CH 5: Que-Kiri and the Plains

[JadedDM]

"Then what are ya waitin' for, blue eyes?" the kapak asks, bearing a grin so wide that his many sharp teeth are showing. "I'm not gonna tell you nothin' at this rate. This yer first time?" He chuckles to himself. "Maybe ya need some pointers?" he mocks.

Raven-eye looks around the ruined village. "Plenty of broken stone around, that shouldn't be too difficult," he says, in response to Sturm's suggestion.

[Jenara]

Laurana frowns, wincing she lets an arrow fly, impaling him in the left arm.

1d20+3, 1d8=[16, 3], [1]
Hit AC -2

"I can hit the other one as easy, and you will die in agony."

[JadedDM]

The arrow's aim is a bit off, probably due to Laurana's shaking. It instead pierces the kapak's left wing's membrane.

The kapak hisses in pain, and manages to get himself to his knees. "Hahaha...haha...not bad, pixie girl. Not bad." He flicks his tongue like a snake.

===============

Laurana fires a sheaf arrow a Kapak 02 (1d20+5): 18, hit for (1d8): 1 damage.

[Jenara]

"I have twenty three more, how many do you think you can handle before they kill you?" She asks, trying to sound brave, keeping her gaze on the creature.

"Tell me of Qualinost? Or do you want one in your eye next?"

[JadedDM]

"Qualinost? It's an elven city, deep in the woods. I hear it's nice, although never been there myself," the kapak responds, still grinning. "The Qualinesti elves live there, frolickin' in the flowers and dancin' in the moonlight, so I hear tell. They think they're better than us." He leans forward. "Is that what ya think, blondie? That yer better? That my kind are just monsters to be put down, like vermin...that don't deserve to live in the same world as ya? Hehehehe...maybe ya won't think that after we send some reds in there to burn the place to cinders."

[Jenara]

"I think." She pauses smiling. "You will be mistaken if you plan to burn Qualinost? Interesting." She notches another arrow, aiming it at the creature. "Who is your leader? Tell me, what have you got to loose? If you have a right to be here, he will see that we are.... seen to wont he?"

[HorizonsDream]

Sunstar looks over to the elf maiden for a moment with a frown before she starts collecting some stones for the old man. "We didn't even get his name," she says softly.

[JadedDM]

"The elves are runnin' scared as it is," the kapak boasts. "Our armies have taken most of Abanasinia now. Lord Verminaard is our leader, and chosen of the Dragon Queen, our goddess. We've taken the coastline and the mountains. We've razed the barbarian villages, sacked Gateway, and occupied Haven." He laughs. "The entire land is ours, 'cept...for the Qualinesti lands. And we're building our strength now to take them. Nothin' can stand in our way. We have hordes of dragons on our side, not to mention a goddess!"

He grins darkly at Laurana. "So yer right. It won't matter. Even if ya kill me, yer people are doomed. By this time next week, Qualinesti will be ours, and so will all of Abanasinia!"

[Jenara]

So that is what her father and his advisers discussed at length.. ?
"My Fa.. my people will not go down without a fight." She shouts, nudging Tanis, "We will get more of this, we should put it down." Her hands shake as she holds her bow.

[Breila]

Goldmoon helps gather the stones for the old man's cairn, all the while thinking about what is suitable to say once it is built.

When they are done, she gathers the plainsfolk and Sturm around it, lifts her arms and begins to pray.

"Mishakal, and Gods above, these are hard times in the lands of the plainsfolk. Our homes have been raided, many of our brothers and sisters, parents and children have been killed, taken or scattered. We have only one body to send of properly, of an old man whose name we don't even know. But in our hearts, we remember all those we have lost, and recommend to you also all those we have never known. Accept them into the happy afterlife, they are innocent victims of violence unleashed upon us.

And here at this cairn, we vow that we will do what is in our power to right the wrong that has been done. Not only in our land, but in the lands of our neighbors as well."

She takes her arms down now, crossed, hands on her shoulders, and bows.

[Jenara]

"May the Gods allow you into the heavens." Sturm says quietly, head bowed.

[JadedDM]

"I bet they will," the kapak answers. "Pointless, though. You ever see a dragon before? Much less a dozen of 'em fightin' together? Heh, heh, and the reds are the biggest, baddest ones of them all. Hear they got a particular taste for elven lasses, heh, heh--gerk!" Tanis puts an arrow into his chest before nocking another arrow.

The kapak spats out some blood from his mouth. "I die in the name of my goddess, the Dragon Queen. She will reward me for my service to Her in the next realm!" Tanis lets loose the second arrow, which pierces the draconian's heart. It drops to the ground, melting into a puddle of sizzling, bubbling acid.

Tanis lowers his head, then shakes it. "Come on. They could use some help building that cairn."

It takes the party half an hour to gather the rocks and then build the cairn over the dead body. After having done so, Goldmoon performs her ceremony. Tanis and Flint attend, although Raistlin does not. Instead, he pages through his new spellbook. Raven-eye also attends, although he frowns deeply whenever Goldmoon mentions her gods.

=============

Tanis fires a sheaf arrow from his long bow at Kapak 02 (1d20+5): 15, hit for (1d8): 4 damage. Then again (1d20+5): 25, critical hit! for (2d8): 14 damage. Kapak 02 melts into a puddle of acid.

(OOC: Goldmoon was jumping way ahead there, so I had to sync the two groups back up. Now we're all back on the same page.)

[Jenara]

Before:

"Thank you Tanis." Laurana says moving close to him for a short moment, before stepping away. "I can't help think he was telling the truth, they mean to attack Qualiesti!" She frowns, sheaving her bow. "We have to warn them Tanis, they are your people too."

After: Laurana lowers her head watching her feet instead of the Carin, she says nothing during the Ceremony, keeping herself close to Tanis the whole time. Her whole body shakes, as she stands near him.

[JadedDM]

"We will," Tanis promises. Although he had not felt the Qualinesti were 'his' people in some time. Certainly the elves themselves went out of their way to make sure Tanis didn't feel that way. Nevertheless, he couldn't abandon them any more than he could turn his back on anyone else.

Once the ceremony is over, Flint is the first to speak up. "Well, now...looks like Riverwind is still stiff. Should we wait for the poison to wear off? Or just carry him with us?"

[Jerrard]

"I will carry him on Arkiss, if the horse will bear us both." Sturm says after a few moments, "Perhaps Paladine can help him?" He asks looking to Goldmoon brushing her side in a friendly manner.