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Post by Mubashir on Jan 27, 2023 0:20:26 GMT -5
The Craven crashed between the pair, ripping away the ancient tome from their hands. It flew back out the door as Gerhart called them to action. How did a silly bird get all the way down here? Screw that, what would a bird do with a book! Birds can't read...can they? That one did have three eyes, maybe one of them was it's reading eye. Mubashir thought all this mage's stuff was getting out of hand as he rejoined everyone back on the walkway.
The flighty offender wove between the crisscrossed paths upwards before landing upon the shoulder of a morose Lizardwoman dressed in oddly mannish Zeinavan traditional garb. Her bronze scales glittered against the scant torchlight in the abyss, showing off a long scar running down the left side of her face. She seemed almost bored as she lit two small wicked globes before tossing them casually down at the delvers.
Duke raised his endoorened hand and caught the blast of one of them, the other crashing down to the center of the walkway, causing it to shake violently as a jagged crack formed across it. The three eyed raven cawed mockingly as it dropped the ancient tome into the hand of the lizardwoman, who was apparently experienced enough with disposing of problems as to stick around and actually ensure that they persished before leaving.Undead Hulk: 1/3
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Jan 28, 2023 10:50:08 GMT -5
"I'm going to assume that's bad. Think he can climb while carrying your friend?" Gerhart motioned to the Duke and Mubashir's companion. There were probably smarter options, but Gerhart's first concern was remaining down here as the proverbial fish in a barrel. The draconic wings didn't have much time left, but if he sprinted upwards he could likely carry Mubashir and company back up to the top.
The mage's guild applicant would have to subject himself to being carried, but it would be faster. Gerhart offers out a hand. "Come on, I'll take us to the top and confront her directly. We don't have too many options down here."
If Mubashir was agreeable to the idea, he'd give the man a moment to collect himself before picking him up and darting towards the top as fast as he can. If not, Gerhart was plenty ready to hear alternative ideas, keeping an eye on the woman above to make sure she isn't summoning something more dangerous to send at them. They didn't have many places to take cover, they were already pushing their luck with the Duke's makeshift shield. Any attack with a bit more gumption behind it may be a bit hard to deflect.
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Post by Mubashir on Jan 28, 2023 19:36:04 GMT -5
Mubashir had no further questions as his bell rung from the explosions. "Theyll be fine!" He shouted as he grabbed onto the mercenaries arm and they rocketed forward as another bomb fell in their wake. The shockwave propelled them upwards towards the offending party. Looking back, he saw the bridge crumble as the dust from the final explosion settled. Duke lept as the chunk he was standing on crumbled into the abyss, with Sumaita falling down with the rest of the rubble. Like he said, she would be fine. They landed on the platform that the shiny lizard stood watching. He released Gerhart's forearm, and the imprint of his hand remained, likely due to the ever increasing fear of falling into the everlasting darkness. His knees shook as he brought himself to stand, only to see the repeating crossbow pointed right at him. Two bolts thunked into his torso, a trickle of blood dripped from his mouth. Pain bothered him little, what worried him more was the stake of wood about two inches away from his heart.
Duke's shield arm landed at the pathway below them, he would be up soon. In the meantime, Mubashir wreathed himself in shadows, dashing forward with impressive speed to extinguish the torch in the center of the walkway. The mystery woman racked the action on her Crossbow, and sprinted backwards to make distance, finding herself on the stairway up and out of the pit. Mubashir threw the torch down, and melded with the shadows once more. Disconcertingly, he could see the fiery gold eye on the center of the ravens head staring back through the darkness, and the womans own eyes followed.Raw Speed 1/2 Cloak of shadows Undead hulk 2/3
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Jan 28, 2023 19:51:56 GMT -5
Gerhart did smirk a little bit at the death grip Mubashir took, but didn't make comment of it. No sense teasing right now, they were a little busy. He watches the man melt into the shadows, oh good he was like Zarius. Thankfully with his hearing and ability to track blood [1,2] he could keep a rough estimate on his position.
This would-be ambusher wasn't going to escape so easily. Seeing her take a moment to cock back the crossbow, Gerhart takes a sharp inhale and breathes out a line of lightning up towards the lizard and the raven. He grimaces as she is quick enough to avoid the brunt of it, but lightning still ripped across her hip.
Gerhart sprung forward after the breath with a burst of speed[3] and starts to give chase. With the rough idea of where Mubashir is, Gerhart does his best to position himself in a way to give Mubashir cover whenever he comes out, but still give him a good line of sight to land an attack. At the very least, a charging Gerhart would be hard to ignore and demand some of the woman's attention. The hope was this would be enough of a pull to get a good hit in.
1. Improved Senses 2. Blood Scent 3. Rushing Charge
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Post by Mubashir on Jan 28, 2023 22:18:08 GMT -5
Gerhart rushed forward, and with his intentional battlefield placement, it quickly became apparent that the experience of this fighter's guild mercenary spoke for itself. Mubashir took the opportunity to help Gerhart close the distance. A shadow-wreathed hand pointed out as he whispered a subtle incantation. A small sliver of darkness reached out and touched the fleeing Lizardwoman, and but a moment later, she tripped on a stair and fell over. She began panting as though she had run a marathon, and an attempt to wheel her crossbow around at the charging mercenary only found her grip falter, dropping it down into the endless pit.
She clutched fiercly at the ancient tomb under her cloak, all her strength going towards ensuring it's safety.
"Back off, any closer and I jump" She croaked, her voice raspy as though drier than the desert. Duke leapt once more to the current pathway, causing the crack formed earlier from the fight with the snake to widen, throwing the integrity of the bridge into heavy question. Mubashir dashed forward to reach the safety of the stairs with Gerhart and the woman, before the rest of the path collapsed as well, taking Duke and the bridge into the Abyss.
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Jan 28, 2023 22:40:34 GMT -5
"Just hand the book over and this all ends, we can let you go." Gerhart stops his charge not wanting to send her off the brink. For all his running and in the armor, he seems to have barely broken a sweat having grown very comfortable in all of this.
Looking over the situation, there really wasn't much else to be done. The woman was cornered and they seemed to have gained the advantage. But, Gerhart had fought too many mages and learned too much to relax his guard just yet. He knew enough about magic to know she was still dangerous for as long as she could cast a spell.
"Besides, it's an ancient book sealed in an old tomb below the city, at worse its a little scuffed and we have to make the walk down, but you'll be dead and broken at the bottom so just hand it over." Gerhart was honest in that he was willing to just let her go in exchange for the book, he was too dumb and sweet to lie.
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Post by Mubashir on Jan 29, 2023 1:56:24 GMT -5
Mubashir's shadow cloak dissipated as he came upon the standoff. His magic didn't last very long, but he really didn't see a way out of this situation for her unless she pulled off some wacky business. You could see the look on her face as she regains a bit of her composure, rapidly looking about to assess options and escape paths. He smirked as a look of defeat came across her. "Fine...I guess you win. Catch" She shouts, tossing the book high into the air. Mubashir followed it with his head and outstretched arms as it arced overtop of them and threatened to fall into the pit. Distracted, he failed to notice her slamming a hand into the stonework of the stairs they stood on. A moment later, it had changed shape into a sort of ramp instead of a stairwell, the sharp adjustment causing him to loose his footing and tumble backwards. Free fall brought him back to his senses, his form becoming mist and floating back towards the intact portion of the stairs, hoping that the mercenary would also find a way back to sure footing. The raven swooped from her shoulder to retrieve the tome, flying to catch up with his master who once more looked to escape.
"Nice try warrior, honeyed words will find you with only insects and fools"Enemy: Mold Earth Mubashir: Demon of the mist
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Jan 29, 2023 11:57:27 GMT -5
Gerhart stabbed his sword into the earth to prevent himself from falling too far, only skidding a few feet. He sheathed his other sword and instead stuck his fingers into his mouth to let out a sharp whistle. For a moment, nothing seems to happen but a dark shadow would start to pass over the group.
Diving out of the sky and intercepting both the raven and the tome before it could rejoin its master was a giant kestrel. Gerhart withdrew his sword from the stone and slid a few feet before launching himsef to grab onto the other taloned foot. It would make a slow sweep back around before depositing Gerhart safely on solid ground, the knight tearing the book away from the raven who is now pinned to the ground.
"You were saying? I think your arrogance is what made you the fool. Now the offer has changed again, submit and we will only turn you into the guards." The book is handed to Mubashir directly, Gerhart would not let go until he was certain the mage's guild applicant had it in hand this time.
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Post by Mubashir on Jan 31, 2023 5:32:00 GMT -5
Ginma's shit, I have to get one of those Mubashir thought to himself, before feeling a tinge of guilt once he remembered the snake sleeping inside of his turban. He rematerialized directly behind Gerhart as he thrust the book into his hands.
"Oh...nisce! Good work Gerhart!" His enthusiasm was quite apparent as he paged idly through the book. Surprisingly, it was pretty legible for it's age, poor thing must have been stuck in that broom closet just as long as he had, if not longer.
The lizardwoman on the other hand was the opposite of enthused. Her teeth grit as she knew she had finally been beat.
"Fine, turn me in. I'll get it one way or another. How long you think someone like me stays behind bars, Gerhart?" There was a bit of a sneer with her last retort, as though this interaction had gleamed her enough information to have made it worthwhile regardless of if she had obtained her quarry. Mubashir had long since stopped paying attention to their little trist on the stairs. he stepped around the merc and the thief whilst thoroughly engrossed in the ancient pages before him. A few steps up and he looked back, shouting,
"Hey, what are you guyss doing? letss go already, thiss plasce givess me the creepss..."
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Jan 31, 2023 15:45:42 GMT -5
"Long enough that we can ensure this book is handled properly and not abused." Gerhart will tie the lizardwoman's hands behind her back with wire, wrapping it so she couldn't cast anymore spells. She is gestured forward up the stairs, a suggestion the woman complies with...for the moment at least.
At the top of the stairs, she releases a spell she had seemingly been holding on to[1] and shifted through the would-be restraints and the grasping hands of Gerhart[2]. With a cackle she takes off down the street, the raven familiar eventually wriggling free during the distraction and taking off after its master.
Gerhart and Halcyon give chase a moment before he slows to a stop, shaking his head. "That's my mistake, I should've cut off her magic beforehand." He sighs and sheathes his sword, hands on his hips afterwards. Gerhart turns and looks back towards Mubashir over his shoulder.
"You all right then? Have the book and everything...Halcyon and I can give you a ride back to wherever it is you're staying. Might help us to get a bit higher and avoid an ambush....plus its just faster." He grinned, the giant kestrel beside him turning its head slightly at Mubashir.
1. Spell Suspension 2. Phase Walk
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Post by Mubashir on Feb 1, 2023 19:16:14 GMT -5
The excitement of getting to ride a giant bird quickly overrode any fear of heights Mubashir had previously encountered. A wide childlike smile crossed his face as he graciously accepted.
"Oh Waow! Thiss iss quite generouss of you, and don't worry about the Liszard Gerhart, I'm ssure sshe will find another book to read or ssomething. Anyway, do you know where the Mage'ss Guild iss birdie? It iss like ssomewhere to the wesst of here I think, sso like jusst fly that way I guesss?" He was not super concerned about the loss of their prisoner. She had been an incidental speedbump into the acquisition of this historical account in the first place.
The journey onwards was magical, Mubashir spread out his arms mid-air as though he were flying. Pages of the tome flapped rapidly in the wind as the book was still being held in hand, papers trailing them across the Luna Sea. Once he noticed, he quickly tucked it back into his robe before the Fighters guild representative noticed as well. Mubashir could just say they were lost to time... Who would miss a few old pages anyway.
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