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Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Nov 4, 2022 11:45:00 GMT -5
After their long and arduous fight with the hunters for Edward’s safety, Cyran and Shaa eventually came to the decision that it would be better for them if they left town before any guards showed up and demanded to know who had smashed a wall through their church… and broken several of their pews… and who was responsible for the several bodies that had been left behind.
Yes, it was easier for everyone in the long run if they just quietly and discreetly slipped away in the early hours of the dawn, before the villagers awoke to see the mess they’d all made of the narrows. As neither had much else to do, they decided to make their way back to the campsite in Stargazer’s Field, which would probably be packing up and getting ready for breakfast right about now. A meal sounded heavenly right about now, Cyran had to admit.
And so the two trudged through the fields, both covered in blood, viscera, and various injuries from last night’s battle back to where they’d left the campers behind. They were about halfway to the site when a group of 5 people emerged from the trees all at once, blocking their path to the camp. Several of them held blades or various other clubs and blunt objects, wearing hateful expressions on their faces. The first three in the front bore fresh bruises and cuts like they’d just come back from a particularly nasty fight.
With them blocking the path, Cyran and Shaa had no choice but to stop as the man in the center held his blade out, a wicked smile on his face, which was marred with several sharp scratches that looked vaguely familiar…
“Finally, you two have come crawling back! You thought you were safe when you drove us away, but you only caught us by surprise! Your win was a fluke!” He laughed, gesturing to the men around him, who broke out into laughter. “You’re not getting away… and this time, we brought backup!”
Silence lapsed over the field.
Cyran looked at Shaa, confused, before turning back to the leader.
“I’m sorry, who are you again?”
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Nov 4, 2022 12:30:31 GMT -5
Shaa was pretty tired and hungry from the night’s shenanigans and he really did not feel Ike being held up. As he looked over the group in front of them, a couple of them did seem familiar. The last time they came through here it was the middle of the night so it was hard to tell. Cyran looked at Shaa and seemed to be as confused as he was as to the identity of their assailants. Maybe they were confusing them for someone else? Shaa looked at Cyran and shrugged.
“I’m sorry, who are you again?” Asked Cyran with sincerity. The leader of the group started turning purple with rage but managed to calm himself back down.
Ah yes, I don’t believe we actually introduced ourselves the last time we were acquainted. The name is Tiber the blade. I am a Sargent in the grand organization known here as, The Clasp. Tiber paused for dramatic effect. The Clasp was well known and feared in these parts for being bandits and rogues.
Ohhh! He’s the guy I threw into the bush! Or was he the guy who peed himself and ran away? It all happened so fast, it was hard to keep track. Check his pants, bet there is a stain.
Tiber held his blade out even further in front of him. I did no such thing bull man! All I did was bide my time, plotting my revenge.
You have been sitting here all night with a bunch of dudes on the off chance we would come back this way? That’s kind of sad pee pee pants.
I DID NOT…. Tiber shut his eyes for a moment to compose himself. The point is my plan worked and you two will pay the price for your insolence.
Shaa turned to Cyran unconcerned. Here he goes asking for money again. The Clasp must be hard up on cash, sad for such a big organization. I mean the laundry service alone for all the…
I DID NOT WET MYSELF. You will DIE you miserable monster. With pain, lots of pain! The bandits started to prepare thier weapons.
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Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Nov 4, 2022 14:13:56 GMT -5
The Clasp was clearly supposed to be significant, but as the thief waited for recognition, Cyran’s recollection was only coming up blank.
“I’m sorry, there are just so many bandits in Moonglade, you see, I can’t keep track of them all.” He said. He was still lost until Shaa pointed out that he was the one who’d urinated themselves, and it all clicked back into place.
Cyran snapped his fingers, eyes widening. “Oh, yes, I remember now! To be honest, the night has been so hectic that it slipped my mind.” Now that he thought about it, those scratches did look like his own handiwork…
The man who’d urinated himself- Cyran, unfortunately, had already forgotten his name- pulled his blade out, clearly humiliated at being dismissed so easily.
Cyran sighed, reaching for his belt. “Look, I’m sure you gentlemen are very menacing and very good at what you do, but I’m really not in the mood today. How about I just give you some money and we call it even-“
He froze, hand groping blindly at where his pouch was supposed to be, only to find that his coin purse was currently missing.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
A laugh from behind him caught his attention, and Cyran turned to see that a sixth member had been waiting to sneak up on them from behind while the men in the front distracted them. The thief now wore a smug smile on his face, holding Cyran’s coin pouch between his fingers.
“I heard you were the sneaky one, but apparently, you’re not that tough, are you?” The thief mocked.
Cyran suppressed a sigh. “Alright, you know what? I’m done with this. I’ll be taking my coin pouch back, please.”
Before the thief could react, Cyran raised a single hand in the air, palm splayed. There was a beat of silence as the thief stood, dumbfounded, wondering what he was about to do. When nothing happened, the thief laughed.
“Was that it?” He laughed.
“Just wait.”
That was when the thief heard the distant flapping of wings. That was all the warning he got before a flock of ravens burst through the sky, like a horrible, dark cloud that blocked out the sun overhead, casting a shadow upon the group.
“What the-“ The bandits gasped as the ravens swarmed overhead, diving down occasionally, scratching at their arms and legs like beasts from hell, aiming for eyes and tongues and whatever vulnerable spots they could reach with their deadly-sharp talons.
Cyran pulled out his dagger and calmly stalked through the swarm of feathers.
The thief who’d stolen his coin pouch didn’t even notice as Cyran slinked up to him and slit his throat in one smooth movement. He plucked his own pouch from the thief’s hands before the body even hit the floor, securing it back on his belt.
Cyran turned back to the others, still furiously fighting off the screeching corvids. He snapped his fingers, and the swarm dissipated, leaving the thieves sporting several bleeding cuts on their faces and arms, looking utterly horrified.
“Alright, was that enough of a demonstration? … No?” He asked. The bandits looked shaken, but none of them had run screaming this time- was it just his imagination, though, or did the stain on that man’s pants look bigger than it had a second ago…?
“Oi, they’re just trying to spook us with fake witchcraft! Don’t be fooled!” The leader cried, steadying his sword as he, and the rest of the bandits, charged.
Cyran sighed and raised his dagger. === Raven Storm
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Nov 4, 2022 15:28:37 GMT -5
Shaa watched as the ravens descended on the bandits. He remembered that his friend Edward had done something similar in a battle before. Where in the world were people picking up all these ravens from, Shaa wondered. As the attack ended, the bandits gathered themselves for the attack. Shaa held our his massive hands to halt them. Wait, wait, hang on guys, one sec,
Shaa uses his arm wrap to make a blindfold and ties it around his head. He waves his hand in front of his face a couple times to confirm he can’t see anything. Ok, come at me. The bandits stood there stunned in disbelief. Could he really not see them coming? Come on, this is like your best shot on getting out of here unmaimed. Anytime. Tiber wasn’t buying it.
You think this little stunt is going to stop us from attacking you? If you do not want to see your death, it is just the mark of a coward. Arrghh! Tiber charged at Shaa with a furious rage. Shaa rubbed his nose a little waiting for the strike. As Tiber threw a downward stroke towards Shaa’s shoulder, Shaa grabbed the blade with his bare hands. Shaa grabbed Tiber’s wrist with his other hand and squeezed, forcing him to drop the blade. With a final maneuver, Shaa head butted him in the face, breaking his nose, crumpling Tiber to the ground.
Ta da! Shaa said triumphantly, taking off the blindfold. It’s no flock of raven minions sure but, look at his face! He’s all like, oh no, my nose is broken! Hahaha. Classic pee pee pants. Shaa wipes a tiny tear from his eyes. He looks up at the remaining bandits who are staring at him concerned. Ok seriously guys. Do you REALLY want to do this? Because on the off chance one of you idiots actually manages to stab me, I’m going to hurt you…like a lot. I know you’re thinking like…oh I’m a big scary bandit, I can take pain. My life is pain, blah blah blah. No. I mean pain like your insides will become your outsides and your outsides will become his insides pointing to Tiber who was still on the ground. Now shoo. Shaa waves at them dismissively.
The bandits still look concerned but don’t go anywhere. Shaa looks over at Cyran. Times like this just ruin my reputation for being a kind and convivial Minotaur.
Constrictor Wraps Fighters Sense Hands are Weapons Iron Grip
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Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Nov 4, 2022 22:27:34 GMT -5
He had to admit he was honestly impressed at their tenacity. Cyran doubted that there were few men who could watch Shaa headbutt a man with enough force to practically invert his nose inside of his skull and remain standing. It almost made him wonder if there was some deeper reason they kept pushing beyond what would be considered normal…
Cyran didn’t have much time to ponder over their motivations, as one of the bandits charged at him, reminding him that he was currently in the middle of a fight. Admittedly, it wasn’t much of one, but even fools could be deadly with daggers. He smoothly ducked out of the way of a blade that would have left a nasty gash on his face, driving his own dagger into the thief’s gut. The thief yelped in pain as Cyran pulled the dagger out, causing the blood to gush from the wound.
He held out his palm, now coated red from the injury, and the bandit’s blood began to twist and rotate, extending outwards until it resembled a long, curved blade with a wicked sharp side.
The bandit stared at the sword, a series of complex emotions flashing across his face as he processed the fact that he was about to be stabbed with a weapon made of his own blood, and eventually landed at resignation that at least his humiliation, the same as all the other bandits, would be soon coming to a swift end.
That was the last emotion he ever felt before Cyran finished the job, slicing the scimitar in a diagonal line from shoulder to sternum. As the bandit fell, the minor scrapes he’d accrued over the night slowly closed up, leaving behind only a few faint scars. Even his shoulder injury from the crossbow bolt began to heal- while not completely, it vastly improved his range of movement.
He turned back to the remaining thieves, dagger in one hand and a scarlet blade in the other.
Crimson Armaments
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Nov 5, 2022 10:01:20 GMT -5
Shaa noticed after his warning that one of the remaining bandits attempted to attack Cyran instead. Tactically this was probably the smarter move on their part but Shaa was still annoyed. Not including pee pee pants who was still nursing a broken nose, and Cyran taking care of the other guy with some sort of blood weapon? Ok that happened. There were 3 of them left. Why weren’t they leaving? Surely they couldn’t be that hard up for money. Shaa was too tired to think about it hard.
The three remaining bandits spread out in an attempt to surround them. No no, none of that! Shaa stomped the ground. A couple of rock columns spring up to grasp one of the bandits feet. One of the other bandits rushed over and started to hack away at the stone columns. Shaa rushed over to stop the man but he swiped out with his long sword causing Shaa to flinch. Back off, beast! Cried the bandit as he continued to try and dislodge his friend.
Surprised at the level of his determination, Shaa pivots and rushes him again. This time both bandits take swings at him to keep him at bay. He was going to have to use a different tactic. The third bandit, turning toward Cyran, blades in hand.
Earth Bind
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Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Nov 5, 2022 18:13:55 GMT -5
Shaa was preoccupied with the remaining two who were holding the minotaur off with startling determination, leaving the final bandit to charge at Cyran. Cyran raised his crimson scimitar over his head to block an overhead swing from a particularly nasty looking ax, using the bandit’s momentum against him to direct it to the ground. The blade hit the grass with a loud THUNK, though it didn’t stay there for long. Cyran stepped back as the bandit heaved, pulling the ax from the ground and whirling upon Cyran.
The assassin used the thief’s momentum against him once more, parrying the blow with his scimitar, nearly thrown back from the rebound. Internally, a small part of him worried about how long he could keep playing on the defensive. He was too far away from Shaa to slink back into the minotaur’s shadow, and without the element of surprise, he was fighting a losing battle. In terms of physical strength, this bandit was the clear victor.
“Stop dodging, you slippery bastard!” The bandied cried, face rapidly turning red in frustration.
Despite the healing his blade had granted him, Cyran’s shoulder still ached, a reminder that they were still running on fumes. He would have to end this quickly.
In the bandit’s frustration, he hadn’t noticed Cyran leading him all the way to a nearby tree in their little dance, until Cyran ducked out of the way, and it was far too late for the bandit to stop the blow. The ax swung wide, implanting itself so deep in the tree that the bandit couldn’t tug it out. As he was distracted, Cyran slipped around him, slashing his dagger across the bandit’s face. The bandit screamed, clutching at his face. Cyran took the opportunity to grab him, holding the dagger to the bandit’s neck.
His voice was cold and detached as he leaned into the bandit's ear and whispered, “I’ll make one thing very clear. You are not the first person I have killed this evening, and you will not be the last. Do you value your life, or do you value the money I have in my pouch more? I’ll be honest, I only have ten coins on me right now.” He paused. “That’s rather sad on your part, don’t you think?”
The bandit squirmed in his grasp- there was still fight in him. “Screw you and the beast you call a friend.”
“Look, it’s obvious your buddies aren’t going to make it.” Cyran gestured to where Shaa was currently dealing with the remaining survivors. “So why don’t I cut you a deal? If you surrender, I’ll let you go right now, and you’ll be spared the same fate as your companions. In exchange, you run away with your tail tucked between your legs back to your leader, and you don’t bother us, or any of the camps around here, again. Fair, no?”
He expected cowering, or perhaps bargaining- what Cyran heard instead was a deep, crazed laugh. “Oh, we already took care of that campsite.”
Cyran’s blood ran cold.
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, we raided them hours ago- boss’s orders. He said to handle you two and any of your companions after that stunt you pulled. We had to send a message- no one messes with the Clasp!”
“Is that so?” Cyran asked, clutching his dagger in a white-knuckled grip.
“Go ahead and kill me, elf. Ain’t like it matters anyways.” He couldn’t see the man’s face, but Cyran could imagine the manic grin that stretched over his face. “We’ve already completed our mission.”
For a moment, Cyran was tempted to do just that. To press his dagger further and finish the job. But he’d made a promise, and he was just too tired to keep this up. He released his grip, pushing the man away. The bandit stumbled, catching his footing, clearly surprised to have been shown mercy.
“Five seconds.” Cyran uttered.
The bandit didn’t need to be told twice, sprinting off before Cyran rethought his decision and came to the conclusion that the bandit should die after all.
Cyran looked down at his dagger, still wet with the bandit’s blood. It was just as well the man didn’t know he’d been left alive solely so Cyran could follow him to the Clasp’s camp if need be. Cyran was not a merciful man, after all. He was simply a pragmatist.
He turned back around to help Shaa with the remaining bandits, though he had a feeling the minotaur had already taken care of things.
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Nov 5, 2022 19:08:40 GMT -5
It was 2 against one. The problem was the one was tired, hungry, recently poisoned and overall pretty cranky from the events of the last day. The bandit was now nearly free so it was time to end this. Shaa rushed the first bandit again and grabbed his knife wielding arm. As the second bandit came down on him with a sword. Shaa whipped his tail out and smacked the sword out of the bandies hand.
Haha didn’t see that one coming did ya! He said with a cutting tone of voice. Shaa squeezed the man’s wrist, forcing him to drop the knife. With a one two combination to the face , the first bandit was knocked out cold. While Shaa was punching him, the second bandit rolled and managed to grab his long sword again and popped back up his feet.
You are pretty wily I’ll give you that. It’s too bad your not an adventurer. One of by best friends used to be a thief so I wouldn’t even hold it against you if you switched.
Ridiculous beast. I am The Clasp and they are me. We always pay our debts which is why you two must be delt with.
So your reason for this suicidal mission is because your buddies robbed the wrong Minotaur? That sounds like more of a personal problem.
I would give my life a thousand times!
As far as I know you only get one and it is about to get the short end. Just go home and forget this. I’m not your run of the mill Minotaur, you don’t have a prayer!
My will my life! The bandit cried as he charged.
Shaa calmed his breathing. As the bandit stabbed at him, Shaa twisted to get inside his guard. As he turned to him, he grabbed his sword hand. Shaa uses the second strike to hit his shoulder, paralyzing his arm. The bandies arm goes limp as he drops the sword, You wre good kid just not quite good enough. Shaa grabs the back of his head and smashes it into his knee. Maybe one day kid. Maybe one day.
Paralysing Strikes Tail Iron Hands Two Piece
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Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Nov 5, 2022 21:00:19 GMT -5
Cyran made his way to where Shaa was taking care of the last of the bandits, leaving the two adventurers, for the second time that day, surrounded by a pile of bodies at varying degrees of mangled and bloody. Cyran held his hand out, dismissing the crimson blade. “Are you doing alright there, big guy?” He asked, taking a moment to catch his breath. He was beginning to wonder if this day would ever end at this point- at least they would be able to make it back to the camp soon and sleep…
Oh, right.
He straightened, eyes widening as he suddenly remembered what the last bandit had told him. “The Clasp hit the campsite. One of the thugs said they were given orders to target us… this wasn’t just an act of petty revenge.” But why did they want to send such a violent message in the first place? What did they have to gain?
Whoever was behind this operation was planning something big. Cyran had heard of bandit groups terrorizing this part of Moonglade for a few months now- armed robberies were commonplace, but nothing so violent as this. Not to mention the way the thieves had practically thrown themselves at Cyran and Shaa like lambs to the slaughter, with no consideration for their own lives. As if they believed that this organization- the Clasp- stood for something more than themselves.
This was no commonplace organization of thugs.
The realization, while it may have been obvious to some, had only just occurred in Cyran’s sleep-deprived brain. The way they’d spoken about their gang with pride said that their leader had big plans. As he stood there, mulling the idea over, a single question came to mind, one that had been in the back of his thoughts since they were ambushed.
“Just who the hell are the Clasp, anyways?”
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Post by Shaa Rhunn on Nov 6, 2022 19:58:44 GMT -5
With Tiber nursing a broken nose and another bandit starting to make a break for it, Shaa knew that if they ever hoped to get any answers, they needed to make some quick decisions. Shaa grabbed Tiber by the shirts and pulled him in close. Ok Pee Pee pants. I have been running around this place a long time and The Clasp isn’t this aggressive. Just what are you little fart sniffers up to anyway?
Tiber just smiled and spit blood into Shaa’s face. Ha! Like someone of your very limited capacity could ever hope to understand the depths of the Master's genius. We will not be limited to swamps and petty larceny for..Something he said caught Shaa’s attention.
Master? Wait, you guys have some sort of overall leader to this nonsense?
Tibers face goes pale. No! I didn’t say anything, I swear! From the darkness, a dart flies into Tiber’s neck. His body immediately goes slack as his eyes glaze over and roll back into his head. In the distance, Shaa can see the remaining bandit is holding a blow gun and facing them. He looks at them for a moment, then turns and starts running off into the distance again.
Shaa shakes the limp corpse a bit and then drops it roughly into the dirt. He killed his own guy? Shaa looks at Cyran. You heard him right? No camp to go back to. No reason to believe he was lying. How would you feel about a slight detour? Maybe we can finally get to the bottom of all of this. Not like we can sleep now anyway.
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Post by Cyran Fenastra-Asiliari on Nov 7, 2022 11:59:03 GMT -5
He saw the bandit he spared emerging from behind a tree just as the man raised the blow gun, but there was nothing Cyran could do in time to stop the dart from striking Tiber’s neck. The bandit’s eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed to the ground as Shaa dropped him.
“No honor amongst thieves…” Cyran mumbled to himself. And what Tibet had said about the Clasp expanding beyond petty thievery, united under a single master, bothered him. “Yes, best to nip this in the bud now before it gets out of hand.” Their methodology was too dangerous to leave unchecked.
Cyran quickly took stock of their situation: still dead tired, and running on fumes at this point. But for the same reason he couldn’t stand by while Shaa’s friend was in danger, he couldn’t let his home be ravaged by thugs.
“I think it’s time we paid the Clasp a house call.” He held up his dagger so Shaa could see the bandit’s blood coating the blade. He was glad he’d left a contingency plan open- the bandit scurrying back to the Clasp thought he had successfully eliminated any leads to their hideout with Tiber, but he had no idea he’d crossed a bounty hunter, and a cranky and exhausted one at that.
“Don’t worry. That bandit will lead us right to their leader.”
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