Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 14/40

Perception: Success.

As she felt her magic release, and lost her supernatural speed, Ashley heard howls raise up from the direction of the gate. She had no idea if the Hellhounds had caught on to her scent, or were tracking her in some other way, but they were far enough away that she knew that she had some time to make herself scarce. The river, she remembered, had curved around the town. She could find it by going North, and follow it to eventually reach the old wizards home, but it would take her a long time to get there if she went that way. Remembering that his house had been near the bridge, she knew that it was roughly South-West of where she was, but going straight there would take her dangerously close to the portal itself. She could try going straight East and then turning South later, or some combination of those options, should the towns winding streets allow it.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Ashley quickly realizes that she's ran the wrong way coming out of the gate, which now lies between her and her destination.

Well, better I go a little out of my way then run back toward the gate, I suppose.

Ashley sets off East at a quick walk, trying to balance physical and magical recovery against continuing to put distance between herself and the distant hounds.

(Move east far enough such that when I turn south I don't get too close to the gate)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 40

Perception: Success.

Ashley headed off, moving in a semi-circle around the gate itself, heading East and then turning South. She travels for about a quarter of an hour, her strength beginning to rejuvenate itself, before she comes across the scene of a battle. Over two dozen corpses scatter the ground, their blood slowly seeping through the cracks in the stones that paved the road. Almost all of them were of the Fey, though a few are the forms she recognized as demons. Observing form where she was, twenty feet away and hidden behind a high wooden fence, she saw that over half of the bodies were those of gruffs, the goat-like humanoids who served as foot soldiers for the Faeries. A mans body, fully clad in shining silver armor, was lain out next to the body of his counterparts body in pure black plate. A few insect-like creatures, their bodies covered in now limp tentacles, lay on the ground as well, though only about a half dozen. The rest of the bodies were of a group of goblins around the body of a massive troll, its corpse covered in half-healed bloody cuts.

Further down the street, less than twenty feet further, were the surviving demons playing with their captives, likely the remains of the Fey party they had defeated. One woman in the tattered remains of a green robe with long curly hair to match it is being violated from both directions by a pair of goblins, the only ones of the creatures she could see. A woman in similar garb, though with flaming red hair held in a bun, is held aloft, her breasts swaying as a tentacled creature thrusts its appendages into all her holes, a look of ecstasy on her face as fluids leak from out of her. A man, black armor piled not far behind him, grins savagely down at another of the green-robed women with long blond hair as he plows into her from behind, her face pushed into the ground with each thrust, and the pair is angled so that Ashley can see some of his shaft as he pulls back. Finally, a trio of raven-haired women surround a gruff, two standing behind him and lightly holding his arms, while the third is on her knees in front of him with her hands on his hips, and even though her head blocks Ashleys view, the look of blank pleasure on her face give her little doubt as to what the woman is doing.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Ashley looked at the scene in shock that quickly turned to horror. The demons wouldn't be hard to kill, but to do it without hurting the others would be tricky. She looks back to the battleground between her and the survivors.

Trolls are difficult to kill without fire or acid, and I see neither. So is it really dead, or just badly injured... could be important.

((Okay, before we start some OOC stuff. First, I was last awarded exp for finding the mages, before entering the gate. Since then I've killed a demon dog, two ogre, and a slime, as well as (I hope?) escaped pursuit. Just don't want to lose track. >.>))

(Next... can I get a little clarification here? I see 6 women, 1 man, 1 gruff, 2 goblins, and 1 tentacle beast. At first glance it seems, the women are on one 'team', the others are on another. But this was the remains of a battle between fey and demons, and the gruff at least is a fey. I think, then, what Ashley sees is 3 fey women and a gruff being assaulted by the remnants of a demon force, including 3 black-haired demon-affiliated women.)

(Finally, what I'm going for with this post is an assessment of if Ashley thinks she could get that troll on its feet with a healing spell, well enough to help her in the fight. Just so this isn't an entirely OOC post.)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 40

(Sorry about forgetting your exp. I do that a lot. You get 8 more exp. 2 from the dog, 4 from the ogres, and 2 from the slime.)

(You are correct. To be more specific:
Demons: 2 Goblins, 1 Tentacled Horror, 1 Demon Knight, 3 Succubi.
Fey: 3 Fey Sorceresses, 1 Gruff Chieftain. )

Looking on the troll, Ashley could see no marks of acid or fire, but its wounds didn't seem to be healing at all either. She knew that if it were still alive, its injuries would be repairing themselves. She'd never heard of anyone using a healing spell to bring someone back from the dead, but from the way the trolls wounds oozed, she could tell that the body hadn't yet grown cold, and if anything could be resurrected by healing magic it was probably one of the incredibly tough trolls. Perhaps it was possible, but the only way she was going to find out was if she tried, and even as distracted as they were, Ashley doubted that the demons would fail to notice her if she just ran out and healed the troll, regardless of whether or not the spell actually worked.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

All the demons are too close to the fey for me to strike out effectively, so my first move is going to have to be something to get them to separate a bit, get their attention.

Feeling that lightning and even targeted bursts of wind would be too likely to hurt the innocent and even potentially allied fey, Ashley crept up to the corpse of the troll.

The oozing blood seemed like a good sign - humans didn't bleed unless their heart was still beating - but the lack of healing less so, and troll biology was strange. Perhaps worth a try, even so.

Ashley had never really enjoyed healing in the way she enjoyed working with storms, and even the manipulation of various other elements over the course of her training. Perhaps it was because she had been apprenticed to a master transmuter who had for decades made his livelihood largely by healing men and women from the local villages. That made healing 'work', and she had come to resent it. Still, she *had* practiced a lot.

She had been told that physical contact wasn't necessary for healing, but her master had always done it for the most serious injuries. Ashley set both her palms against the troll's flesh, and concentrated on healing the strange being as well as she could. It wasn't what her master could manage, and the troll body was different from anything she'd healed before, but one major way it was different was its remarkable ability to heal itself.

As she began her spell, Ashley felt the eyes of one of the demons on her.

(Cast moderate restoration (heal 3/trans))

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 36/40

Casting: Success.
Healing: 56 Health restored.

Ashley felt a sudden wave of heat as the healing spell took effect, and the troll beneath her suddenly drew in a sharp breath as her magic brought it back to life. Meanwhile, the demons and their captives all began to climax, buying Ashley another few moments, though one of the two women who were less occupied with the gruff looked up and shouted; "More prey! Wonderful! Take her now, before she can get away!" And, as she said it, she and her companion began walking toward Ashley, not noticing the troll coming to life beneath her. The rest of the demons were momentarily stunned by their release, but the rest of the Fey seem to be exhausted, and will likely not aid Ashley much if it comes to battle.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

"Oh good, you're not dead. I hope you're ready to fight, 'cause the demons aren't gone yet."

Ashley stepped to the side of the troll so that she would still have a clear line of site when it stood up, glanced behind her to make sure she wouldn't trip, and starting backing away from the demons while drawing her pistol with one hand and casting a spell with the other.

Three she-demons, two surviving goblins, a dark knight, and that tentacle beast. Even with the troll, this isn't going to be fun. Well, too late to think about that now...

As she finished her spell, Ashley pointed at the demoness who had first spoken and felt the wind stir in its suddenly altered course.

(Gust (level 3 storm/trans) on the succubus who spoke.)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 32/40

Casting: Success.
Body Check: Ashley wins.
Damage: 3 + 19 = 22 x 2 = 44 damage.

Ashleys spell conjures up a powerful gust of wind that picks up the succubus and hurls her unceremoniously into a wall, resulting in a nasty crunching noise. She collapses to the ground in a heap as the magical wind releases her, and lies motionless as the rest of the demons immediately release their prey. The three Fey women and the gruff all remain motionless on the ground, however, doing nothing more than moaning softly every few seconds as the demons that had been raping them begin moving toward Ashley. "Be careful, she's a wizard! Get in close quick!" The man shouts, not bothering to try and put his armor back on, only picking up a large mace and joining the rush toward her. The troll groans and raises his head, and pushes himself up off the ground and onto his knees, but it seems likely that the demons, most of whom are now only 10 to 20 feet away, will reach them before he is fully ready to fight. In the lead is the man with the mace, while the tentacled creature and the goblins follow now far behind, with the two remaining women remaining in the rear.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Shit, too fast. I need to buy a little more time for the toll to recover.

Ashley raised her hand again, pointing at the mace-wielding man out in front. This time the wind had to be called with more precision, as it was her intent to push the man back into his companions behind him, hopefully with enough force to delay them all for just a few seconds.

(Gust (Storm 3/trans) on the knight.)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 28/40

Casting: Success.
Body Check: Ashley wins.
Damage: 1 + 19 = 20 x 2 = 40 damage.

Ashleys gust of wind takes the knight and picks him up just like it had the woman a moment ago. It doesn't have quite the same effect, but he does end up on his ass twenty feet away from her, at least giving her another moment to prepare. The troll, meanwhile, gets up on to his knees, and says; "Wha.... Where.... What happ..... You! Demons! Bahhh!!!!" And then, he gets back up to his feet, towering over Ashley and the demons alike, who now don't seem so ready to fight now that she's been joined by the massive Fey, and their strongest member is out of the fight, for the moment. The rest of the demons stop advancing, and the smug smirks that had been on the faces of the goblins and women is replaced by scowls, as the demons recognize that they have a truly threatening enemy.

To-Hit: Hit.
To-Hit: Hit.
Damage: 7 + 7 = 14 damage.
Damage: 7 + 7 = 14 damage.

Suddenly, both goblins rush forward, and jab their spears into the trolls legs around the knees. He roars in pain, obviously in pain once more.

To-Hit: Hit.
Damage: 8 + 31 - 3 = 36 damage.

With a single movement, the troll swats one of the goblins, lifting his massive hand up to reveal a mass of blood and gore where the goblin had been standing a moment ago.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Huh, not so certain now. Maybe that man is the leader? Somehow that wouldn't be terribly surprising.

Figuring the troll can handle the goblins for the moment, Ashley moves to finish off the mace-man. This time she pulls the wind from the omnipresent upper air currents and bends it downwards, aiming to slam the man back into the dirt as he tries to get to his feet, and bring down any of the other demons unfortunate enough to be too close as well.

Just have to make sure I don't hit my troll...

(Downburst (Storm 3/trans) aimed to hit the knight, but far enough back not to hit the troll or goblins.)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 24/40

Casting: Success.
Damage: 2 + 19 = 21 x 2 = 42 damage.

Ashleys second spell hammers into the knight, as well as the two women, even as the man tries to get back up to his feat. The force of the air moving downward caused by Ashleys spell smashes all of them to the ground, flattening them. Not one of them rises, not even the knight.

To-Hit: Hit.
Damage: 4 + 31 - 3 = 32 damage.

The troll smashes the other goblin to the ground as he tries to run and flee, and now only the tentacled creature remains, still advancing on them and lashing out at the troll despite the loss of all its comrades.

To-Hit: Hit.
Damage: 3 + 8 = 11 damage.

Several of its limbs hit the troll, but the massive Fey seems to simply shrug off the minor cuts and bruises it leaves behind.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Feeling relieved that the danger is pretty much over - with one enemy left, and a troll standing between her and it - Ashley raises her pistol and aims a shot for the center of the beast, then pulls her trigger.

(Shoot the tentacle thing)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 24/40

To-Hit: Hit.
Damage: 6 + 8 = 14 damage.

Ashleys gun barks in her hand, and her bullet reaches out and strikes the creature in one of its front legs. The projectile rips through the thin fragile limb and cuts it clean in half, causing the demon ti shriek in pain and halt its movement.

To-Hit: Hit.
Damage: 1 + 31 = 32 damage.

The troll moves forward and quickly smashes the last of the demons into the ground with one massive fist. The tentacled creature is crushed into the ground, little more than a bunch of limp tentacles, broken legs, and ugly greenish goo now.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Ashley pauses a moment to replace the spent bullet in her revolver, before holstering it and walking up to the corpse of the tentacle beast, briefly examining it. She then turns to speak to the troll.

"That was... easier then I thought it would be. I'm Ashley."

While she speaks, she walks towards the nearest of the fey women who had been captured by the demons, and kneels to heal the woman slightly. It wouldn't do to leave them near-unconscious in the middle of the city.

(Minor restoration (heal 1/trans) on one of the fey women)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 24/40

(Gain 6 exp.)

Casting: Success.
Healing: 7 HP.

"Easy huh? Well, Ashley, mind explaining to me what in the hell's going on? Last thing I knew, I was in the middle of a fight, and some weirdo in black armor was swinging a mace at my head. Then, I wake up to find some human standing over me, and a bunch of demons rushing at me." The trolls voice is loud and rough, almost like a bunch of rocks grinding against each other.

The Fey women are all lying motionless where the demons left them, apparently having passed out. The one who'd been in the clutches of the tentacle monsters groans softly, so Ashley goes over to her first, and uses her magic to hopefully revive the poor woman. The crimson-haired woman slowly opens her eyes, a smile on her face, and says; "Mmm...... Thank you honey.... Are you going to join the party? I don't mind sharing...." She speaks slowly, and her voice is almost drunken in how slow and slurred it is.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

"Easier then I thought, I said. I came upon the remains of a battle, and healed you in the hopes that you might tip the balance in my favor."

Ashley moves on to the other two women to give them the same minor healing.

"The party's over, it's time to wake up and make yourself ready to get out of here or fight, before more demons show up..."

(Repeat previous spell on the next fey woman. And the last, if I have time.)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

Spoiler

Ashleys Status: HP = 45, P = 55, EP = 24/40

(I'll just keep it all within one round to save time.)

Casting: Success.
Healing: 7 HP.

Two of the Fey women, the green haired one who'd been getting double penetrated by the goblins and the redhead who'd been held by the tentacled creature, both manage to get to their feet after Ashley casts her minor healing spell, the latter clutching a swollen belly and wearing a pleased smirk, while the former only groans something unintelligible. The blond, however, doesn't even respond as Ashley heals her, her eyes glazed over and her expression empty. The same can be said of the gruff who'd been in the clutches of the three women.

"Looks like they got drained almost dry. Had you not come along when you did, those two would probably be a whole lot worse than dead by now. They'll recover, but it'll take some time. Unfortunately, they were the ones in charge....." The green haired woman says, as she examines the two who are completely unresponsive despite Ashleys healing.

 

[thetwo]

Re: Thunder in the Distance (thetwo)

"Time... well, if they stay here they won't have much." Ashley glanced at the two disabled fey, then longer at Red's belly. "Do you have someplace safe to wait until they recover? Myself I think I would not care to test my luck in any of these abandoned buildings overnight, and it may well be night by the time they are ready do move on their own." She squinted up at the sky, trying to judge the time for the first time since before entering hell.

I don't even know if a troll could fit through that portal, but the women look like they might be able to sneak, if the situation called for it. Perhaps they can even manage invisibility... The thought distrubed Ashley somewhat. She was not sure when she had decided that she would actually go back for those prisoners. Still, it never hurt to think ahead.