[Campaign] Darkness Falls, Light Shatters

[Calabask]

Kalannar's eyes slowly widened a few moments after both Palax's healing spells, and Luexena's healing spells course through the pirates from slowly sealing the wounds he had suffered from the bandits he had chosen to take on on his own. Groggy, and not feeling exactly the best, the rogues eyes would land on Palax, and he'd give the man a strange look, not quite registering Luexena's appearance just yet as he spoke weakly. [i:1y03mh4w]"Ifin.. This be some sor' o' afterlife.. I be thinkin' they mixed somethin's up.. I'm not a lass..."[/i:1y03mh4w]

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

Sitting there almost stunned, she was feeling some of the results of having taking a few magical spells full on. She didnt move right away, just watched as the wizard was now a goat. Realization that the wand had work on the target and not the wielder, she began laughing.

the goat began turning in circles rather confused at his current prediciment. it didnt last long as Inriia cast a web at it, effectively trapping the goat. she'd find someone to interrigate it later.
hopping up to her feet, she picked up her blade and looked around to the rest of the battle. Her breath was a bit heavier than normal, and she felt more light-headed than normal.

[veraka]

The blow that Veraka parried went wide, throwing the man off balance that had swung at him. The enraged aasimar whirled, bringing Marala Vharc in for a slashing horizontal attack. The man had been smart to wear armor, as the edge of Veraka's blade failed to penetrate the armor, however, it did leave a very deep gouge in the chest piece of the brigands armor. However, Veraka was unphased as he followed through in his strike; using his body's spinning momentum, he leaned outward, and launched a reverse, straight kick into the bandit.
The man went careening backwards as the kick was being delivered by a barbarian-turned-paladin, crashing into a tree stump and being momentarily dazed.

Another goon, this one in scale-mail, came full-on at Veraka, twin short swords brandished, poised to strike. In a blur of motion, the highwaymen launched his assault on the paladin, his swords dancing and leaping through the air at the aasimar.

The frenzied aasimar gave a low guttural growl in response to the man's attack, and met blades with sword and shield, metal on metal ringing out into the air, a testament to the power behind each of their blows against one another.

The duel-sword wielding bandit slashed in low, one of his shortswords arching in for a calf-cut. However, Veraka, enclosed in his full armor of platinum dragon scale, merely let the steel blade hit his lower leg. The shortsword stopped with a 'KINK' as it failed to penetrate the platinum dragon scales that encircled Veraka's calf. Veraka grunted as the force from the impact bruised the flesh beneath his skin.
The bandit looked up just in time to see the enraged aasimar raise Marala Vharc up over his head and plunge the adamantine blade into his neck. Veraka howled in glee as he twisted his sword to the side inside the bandit's neck, opening up a heavy wound in his jugular. A red geyser fountained from the sword, splattering the aasimar's platinum armor with a deep hue of crimson.

Veraka pulled his sword out of the now-dieing bandit's neck and whirled about to find his next victim. Among the carnage he found himself staring at plenty of targets, all of them ripe of destruction that he could unleash upon them. The only problem was that Veraka wasn't himself. For every slash that he took under the Berserker's influence, he howled out in his mind against it. Everything that the Berserker was went against his morals and his code. Yet, here it was, in complete control of his body, granting him use of its dark rage and powers in exchange for getting but a taste of the carnage that was wrought around him.

The aasimar found his next target, however, a huge amount of heat, followed by a blast that drove him to his knee, emanated out from behind him. The Berserker turned its head around, glaring in the direction that the fireball was thrown from. However, a shout of excitement and glee removed its attention from Inriia and back onto the bandits. The shout had come from a half-orc of some size, wielding a sword and shield much like Veraka.

The aasimar let out a shrill cry and charged the bandit, Marala Vharc leading. However, the enraged aasimar couldn't foresee the slight calculation that was going on in his eyes. As Veraka brought his sword over his head in a heavy chop, the bandit stepped to the side, using the aasimar's blind rage to his advantage, and slashing at him across his torso. Again Veraka's armor saved him, only by preventing his insides from being split all over the place. Despite that small victorious fact, the aasimar let out another heavy grunt of pain, and stopped in his tracks, his lungs having the wind knocked out of them.
The half-orc roared in victory as he charged Veraka, shield leading. The aasimar attempted to step back, but his breath wouldn't come to him. He took the blow barely on his shield, by getting it up in the nick of time, the metal on metal clang ringing out into the air.
The bandit raised his weapon again for another strike, but howled out in pain instead, as Luexena's [i:2ifz8b8m]Holy Word[/i:2ifz8b8m] took its effect on him. The man screamed about, asking where others were, and scratching at his eyes.
At that same instance, Veraka let out a howl of pain as the energy from the priestesses spell lanced through his body. The damage was there, surpassing the heat and burns done from Inriia's fireball.

Slowly, the paladin got to his feet, his strength and stamina a little [b:2ifz8b8m]too[/b:2ifz8b8m] unnatural for the tastes of most of his party. The berserker shook off the effects of both spells, despite what damage they had done to him. His body surged with dark power as the berserker fed Veraka its own rage. He let out a roar of vengeance around himself, launching himself at the first bandit he saw.

The paladin came upon the blinded bandit with such speed that he looked like a blur. Raising his shield, Veraka bashed the goon in the face, his shield crunching the bone in its way as it plowed through the bandit's face. The man was instantly dazed, and not anymore from Luexena's [i:2ifz8b8m]Holy Word[/i:2ifz8b8m].

Veraka would have continued on his way had he been himself, but the dark Berserker within him thirsted for blood and screamed that it's demand be satiated. His eyes crimson as any drows', the enraged aasimar stalked forward towards his stunned target, his bastard sword extended, his shield at his side.

He brought his shield up and around to bash the man in the face again, sending the highwaymen reeling, his nose spouting blood from the blow.

[color=red:2ifz8b8m]"Please, sir; I've a family back in Cormyr; they're living on the poorest of conditions right now. My children suffer on a day to day basis. Please, let me go back to them?" pleased the bandit.[/color:2ifz8b8m]

Veraka halted for a moment, his consciousness howling in his mind, screaming for his body to stop. However, the Berserker roared in his mind and body, shaking his soul with an energy that made the paladin shudder. He continued his slow advance upon the near weeping, injured man.

[color=red:2ifz8b8m]"Sir, do you have no heart, no soul?!" the bandit exclaimed.
"Would you want a child to come home to no father one day. How will my children grow up when they will miss me for the rest of their lives. Please, paladin, let me live; I merely wish to return to my family in peace and alive." The man raised a hand over his head as if to block Veraka's blade.[/color:2ifz8b8m]

Veraka growled low in tone and with a quick horizontal slash, opened up the bandit's neck. Blood sprayed out like a high-pressure water hose.
"Now your family can mourn you," He said in the most callous voice possible. The aaismar then tilted his helmet back and let out a hollering roar that pierced the air like a wolf's moon-fueled howl.

[color=blue:2ifz8b8m]With that finishing blow, Veraka ended the life of the last fight worthy bandit. Now the question is whether or not the aasimar has a rein on his dark beast that dwelled within, and whether or not he can maintain his calm in the heat of battle with it constantly waiting, ever patiently.

Around the bandit's encampment are still the few living children and women from the highwaymen's ambushes. All of them still locked in cages, some in shackles, others completely bound in either rope or chain. Most of them look like they've contracted a sickness or two, especially given their lack of food or drink.[/color:2ifz8b8m]

[NathreeDe'Shezbron]

Elwyn watched with a detached amusement as Veraka went on his rampage. However, when the last bandit fell in a spray of blood, Elwyn shook his head, and in a flash of lightning appeared just in front of the raging paladin.

[color=red:2cbqvit6]"You should probably calm yourself. Brutality and carnage are my callings, not yours. Remember your place, paladin, or that armor you wear will not remind you for much longer. Besides, you are scaring the children, and who will comfort them if not you?"[/color:2cbqvit6]
Elwyn waved his recently repaired right arm behind him, directing the aasimar's attention at the multitude of cages around the battlefield.

Without waiting for a reply, nor really expecting one, Elwyn turned around, using the motion to hide the small electrical sparks playing around his fingers, the start of a magnetic field that would most certainly slow and deflect, if not outright stop, any attack the metal clad paladin might direct at his "unprotected" back.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

She looked around at the carnage. any not laying on the ground dying or dead had fled. Sheathing Shadowblade, she walked over to the struggling goat. a rope was easily enough found, looped around for a leash and began dragging him. He fought but eventually caved and followed.
gradually becoming aware that her wrist stung and was wet she looked down to notice she was covered in a bit of blood- some of it was hers. Inriia shook her head again, still lightheaded and feeling weaker.
heading to where the others would soon be releasing the captive, she walked, her step stumbling some. then she tripped falling to the wet ground. but she didnt get up then.

(not dead)

Zarstra had been running around jumping down on a few bandits, burning claws (hands) spell active then leaping off and running to another until all was done. then deciding to head to the center where folks were she began making her way, crawling around all the gore and death along her path.
it was then the emerald lizard saw her person collapse...and not get back up. Zartsra began scrambling to hurry over...tho the distance and her legs was not quick enough for the lizards liking.

[Aylstra Illianniis]

The golden knight in mithril plate glanced down, giving the half-drow an odd look. "a lass? What in blazes are you talking about?! Pull yourself together." He shook his head in annoyance, wondering whether Kalannar had taken a blow to the head as well. Then he moved off toward the fallen drowess, and planted his sword in the ground while he knelt beside her and began a fervent prayer to his god to help him heal her.


Meanwhile, seeing the last of the bandits flee, Lothir finally took a moment to rest, and to check on the captives. "Why would they capture all these folk?" He wondered. "Were they slavers? OR were they after them for some other reason?" He scowled, and set about cutting the bonds of the nearest group of women and children, though he was well aware that they might see him as just as great a threat, due to his "dark" heritage. He grimaced, but paid no mind o the few squeals of fear and flinches from the soon-to-be freed captives.

[Zekafae]

Zek had his fill of enjoyment, the blood within him had shown itself to the point he had left an area razed to the ground and bodies split open from the flames. Others were torn asunder from the blades and his just his overall assault. As he returned to where everyone was he was calming, his hands, arms and basically much of the torso was covered in blood. Blades cleaned and sheathed he saw inrii there but noticed Zarstra running, dashing in he scooped the lizard up so they'd both get there quicker. Moving to her side he set inrii's companion down next to her as he waited for the prayer to finish before he'd do anything like move her somewhere more comfortable so he could watch over her recovery. Mentally he was saying his own prayers who what deity, who knew he kept many secrets and his faith was one of them though he clearly did not care for the spider queen.

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

((i dont think anyone has gotten to her yet. so no healing taking place))

the lizard unexpectedly was picked up, but realized who'd grabbed her and relaxed, sorta. Zarstra crawled up to Inriia sending words to her for her to wake up.
the sorceress was out cold, the cut in her wrist a bit worse than originally thought, and bloodloss having caught up with her. she was very ashen-pale and her skin felt cool to the touch. her pulse was weak and breathing irregular. her clothing smelt slightly singed from a number of spell that she took nearly full blast.
"[color=red:j76yri30]she's not responding[/color:j76yri30]," the lizard sent to the assassin.

((hypovolemic shock i think is the term. ))

[Zekafae]

Nodding to the lizard he sighed as he went to bandaging her wound packing some herbs into it lightly. Nodding slowly at the message he moved down and gently moved her into his arms keeping her cradled there, trying to think into any repetoir of magic he knew to possibly heal her. He was using his survival skills to work herbs on healing her the rest he'd do by keeping her close by, guarding her fervently.

[veraka]

Veraka, aware that someone was in-front of him, slowly turned to regard Elwyn; not minding the man's words, the paladin slowly reeled in the raging, dark beast that was inside of himself to a halt. With a concentrated effort, Veraka shoved the Berserker back down into the depths of his soul. Finally, the huge paladin was in control, of both his mind and body together. Looking around, Veraka sees that he not only holds the attention of quite a few people, but that those people are in cages, [b:2vwpg97f]cages[/b:2vwpg97f]!

Lothir had already started to open up some of the prisons, freeing the captives within, despite their preconceived, and too accurate, fear of his race. The aasimar sheathed his sword and then moved over to start wrenching the prisoners' cages open. He started with the ones nearest to where he had felled his last bandit kill, at first he pried them open, but soon discovered a key for the set of cages near the corpses that he had slashed through. Soon enough, the captives were freed, and Veraka went about looking on the battlefield for any clue as to who these brigands were. Though he had a hunch that they were just as likely here to kill him, Veraka had no hard evidence to support this idea. Shoving it to the back of his mind, the paladin went around, healing some prisoners wounds, and then went to check up on Inriia when something odd caught his attention; underneath one of the highwayman's tunics, covered in blood, was a small note with an odd marking on it. Veraka tried to open the envelope, but something prohibited him from doing so. He sensed a latent magic on the envelope.
"Odd," Veraka said to himself, then turning around looking for a certain assassin amongst the now dead field of bodies.
"Drakin!!" he shouted out into the distance. When the half-drow assassin got to him, Veraka would hand him the letter, ask if he knew anything about note or the emblem on it, and then, after that was said and done, Veraka would begin to walk over to where the pyro-nut had fainted onto the ground.

Looking to Zarstra, Veraka asked mentally [i:2vwpg97f]What's wrong with her?[/i:2vwpg97f]

[Zanathie Avuna]

Zana examined the bodies that lay before her and the group and almost laughed. "I can't believe these men actually tried to ambush us," she said quietly, shaking her head in disgust. "Idiots." She walked amongst the carnage, and found it oddly pleasing to her eyes. Sometimes a good body count made her smile, especially when the bodies had deserved the fate that came to them. She looked down at one of the dead highwaymen and grinned deviously as she saw her arrow protruding from his head. She rolled him over with her boot and looked at the stunned expression on his bloody face. [i:2k0nh4t1]Seems, we ambushed this guy's ambush,[/i:2k0nh4t1] she thought, laughing to herself. [i:2k0nh4t1]He didn't even see it coming.[/i:2k0nh4t1]

The half drow watched as the others began to free some of the prisoners and decided to aid when she noticed Veraka looking at something he'd picked off a highwayman. Curious, she walked over and peeked around his shoulder. "Fancy that, they even left a little note," she said, noting it had been sealed with magic.

[i:2k0nh4t1]I say we just tear it open,[/i:2k0nh4t1] Vlad said, stepping over a dying man as he came over, killing the man with his crushing weight. [i:2k0nh4t1]I can do it for you, if you'd like,[/i:2k0nh4t1] he offered casually.

"And risk tearing what's inside?" Zana asked flatly. "Vlad, paper and teeth don't mix so well. It wouldn't work out."

The giant tiger shrugged. [i:2k0nh4t1]So.[/i:2k0nh4t1]

Zana gave the tiger a flat look and shook her head. "Go do something useful. Now, I want to see what this has to say."

[Zekafae]

Zek was a patient drow, that patience was something that paid off, and it was one thing that disturbed if not brought great trouble to his enemies and in time would put his companions in an uncomfortable position. As a drow he took small pleasure in making others keep on their toes and off of his back. Pulling out a small phial of his he pulled the cork out with his teeth and snorted sharply at the pungant order. It was worth a shot, it was something he had worked on, it was like smelling salts but stronger hitting to the senses. Waving it under her nose briefly he muttered darkly" Wake you stubborn female... You're making me look bad..." It was a waiting game now, his gaze moved briefly towards Veraka seeing something being passed. Hmm... interesting

[Inriiaynrae Jaelre]

((confused on who healed and not healed. so im assuming not magically healed unless corrected.))

Zarstra looked to the big guy, panic in her voice"[color=#FF0000:wjn5npai]she got sliced up prudy bad in her arm, then fell down after the fighting.[/color:wjn5npai]"

arm bandaged and herbs working as quick as non-magical could, the gash in the wrist stopped its flow. Of course she remained pale and her breath shallow. After even more time, he moved her head slightly. Her eyes didnt not open but a sign of life was in there. Her mouth opened to speak, but all that came out was a mumble. She couldnt even tell that she was held.
Finally she opened her eyes to blinding light of daylight, a soft groan of discomfort barely escaping. beyond exhaustion she tried to move. Zarstra scurried over a rush of words into the sorceress mind, only making her try to turn and shift.

[Zekafae]

Helping her slowly to sit up seeing that she finally was coming too. It was one of the few times he kicked himself for not touching upon being a cleric but that involved him devouting himself to a deity, and the choices for drow were slim and for him it was probably even slimmer. "Welcome back to the waking world Inrii. You got a little careless I think back there. Don't move too much right now, just relax and let clarity and movement come naturally.

[Drakashin]

Drakin moved over to the paladin and took the letter. He moved away from the others as he regarded the it.

The inside was written in code but Drakin could guess that it had to do with the people held in cages, though the exact reason they were being held wasn't clear. What caught his attention was the simple seal on the front of the letter. A tower broken in two. He had seen this symbol before. On the day his brother decided to 'retire' from the Host Tower Drakashin had received a message with the exact same seal. He blew up a alchemical lab and escaped in the confusion before Drakin could ask what it was about. When Drakin next saw his brother he was half insane, randomly shifting from past to present. The only thing he could get out of Drakashin when he was semi-lucid was 'she's gone' and that was it.

Eventually his brother did recover, though he wasn't exactly sane sometimes. When asked what he meant by 'she's gone' all he would do was go into a thoughtful, and often angry, silence. Drakashin moved to a new tower away from Luskan where he still lived now with a gargoyle that could be considered even crazier than he is.

"I'm going to need another vacation after this," Drakin sighed to himself as he considered the implications of these people having the letter. He groaned even louder when he thought they might have to visit his brother after all, he was getting used to the quiet of not have Grisnaw around for once.