The freezing wind rushing past and the darkness meant Ferret could make little of the exchange between Swift Fox and the new kraan's rider, but there did appear to be some of recognition, which threw his mind into working out the most likely identity of the rider. Could it be that one of the captured Kai had escaped Argazad just as they were flyingtowards it? Was it possible that the brotherhood had sent someone after them into the Darklands? Ferret glared intently between Swift Fox and the other rider, having no way of knowing for sure.

Unable to do very much from her current vantage, Dusk Rat merely watches.

Are you two deciding not to recognize Shark's voice? You can hear her, you know. :)

My last post didn't state either way as to whether or not Dusk Rat recognised the voice, just that she couldn't really do much about it right now. Anyway, not only is Dusk Rat not really one for shouting, I recall that Shark said some really rude things to her just before they split (can't remember what, exactly...possibly that Rat cares more about non-humans than anyone else or can't be arsed to help anyone, or something?) so I don't reckon Rat would exactly be seeking much interaction with her anyway ;).

That's ok - I just wanted to be sure that you knew you could recognize her from the voice, if your character was paying attention. I only gives informations; the decisions are always up to you! ^_^

"'parently 'eading to Argazad," Shark called back. The vocalization hurt like mad and was followed by a fit of rasping coughs. "Dun't suppose ye could talk these beasties inta landin? Me 'eads . . . a world ain't wantin ta stay still up'ere." Sharks voice tapered off.

It had taken nearly all the energy Shark had left to cling to the Kraan, and yelling was taking its toll.

While the two Kai kept speaking, something big and black appeared on the horizon, standing stark against the sea with all of it's powerful, menacing presence: the Darklords' fortress of Argazad was finally within the group's sight. Even without any particular experience, any of them could tell that it would take about two more hours for their flying mounts to reach the place...
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:01, Fri 15 Mar 2013.

Since the exchange between Swift Fox and the other kraan rider continued without any apparent aggression, Ferret attention was easily taken by the black shape jutting up from the horizon. The quickest way into Argazad, surely, was to simply stay on the kraan as they flew into the fortress city. But it was clearly likely that this might not be the safest approach. However, if they were to force the spawn to land before reaching their destination, they would have to do so far enough from the city walls that they weren't seen. And if controlling the kraan to that extent was even possible was entirely down to Dusk Rat. Ferret wasn't sure what his fellow could achieve without risking their mounts turning on them - an event which could very quickly be deadly while they were flying high above the Darklands' desolation.

Swift turned back to look in front of her, noticing the silhouette of what was unmistakably Argazad on the horizon.
If she had been alone, she would have been tempted to take the risk of flying straight in, relying on her Invisibility training and a carefully-crafted bluff to pass herself off as an agent of the Darklands, perhaps the Helghast from the camp.
But with her energy so depleted and with the others with her, it wasn't an option.

"Can you make these things land before we get there?" she called over to Dusk Rat.

"Unlikely." Dusk Rat calls back. She points over to Shark's Kraan. "That one would rather die."

"That could easily be arranged" muttered Swift with a nasty glare at the Kraan.
She sighed and looked back at Argazad.

"Well we're not in any shape for a fight, especially not if it means taking on the entire garrison of a Darklands fortress.  Hopefully we can bluff our way past any guards long enough to create a diversion with those bombs.  For those of us who don't have advanced camouflage training, you should probably take off your cloaks and hide them in your packs.  Maybe we can pass as mercenaries working for whoever is behind this."

She didn't look particularly hopeful as she said it though and eyed the back of her Kraan with a rather dark look, as if pondering the best place to stick a dagger into it...

In the end, none of the Kai was willing to risk the danger of such a long fall, so they ended up staying on top of the kraans as the beasts crossed the air above Argazad's great walls and headed toward the tall, dark tower that stood at the center of the fortress, the very same one that had once seen Lone Wolf face off against the Darklord Kraagenskull during the mission that had ended the Gnaag Wars.

The Kai's mount were clearly heading toward a walled terrace that was slightly under the flat top of the tower; the creatures' flight was now more steady and secure, a clear proof that they had great familiarity with their surroundings. In fact, they all headed for the same area, a vastly empty set of alcoves in the walls, only supervised by a single giak and an armored figure wearing uncomplete drakkarim armour, and from whom came a sickly stench of death.

The giak looked befuddled for a moment when he saw the kraans coming back, then it's eyes widened in surprise, disbelief and fear as it noticed the nature of their riders; immediately, he barked something in the dark tongue to what could now clearly be seen to be an undead soldier, and then, while the zombie drew a spear with a mechanical movement and prepared itself to fight, the giak started to run toward a brass bell that was dangling in the center of the room, clearly preparing itself to raise the alarm.

Actions?

How close are we to landing, how far are we from the running giak, how fast is he running, and how close is he to the bell?

You've pratically already landed - you're within the room, and the kraans are close to the ground even if not stopped yet. The giaks is running as fast as it can - although a very good roll might suffice to reach him with an acrobatic landing and some supèerhuman run, that would take Huntmastery to accomplish. It would also require either dodging the zombie warrior, or somebody else keeping it from interfering. The giak is close enough to the bell that it would reach it in one round of fighting, but any ranged action that takes one round to accomplish - like a single bow shot, or using any of your powers - would likely stop him... assuming you succeed, that is.
Does that answers all the questions? :)

Hmm, I think so, for now ;). So didn't Swift Fox at one point describe herself as being armed with a bow? Then again, Frost can just lob a fireball or something I'm sure ;).

Seeing the giak running, Shark drew out her blade - it was a different sword than she had before, this one was not plain looking; instead it had a slender blade of master craftsmanship. And if the look of the sword wasn't enough, when she flicked the blade at the running giak, a large globe of water materialized and launched itself at the creature.

"Don't let'em reach at alarm!" she cried.

Rolled a 4. Yippie...

Anyone else have an attack?

OOC: Still can't roll anything above a 5 here :(  Not gonna last much longer at this rate...


Swift readied herself as they entered the fortress.
She had been looking for a place where they could safely jump to, but the ground below continued to look as hard and unyielding as always with nothing that would cushion their landing.
As they approached the landing platforms, she cursed quietly at the sight of the Giak.
Raising her bow, she reached back for an arrow and quickly fired a shot at the creature before slinging the bow over her back and preparing to jump from the Kraan immediately as it came in to land.
Her energy was still too depleted after the battle at the campsite and she didn't think she had hit the Giak, her failing senses barely even able to see the creature clearly.
Now she switched her attention to the zombie, trying to guess at its movements so she could keep the Kraan between it and herself, intending to jump off on the opposite side and circle around to Shark's position...


Rolled a 2 for the bow shot, so I probably shot my own Kraan or something, hehe.
Hope someone else can stop that thing.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:32, Wed 20 Mar 2013.

The water globe that had been shot from Shark's own sword was not enough to knock out the giak, only partially hitting it in the shoulder; however, the power it carried was enough to send the Giak careening out of control and to the side of the bell. This also had the effect of sending Swift Fox's arrow to completely miss its target, since it had been removed from the place she'd aimed for.

The creature was clearly not out for the count yet, as it was already getting up - but the Kai had at least managed to delay it raising the alarm for now.

Specifically, you've given yourself two more turns to do something into - that means Frost Ferret and Dusk Rat actually get three, since they've yet to act.

New actions? ^_^

Muahahaha...

Suddenly, before the giak could completely got back up on its feet, the beak of the kraan Frost Ferret was riding descended in a quick, rapacious motion, swallowing the Giak whole in a movement so fast, the beast had not even a chance of letting out a scream.

Meanwhile, the kraan Swift Fox had just jumped down from skiddered over the stone floor of the room, turning its landing movement into a pouncing one as it snatched the undead soldier - who seemed ready to succesfully intercept the Kai Lady - in its beak. The soldier fought the attack, continuing to fight on even as limibs broke off and fell from the beak of the kraan; eventually, though, as the flying beast continued its feast uninterrupted, the rotting arms and legs covered in dark armour stopped moving, and the room went silent, the Kai and their mounts the only things still moving in the area.

Swift reached for the Jade Spike as the zombie soldier blocked her intended movement.
She was ready to fight the creature, although the blade of her dagger had barely left its usual home in her belt before the Kraan snapped up her intended target.

She eyed the two feasting creatures for a moment then glanced towards Dusk Rat.
A hint of a smile flickered across her face and she gave an appreciative nod before tucking the dagger back into her belt and hurrying over to where Laughing Shark was, stopping a short distance from her and looking over her wounds carefully.

The spike that had been driven into Shark's shoulder drew little reaction beyond an analytical gaze, perhaps Swift had seen much worse wounds in her time.  Or even inflicted a few herself.
"I may be able to heal you, but I'll need to pull that out first" she said with a gesture towards the spike...


OOC: I'll leave it up to Shark whether or not she trusts her remaining health with Little Miss Stabby here :)  hehe.

Also nice one Dusk :)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:36, Wed 20 Mar 2013.

Ahhh, yay for the "I'll sti back and let the critters do the work for me" technique :D. That must be at least the third time I've used it in the game so far :D.

The Kraan now having landed properly Dusk Rat carefully lets Brook down before dismounting herself. She gives a slightly awkward nod of her own in acknowledgement of Swift Fox's and goes to investigate whatever it was that Shark's Kraan was carrying.

Well, I'm sure if you'd waited for him to post first, Frost Ferret would just have wipped out some magic, or maybe trashed the room with Nexus... each of you uses the weapons they have at their disposal, isn't it? For Frost Ferret, that's magic and the very air around you, for Swift Fox, her weapons and hiding in the shadow, and for you is four big, winged, carnivorous beasts...

Yeah, I think you're all pretty badass. I will need to step up my game to offer you a REAL challenge, it seems... :D

While Dusk Rat followed Swift Fox toward Laughing Shark's kraans, even if her interest lay into a completely different thing entirely than the Kai Lady, Brook followed her in silence, its big paw moving carefully to minimize the sound in the room even as the big, black hound looked around with great care.

However, everything seemed calm; the four kraan even settled down, with the one Dusk Rad had been on plucking the remainings of the undead soldier from the ground even as it coiled its body to sleep. They looked completely uninterested in any of the four humans - or the dog - in the room with them.

As Dusk Rat moved toward the corpse which the kraan carrying Laughing Shark had let go of, she could see it was a vaguely umanoid body covered in dark scales, with a long, crocodile-like tail. One of the creature's leg was clearly smashed, with bodes jutting out of it; the left arm was missing, having clearly been amputated, while the one remaining sported a clawed hand which was closed tightly into a fist.

The worse mutilation on the body was the missing head - the neck clearly having been severed by a sword strike swung with masterful accuracy - but that wasn't really the most distive thing about the body; rather, it was the fact that, all over the creature's arm, tail, chest and back where a moltituse of of sharp, pointed bone spikes, completely similar to the one that was still embedded into Laughing Shark's shoulder.

"Take it out?"  Shark scoffed in a ragged voice, "but's part ov me decore now, aint it?" She tried to laugh but the act caused a great deal of pain and soon became a few weezes. "suppose at'll 'ave ta happen-" She seemed distracted as Dusk Rat came over and showed and interest in the creature. Before the other Kai could reach the beast, Shark took a moment to detach something from its claws.

"Werked 'ard ta get at. But 'bout me wound-" She sighed, "I suppose"

When Shark opened the maimed creature's clawed hand, everybody was blinded for a moment as a powerful glimpse of shining daylight filled the room for a moment, before turning more subdued, and allowing the others to see what she had just recovered: two small orbs of what seemed some form of golden crystal, who now were resting on her palm exuding light and making the air hum with power. They all recognized the small items upon seeing them - not only were they a legend of the Kai Order that Lone Wolf had spent over seven years collecting, but they themselves had seen them, just five days ago, alongside their companions in the Vault of the Sun.

On Laughing Shark hand were two Lorestones.