Cull: Fire in the Library

Proximity causes pain. At least that is what Stones finds as his mind is rattled from standing so close to the Mind Strike (5 hit points.) Stones’ armor flares outward at the attack, providing a scalding blow in return to the Mind Strike (10 hit points). Stones’ is confused momentarily by the sudden attack.

The creature takes advantage of the warrior’s temporary confusion to bring a nasty two handed swing toward Stone’s head. If the blow had landed (18 to hit) then the warrior would most likely be gravely injured. Instead he parries the blow, the psychic energy from the scimitar crackling from being so near.

Elby is eager to finish this battle. He is eager to finish this quest and escape these dungeons. These flashes of his past make him yearn for his love.

"Thought I forgot about you? Huh, you bastard?" Elby draws another two arrows, pivots (to I12), and takes a moment to target the eastern Thoughtbow. The twin strikes fly through the air with barely a whisper before slamming into his new prey. (32 to hit, and 19 to hit, and 18 total damage.) "You'll fall before me like the other. Or you can lay down your bow in surrender." 

“You can lay down your bow in surrender.” Elby had not heard his companion approach, though not entire surprising since the human's ranger skills were equal to his own. It made the queasiness of what he was about to witness pass for the briefest of moment. Elby felt sick to his stomach as he looked toward the very nervous horse. The smart horse that seemed to know what was happening. Villages were bad enough, towns were difficult, but these cities were proving to be unbearable! Gelding a horse just because it has horny. Elby kept his thoughts to himself though, as he always did. "That is what will happen to you if you hurt my sister." A different nervousness entered Elby’s body as he forced a laugh out from somewhere deep in his toes. "Oh don't bother denying it. You two look like you're cats in heat. Besides she told me." The human grinned at Elby's shocked expression. "At least you aren't a halfling all over." Elby blushed a deep crimson. He had expected a conversation...someday...with all the suitable dowry and gifts he would be able to afford. This though...this was just embarrassing. The human continued to grin. "Now let us buy this horse before they cut the poor fucker’s balls off."

“Fight me!” Radegast provided a half-dare, half-command to draw the Mind Strike’s attention toward him as he rounded the corner. He slowed down slightly, giving Stones enough time to move.

“Cut the poor fucker’s balls off.” Stones looked at his opponent, suppressed his desire to laugh in the man’s face, and instead kept his face an expressionless mass.If that was toward me this man would be dead. The Commander Lord was loud and his statement laughable thanks to its overflowered presentation. Stones had long ago learned that loud men are not to be feared so much as a silent man. Stones silently moved one of his stones across the Litch board. Five hundred men surrounding a castle, Stones knew. I am a guest of a fool.

The Commander Lord eyed Stones's move appreciatively. Stone’s was far ahead in the game, certain to win. It was then that the flap of the tent opened, an out of breath Knight taking a quick knee. “Hudson has turned traitor and fled with the Lord.” The man gasped the information out between half-breaths in the way that unimportant men had a way of making information overly dramatic for the sake of appearance. Stones took in the information with a keen ear. He knew the Lord in question was the Lord of the currently surrounded castle. He had no inkling of who was Hudson. The Commander Lord - so many people calling themselves Lord, Stones thought - rose in indignation from the table. “He was to be presented to me!” The Lord Commander bellowed the information as though making it louder would make it more reasonable and somehow would suddenly come to be. Once again Stones choked down a laugh.

Instead Stones stood, crossed the tent with two easy steps, and passed the confused Knight. Suresh had instructed Stones to collect information on this man. Arrogant. Consumed with his own glory. Traitors amongst his people. Stones hated these damn lessons. Intrigue where a gelding of the fool Lord Commander would put everyone into line! Ten feet away Stones spoke a few words of magic, his amulet glowed, and less than a heartbeat later he was next to Suresh. Really, Stones thought, this will be his last stand.

This may be my last stand. The thought pops into his head uninvited. Stones is hurting pretty bad. Taking the time to try and heal my wounds would only be undone be another attack, he pushes forward (to J18) to provide Radegast space to attack.

Having unleashed his mightiest blows, Stones summons the flames from his sword –Radegast’s eyes go wide at this - to lend his attack more strength while also marking this foe. Stones provides a scythe-like attack with wicked jabs and small cutting blows the barely (23 to hit) make it past the Mind Strike’s scimitar defense (24 damage).

Several events then happen at once. The Mind Strike’s robe catches fire and part of its robe is torn away while ablaze. It heads toward the books seemingly in slow motion…

…FOOM!

The burning cloth lands on a book causing the book to pitch forward off the shelf as though pushed by an invisible hand. It bursts into flames midway through its tumble toward the floor. As the book burns, it seemingly coming to life, emitting a high-pitch wail that pierces Stones and Radegast’s skulls (4 hit points damage each).

A creature. Who knows if it was a human. An elf. A half-elf. Filled all our lives. It held a Wand of Wonder – the name of the wand coming from the creature itself – I’ve got this! The words were the creatures. The Wand of Wonder unleashed its full fury -- a stream of flowers flying toward an unseen enemy. While at the same time fills the room with lightning bugs. No Lolo No! The fear from other voices in the room was palatable. The humanoid creature, most likely Lolo smiled. In his mind he had once again saved the day.

The memory of the creature faded from existence as the book is fully consumed by the flames. It took maybe two seconds total from start to finish.

The other event is that Radegast reaches a spot next to Stones. Instantly spotting the danger of an on-fire foe next to flammable materials he swings his weapon toward the Mind Strike (32 to hit) drilling it in the chest (15 hit points). The Mind Strike finds itself fleeing Radegast – and with nowhere to go it backs straight into the Living Fortress of rocks and scree that Radegast had previously created (32 to hit). The Mind Strike is pummeled by the debris (35 damage) before collapsing to the ground.

Though the Mind Strike is still on fire, dangerously close to the books, and now being hit with rocks and scree. Its face is still placid.

Its face is still placid. The turtle poked its head from it shell long enough to give Radegast a disinterested, placid look. Radegast did not take it personally, no more so than he would take it if a fly landed on his arm. As the sun dropped lower and day gave way to night he could barely see the turtle in the pond. I am too much of a coward to do this in full light, he thought to himself. The turtle continued to give a disinterested look opening its mouth to register its silent complaint. “I apologize, my shelled friend.” The sound of his own voice confused Radegast. Hoarse, almost unrecognizable even to himself, the simple apology was an unit ended offering into world. The turtle continues to stare, its mouth no longer agape though equally impassive. Two months? Three? Is that how long since he had woken up more dead than alive. He looked down at the scars covering his hands. His wife had always laughed that the only work his hands had ever known was unlacing her bodice. He forced the image from his mind, guilt not allowing even the hint of a pleasant memory. The scars tell the tale, he once heard that in a bar. The scars on his hands were the ending of the tale of a happily married man. A man who made tasteful brews that even lords and ladies loved. The tale of a man who lost everything. He stared at his remaining cask - the only cask he had brought back from the Lord's wedding. “Celebrate with your loved ones,” the Lord had said. So Radegast had taken it home to hell. He picked it up. Effortlessly, lightly, it was not even a full cask. He felt the stretching of the scar tissue on his hands, the tightness in his neck and back from where his shirt had been burned away. The darkness hid the opportunity of reflection - he was certain his face was badly burned, he could feel the flesh fall away sometimes, he could even smell it. He did not need to see what he had become because he already knew what had become. The cask was his last bit of happiness...of his old life. The turtle continued to stare upward at Radegast before it pulled its head into its shell, becoming completely one with its environment.  Radegast blinked away tears - he had no idea he had started to cry. He lowered the cask. “This is not the story of the end.” The words were aloud, less hoarse, far clearer. “This is a story of death.”

This is a story of death. Where the words came from who knows. It was Stones last thought as unconsciousness overtook him. The psychic arrow from the Thoughbow – he never saw the blow coming (33 to hit). The psychic attack, finally it was too much for his mind (25 damage) and he feel face first next to the bookshelves.

The Thoughtbow gave one final pause, looking in the direction of where it had hit the warrior. It then disappeared into the wall.

From deep within Stones' chest there was a plaintive cry. "Please don't leave me in here!" The sound of Noienna.

DM Note:

·         Okay Rob is at zero hit points. I presume either Elby or Radegast will be able to get him to positive hit points, so Rob make your move as though you are at positive hit points.