[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XVII - On The Border Of Doom

[Aaron Clausen]

> > [GM]
> > The taller elf stands up again.  "So what say you?  Are you selfish
> > craven who will walk away from our need, though we are too good
> > by half to simply deliver you?  Or will you help us, seeing as it is
> > you who have brought this sorrow on us?  Speak now, for my
> > two sons sit now awaiting whatever heinous acts that creature
> > will bestow upon them."
> > [/GM]

> > [Lady Louissa]
> > Lady Louissa turns to the rest of the company.  "We must do
> > something!" she cries.  "We cannot allow these children to be
> > slain!"
> > [/Lady Louissa]

> > [Alister]
> > Alister seems somewhat less impressed.  "I don't know.  It's sad
> > seeing kids killed, but how many kids will die in that war to the
> > north of here.  This is a trap, I'll bet, and a really good one, because
> > the demon thinks we won't let kids die.  I'd sooner confront the
> > demon on our terms, rather than on his."
> > [/Alister]

> [Ted]
> "Alister is correct," Ted begins. "We must use caution as this could
> very will be a trap, but we cannot allow innocents to be harmed. Alister,
> Owen, Sia, Talas and the rest of you: what powers do you have that
> would allow us to pass into K'murd-faka's lair unseen?"
> [/Ted]

[Alister]
"Give me a week or two, and I might be able to make enough invisibility
devices." Alister says.  "Find me a nexus and maybe sooner.  But in
short order, no."
[/Alister]

[Louissa]
"I've got nothing." Louissa says.
[/Louissa]

[Amanda]
Amanda shakes her head.  "Nor I."
[/Amanda]

> [Owen]
> Shuffling his feet, Owen reples, "I have limited abilities, and none that
> seem to help in sneaking past the demon.  I am not sure what I have
> to offer will make it easier to slip past a demon of such power and ability.
> I'm not sure that we can slip past, no matter what we do.  It looks to be
> expecting us."
> [/Owen]

> [Alex]
> "I think I need to be the practical one here," the red haired scout
> states, "How is there any thoughts that even if we get turned over that
> the children will be freed. Have heard vampires from below the boarders
> have said the same thing many times. The people of a village give
> themselves up and the vampires simply slay the children afterwards. I
> have also heard someone tell me once that children have more magical
> energies than anyone else."
> [/Alex]

[Amanda]
"You guys have vampires, too..." Amanda says.  "Never mind, I know what
you mean.  I've had to deal with hostage situations where the hostage
takers had no intention of setting anyone free.  This probably isn't a swap,
it's simply a trap."
[/Amanda]

> [Talas]
> "I fear that Lady Alex is right. I have never met a demon that could be
> trusted. This Demon means to create his own Kingdom on Earth. And
> one dose not do that by giving away land. Plus they see us as no more
> than beasts of burden, food or playthings. This pale demon can not be
> trusted."
> [/Talas]

> [Sia]
> Sialillion nods.  "Your knowledge of the occult may be patchy, Alex,
> but your knowledge of the nature of evil is right on."  Addressing the
> council, she continues, "Your children are in grave danger, whether or
> not you choose to make a deal with this devil.  To trust such a being
> to honor its word would be folly, and your little ones are even more
> useful to it as living sacrifices than as bargaining chips.  They may
> even already be dead."  She sighs.  "Trap or not, however, this is not
> something we can simply walk away from without taking action."
>
> She asks a series of questions:  "Do you know anything about where
> this pale creature might have come from?  What proof has he given you
> that your children still live?  And what more can you tell us of these
> Standing Stones?"
> [/Sia]

> [Ted]
> "Well, what if we marched up to his front door and demanded he
> come out and meet us?"
> [/Ted]

> [Talas]
> Talas looks at Ted gives a sly grin and simple says "I like that idea."
> [/Talas]

[Alister]
Alister laughs.  "An interesting tactic."
[/Alister]

[Louissa]
Louissa frowns.  "It doesn't sound so much interesting as suicidal."
[/Louissa]

[GM]
The council looks a mixture of fascination, horror and hope.  Clearly
some of the members aren't sure what to make of the company's
questions and comments.

The oldest council member looks to Lady Sialillion to answer her
question.  "The Standing Stones are some seventy miles from here,
along the borders of that horrible swamp.  We know little of their
history, but they stand on a nexus, so we assume they are of some
power.  There is an evil there, we know that much, it's aura sickens
the more sensitive among us."
[/GM]

[Amanda]
Amanda seems deep in thought, and then suddenly speaks up.
"Our good friend Talas may have something." she says.  "What if
we rattled the demon's cage a little?"

She turns to the council.  "I have a plan, maybe a crazy one.  We
have our own reasons for being here, but maybe your people can
help us.  How many able-bodied warriors do you have?"
[/Amanda]

[GM]
The tall, outspoken elf shrugs.  "I could get our militia together, along
with the knights, say, seventy men and women, well-armed and trained.
Twice that many if you don't mind not so well armed, and not so well
trained."
[/GM]

[Amanda]
Amanda nods, and turns back to the rest of the company.  "Look, I
have an idea.  I think Talas is on to something.  We need to distract
to this demon, to get his attention on to something.  I saw the flashy
sword that woman knight had when we first stumbled on this place,
and I'll bet its enchanted, or whatever you call it.  I know I'm special
to this demon, so what if I put on my general's cap, lead this ragtag
army into some sort of exchange, and while the demon's busy,
you guys make a break for that temple?  Rath-Iren's in that swamp,
too, or so Om said."
[/Amanda]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com