Group 22

Kefka · Post by **Kefka** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 4:20 pm

Just as I thought, Tvar is made up of stinking bloodsucking rodents.

The others were more then eager to attack the vampiress, and if she was still as powerful as when Fiat last fought her, they would need every strong arm they had.
Fiat held onto the torch, but switched hissword for his shield, there wereenough pointy weapons going for Tvars face, maybe he could blind or burn the witch.

Fiat charges in, torch and shield, and tried to blind or burn Tvar with the torch.

Post by **Kinslayer** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:48 pm

OOC - You can blame Drainial for this one Khel...

IC -

In the seconds it took Tvar to materialise from within the swarm of bats, some members of the group had caught on to what was about to happen and responded accordingly. Saldrimek sheathed his scimitars and drew his axe instead, just as Karonath moved up beside Vryala to protect her. The warrior thrust her hand into her pocket and pulled forth the Serpents Eye, feeling Fiat move in from behind, brazier in one hand and shield now in the other. Elysian too prepared himself for whatever was to come next, both mentally and by drawing his handbow. Only Phalx seemed to react slower than the Vampiress took to form, perhaps because he was half drunk and bleeding from dozens more wounds than the others. The Shade got to his feet at the back of the group with a curse of annoyance.

Vryala thought back to all they had been told about the properties of the Vampiress' staff and the gem they now posessed to use against it. The crazed Chaos Sorcerer who had created the staff, Kaumada, did so as to have a way to disable his foes so that he could enslave and torture them, experimenting upon their souls. As such, the very touch of the cobra staff was enough to paralyze the undefended. Fortunately, somewhere in times gone by while the staff still resided in the Chaos Wastes, the artefact had been stolen when one of his prisoners escaped. Kaumada was driven mad with the beleif that the slave would return to use it against him, and thus created a gemstone to protect himself, and destroy the staff if need be. When bearing the gem, he was immune to the paralyzing touch of the staff. If he pushed the Eye back into the eye socket of the cobra atop the Staff, the weapon would be undone and would turn its power back on its bearer. Clearly, whatever had happened, the two items had not yet met.

Determined to change that, Vryala lunged at the Vampiress with her sword with the Eye gripped firmly in her left hand. Karonath was beside her, Draich raised up and ready to fall upon the undead creature. Saldrimek came at her from the right, bringing his axe down in an impressive overhead chop. Fiat and Elysian closed in from behind, Fiat behind Karonath and Elysian behind Saldrimek, with Phalx a few paces behind Vryala. Perhaps it was the fact the bats had sapped away at their energy, or perhaps it was just the Vampiress' unnatural speed, but the group realised as they went into motion that they were never going to suceed. So intent were they on finishing her hated foe once and for all, they had forgotten one major factor in the equation. This was no mere mortal they were up against, and even if the gem did provide Vryala immunity to the paralysis, the staff was still weilded by an immortal.

Quicker than their blades could fall, Eaun let out a dark cackle and set about eviscerating the group. Vryala lunged forwards, and Tvar curved herself around the blade and smashed the staff up into Vryalas magical breastplate. The Warrior didn't faint, but still she was sent hurtling backwards as though she had been rammed by an ogre. The Warrior flew six feet through the air into Phalx, and the two crashed to the floor together in a tangled heap. Before V had even left the ground however, Tvar had brought the staff back up to intercept Karonaths' downward cut, simultaneously kicking out at Saldrimek. The Khainites' axe was still only halfway through its path to the Vampiress' skull when her kick sent him hurtling into the wall. The Vampiress' offhand came down in a vicious stroke that raked her claws straight across Karonaths' face, and the Khainite let out a howl of pain as five long red gouges were rent from her skin.

In the gap that presented itself, Fiat jumped forwards with his flaming brazier and Elysian pulled the trigger of his handbow. The Vampiress saw the flaming brand coming her way and smashed her staff back down, the black weapon crashing down on Fiats' head with enough force to smash an unguarded skull to pulp. Fortunately for him, Fiat was wearing the magical helmet he could not remove, and the blow only drove him to his knees. A bolt from Elysians' handbow punched through the Vampires robes and stuck fast, but the Mage couldn't see if the bolt had hit undead flesh or some sort of armour hidden underneath. Before another bolt could leave his weapon however, the Vampire turned to face him, her unholy cackle still echoing around the room. She rasied her offhand, and a nimbus of dark power played across her palm, forming a small sphere or light-eating magic. His mind reeling, Elysian couldn't move in time as the dark bolt was launched his way, and the next thing he knew he was laying in the shattered remains of the bookcase on the far wall, pain coursing through his veins and the ends of his hair and robes smouldering.

Only moments had passed, but already five of the six mercenaries lay sprawled across the locked chamber, Karonath remaining on her feet but with a set of nasty new scars for her efforts.

Dauricha · Post by **Dauricha** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 9:48 pm

Piss and bloody darkness. Phalx spat, just before a heavily armored Vryala, crashed into him. She was a big girl to begin with, and the heavy magical plate only added to her weight. The air was knocked from his lungs.

Tvar was here, and as deadly as ever. What a place to die, he thought, trapped in a vault with a vampire, bloody marvelous! Get off me, he muttered. If he was going to die, it would be with Deathspitter in hand, and Minotaur horn, buried in her undead chest.

You bloody biatch, he barked at the vampire, as he stood to head into the fight.

Phalx will get to his feet and into the fight. He aims to defend his allies from attacks where he can, and fire off Deathspitter when he can.

Raneth · Post by **Raneth** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:36 pm

The chips were down; Vryala leapt into close range and prepared to meet staff with sword. However, the Vampiress moved with lightning speed, evading the blade altogether to counter with incredible force. As she was hurled backwards, V could yet make out Tvar's blur of manoeuvers, almost too fast for the mind to grasp; parrying and rebuffing both Khainites in one fluid motion.

She crashed into someone. By the sound and obvious smell of it, it was Phalx. He had yet to do anything productive and V elbowed him in disdain as she made to rise, ignoring his complaints; she was too enthralled by Tvar's prowess to register them anyway. Fiat and Elysian had joined the fray; her fellow warrior attempting to repel the monstrosity wielding a flaming brazier but getting knocked over the head for his efforts. Tvar now appeared to be casting a spell at Elysian, and V was powerless to stop her - but she then noticed the odd cavity in the Vampiress' staff, still rested on Fiat's helmet as it was.

A quick glance at the gem in her hand confirmed her suspicions. She had to get back in and try again, and be quick about it - there was no telling what Tvar could do should they give her the time to properly prepare herself. Since Phalx was already firing away, V figured she might as well take advantage of the distraction, however meager it may be.

Vryala rushes in under the hail of fire, and engages Tvar more defensively this time. Using swordplay she'll attempt to momentarily pin the staff into place with all her strength, then wrench in the Eye.

Khel · Post by **Khel** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 2:41 am

OOC: Blame Drainial for what? :shock:

IC:

Before his Slayer fell, Sal could only watch as Tvar weaved about them, her grace unparalleled while her speed was unnaturally fast. She kicked out at Sal, but he was charging at full speed almost, there was no way that a simple kick could stop his momentum. Sal felt the spiked foot impact with his gut and he watched in horror as the strength of the blow sent him flying back across the room, crashing into the back wall with a heavy thud and a short gasp of air. Such a blow could only have come from the strongest of foes, physically strong. Tvar didn’t look particularly muscular, but lean and viciously curved. But that kick had knocked the air out of Sal and had sent him hurtling through the air. He had even seen Vryala sent flying backwards, even though she was weighed down considerably by her suit of armour. Sal shook the bewilderment from his eyes and pushed himself back to his feet using the end of his executioner’s axe.

Vryala was already charging in under the hail of magical crossbow fire from Phalx, the black bolts whizzing through the air and soaring dangerously close to Vryala. Sal could only just spot the Serpents Eye in Vryala’s hand. It was obvious what she was trying to do, she needed to immobilise the staff just long enough for her to utilise the hidden power of the green gem that she clutched tightly in her hand. Sal would give her the time, whether it was distracted Tvar or making the vampire use an extra limb to deal with him, anything was needed for Vryala to succeed. Drawing a throwing dagger from the sate across his chest, Sal heaved the projectile at Tvar’s head, hoping to cause her to duck or at least take the dagger throw.

As soon as the dagger had left his hand, Sal was already on the move, moving in quickly and silently, his axe held across his form, ready to distract Tvar. He wanted to reach Tvar before Vryala however, if Vryala was to attack first on her own, she would be repulsed every time due to Tvar simply focusing her quickly. Gritting his teeth behind his mask, Sal charged in with his axe slowly coming back around his body in a short sweeping arc that could be changed into a defensive hack with a quick muscle spasm in his wrist and forearm.

Throwing a single throwing knife at Tvar, Sal will move in immediately after and engage the vampire, hopefully before Vryala so Sal can give her a better chance in succeeding. Sal won’t actually attack, except he will mock an attempt to attack Tvar, hoping that the vampire will lash out at him again. If Tvar lashes out at him again, he will attempt to meet whichever part of her she is attacking with using his executioner axes head. Hopefully this can buy Vryala some valuable time.

Post by **Layne** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 5:41 am

She was fast, faster than ever. Oh my. V leapt in first, and K followed with her blade foremost. Her blade was intercepted, and Missy scratched her face with her other hand. V seemed to have disappeared from sight. K fell back a little with the force of the blow. When she looked again, the staff was stretched out in front of her.

K will attack the staff with her blade, and use her brazier to defend against Missy's hands or feet.

Post by **Drainial** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 12:13 pm

Crashing back into a bookcase Elysian opened his eyes after having apparently blacked out for a second, every inch of him was in agony from the dark bolt. Within a few seconds Tvar had reminded them of just exactly why they were afraid of meeting her and of why she had survived meetings with the homicidal mercenaries before. She was just better than them. Sure they had a way of taking her staff out of the equation but the staff was just a magic staff, getting hit by it would not be so very much worse than being hit by a sword, it was the vampire herself that was the main problem.

Elysian's instincts told him to run but that was not an option, they were like rats trapped inside a cage with a hungry cat. Sometimes packs of rats killed cats especially during famines but such occasions were noteworthy for a reason.

Still there was little choice but to fight and they did have some advantages; they had the serpent’s eye, an array of magical weaponry and numbers. If Elysian was sure of anything it was that if he was going to die he would do so fighting.

Vryala was charging forwards again and Elysian could see the serpent's eye in her hand, her plan was painfully obvious and Tvar would be onto the warrior in a second. Seeing that the others were charging Elysian knew he was not up to doing the same just yet. Stumbling back up to his knees Elysian instead reached for the warp once more. He was in no position to challenge the vampire in a magical duel any more than Vryala could fight her one to one hand to hand. What he could do though was give her one more thing to think about, press her on enough fronts and maybe, just maybe Vryala could succeed. Gathering all the energy he could Elysian formed a shadow lance in his mind and gritting his teeth in anticipation at the retribution that was bound to come he drove it towards the vampire's terrifying mind.

A very different kind of mind razor, in an ideal world it would drive into Tvar's mind and leave her a gibbering husk. Really he is just doing the same as Sal and the rest, make her deal with all of us at once so she can't focus on Vryala.

Post by **Kinslayer** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 10:00 pm

In the moments that followed the Vampiress' first lightning quick attack, Fiat seemed stunned from his overhead blow and simply slumped from his knees to lay face down on the stone floor. The warrior going down brought back the horrific memory of Tvar lifting him into the air by his throat and draining most of his blood, those that had seen it feeling their hatred rising. The Druchii were hateful beings at the best of times, but against foes that had hurt them so their eternal hatred could know no bounds. Other creatures were simply not capable of feeling such vast amounts of it at one time. Fighting off the pain of their initial hits, Vryala and Saldrimek forced themselves back onto their feet just as Karonath recoiled from the immortal but came back fighting. Elysian and Phalx picked themselves up as well, switching to ranged and arcane weaponry rather than rushing back in to a combat they knew they would never survive.

Eaun slipped forwards with all the grace of a hunting cat, almost gliding like a shadow from the archway to the centre of the room in the time it took the mercenaries to blink. The Vampiress had positioned herself right below the hatch, in front of Vryala and Phalx, with Karonath turning to attack her from the right as Saldrimek got up and lunged in again from the left. Fiat now lay sprawled out on the ground behind her, and the immortals confidence was such that she didn't glance back to keep an eye on him. Elysian rose in the darkness of the shattered bookcase, watching with awe as he began to pull the Wind of Ulgu to himself once more as his companions attacked. Phalx made the first move, opening up with Deathspitter just as Saldrimek threw one of his gold hilted knives. In the same instant, Karonath and Vryala sprang at the swift moving immortal with an equally strong desire to see their hated foe dead, once and for all.

Eaun dodged to the side as the first crossbow bolts whistled past, but in doing so the immortal put herself in the path of Sals' thrown dagger. What would have ended in a gory death for any normal foe, instead left Saldrimek wondering what had gone wrong, as the Vampiress brought her staff up in time and deflected the missile. This did, however, seem to leave her slightly more exposed to the combat attacks of his comrades, and in sensing this the Khainite hurled himself at her as well. Attacking the Vampire was like striking at the wind, her movements so fast that they couldn't be traced and simply had to be predicted. Karonaths' first chop at her staff went wider than any pass her Draich usually made, and anticipating a return attack she swung her brazier up. The flaming tip kept the immortals' clawed hand at bay this time, and Eaun instead turned her attention on Vryala.

The warrior slammed back into the combat hard, ramming her sword into the staff in an attempt to pin it and embed the Eye. Instead, the Vampire threw her strength upwards and tore the staff free, sending Vryalas' arms and sword skyward with it. The Vampire was about to move her free hand forwards for the warriors' throat when Saldrimek hit her from the side, just as Karonath raised her Draich for another hit. Another crossbow bolt whistled past the immortals' ear, causing her to tilt her head slightly in annoyance, distracting her further. Saldrimeks' axe came down, but he had feinted the attack and when Eaun made to parry with her staff he instead span full circle, bringing his weapon back around for her arm. Again, the attack should have succeeded, but the immortal moved so quickly that her staff was out of the way and the axe passed harmlessly by and hit the floor. A cold smile played across the Vampiress' face as she danced between her three attacks, avoiding their attacks whilst also dodging the crossbow bolts.

Suddenly she snarled like a wolf, her cold, blue eyes fluttering and shuddering as something hit her. The group didn't see the projectile Elysian had hurled, but rather they felt the darkness creep past in the corners of their vision. The shadow lance hit the Vampiress' mind and caused her to recoil in shock, the magical attack completely unexpected, distracted as she was. Karonath hit her so fast the others had barely lifted their weapons again, seizing the moment of oppertunity and slicing Bloodfeather into the robes around the immortals' arm. This caused her snarl of pain to transform into a howl of rage, blood that was not truly her own splashing across the ground as Karonaths' Draich ended its move. Vryala was just about to go for the staff again as Saldrimek made to keep her other arm busy, when a crossbow bolt shot by Phalx clipped the side of her cheek. A streak of red glistened across her alabaster skin, and this time the immortals howl turned into a soul-chilling sentence.

"No more messing around."

Suddenly, Eaun Tvar was at the opposite end of the chamber, standing beside Elysian. The group wasn't sure if she had teleported or simply moved as a blur.

"I see you have a new friend or two" she began, grabbing the Mage around the shoulder in her free hand and lifting him off the ground like a doll, black claws sinking into his skin. She looked him up and down and then casually cast him away again, dropping him with enough force that he sprawled away several feet in front of her with a groan of pain. The immortal took a step forwards, slowly and deliberately, as Elysian struggled to scramble away or get back to his feet. Like lightning, the Vampiress' staff lashed out and sent the Mage crashing into the wall six feet to the side. Before he even connected with the stones, Elysian felt the lights inside his mind go out. The chill touch of the staff across his flesh robbed him of his energy and warmth, and with a scream of defiance inside his head, Elysian felt himself succumb and black out.

The Vampire took another step forwards; Karonath, Vryala and Saldrimek about to make another move on her as she reached Phalx. The Shade had barely had time to turn around, and his crossbow was still angling back towards the immortal when she struck him with her staff. Much to the rest of the groups' dismay, he went as rigid as a stone statue and simply fell over backwards, his crossbow still held out as thought about to fire, now pointed at the chambers high ceiling. In his mind, Phalx felt the overwhelming grip of a cold power stun him and prevent him from moving. He watched on in horror as he lay on his back, the lights starting to fade as he succumbed to unconciousness, and saw the Vampiress glide over him in the direction of his other companions. As much as he willed his finger to pull the trigger, Deathspitter remained still and silent in his motionless grasp.

"You fools still think you have the power to defy me? To sneak inside my house and get away still breathing? I am an immortal!"

Her staff struck Karonath as the Khainite leaped forth, Bloodfeather descending. Having already tasted the kiss of the Serpent once before, K realised too late what she was suddenly enduring. The pain of her body falling away from her mind and disobeying her command to cut the undead fiend to pieces was all too much, and a moment later the darkness had taken her sight. The last of her senses to fade was her hearing, and she listened with horror as the Vampiress continued to taunt her friends.

"I have plans for you yet! You will wander these halls as wights, enslaved to my will, waiting for me to call you to my side."

Only Vryala and Saldrimek stood before the Vampiress now, Fiat letting out a long groan as he came back around and rose to his knees, clutching the top of his helmet as if trying to remember what had caused him to fall. The other three lay sprawled across the chamber, unconcious thanks to the dread power of the staff. Only Vryala bore the means to defy it, or even to destroy it, but the Vampiress was not about to take any chances. She remembered Vryala all too well, and when she smashed her staff into her with no more effect than causing her to stumble back, she instead pounced forwards. The immortal moved too quickly for Saldrimek to follow, landing on Vryalas chest with enough force to drive her into the wall, suddenly standing before her with her arm outstretched, Vryala hanging by the throat from her clawed hand. The warriors' helmet clattered to the floor, having been knocked off by the Vampiress with the sheer speed of the attack.

"And you! Why does my staff not drain you as it should! If it's that magical armour, it would make a fine addition to my trophy rack!"

With a snarl, Eaun dropped Vryala and then backhanded her across the face with enough force to smash the back of her head into the wall. The warrior was knocked out on the spot, blood welling up across the back of her head where her skull had cracked.

Turning to Saldrimek and catching the haft of his axe in her free hand as it almost took her head off, Tvar cackled and pulled the weapon from his grip. She tossed it aside, glaring straight into his eyes.

"Another new face. It matters not, I will bring Blackthorns empire crashing down along with anyone who stands with him! The pieces are already in play."

With a malicious shove, Eaun sent Saldrimek off his feet and skidding halfway across the chamber. As she stepped over Fiat, who was about to rise to his feet and attack her once again, she lashed out with her staff and sent him back to the ground, unconcious again. Eaun was halfway towards Saldrimek now with her staff ready to paralyze him and complete her capture of the group, who already felt dazed from the second heavy throw across the room he had endured. His vision faded for a moment and then returned, before turning slightly grey and distorted, all sounds seemingly more distant. He watched on as the Vampiress glided almost playfully towards him, and knew in that moment that he was powerless to stop him. The staff was just too powerful, let alone the beast that weilded it, and their first attempt at destroying the arefact had failed.

There would be no second chances.

Or would there? The last thing Saldrimek saw as he succumbed to the encroaching darkness was a flash of brilliant gold from up above, and the darkening form of the Vampiress bursting apart into a cloud of shadows.

A splash of freezing cold water suddenly shook the mercenaries back to their senses, shocking them out of their spellbound unconcious state all at once. They awoke with a start, glancing fearfully left and right and reaching for their weapons, only to realise the darkness of the chamber no longer surrounded them.

They were in daylight now, and they realised they were laying in the courtyard of House Blackthorn, two empty water buckets on the ground beside them, plus their stolen scrolls. Their horses neighed and whined from the stables. Sevro and four of his men were looking down on them, concern in their eyes.

Saldrimek, -1 throwing knife
Elysian, -1 throwing knife
(no chance to retrieve those)

Raneth · Post by **Raneth** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 10:48 pm

Her friends had read V's intentions well; as one the group jumped forward to reengage the Vampiress and continue pressuring her into hopefully making a mistake. For a moment, she thought they'd got it - crossbow bolts whistled all around, Elysian added some mental projection and combined with the quicksilver melee attacks from the Khainites and herself it seemed even the immortal was hard-pressed to hold her own. Then they drew blood. Cold, black, unnatural blood. Tvar howled in rage and switched into overdrive, still blissfully unaware of the Eye hidden in Vryala's off hand but mercilessly rebuking her all the same - in a blur of strikes, threats, grabs and insults, their foe dispatched of the Mage, the Shade, then Karonath in quick succession. V was next to be victimized, her helmet was all but torn off and her head cracked into the chamber wall, knocking her out cold. As her mind plunged into darkness, Vryala quickly made peace with death.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her eyes slowly opened. The sudden rush of light made her wince. Though she still couldn't tell if she was alive or dead, it made her quite aware of the terrible, overwhelming pain that her head was in. Sure enough, she passed out again.
Please let this not be undeath...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Vryala?"

"Vryala?"

"Vryala, can you hear me?"

Uuuuuuugh.......

She opened her eyes once again, more slowly this time, afraid of the pain the light would bring. She could feel it now; her body throbbed from multiple wounds but it was her head that had her worried. Through the all-pervasive agony she could feel there was something simply... not right. Broken. The kind of injury one doesn't simply shrug off in a couple of days. She couldn't long be bothered with the thought though. She'd recognized that voice; it was one she dared not hope to hear again. ...Sevro?

"Indeed! Thank Khaine you're alive! Don't you worry, I'm right here..."

..Sevro?

"Yeah?"

...did we get her?

Whatever the answer V's gonna pass back out all the same. WTB trip to Yurul's.

Kefka · Post by **Kefka** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:38 am

OOC: damn, I missed the fight... sorry guys...

IC: Fiat had been waiting a long time, since the moment he returned to the mortal realm and had seen Tvar, he had waited the end her.
Instead, in the opening moments of the combat, he had been knocked to his feet. memories and consciousness blurring. Just as he had started to regain his footing, he was down again, another blow of the witches staff.

When he awoke he had expected himself to be dead, or in the chaos realm once more. He looked up to see Sevro and some other guards.
He hated his weakness, his chance to finish off the vampire and he was as helpless as a puppy.

He looked to see Sevro holding Vryala as she passed in and out again. With a grunt, Fiat refused to show weakness, he did his best to pull himself up and stand tall again.

Post by **Drainial** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 1:32 am

Impressive as the vampire was Elysian knew a moment of hope as between his dark lance and the rest of the group's physical attacks they seemed to gain the upper hand, then she stopped playing. Almost before he knew what was happening and far more quickly than he could react in his injured state Elysian found himself being hurled to the floor again like a rag doll. A single strike of the cobra headed staff followed, and then there was darkness.

And then there was light, sitting up spluttering with icy water dripping off him Elysian saw they were in Blackthorn's courtyard, not a place he had been expecting to see. Tvar's dungeon, Khaine's bloody halls, maybe even some daemon dimension but not here. This place was allot more welcome though even though it didn't feel much like home yet. Looking up at Sevro Elysian spoke

"Quite a few questions come to mind but I will start with the big ones; how did we get here and why do I still have most of my blood?"

Khel · Post by **Khel** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 1:35 am

Darkness biting the corners of his eyes, Sal only saw a sudden explosion of gold above Tvar, which the vampire suddenly melted away, back into her bat form. He couldn’t make head nor tail of what had just happened, but his world was suddenly plunged into darkness as he passed out.

Awaking to the sudden splash of icy cold water, Sal awoke with a sudden shout. He clutched at his neck and his face, as if he had been expecting to awake in hell with bats biting at every inch of his body. He only remembered the terrible venture into the Tvar manor, where they had been assailed by all sorts of ghastly creatures of the undead realm. Sal felt himself as being much lighter than usual, suddenly realising the axe was missing from his back. Jumping up to his feet, Sal flew into a panic stricken search for his weapon. He also felt the missing slot where a throwing dagger was missing. He cursed his bad luck and continued searching for his axe, asking Sevro whether he recovered his weapon from the place Tvar crypt.

A few words came back to him as he looked around him.

The pieces are already in play. These words echoed within Sal’s mind.

What had she meant by this? There was more than one problem to deal with? The rats beneath the city were no doubt associated with this. Turning towards the estate, Sal called back to Sevro, asking him whether Master Blackthorn was around.

Searching for his Executioner Axe, Sal will proceed to look for Blackthorn and tell him of what happened, whether or not he has lost or found his weapon.

Post by **Layne** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 6:56 am

K struck forward but the Vampire disappeared from her view - no, she had moved too fast - away to the middle of the room. K jumped after her, sword foremost. She took a swipe, the Vampire got it easily. The dead hand came for her face but met fire - and K heard a satisfying hiss. The Vampire took a swing at V, and then had to jump away from Sal - then she seemed to suddenly freeze up, as K felt a sort of heavy shadow pass over her, maybe through her.. so she lunge forward and got her sword right into the thing. Right on and in, she yanked it back out and saw blood spill on the floor - her blood, she knew, Fiat's blood, V's blood, not her own.

She felt warm and happy, exalted even, it was good to steal a bit back from this monster. She took another swing but hit nothing - the thing was gone - K spun. She was behind her, holding Mr Magic in the air by his throat. She hit him with her stick, and down he went. She blurred across the room to where Phalx stood, and knocked him down too, before he could even think another shot. K began to run forward. She knew defeat, but she didn't do not fighting. This monster would never take her soul.

There was a blackness, and then pain. Cold pain. She knew. She knew that cold kiss, she had vowed never to feel it again. Great Khaine hear me, come take me, take me away! With her last will before oblivion, K made one last desperate effort to keep things in order - she tried to turn her blade on herself - surely if a blade of Khaine takes a soldier of Khaine, no Vampire could keep her from him?

But her arms would not move, her hands would not turn. She could only fall into cold forgetfulness and hope for a miracle.

***

Cold. Cold all over, cold right through. But no, this was a different cold - this was real cold - no, not real cold, life-cold. Not death-cold - she sat upright. She knew these walls and stones - the House Blackthorn! She looked around - everyone was there - it was a miracle! K was too glad to speak, overjoyed to merely be alive still, to be able to fight on, to one day take her place with Khaine, and not spend eternity waiting on a jealous prat of an immortal - immortal!

Is she dead then?

Dauricha · Post by **Dauricha** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:12 am

Respond you bastard! Phalx's mind roared at his finger. To no avail though, for he remained stone still, looking up at the ceiling. It was all turning rather dark. Bloody hell, is this how I end, frozen like a bloody statue!

Then cold water and light.He gasped and sputtered struggling up, looking this way and that. He wasn't dead, hell would have hurt more then this, he realized, as Servo came into focus.

The others were already asking questions, he just wants to get off, have a drink and some food.

Post by **Kinslayer** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 8:26 pm

One by one, over the space of several minutes, the mercenaries came back around. All at once they panicked, worrying about their whereabouts, their gear, and the fate of the Vampiress. It quickly became apparent that they were back at Blackthorns, though even when looking up at Sevro and his men they couldn't work out how or why. A quick glance left and right put their minds at rest about their wargear though, their horses were back in the stables and their equipment was waiting there too. All that had been lost were crossbow bolts and throwing knives, things too small for their rescuers to care to recover, no doubt in a hasty retreat. Which led them to the next big question; just what had happened to Tvar, and more to the point what exactly had happened to them?

All most of them could remember was Tvar coming at them, followed by darkness and then this. The last to fall had been Saldrimek, and even he wasn't sure how they had been saved. Elysian asked the big question.

"No, the beast lives yet," confirmed Sevro with a clenched jaw. He helped Vryala to her feet as the others managed to rise from the ground once more. "Blackthorn has not returned from the council. I fear something has happened to him, no doubt her doing. Varin said she had returned, but I didn't think she would still have her unbeating heart set on his demise. When I heard that Varin had been sighted leaving the council, but had not made it back to the Estate in the hours that followed, I sent out two teams. A dozen of my men are searching for him even now. Me and these four came looking for you. It seems like it was just as well we did."

Sevro gave his words a moment to sink in, before reading the questions that now played across his friends' minds and continuing in kind,

"Long has Varin been preparing for the day Eaun tried to kill him. We had a secret weapon here for that very purpose, bought at no small cost and imported into the City all the way from distant Ghrond. It was a vial of the suns fury, of Hysh light condensed and purified. I don't know the details of it, but Blackthorn said it would kill her if opened in a room she was trapped in. I took it with me just in case, and sure enough when we managed to get the hatch open and looked inside, we saw Tvar about to murder and enslave you all. I threw the vial in and closed the hatch, but alas... I didn't realise the chamber had an escape hidden in the walls. When we came down for you a few minutes later, Tvar was gone and we recovered you and your gear, but only then did we notice the fireplace."

Sevro spat on the ground and muttered a forbidden curse on Eaun Tvars' name, him and his men helping the others carry their gear as they headed inside.

"She knew we had it, that's why she never attacked the Estate. And now that she knows it's gone, I expect she will be here at nightfall. All we can do is prepare as best we can. My search party have instruction to return before dusk if they are unsuccesful, and I have every man on the Estate be they guard, chef or slave with a sword in his hand. You better hurry up and see Yurul if you want to get patched up, him and Yori will be joining me on the gate when darkness falls in three hours time. In the mean time, prepare yourselves as best you can. Perhaps take a look at those scrolls we recovered, I assume you threw them up above the hatch for a reason."

With that Sevro left them in the hallway outside Yuruls, heading off at a brisk walk with his guards in step behind him. The fiercely loyal Captain seemed troubled... something none of them had ever witnessed before.

Raneth · Post by **Raneth** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 12:52 am

V's still out. Zzzzzz.

Khel · Post by **Khel** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:09 am

The answer bamboozled Sal, but he was glad to at least have his gear back, save for a single dagger lodged in the wall of Tvar’s crypt. He didn’t need as much patching up as others did. He had the wind knocked out of him plus a few more bites than anyone else, perhaps save Phalx, but he would wear the bite marks openly as a reminder for himself. He had been knocked unconscious when he had been thrown like a ragdoll by the vampire, but apart from that it wasn’t necessarily serious for him to get treated. He took the news of Varin’s possible kidnapping with a grimace. This was getting bad, almost as bad as the daemon incursion that almost destroyed Vikarh a few months ago. Wiping the icy cold moisture from his forehead, Sal put his helmet back on and fixed his slightly burnt hair out the top as he usually did. Unhooking the facemask, Sal wearily made his way over to Elysian, offering the mage a hand up.

I take it you’ll want to look at those scrolls Elysian? I’ll accompany you, whether I will be of any help is a different matter altogether. You need a breather? I can get the scrolls for you if you want?

Post by **Drainial** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 2:10 am

So rescue had not come without a cost. Even so Elysian was glad that Sevro had turned up when he had. Their survival was a single glimmer of hope in an increasingly dire situation however. Blackthorn missing, the secret behind Tvar's previous caution revealed only due to the fact that it was now gone.

Sal helped pull the mage to his feet with an offer of help, one that he was more than happy to accept.
"I could probably use a little patching up but I am not too bad. A visit to the infirmary can wait until the others have been first. Truth be told I don't know how much help I will be either, allot of these texts are in languages I don't understand, some are in languages I don't even recognise. Still we don't have many advantages here, strong arms and high walls are about it as far as I can see and we all know just how well walls hold that damn vampire. Let’s find a place to look through them, maybe we can find something."

Accepts Sal's offer of help and wants to go and find somewhere to study the scrolls, preferably with a large table so that he can lay them out. If time allows he would also like to go and see the doctor and get his various booboo’s patched up.

Kefka · Post by **Kefka** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 4:37 am

Though Fiat and the others had been thoroughly beaten, he was almost excited to get another chance at fighting the vampiresse. He and the others needed to rest and heal up, Fiat had a bump on his skull for sure, but there was no way he could remove his helmet to check it out. His helmet may have saved his life on several occasions, but it was a curse at the same time.

Thankfully, other then his head, all he had was some cuts from the bats, and even that was only on his face. He didn't have the injuries that the others had, but he knew that he should at least get the cuts disinfected.

Elysian, I think I need to join you in looking at those scrolls... I have to warn you though that I am not sure what we will find, and I am not sure if I will like it.But I want you guys to be around

Fiat will go with the others to get some alchohol to clean his cuts (and clear his head a little) then joins Elysian and Sal with study time.

Post by **Kinslayer** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:07 pm

As Sevro left the group to continue preparing the Estates' defences, they almost immediately split into two teams again. Saldrimek, Fiat and Elysian were relatively unharmed but for a multitude of tiny bite marks which stung to touch, and decided that studying the scrolls was more important at that moment than giving Yurul even more bodies to examine. On the other hand, Phalx had been bitten and scratched worse than any of them, and had taken a nasty fall down the hatch to boot which had left one of his arms badly bruised, possibly even fractured. Vryala had come off worst though, her helmet having been ripped off by the Vampire and her head smashed against the wall with enough force to knock her out cold and crack the back of her skull. Even now, the warrior lay unconcious again in the arms of Karonath, who was not about to leave her friend to look over some papers she knew she couldn't understand.

Karonath carried Vryala to the Apothecaries Wing, followed closely by Phalx. They found Yurul there, already patching up the arm of one of the newly appointed guards taken from the kitchens, who it seemed hadn't fared too well in the hasty training session he had endured. Karonath lay Vryala down on the nearest table and Phalx slumped into a nearby chair, his eyes closing as the alcohol in his system tried to make him fall asleep to rest and recover from his wounds. Vash'nir was still unconcious on a table at the back of the room, a mask over his mouth and a pulsing white witchlight suspended in the air above his head. Before they could ask about their comrades condition, Yurul dragged the wounded slave back to his feet and shoved him from the room, telling him to go back to the training hall.

The Master Apothecary turned his attention straight to the mercenaries, simultaneously mashing a few ingredients into a paste in a bowl whilst mixing a liquid solution in a goblet. Within just a few minutes he had prepared, and he moved first to Vryala and applied some of the paste to the back of her head after Karonath pointed out her injury. He told her the paste would set as a glue within an hour and would hold the bone together until it healed, a painful process but one that a warrior such as Vryala would be able to endure. He then poured some of the liquid potion into her mouth, and Vryala spluttered and sat bolt upright as the foul taste brought her back around in an instant. Phalx was next, and although the Shade tried to refuse the bad smelling beverage Yurul managed to force some into his mouth. The Shade instantly felt his mind clearing, the effects of all the liquor he had consumed wearing off and the pain in his injuries subsiding. Just fifteen minutes after arriving back at the house, both V and Phalx were back on their feet and ready to return to the fight, Karonath at their side.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group took the scrolls and books they had gathered from Eauns' library and hidden chamber and headed for the vast library on the second floor of the house. Blackthorns' library was just down the hall from their own personal chambers, and although not all of them had visited it before they knew the route and headed straight inside. Once inside, the three mercenaries headed straight for the nearest table and violently brushed all the books already laid out there off onto the floor. They set about laying out the books and scrolls, trying to figure out which ones were important and what any of them meant. Elysian still had the first two scrolls he had taken from the library, one showing the complex spell Tvar had used to bind the spirits to the skulls in her trophy room, the other depicting a skull and some arcane text he didn't understand. Once again, Fiat looked at the scroll and gritted his teeth as chaotic words spilled into his mind. Sensing his unease, Saldrimek put a hand on the Warriors' shoulder and shook him out of his entranced state.

"The words... I can't read them, but some of their meanings flow into my head when I look at them. Whatever it says, it is dark and evil... a curse or something" Fiat explained as best he could.

Elysian nodded thoughtfully at this. The Mage was no master in translating ancient texts, but his arcane powers did give him a little more ability than most. Already he had discarded the books they had taken, finding that they meant nothing for their current quest. Indeed, one of them seemed to be a diary from one of the Tvar brothers' younger years. Stealing it off Eaun had probably just added insult to injury, and no doubt meant the immortals' impending revenge would be carried out with even more hatred and aggression. He turned his attention to the scrolls, all of which seemed to detail a different spell. Some of them were so complex that the Mage knew he would never understand them, for even if he grasped the power of Shyish rather than Ulgu and Chamon, necromancy was a complicated and powerful twist on the wind not meant for mortal minds to comprehend.

With Fiat seemingly able to pick out the odd word from the texts though, perhaps there was a way for them to decipher the spells. The fate of the coming battle could depend on it.

Dauricha · Post by **Dauricha** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:52 am

The others were busily searching through scrolls, and what not. Phalx was having none of it. He slumped in a chair, half asleep, half drunk, as the others worked. He was sore and bloody, and he was more then likely going to either die, or become more blooded this evening. let them work, he was no good at this scholar business anyway.

Phalx will rest.

Post by **Drainial** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 3:18 pm

Following the others to the library Elysian was impressed, Blackthorn it seemed was an elf of learning as well as cunning and violence. Of course that was assuming that he actually read any of these books rather than keeping them as a status symbol but in either case Elysian was pleased to see such a repository of knowledge. Written texts had been something of a rarity in his training since books were too valuable to keep, granted it was epically unlikely that Blackthorn would have any books dealing with the manipulation of magic but any knowledge was good knowledge in his book; the mage vowed to return to this library if both it and he survived the night.

As for the task in hand though things were not quite so rosy. At best he was reasonably certain of which books were of no use or relevance but that still left a sizable selection of scrolls which seemed to hold power but which were beyond his abilities to understand. Oddly it was Fiat who seemed to get the most out of the scrolls.

Despite being a warrior and, from what Elysian had seen so far, a brawler by nature Fiat claimed to have some kind of intuition and from the prickling flares in his aura he wasn't lying. Although he was still more than a little disturbed by Fiat and his unusual second birth with all the surrounding circumstances Elysian was not so cynical that he could not feel some empathy as a fellow outsider. More to the point he was not so confident in his own abilities that he could afford to ignore any opportunity Fiat's unusual skills might bring about.

"There is a spell I heard of once, I think I might be able to do it but it is only a theory, I have never seen it done. If it works it might help us translate that scroll or maybe just partially. The thing is I would need to connect our minds Fiat and that might be unpleasant to say the least, especially if something goes wrong."

Nothing like a plan beginning with the words 'there is a spell I heard of once'. Essentially what I want to try is something akin to a mind meld combined with a trance so that Elysian can sense the impressions that Fiat gets and in a trance like state he will attempt to express these in Druchast sigils that can be understood but retain a magical flavour (since one the primary reasons for switching to a runic design was that it was better suited to magic. He will wait for Fiat's approval before trying it.

OOC: I am well aware that this is wildly experiment l and won't be surprised if it falls on its arse but shadow does deal with the mind so what the heck.
[/u]

Raneth · Post by **Raneth** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 6:02 pm

Half-conscious, V let herself be carried to Yurul and Yori's sanctum. A glance to the side revealed Karonath's worried face, eliciting a small smile from Vryala. She was safe, among friends; there was hope yet. As the Apothecaries worked she slowly came to her full senses; the agony returned, and with it the words that Sevro had spoken - their employer was once more lost to them, the Vampire on the move, an attack on the Estate imminent. B*tch sure doesn't waste any time...

Though her skull was well mended, every heartbeat yet pained V's temples. Nevertheless, she could but commend both healers on their skill; at least she would be able to contribute in the upcoming fight. She pulled out the Serpent's Eye once more. Such a small trinket to place our faith in... at least Tvar doesn't know we have it. Considering that, it might be worthwhile to give the gem to someone else next round. There was precious little time. V figured the best she could do at this time was try and regain her full strength. The blood loss during their venture through the Tvar manor left her feeling weak and listless; that simply wouldn't do.

Vryala quests for a nutritious meal.

Once reunited with the entire crew, Vryala will offer the Eye to whomever.

Kefka · Post by **Kefka** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:35 pm

The script and words had given Fiat a headache that rivaled the pain from Tvars earlier blows. But they faded when Saldrimek shook him out of the trance. There was no real words that he could put to what he read, only emotions, feelings, and consequence.

Elysian had offered a "mind meld"
Link my mind with the one person I trust the least out of the group... I am not sure if I can trust him.
Fiat pondered this course of action, but with the sun slowly fading, he knew that they didn't have much time, or much choice...
I have no desire to do this, mage. There are secrets that I have not even told Vryala, Karonath or Phalx yet, and I have known them longer and trusted them with my life. Under no normal circumstances would I allow this....
But this is no normal circumstance. Alright, let us do this. But ANYTHING you learn about me while we do this stays in your head, or else I will try to remove the information with my blade. understood?

Fiat, reluctantly, agrees to the mages mind meld thingy. Fiat better not turn into a vegetable...

Post by **Drainial** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:48 pm

"Trust me twice born I have no more desire to share my own thoughts, if this even works I wouldn't know how to go about prying." Elysian said. Fetching a piece of paper, a pen and some ink he prepared as best he could for what was at best a theoretical spell.