the spell you want to prepare

22:51, Today: Mattaki of the Thunder Crags rolled -1,1 using D10-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5.  Spellcasting havoc with area effect

((The dice are failing you))

The bone crumbled uselessly in his palm as he pushed just a bit too much will and force into it. There was a reason why the mages used foci - wands, jewels, staffs, rings, all worked if properly prepared.

---

The gladitorial games continued over the next couple of days, until only Bhalla and Mattaki remained in their cells, the Ef-Fruk taunting them evermore.

But before they were thrown into the the proverbial ring, the Ef-Fruk was taken away and wasn't returned.

Another week passed and they hadn't had any food for three days when finally the Germans dragged them out of their cells back up into the light and outside into the yard.

Germans armed with long slender clubs stood guard, pushing, shoving and pommeling them unto the truck. Both of them sat down, more guards coming onboard, loading a few crates, and chaining the two miserable prisoners to the floor of the truck.

The German officer who had invited Mattaki upstairs before slammed his flat hand on the truck bed from the outside to draw their attention.
[Language unknown: "Proevetic reabe osic, antth has no butreaous laivho ng ic"], he taunted him again
[Language unknown: "Andvoryin ard ousac waspreort ivas, preratour beesit."
]

Then he turned around and the truck lurched forward, taking the two of you away.

But not for long. You had expected a longer journey to who knew where, but only a few minutes later - while you were still in the mountains - the vehicle stopped. The Germans, clearly, were confused.

Moments later, the truck lurched forward again, going slower this time, and again stopping just a few moments later.
This time, the engine is turned off, too, and there are some shouts, the doors of the truck cabin are opened and slammed shut.

Two of the 6 men that were riding in the back with you jumped out, too, with another one trying to pull back the tarpaulin covering the truck to sneak a peak outside this way. Two more were whispering if he did see anything, while the last one tightens his grip on his MP40 and keeps an eye on the two of you.

[Language unknown: "Ar er ceeesi mi, asthatlat."] he growled in Bhalla's direction.

From the outside, a louder voice could be heard, seemingly demanding something.

[Language unknown: "Ta k et Unümanromame os plna in notrst reomla ntun k paoul intainstr pr el prson?? Inglesred no, a nthi nowhai ho fomo-weiv!"]


Looking toward the front, Bhalla was sitting on the left side of the vehicle, Mattaki on the right. There were a couple of boxes pushed against the truck's walls, no markings on them. A spear was wedged between the boxes and the wall on Bhalla's side, apparently too long to fit into a box, but had to be brought along for some reason. It might have belonged to one of the Axtzals and seemed to be of fine quality. It was just out of reach, but if the final guard wasn't there, Bhalla could maybe reach it with his legs and pull it closer. It would be an awkward weapon in the confined space here, but it was the only one he could see.

[Language unknown: "Lltr el ne ce ted men miussi. K ev teryinameeen eselce le hoome."] Bhalla says. She is weak, and tired, and has passed to a point beyond hunger. [Language unknown: "K th ou forlatshe ti oer ounhathou, ivfo? Il rewh estevethi tho."] She didn't move, but part of her is coiled and ready for any desperate opportunity her waning strength might seize. She stretched her toes to try and get that spear, but...

OOC: Can't even Benny reroll!

19:55, Today: Sarwan Bhalla rolled 1,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1.  Stealthily reach for the stealthy spear. Let the fun commence!

[Language unknown: "Pa ingticich ithmo..."] the guard growled, but was cut short when a cacophony of rapid gun shots and screams of pain, surprise and anger filled the air.

((Moving you two to the Heinrichsburg thread))
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:17, Thu 14 July 2022.

Mattaki dropped to the trucks floor and moved as close to the boxes as possible to provide as much cover [Language unknown: p ichndende ncofle ticni one t no celihe iou o Ne caiene any omethacomare nana outnteore eauhat'tedera ]

Your guards were mowed down, seemingly by the same kind of weapons the Deutsche used in their battles. A fight between various factions or warlords among them?
There had been many who thought - or hoped - that the Deutsche would be a warlike people like the Gervolian. Formidable fighters, yes, especially if united, but ultimately they always, always, always succumbed to infighting as their warlords never seemed willing to share the glory. Once they fractured, a disciplined army would always push them down again, securing peace for another generation or even two.

mattaki curled up into a ball until the noise had passed then seeing the trooper in the trunk dead leaned out his full length long the truck bed and searched the body for the key to their chains