Mercenary's War

[DragonOfChaos]

Ian sighed. He was just about to give quest specifics, and people are already getting bored. He pressed the button, speaking, "V'kleta, get back here." The demon in question swirled back through the vent, wearing an annoyed expression.

"Anyway, we need to get going. I've already told you all the specifics I know. We have to infiltrate the citadel and contact our informant. Let's go. We can either go straight to the citadel, or head to a town I know of and stock up on equipment." Ian walked out the door, waiting out in the street for his companions.

((Okay, a few choices here, we can:
1. head straight for the citadel,
2. take a more roundabout route to a town with good stocks of magic items
{WARNING: Town is most likely plagued by high level monsters, death is a possibility}

RP joining Ian outside the merc tavern and put your choice in OOC. We'll go where ever the majority wants.))

 

[Dhrenzen]

Dhrenzen picked up his sword, followed Ian commenting, "I fear neither death or pain, so I say we go through the town and stock up on items. Besides who can stand up against such a fearful group of us!"

 

[Vadriel]

*V'kleta grunts and morphs Drakotaur, thundering out into the street. He rears up and pounds his chest, roaring. He pulls out a large battle scythe and smashes the handle against his chest with such force as would shatter a human.*

"I fear nothing! Death has no hold on a Demon! I say we smash through this town! None can match the might of V'kleta! We must move through and crush all who oppose! Hurry now, Frail Ones, for V'kleta is getting hungry! Let us go! Now!"

*Seeing the questioning expressions on the faces of his colleagues, V'kleta snorts.*

"Now, now...don't you Frails worry...V'kleta will protect you from the Big Bad Monsters. Any who threaten my Frails will answer to me...and I am not forgiving!"

*His companions still dubious, V"kleta snorts again in utter disgust.*

"Fine then, you pathetic mortals...make your own decisions...but rest assured that no harm will come to you if we take the road through the town."

 

[DragonOfChaos]

Ian, noting the demon's rage, walks up to him.

"V'kleta," he said sternly, "cool off." With those words, Ian placed one of his claws on the demon's chest. An icy blue aura surrounded his hand, and ice began to creep it's way across the demon's chest.

After a second or two, Ian removed his hand, leaving a ring of frost on V'kleta's chest. "We have no room for a demon's battle fury. We can all take care of ourselves without your help, or else we wouldn't be here." He turned back to the road. "No disrespect meant, but either calm down or leave the team."

 

[Vadriel]

*V'kleta looks down at his partially frozen chest and smirks.*

"Nice trick, Frail. Good pun as well...but do NOT confront me...or I will see you hanging from chains in the Abyssal Pits of Hell."

*The film of frost sublimates, becoming superheated so quickly that it doesn't even melt, but puffs into vapor instantly. V'kleta's eyes flash (all four of them) and Ian is surrounded by a ring of flame. The mage recoils from the heat, and V'kleta laughs and withdraws the fire. He then turns his back on Ian and walks a few meters away before turning again and plopping down to sit on the ground. He yawns and toys with a ball of flame.*

"Do not presume to think that my innate rage is a hinderance. My anger and hatred is what fuels the burning Chaos within me...I was once a mortal, who was actually much like yourself...but he is dead now. Only the fury of Chaos remains. If you think that my hunger for destruction is something to be suppressed, then you know naught of my power."

*Dissipates the fireball. Looks Ian in the eyes, at least as much as Ian can match a four-eyed gaze.*

"Rest assured that my bloodlust is held in check. Fiery outbursts will not compromise the mission. Besides...you had better like having me on this mission; it means your payment share will be that much greater, as I have no use for money. My earnings go to my...'teammates.'"

 

[DragonOfChaos]

((Just for further reference, not that it bothers me, Ian's a monk with cold mage trappings. And jeez, what sort of hole in Hell did your guy crawl out of? Sounds like he should be in a good horror movie.))

Nodding at the still smoldering demon, Ian turns to the rest of his allies. "Well, is it the town, or straight to the objective? Choose swiftly, or have the choice made for you."

 

[Vadriel]

*Irritated, V'kleta growls.*

"I insist we move through the town. I wish to test my enemies before the primary mission begins, plus you Frails will likely enjoy any items we may gain..."

*V'kleta tosses his head, sending his long black tresses flying about his head in a shaggy yet silky mane. His impatience is growing again, and he thirsts for battle. He begins growing large armblades, then retracting them, then repeating.*

((And by the way, cold wrappings are not gonna hold out the kind of heat that V'kleta can put on. He usually just toys with his allies, but don't antagonize him. If the urge to kill gets too strong, he can always find other clients. Oh, and he didn't come from Hell...he made it. Hell is his summer retreat.))

 

[DragonOfChaos]

((Oh, I didn't intend to insult him. Just to ensure that he wouldn't go all berserk and slay the party. Speaking of said party, where is it?))

"I'll take your silence as agreement. We'll go to the town."

The party travels north, into the mountains. It is a long journey, taking nearly a week. They encounter no resistance. The party is mere hours from the town when a rustling sound is heard in a stand of trees on the right side of the trail. The party tenses for combat.

 

[Vadriel]

*V'kleta grins and spreads his wings...preparing for combat. He pulls out his largest war-scythe and brandishes it.*

"Bring on the meat!"

 

[DragonOfChaos]

Suddenly, four beasts spring from the trees, shredding undergrowth in their wake. They are cat-like, with what appears to be large metalic spikes for fur. Longer, more wicked looking spikes jut from their joints. Their tales were smooth from the base up, ending in a spread of small spines. They slowed upon spotting the party, and began to circle.

"Blade-born beasts! Beware, allies! They are viscious, and ware the longer spikes. They have a poison that will paralyze you."

With that, Ian launched himself into the air with his wings. After achieving an altitude of about twenty feet, he dropped to the ground, landing on the nearest creature. The scales on his feet and legs would be enough to protect against the smaller blades, but he was still careful to avoid the poisonous ones. The creature's back began to frost over from contact with Ian's feet, and the beast yowled. It twisted, bringing its larger foreleg spikes into the fray. Ian dodged, almost recieving a dose of the crippling poison. But while he was distracted, the beast whipped its tail around, catching him below his left arm. Ian gasped in pain. But hoping to use the moment to his advantage, he clamped his arm down, trapping the tail. He then reached for the beast's throat with his right hand. Grabbing on tightly, Ian squeezed. After a few seconds, his claws pierced the beast's metallic hide. Ian watched the beast squirm as its blood flowed over his claws, freezing slowly. The beast twitched once, and died.

 

[DARK TEAR]

((I'm playing as Yakuza: Ex Soldier))

*A slight shadow swipes the ground as a shadowed figure leaps from above. He takes his blade and cuts off the right hind leg of one of the spined beasts. It howls in excruciatingly great pain as its leg trickles blood from the stump.*

Yakuza: I saw you from above and thought you could use the help....

*The third beasts pounced from behind Yakuza and make a tackling blow-Yakuza tried to dodge and counter-but alas the spiked feind nailed him in the back with its hardened snout*

Yakuza: AAARRRHHH!!!

*Yakuza hits the ground hard.*

 

[Dhrenzen]

Lifting the large Zwielhander above his head with a swinging motion, Dhrenzen let out a fierce battlecry.

"Man or beast shall not oppose me, all lay dead in my wake."

Charging forward, he brought the massive sword down upon the beast's head. The cat-like beast dodged the blow, leaping backwards. Seeing an advantage Dhrenzen spins from the original swing and makes a fast swing at the legs. Catching the beast off guard, he breaks both of the beast left side legs, and the beast crumples to the ground with an agonizing yelp. Lifting his massive sword, he plunged the sword into the metallic beast's neck, finishing off the kill.

"One down, and more to come," he said in a cool voice.

 

[Vadriel]

*Before Dhrenzen can attack the other beast, however, V'kleta flashes in a speedy blur and grabs the final beast's tail with one hand. He hurls it over his head with a single arm and smashes it into the ground. He retains his grip, spins again and slams it down even harder. The beast, now stunned, staggers up and turns to face V'kleta, who grasps the creature by the throat, lifts it up to eye level, and stares it in the eyes. The creature roars at him, and he opens his jaws impossibly wide, to clamp down on the beast's head and literally bite the animal's head clean off. The spines on the creature's head attempt to punch through V'kleta's mouth, but are unable to penetrate his skin. V'kleta chews the head, swallows, and begins to devour the remains of his kill. When he is finished, he burps loudly and rests back on his tail, picking his teeth with a claw. He sees the others looking at him in utter revulsion, and he stops.*

"What?"

 

[DARK TEAR]

((HAHAH Look how many times you used beast in that sentence!!! Crazy!))

Charging forward, he brought the massive sword down upon the beast's head. The cat-like beast dodged the blow, leaping backwards. Seeing an advantage Dhrenzen spins from the original swing and makes a fast swing at the legs. Catching the beast off guard, he breaks both of the beast left side legs, and the beast crumples to the ground with an agonizing yelp. Lifting his massive sword, he plunged the sword into the metallic beast's neck, finishing off the kill.

*Yakuza looks at them quimzically*

Yakuza: So what was that all about?

 

[Vadriel]

*V'kleta resumes picking his teeth and shrugs."

"I dunno...but they are tasty..."

 

[DragonOfChaos]

((Technically, Dark Tear, I had closed the thread to new adventurers, but since Trojan Man and Forbidden~Paradise haven't posted in a while, we could use you.))

Ian stood and looked down at himself. He was covered in small scratches from the blade-born's smaller spines. "Well, that was easier than I expected. Traveling with you all was a good idea. V'kleta, I wouldn't suggest eating any more of the creatures we find. I do believe many of them could be undead."

 

[Vadriel]

*burps again*

"So? I eat souls, too."

 

[DragonOfChaos]

"In my experiences, undead lack souls, having just magical energy driving them to feed. But if you wish, go ahead and eat them." He glanced further along the road. He noted a body laying in the dust of the road. Walking up to it, he knelt beside it. It was what remained of a man, but his body was slashed to ribbons. In his hand he clutched a sheet of paper. Prying it from the man's stiff hands, he saw the runes of the northern dialect, scrawled in blood. Looking back to his companions, he said, "It reads 'Beware the bladed winds.' That is all."

((Introducing some new, more interesting monsters. They'll be along shortly, and I'll have to take some minor control of your characters to bring them in. I won't do anything major, don't worry.))

 

[Vadriel]

((Don't worry, I give permission, just make V'kleta act appropriately to his character. And he wasn't saying that he likes undead for their souls, he was saying that he eats everything.))

 

[Dhrenzen]

(( As for me, I don't mind a little, but don't do anything that would make the whole party hate me, or get all of humanity trying to kill me. Just keep it simple ))