Filmed in the Miracle of Skeletorama!
Pulling my numb left arm out from under some debris, I finally had the chance to raise my body off of the cavern floor. My right arm was not as fortunate, for the deep gashes and dagger sunk to the hilt left it wracked in pain. The smoke biting at my eyes made me wonder if the fireball worked... or was I in the Nine Hells were I probably belonged?
With great effort I reached the sitting position and surveyed my surroundings. As I watched the still twitching leg of the nearest hobgoblin I came to two conclusions. One, I was still in the cavern; two, I don’t think I can hear anything. I tried my best to wipe the smoke infused sweat from my eyes. That’s ok, more pain helps me focus. I looked around for any of my comrades Rugar, Bathen, Trunks or Vlor. Truth be known I had not had the time to notice if they were even still fighting in this part of the lair. Having found myself swarmed by the enemy, taking shots from every direction I had little choice but drop a fireball on myself and hope to survive it.
After pulling a few crude arrows from my left thigh and hip, I found I still was able to stand. Up and moving it felt good, getting the blood moving is always a good feeling. Surveying the carnage around me I was pleased to not see any of my friends. This meant they could still be alive. Making sure my foes were permanently down, I walked among the bodies rubbing my ears hoping it would help my hearing, and used a longsword I had found on the floor to make sure at least these minions of Kurent would no longer bother anyone.
The new ringing in my ears told me I may soon have use of my ears again; this was good for I had surveyed my gear and decided that being out of arrows and having busted my quarterstaff of the head of the first hobgoblin I fought, I was truly in trouble. At least I had a few spells left at my disposal, but they were minor compared to the ones I had already spent. I came to the hall, the only way into this room, and the ringing in my ears turned from an inner pain to a new ringing, a ringing of swords. I worked my way down the hall towards the sound of battle using the walls to help keep me up, confident the enemy had not started fighting themselves.
Reaching a larger room I found a half-orc barbarian at the highest pitch of his rage. His orange eyes burned with a fire of anger and hatred that is rarely seen in this realm. The half-orc was bleeding badly and seem to be still standing more from an inner refusal to fall than actually having the strength. He fought with a greataxe that was nearly equal in size to its wielder. I caught a moment of eye contact with him, a moment where those burning orange eyes nearly made me turn and run from the room. Trunks acknowledged my presence with that quick glance, but swiftly turned back to the fight at hand for Trunks was surrounded by three of his most hated enemies - hobgoblins. The three foes were skilled and adept at fighting as a team, for they truly were getting the best of my friend.
Moving slowly into the room I took notice of the other two in the room: orcs. One seemed to be a cleric and the other a fighter. The two seemed happy to let their friends do the fighting, content to watch from a distance. This served me well as they were too entertained to pay attention to the hobbled sorcerer creeping up behind them. It seemed to take for ever but I did eventually reach my foes. If Trunks could see me, even in a rage he would have broken into a hearty laugh for I nearly mis-cast my spell due to the sneer I had on my face. For I hate few things more than orcs but orc clerics to the Great One Eye are very high on that list. Slowly I put my hands behind their heads and let loose magic missiles. As the sinew and bone flew from their skulls, mostly through their eyes, the two dropped to the floor. Stupid orcs.
To my good fortune the only one that heard the orc bodies hit the floor was Trunks who launched a furious attack to keep the hobgoblins too busy fighting to notice the death they would soon feel. Even though my body was still wracked in pain, I had plenty of life left in me, a fact the nearest hobgoblin soon found out. Using the sword I had found in the other room I put all of my strength into the lunge and sent the unaware fool to into the darkness of death.
This move proved that I am not skilled in hand to hand, the attack left me off balance and exposed, a fact one of the hobgoblins noticed as he brought his scimitar across my upper back, driving me to the floor and back into the dark dizziness and pain that I had so recently escaped. With the scimitar stuck in my shoulder blades, the attack on me left the hobgoblin open himself, and that left the opening for Trunks to finish him. This left Trunks one on one, and very few can stand one to one with Trunks. Then things began to turn black. A few minutes later Trunks was using a potion of healing to bring me around again. As its power brought my senses back to me, I noticed that Bathen our dwarven cleric had arrived and helped me more with his spells and a few prayers to Moridan. Not that I follow the God of the Forge, but I am no fool as to the power the great god.
Bathen informed us that my childhood friend Rugar had gone after our ranger Vlor. Vlor was going after Kurent the Red, the leader of a devious group of thugs that had been raiding caravans up and down the Sword Coast for some time. Normally this could be considered suicide for Kurent was well known for his skill in battle. Skills that had killed hundreds in the last few years alone. I almost felt sorry for him, Kurent has no chance against my half-drow friend Vlor. Vlor and his scimitars, is, in my opinion, the most dangerous man alive. And since Kurent had fled the cave, and my friends and I had eliminated his entire army of thugs, Kurent was alone.
We headed out for them; the trail was so obvious that even I could have followed it. The three of us arrived at the final battle in time to see Vlor toying with Kurent. Rugar had taken a seat on a fallen tree and was cheering on Kurent and snacking on an apple. Well, it was all in mockery, but after all that is what makes Rugar... Rugar, and our party leader. As we joined him on the tree Bathen called out for Vlor to gut him, and Trunks just begged to have his turn at the fight. Vlor just smiled at the gallery and actually took the time to bow to us at one point. Vlor is not an evil person, vain yes but not evil. After a few more moments of battle, he had tired Kurent enough to disarm him without harming him. Vlor pinned him to the ground and let Kurent know that his days of terror were over.
It was Vlor who had planned from the beginning to bring the brigand in alive and unharmed as possible. He wanted this cretin to face the families and friends of all those he had robbed and killed. Personally I don’t think it will mean anything to the fool; I have yet to see anyone truly feel sorry for their wrongs, no matter what they say while at carnival in Luskin.
That is the way I want to remember my friends, at their and our best. Those were good times when we were minor heroes to the coast. Before our fall from grace. Before we were framed for a murder we did not commit. Before we barely escaped with our lives from carnival. Before we split up and went different directions to increase our chance of finding a halfling named Cutro. Before I heard word that one of my friends my have been killed in Waterdeep. And before I found myself wandering into the town of Silverymoon, tired and hungry. I have exhausted all leads. Maybe I can find a group of adventurers who can use my help for a while. I need to build up my money, and traveling alone has gotten me talking to myself.
Character sheet: Tyan Broathfirst [Human Sorcerer]
Glitch [Rat Familiar]