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Adventure! RPG: Warlords of Tellus - Warlords of Tellus


ProfPotts

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'ATTACK!!!'

Running towards the guardsmen, Nick suppresses his urge to give out a battle cry himself - they are trying to escape, after all - when...

R'Garok, princess tucked in his arm, rushes straight into the middle of the guard, letting rip his trademarked Blood-Curdling Screamâ„¢.

Nick grins.

"YEAAHH!"

Blade extended, he leaps into the disorganized mob and gives the energy weapon a mighty swing, before attempting to charge through in hot pursuit of R'Garok...

[He's attacking the two nearest henchmen in a split action: 1. attack guardsman A; 2. attack guardsman B; 3. the "defensive action" of running after R'Garok.]

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As he ran onto the docks with his new allies, Gro-Khash's mind still hadn't quite wrapped itself around the fact that he was - for the moment at least - once again free. He would think about it later when there wasn't a fight to be fought and won.

As the Imperial Guards rushed towards them Gro-Khash slipped into his battle-trance. He no longer saw Tyrian soldiers running to meet him, he saw only small glowing embers. And he was the wind that would snuff them out.

In the center of Gro-Khash's forehead was mounted a Black Star Sapphire, one of the rarest of artifacts crafted by the Order of Ember and Ash and a symbol of his rank and status within the now lost Obsidian Legion. The ritual through which it had been installed within his own living stone was incredibly long and painful, but its benefits in battle made it all worthwhile. As Gro-Khash slipped into the trance of the Obsidian wardance and rushed headlong towards the Guardsmen, the golden star seated within the depths of its midnight sapphire shell began to glow.

Just as Gro-Khash and his attackers met it flared briefly and brilliantly, and Gro-Khash became a whirlwind.

((Gro-Khash will use the Sapphire to activate One Man Army. If I've understood correctly there are enough soldiers to give him the full bonus allowable by this knack, and assuming that's correct his actions are as follows: [1st Action]: 4 attacks, all Throws. He'll attempt to grab and throw the guard Captain if possible, and also if possible he'll throw as many of the guards over the edge of the docks (assuming that the edge is less than 8 meters away) as he can. [2nd Action]: 3 attacks, all tackles, 1 'defensive maneuver', continuing towards the skyboat. If he only gets one action, for whatever reason, then it'll just be 3 throws and then he'll run. Also, where possible he'll attack the soldiers that aren't being attacked by the other characters (though I realize that probably won't be possible in every case).))

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The Ophidian watched in amazement as the events unfolded. He knew Princess Grenda was brash, but this was crazy even for her.

As the Emperor gave his order, The Ohpidian quietly stepped back, blending into the crowd, his mind focusing on darkness, the total darkness beyond the grave; nothingness, the nothingness of eternal slumber; embracing the sheer emptiness of death. His mind focused, he expanded that nothingness, that emptiness to the minds of those around him, clouding his life, his very existense from their minds using the secret, mystic techniques of the ancient Ophidian masters.

His presence hidden, he quickly makes his way out of the grand hall, following the Emperor's troops, his hand quickly finding the Assassin's blade hidden with the folds of his cloak.

And then, he waits...

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Beneath her calm exterior, Princess Grenda is seething. She is not angry at the hated Emperor, at least not any more than she ever was; no, she is reserving the tight ball of fury in her gut for the human, the ugly naked thing that appeared in her ordered world and threw the very moons out of their orbits! As soon as she had a moment to breathe, she would have a few choice words for this...human.

Upon seeing the line of guards that stand between her party and the elegant Imperial skiff, Grenda quickly turns to shout over her shoulder at Haltha.

"Stay by the Stonemen, or even the human if necessary - I will see to our transport!"

With her eyes focused once again on the guards, the princess makes a beeline straight for them, running as fast as she can; when it seems like the impact is inevitable, she attempts to gracefully leap clear over them!

(OOC: Activating A Single Bound.)

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A Fight!

[bad guy count: 20]

"Stay by the Stonemen, or even the human if necessary - I will see to our transport!"

Displaying the reflexes her people are so well known for Princess Grenda is the first to react to the charging soldiers. As she in turn charges the Imperial troops her maid, Haltha, calls after her in reply,

'Yes Highness... I'll try to keep them out of trouble...' ::sly

With a masterful display of acrobatic skill Grenda pounces just as the lead soldiers swing for her - much to their astonishment - flying high over their heads, to land in a crouch on the deck of the Imperial skiff! ::blink

Two guardsmen are stationed on-board the ship - the first thrusts his polearm wildly at the Princess as she descends, missing by a mile. The second swings his scimitar at her head as she lands, but Grenda turns her crouched landing into a roll - the blade whistles above her ears as she tumbles under the blow, rising into a fighting stance as she faces the two soldiers.

With half the soliders staring stupidly after the Feline Princess they're ill-prepared for the black whirlwind which is Gro-Khash as he rips into them with a savage grace few have witnessed & lived to talk about - everyone knows that Stonemen are tough - but the legends about the Legion's strange mystical rites must be true for something that big to move so fast! :speeddemon_sm:

Before they realise what's hit them Gro-Khash has grabbed & tossed - almost casually - three soldiers in high arcing throws which send them hurtling over the edge of the skyship docks & to their doom in the streets of the floating city hundreds of meters below. Frantically looking this way & that the guard Captain screams orders at his men, not entirely sure at which point he lost control of the situation - too late he notes the shadow looming over him, blocking out the sun, & faces front, so see that Gro'Khash was just ploughing through his men in his effort to reach the highest ranking enemy officer on the field: somewhere deep in the back of his mind he recalls his lessons on military strategy from his academy days & recognises this as a standard battlefield tactic of the Obsidian Legion - for some reason it bothers him slightly that he can't recall the proper name for it... but all that is overwhelmed by his immediate thoughts yelling at him that he's about to die! Happy to oblige Gro-Khash, deep in his battle-trance, grabs the Captain by his leather body harness, spins in place, & releases - sending the man screaming over the edge to join his unfortunate men.

[bad guy count: 16]

Already in disarray the Imperial troops are granted no time to gather their wits as right on the heels of one Stoneman comes charging another. While R'garok can't match the mystic-powered grace of the Obsidian Legionnaire, he more than makes up the difference in sheer, brute... well, brutality... Where Princess Grenda left the soldier's surprised, & Gro-Khash left them stunned, R'garok's Blood-Curdling Screamâ„¢ is enough to make several drop their weapons & cower in fear - one even soils himself (much to R'garok's satisfaction - he hasn't lost his touch... ::sly )! Hurling his Imperial cargo high he slams full-tilt into the soliders, 'clothes-lining' three & sending them flying, while one just manages to hurl himself aside. Having scattered the troops the craggy Stoneman rolls, catches the screaming Imperial Princess, & pounds on towards the waiting skiff - his quick, unstoppable, form easily evading the wild & ill-timed thrusts of the soldiers who try to stop him.

[bad guy count: 13]

"YEAAHH!"

For some reason the melee which has broken out reminds Nick of a Friday night down his local pub back in Ireland... ::beer30

... Casting such thoughts aside he follows in the R'garok's wake, twirling the 'energy scythe' at the first solider who tries to swing at him, & discovering that the 'blade' slices neatly through the man - from right shoulder to left waist - cleanly cauterising the wound it makes & resulting in the man dropping to the ground in two parts... ::blink A second man, leaping at Nick from behind, he catches under the chin with the butt of the staff-like weapon & sends crashing to the ground with a broken jaw. A third purple-hued warrior swings wild with a scimitar, while the polearm thrust from a forth Nick deflects with the sturdy haft of his new 'toy' whilst running after his new geological friends.

[bad guy count: 11]

The Feline girl who appears to be some sort of lady-in-waiting or servant to Princess Grenda keeps pace with Nick, hissing as her claws rake bloody stripes across the chest of one soldier, sending him spinning to the dirt, then catches a second trooper across the neck, causing him to collapse, gurgling, to his knees as he uselessly clutches at the wound with his dying actions. Catching Nick's eye she grins at him - seemingly enjoying the action,

'Don't worry, you hairless creature,' she purrs, 'I'll keep you safe.'

Nick has the distinct impression that none of the cats on this damned planet are entirely tame...

[bad guy count: 9]

Sensing with a zen-like awareness the ebb & flow of the battle around him Gro-Khash follows the rest of his 'unit' towards the Imperial skiff, barging Tyrian soldiers out of the way left & right as he makes his charge. One manages a half-decent thrust at the Obsidian Legionnaire with his polearm, but to Gro-Khash the blow, like the battle itself, appears to be in slow-motion, & he easily turns it aside.

[bad guy count: 6]

As the rest of the group catch up with Grenda, reaching the skiff, only the two soliders on-board & four more behind them are left - the rest scattered, dead, dying, or just in a great deal of pain as they sprawl on the ground...

... The Ophidian invisibly follows the main group of Imperial troops who rush after the fleeing rebels, taking note that several groups are dispatched to mount leatherwings in case further pursuit is required, while some of the members of the court instruct their own troops to head to their own vessels...

... The four remaining soldiers on the skyship docks exchange glances & begin to back away from the lethal rebel killing machines... only to back into the troops rushing out in pursuit of the fugitives! A semingly endless supply of Tyrian soldiers floods out into the docks, forming a semi-circle around the rebels & the Imperial skiff, polearms at the ready. Shielded by polearm-wielders who drop down to one knee, a half-dozen Elite guardsmen raise & aim rifle-sized lightning guns. Standing safely behind his troops the commanding officer issues the order,

'Take aim - but wait for my command to fire! We can't risk the Imperial Princess!'

Little does he realise, of course, that there's an Ophidian assassin standing right behind him... ::ninja

[bad guy count: 63]

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'Don't worry, you hairless creature,' she purrs, 'I'll keep you safe.'
"Bite me!" Nick snarls anachronistically... but he is grinning, clearly enjoying the melee himself, and enjoying the hell out of his new weapon.
'Take aim - but wait for my command to fire! We can't risk the Imperial Princess!'
Nick catches on instantly, and starts barking orders again.

"Cluster together! Don't give them a shot!"

He looks up at Princess Grenda as she struggles for control of the sky-skiff.

"Get it ready, Pussycat!" he yells. His tone implies that he wants her to hurry.

[Attacking people if necessary to clear a path, Nick tries to herd himself and his cat-girl "protector" closer to R'Garok and his hostage.]

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"Cluster together! Don't give them a shot!"

He looks up at Princess Grenda as she struggles for control of the sky-skiff.

"Get it ready, Pussycat!" he yells. His tone implies that he wants her to hurry.

For the moment ignoring the hairless slave, the princess turns her focus on the skiff's small crew; she extends her arms, palms forward, and flexes her clawed fingers.

"If you wish to remain breathing, you will fly where I direct you as fast as you can. Agreed?"

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For the moment ignoring the hairless slave, the princess turns her focus on the skiff's small crew; she extends her arms, palms forward, and flexes her clawed fingers.

"If you wish to remain breathing, you will fly where I direct you as fast as you can. Agreed?"

Grok, princess tucked under his left arm, lends his weight to Grenda's request.

"GET THIS BOAT FLYING OR I RIP YOUR ARMS OFF AND FLAP THEM FOR YOU!"

The massive stoneman then gives a sidelong glance to the two remaining guards on the skiff

"You two! Either meet my fist or release the lines."

The stoneman indicates the lines tethering the skiff to the flying city. He then walks to the side of the skiff, towards the approaching imperial guard, and pointedly holds up the princess over the edge.

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A Fight!

'Take aim - but wait for my command to fire! We can't risk the Imperial Princess!'

Little does he realise, of course, that there's an Ophidian assassin standing right behind him... ::ninja

[bad guy count: 63]

Quickly taking stock of the situation, The Ophidian decides that now is the time for his intervention. Quickly, yet quietly he snakes his flexible arm around the commanding officer; the cool metal of the feared Ophidian Assassin's Blade gently touching the Tyrian's throat.

At that same instant, The Ophidian leans forward, his mouth mere inches from the officer's ear,

"I sssugessst, that you order your men to ssstand down. The emperor would not be pleasssed if hisss daughter were harmed. Your life isss in your handsss, commander; choossse wisssely."

(if the commanding officer says anything other than to order his men to stand down, or makes any movement even remotely threatening, The Ophidian will slit his throat, and activate Cloud the Mind again if necessary)

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Gro-Khash almost appeared to be oblivious to the chaos around him, so stoic and taciturn was he. In reality however he was taking in everything and quietly deciding on his course of action. He was not always quiet during battles, but was more often than not while in his battletrance.

Seeing the line of riflemen form up, Gro-Khash quickly and wordlessly interposed himself between the guns and his companions. If they fired he knew he had the best chance of surviving the barrage, and Sacrifice was one of the main tenants of his belief anyway, so he hardly even had to think about it. He did not, however, attempt to get in the way of his fellow Stoneman. He highly doubted that R'Garok needed his help, it would interfere with his attempt at using the Princess as leverage, and, if R'Garok was like most Stonemen, he'd just be offended by Gro-Khash's attempt at protection anyway. Instead, he placed himself to one side of, and slightly behind, his fellow Stoneman so that the Imperial guardsmen would be looking down their rifles at two huge Stonemen and the Imperial Princess, and not his soft-bodied companions.

((Gro-Khash will hold his actions for now. If the riflemen fire then he'll attempt to soak up as many of the shots as he can. If another battle starts up after that (and assuming he can still move) then I'll post his actions from there. If, on the other hand, we manage to get away without shots fired or a battle taking place, then so much the better.))

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"Bite me!"

The female Feline returns the Earthman's grin,

'Maybe later, slave...' she snarls, her eyes drinking in the human's exceptional physique... Nick's not too sure if she wants to eat him or... ::blush

"Cluster together! Don't give them a shot!.. Get it ready, Pussycat!"

The Feline maid snarls again as she joins Nick in vaulting onto the skyship to join the others,

'She is a Princess, you toad - you will address her with the respect due one of her blood & station!' ::angry

"If you wish to remain breathing, you will fly where I direct you as fast as you can. Agreed?"
"GET THIS BOAT FLYING OR I RIP YOUR ARMS OFF AND FLAP THEM FOR YOU!.. You two! Either meet my fist or release the lines."

The two soldiers who were, a moment ago, facing one lone Feline girl, decide that the Bone Crusher makes a very persuasive argument: dropping their weapons to the deck they hurry to untie the mooring lines. ::ohmy

The ship's 'crew' seems to consist of three rather skinny Tyrian sky-sailors, who tried their level best to keep out of Grenda's way when she first leapt aboard. Now the focus of her (& the Stoneman's... ::blink ) attention they back off slightly, in a cowering huddle, until one (the slowest one, who finds himself standing 'to the front') nervously bow low & stammers,

'W-w-w-we c-can't a-active the c-c-controls, h-h-h-highness! O-o-only one o-of r-r-royal b-b-blood c-can s-start th-this v-vessel!' he points a quivering finger at the control column at the rear of the vessel where the imbedded crystal control studs surround a palm-sized circular depression: such a 'key' requires a certain type of individual to press their hand to the circle to activate the skyship's power - it is a common security device on slaver vessels (to prevent the cargo from taking control) & on the more expensive private ships. One keyed to 'royal blood' is the rarest & most secure of all & would require, say, a Princess to get it going...

"I sssugessst, that you order your men to ssstand down. The emperor would not be pleasssed if hisss daughter were harmed. Your life isss in your handsss, commander; choossse wisssely."

With the deadly blade to his throat the Tyrian officer tries very hard not to swallow. A bead of sweat trickles down the side of his face, then he croaks out the order,

'Stand down, men! The risk of hitting the princess is too great...' as several of his men turn towards him in confusion the officer adds, with a forced smile, '... they won't get far with the entire Empire on their heels.'

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'She is a Princess, you toad - you will address her with the respect due one of her blood & station!'

Nick grins.

Wanna bet?

'W-w-w-we c-can't a-active the c-c-controls, h-h-h-highness! O-o-only one o-of r-r-royal b-b-blood c-can s-start th-this v-vessel!'

"Can we shelve this for a bit?" Nick says to the Feline maid by his side. "I'm not sure a gladiator, bodyguard and a Princess are quite nasty enough to see the answer to this problem right away, and we're in a hurry..."

He insinuates himself in next to the Princess K'ora and her captor, leans in so the purple-skinned royal can hear him, and points at the palm dock.

"We need to borrow your hand to be able to start this boat, Highness. If you'd like to remain attached to it, I suggest you come over here now..."

He's holding the energy scythe in his right hand (not extended), so the threat is clear... ::devil

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Gro-Khash ignored the human's sarcastic remarks, but smiled darkly at his less than subtle threat, he thought it rather well delivered. He kept his eyes on the squadron of soldiers arrayed before them however, and did not offer any help in encouraging the princess. If two of his companions couldn't manage to convince one spoiled princess to touch a security pad, then they were doomed anyway.

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The two soldiers who were, a moment ago, facing one lone Feline girl, decide that the Bone Crusher makes a very persuasive argument: dropping their weapons to the deck they hurry to untie the mooring lines. ::ohmy

The ship's 'crew' seems to consist of three rather skinny Tyrian sky-sailors, who tried their level best to keep out of Grenda's way when she first leapt aboard. Now the focus of her (& the Stoneman's... ::blink ) attention they back off slightly, in a cowering huddle, until one (the slowest one, who finds himself standing 'to the front') nervously bow low & stammers,

'W-w-w-we c-can't a-active the c-c-controls, h-h-h-highness! O-o-only one o-of r-r-royal b-b-blood c-can s-start th-this v-vessel!' he points a quivering finger at the control column at the rear of the vessel where the imbedded crystal control studs surround a palm-sized circular depression: such a 'key' requires a certain type of individual to press their hand to the circle to activate the skyship's power - it is a common security device on slaver vessels (to prevent the cargo from taking control) & on the more expensive private ships. One keyed to 'royal blood' is the rarest & most secure of all & would require, say, a Princess to get it going...

Princess Grenda strokes her chin thoughtfully as she eyes the hand-shaped despression.

"Hmm. Am I not of royal blood? Not Imperial, surely, but perhaps my own humble lineage will suffice."

She carefully places her hand on the control column and awaits a result.

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With the deadly blade to his throat the Tyrian officer tries very hard not to swallow. A bead of sweat trickles down the side of his face, then he croaks out the order,

'Stand down, men! The risk of hitting the princess is too great...' as several of his men turn towards him in confusion the officer adds, with a forced smile, '... they won't get far with the entire Empire on their heels.'

"Very wissse, commander. A Tyrian with your quick witsss and senssse of self-pressservation will go far in the Imperial guard. Now it is up to you if you live to see that day."

The Assassin's blade doesn't move as The Ophidian waits for the slave vessel to take off.

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"We need to borrow your hand to be able to start this boat, Highness. If you'd like to remain attached to it, I suggest you come over here now..."

Despite trying to keep quiet (considering the unceremonious manner in which Grok has been Stoneman-handling her, keeping quiet seemed more likely to preserve her dignity than protesting) Princess K'ora stares at the Earthman (as best she can from her position under Grok's arm) with wide-eyed disbelief,

'You'd threaten a Princess of the Imperial line with mutilation?! You Earthmen must be quite, quite, mad...' ::blink

However, before K'ora can say more (or the 'mad Earthman' carry out his threat)...

"Hmm. Am I not of royal blood? Not Imperial, surely, but perhaps my own humble lineage will suffice."

Grenda places her clawed hand on the control column & is rewarded with the panel coming to life: first the crystal studs nearest the activation disc light up, then those further away, until all the panel is glowing. A moment later & the skyship rises smoothly, just a little, into the air as the drive crystals beneath the hull hum to life in turn.

Fortunately the Bone Crusher (of all people) has some rudementary knowlege of piloting, & steps over (Imperial Princess still under arm), glancing at Grenda as he awaits her directions on where they should go.

"Very wissse, commander. A Tyrian with your quick witsss and senssse of self-pressservation will go far in the Imperial guard. Now it is up to you if you live to see that day."

The commander says nothing in reply, just remaining as still as possible...

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Despite trying to keep quiet (considering the unceremonious manner in which Grok has been Stoneman-handling her, keeping quiet seemed more likely to preserve her dignity than protesting) Princess K'ora stares at the Earthman (as best she can from her position under Grok's arm) with wide-eyed disbelief,

'You'd threaten a Princess of the Imperial line with mutilation?! You Earthmen must be quite, quite, mad...' ::blink

Gro-Khash laughed out loud at this, then leaned in close with an unpleasant smile still on his face.

'Aye, he may be mad Princess, but that doesn't stop him from being serious!' ::devil

Before he can add more to his threat, however, the Obsidian notices activity behind him...

Grenda places her clawed hand on the control column & is rewarded with the panel coming to life: first the crystal studs nearest the activation disc light up, then those further away, until all the panel is glowing. A moment later & the skyship rises smoothly, just a little, into the air as the drive crystals beneath the hull hum to life in turn.

::huh ... Gro-Khash turned back around and gave the Princess a look before saying, 'Nevermind...' ::indifferent

Then he returned to giving the assembled imperial soldiers menacing looks.

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'You'd threaten a Princess of the Imperial line with mutilation?! You Earthmen must be quite, quite, mad...'
'Aye, he may be mad Princess, but that doesn't stop him from being serious!'

Nick smiles at that.

"Ay," he says, and pats the Princess's cheek roughly, adding, "but we'll never know now, will we?"

Nick approaches Grenda, the Feline princess.

"Good work, your Highness. By the way, I'd like a chance to talk to you whenever you find a moment to spare."

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"Good work, your Highness. By the way, I'd like a chance to talk to you whenever you find a moment to spare."

Grenda sniffs and turns her glossy elegant back to the Irishman, her clawed hands tightly gripping her upper arms.

"I have nothing to say to you right now, slave; you've done enough damage for one day."

Almost as an afterthought, she speaks to her Stoneman guardian over her shoulder.

"Take us home, to the Primarj; we can pick up supplies as I plan our next move."

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"I have nothing to say to you right now, slave; you've done enough damage for one day."

"Okay, that's fine; it can wait," Nick says amiably to her back.

"By the way," he adds in the same pleasant tone, "if you ever call me 'slave' again, I'll cut you down where you stand."

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"Okay, that's fine; it can wait," Nick says amiably to her back.

"By the way," he adds in the same pleasant tone, "if you ever call me 'slave' again, I'll cut you down where you stand."

The Lhan-Garan slowly turns to face Nick, her eyes cold and dead.

"I despise you, human; I don't think I have ever hated a living thing more. Thinking only of your naked, stinking hide, you have ruined my life and put my entire family at risk."

As if in a dream, she slowly strides to the edge of the deck and peers over, her forearms resting on the rails as her long black hair whips about in the wind.

"At this point, I don't know whether to throw you off this skiff or leap to my own death; neither course of action is entirely satisfactory."

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, as though wishing herself into another life.

"When we get to my home, you may do as you want; stay or go, it means nothing to me. I will neither reveal your presence to our pursuers nor offer you any manner of protection. If you truly want your life to be your own, so be it; I give you the gift of freedom, a life lived in short brutal glimpses as you run for the rest of your days."

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Noticing the airship take flight out of the corner of his eye, the Ophidian leans close to the commander's ear,

"You've done well commander."

The Ophidian then quickly and precisely turns his wrist, and slides the flat of his deadly Assassin's Blade across the neck of the commander,

"I sssugessst you forget about my presssence here. You have a long career ahead of you, I would hate to sssee it cut ssshort..."

As the cool metal tip of the blade glides across and then off of the Tyrian's neck, The Ophidian steps back and again utilizes the techniques taught to him by the ancient mystics of the Ophidian's, fading from view of the Tyrian commander.

He then quickly makes his way to the airship.

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"When we get to my home, you may do as you want; stay or go, it means nothing to me. I will neither reveal your presence to our pursuers nor offer you any manner of protection. If you truly want your life to be your own, so be it; I give you the gift of freedom, a life lived in short brutal glimpses as you run for the rest of your days."

Copying Grenda's gesture, Nick also turns to face off the side of the skiff.

"You could have avoided all this if your servant hadn't kidnapped me. Of course, you'd still be a subject of that thing who uses your sister for his pleasure..."

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"You've done well commander.... I sssugessst you forget about my presssence here. You have a long career ahead of you, I would hate to sssee it cut ssshort..."

Slipping away from the terrified Tyrian Imperial Officer, the Ophidian sprints, unseen, across the landing field, leaping at the last moment, sailing through the air, & just managing to grab on to the edge of the departing SkyShip as it rise up & away from the Imperial Palace. Still undetected the snakeman hauls himself up & over the side, into the SkyShip proper...

"Ay... but we'll never know now, will we?"

Under the Bonecrusher's arm the her Imperial Highness, Princess K'ora, struggles & spits as the stinking Earthman lays his rough, slave, paw on her face... her struggles are, thankfully, enough of a distraction that her Stoneman captor fails to hear what that same Earthman says to his mistress... (The Ophidian, of course, is another matter... ::unsure ).

Swiftly passing over the outer boundries of the flying Imperial City the SkyShip picks up speed as it heads away...

*****

Meanwhile, back in the Imperial Palace...

The Emperor stalked his throne room like a caged beast, glaring at his cowering advisors, & occassionally kicking one of the slavegirls chained to the base of his throne. ::angry

'Majesty!' the servant operating the Emperor's private visi-orb exclaimed as the multi-coloured clouds swirling inside the device parted to show a clear image of the SkyShip stolen by the fleeing rebels, 'I have them, Majesty!'

Striding over, the Emperor shoved the operator to one side & stared at image of the ship, blood-vessels on his forehead threatening to pop with rage. Gently padding over to the Emperor's side the Cloaked One - the most mysterious & feared of all the Imperial advisors, hidden, as always, under the hood of a floor-length, voluminous, black cloak - softly purred in the Emperor's ear,

'The vessel they have stolen is far too fast for any of the fleet to catch, Majesty... There is no way to prevent them from escaping... unless...'

Grunting in anger the Emperor turned to the Imperial Gunnery Commander,

'Fire on that vessel!' he ordered. The Gunnery Commander turned a paler shade of purple than usual, swallowing hard as he replied,

'I... ah... Majesty: your daughter is... ah...'

'You take me for a fool?!' roared the Emperor, 'I know they have K'ora! Now bring them down... oh, & Commander...' the Emperor's roar turned into a quiet tone brimming with menace, '... if your attack results in my daughter being hurt, then you & you're family will take a long, long, time to die... do I make myself clear?'

The Gunnery Commander swallowed again ::ohmy ,

'Perfectly, Majesty!'

Stepping over to the city gunnery controls the Commander leant down next to the operator,

'Fire a shot at the ship,' he ordered, adding in as clear as possible tone, 'targeting propulsion only, you understand?'

The junior officer at the controls nodded his understanding - the Gunnery Commander was no where near as intimidating as the Emperor himself, but threats had a tendency to roll down the ranks on Tellus, & the junior officer too had a family who he didn't want to see suffer... Carefully lining up the sights the junior officer touched the crystal to trigger a single low-yeld blast of just one of the city's array of atomic cannons...

*****

To those aboard the SkyShip the boom from the city seems a distant one. All eyes glance towards it, however, & are witness to the huge blast of sun-bright light which arcs almost lazily towards them. It's a trick of perspective, but the closer the blast gets, the faster it seems to travel - already too late to avoid, the blast strikes the underside of the flying ship, shattering the propulsion crystals (& causing the control panel to explode in bright sparks & shards of crystal). Those onboard the ship are thrown violently to one side as the atomic blast tosses the ship sideways through the sky like a leaf on the wind... before it begins to rapidly plummet towards the canopy below...

::jaw

[Cliffhanger...]

*****

Forward

CHAPTER TWO

THE SWAMP OF DESPAIR

Across the Earth people have started to mysteriously vanish, only to find themselves at the mercy of the brutal rulers of the strange, far off, world of Tellus. When one such displaced human, two-fisted Irish adventurer Nick Baker, finds himself brought, shackled, before the beautiful but cruel Princess K'ora, daughter to the planet's ruler, as entertainment to the Imperial court he quickly upsets the status quo by making his escape.

Caught up in the Earthman's escape are the Feline Princess Grenda & her retinue, along with the Stoneman gladiator Gro-Khash, who was meant to be Nick's opponent in a fight to the death. Taking Princess K'ora hostage the unlikely group of ad-hoc rebels flee the Imperial Palace, fighting their way past the Imperial guard, to make their escape on board a stolen SkyShip.

The SkyShip has just left the incredible floating Imperial City when a blast from one of the city's fearsome atomic cannons brings it down...

The wreckage of the SkyShip lies, smoking, in the dank waters of the dark swamp. All around twisted, vine-covered, trees rises from the mists hanging low over the surface of the water. Apart from the occassional gurgle of movement from unspeakable things under the water, skitter of predator & prey through the trees, & far off call of some wild hunting beast, the remains of the vessel lie still & silent...

[Dramatic Editing time... how on Tellus could anyone have survived that?! ::blink ]

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"And another thing..." Nick says to Grenda, really getting into the swing of his angry rant. But there's a hissing in the air...

Staring off the edge of the sky-boat, Nick and Grenda both feel the same deep fear as they watch their death rise towards them from the floating city.

"Never mind," Nick says.

Make your peace, boy

Nick stays on board the sky-boat until he's sure it's falling, but the explosion seems to have utterly destroyed whatever engine kept this vessel afloat.

He slips off the side, letting gravity take him.

Newton dictates that he can not fall much faster than the massive boat, but at least he can aim. He holds his body at a slant, pulling him away from the boat, for the minute or two it takes him to fall. There's a lake, off in the distance, but no way to make it there in time. Nick has no doubt that he's going to die. The swamp below him looks cold and unhospitable.

At least I won't die with my boots on. But then again, dying with my pants off isn't all that much better.

All in all, I think I'd prefer not to die at all. Oh well.

Nick falls calmly, head-first, for almost a minute. He wishes he had something more profound to think now, or to say. It's hard to be kept waiting even for one's own death.

Impact

The trees hit Nick first. It's like hitting a wall, and crashing on through it instead of stopping. But some of his momentum is broken - and there are vines, some free-hanging, stretching from one tree branch to another.

Nick has an idea and acts. He flips his staff up in a rapid swing and catches the other end (the blade emitter) in his hand, catching a thick, diagonally hanging vine. It can't stop his fall, but it redirects it instead.

Resisting the urge to whoop triumphantly, Nick rides his new zipline to the vine's lowest point. Unable to yield anymore, the vine snaps under Nick's weight and his remaining momentum, but he catches hold of it, and swings down with it.

[if all this works...]

He's now dangling from a vine, twenty feet or so from the wet swamp floor, with his energy staff in hand. Nick lets himself drop, landing in a crouch.

"The score is now Nick two, terminal velocity falls zero," Nick announces to the swamp. He looks around and listens to the unfamiliar cries of animals, and tries to locate the others.

[i'm not exactly sure how I should play this, but let's try... Minor Onscreen Effect: the canopy foliage that Nick runs into hits him hard enough to bruise him badly and stop his fall somewhat, and there's a vine in the right place at the right time.]

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"And another thing..." Nick says to Grenda, really getting into the swing of his angry rant. But there's a hissing in the air...
Gro-Khash had been listening with growing amusement to the argument between Nick and Grenda, but at the same time he was becoming increasinly concerned with their seeming lack of concern with the massive floating city and its extensive military resources immediately behind them. He was a soldier by trade and he'd seen Imperial cannons in use before. He could only hope the presence of the Emperor's own daughter would be enough to....
To those aboard the SkyShip the boom from the city seems a distant one. All eyes glance towards it, however, & are witness to the huge blast of sun-bright light which arcs almost lazily towards them. It's a trick of perspective, but the closer the blast gets, the faster it seems to travel - already too late to avoid, the blast strikes the underside of the flying ship, shattering the propulsion crystals (& causing the control panel to explode in bright sparks & shards of crystal). Those onboard the ship are thrown violently to one side as the atomic blast tosses the ship sideways through the sky like a leaf on the wind... before it begins to rapidly plummet towards the canopy below...
Ah.... nevermind.

As the arc of light lunges towards them Gro-Khash shouts 'Incoming!'

Having said almost nothing since this entire fiasco began, the others are surprised at just how loud the obsidian giant can be. Especially the ship's Imperial crew, though this might also be because Gro-Khash was standing right next to them when he suddenly shouted.

When the beam hit and the ship began to fall Gro-Khash grabbed onto its railing, alongside the now scared-out-of-their-minds crew. Well this stinks like sulfur, thought Gro-Khash as he watched the rapidly approaching canopy and the swampy waters below.

He saw the human jump overboard, and was seriously considering following suit when...

Running towards Grenda, R'Garok threw Princess Kora in the general direction of the Gro-Kash.

"Brethren! Keep her, I'll take Grenda."

Great..., he thought as he caught the Tyrian princess, and grimaced. As if this situation could get any worse.

As he stood at the railing, trying to ignore all the screaming, and wracked his mind in an attempt to find a way out of this predicament he distractedly watched the swamp below him. He thought about simply throwing Princess K'ora over the side, it wouldn't really make any difference, and at least then he wouldn't have to listen to her screaming. But somehow it just didn't seem right, she wasn't a combatant in all this, vile though she might be, she was only a bystander, a hostage. Still, it didn't really matter, the ship would crash soon enough and then it would be all over for her, and possibly for him as well.

But then he raised his eyes for a moment and saw it.

There was a large clear space in the canopy, the trees at its edge forming an irregular oval, and a large dark pool of murky water could be seen at its center. It certainly wasn't a lake, that was far too much to hope for, but perhaps it was deep enough?

Gro-Khash instantly leaped off the plummeting ship and aimed for the very center of the open space and the body of water sitting inside it. Once he was sure of his aim he rotated himself so that his back was to the approaching water and he wrapped both arms around the Princess in a protective embrace.

Then they hit.

((OOC: I sure hope this works.... Basically the idea is that the pool is 'just deep enough' for K'ora to survive the fall, with Gro-Khash taking the brunt of the initial impact, and the water slowing them down (however much or little) after that. Gro-Khash will just have to rely on that soak of his. I'm calling this a Major Onscreen Effect, so hopefully that means it's open to other players to possibly make use of. ::crosses fingers, knocks on wood::))

Edit: Oh yeah, Gro-Khash will spend a WP on his Athletics roll as well (for the jump towards the pool).

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*Under NO circumstances must she come to harm!*

The King's words reverberated in the Stoneman's mind as the propulsion crystals shattered.

Running towards Grenda, R'Garok threw Princess Kora in the general direction of the Gro-Kash.

"Brethren! Keep her, I'll take Grenda."

Grabbing the (other) princess (possibly despite her protests) R'Garok steps to the side of the falling skiff and waits...

and waits...

Looking at the earthman jump, R'Garok can't help but shake his head (at his lunacy? In admiration?) but the stoneman still waits.

The Stoneman fixes the trees below as the skiff plummets towards them. As the treeline approaches R'Garok finally jumps, right arm extended in front of him, Grenda tucked under his left, as he tries to grip a suitably sturdy branch to at least slow his fall, if not allow him to vault himself to another branch and down to the swampy bottom...

P.S. Will spend a willpower point on Athletics roll

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The Ophidian took a deep breath. Just moments ago it had appeared that they had safely escaped the palace; now they were plummeting to their death. The Ophidian took another deep breath; he was centering himself, using the breathing technique he had learned from the elders of his tribe. It wasn't the fear of death, it was well known that Ophidians didn't fear the final darkness; no, the centering was to slow down, to calmly take stock of the situation.

The Ophidian took another breath. The hoo-man jumped over the side; The Ophidian watched him, saw the expanse of thick, hanging vines he had fallen into, saw him slide down one; he couldn't help but be impressed with the slave's ingenuity and physical prowess.

The Ophidian took in another breath. The obsidian stoneman leapt off of the ship. The Ophidian watched as he fell, noticed the large pool of water the stoneman had jumped towards. The Ophidian nodded in silent, and invisible, admiration of the stoneman's idea. He watched as the stoneman slowly sunk into the water; saw that it was at least deeper than the rest of the swamp.

The Ophidian took yet another breath. He had made his decision. Deliberately, he leapt off of the ship, jumping in the direction Nick had gone. The world seemed to move in slow motion as he fell, his eyes fixed on a vine he had seen from above thanks to watching the human. At just the right moment, he grabbed the vine, his muscles straining as he managed to hold his grip on the vine, using it to slow his momentum. Then, he swiveled his head, fixing on the place Gro-Kash had landed, and used the vine to swing at the large pool of swamp water.

As he flew through the air, The Ophidian took one more deep breath, then invisibly crashed into the pool

(OOC: whew! Ok, the thought is a Minor Extension of Phoenix's Minor Onscreen Effect for the vine to swing on, and using Cottus' Major Onscreen Effect for the pool. Also, burning Willpower for the athletics roll.)

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Life and Death in the Air Age:

Grenda could not believe they'd been hit; was the Emperor so obsessed with defeating them that he would sacrifice the life of his own daughter in his pursuit of revenge? For a few precious moments, she could only cling to the railing, staring down at the dark green canopy rushing up towards them, when the voice of her Stoneman snapped her back to the present.

"Brethren! Keep her, I'll take Grenda."

But what of Haltha? How would she survive this deadly plunge, assuming of course the Stoneman really could save them? As she saw R'Garok moving towards her, she hastily grabbed her friend and clutched her tightly to her breast, and she met the Stoneman's eyes with steely determination.

"Both of us, or none."

[OOC: would this classify as a Minor Extension? And can I wait to have her act after R'Garok begins his action?]

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  • 2 weeks later...

Lungs burning, spots of light dancing before her eyes, K'ora slipped from the vice-like grip of the Obsidian Stoneman & swam desperately towards the surface of the murky water. The gladiator slave had taken the impact for her as they'd struck the water then, moments later, the muddy bottom of the swamp but the impact had still forced the air from her lungs in spluttering bubbles. Tearing frantically through the clinging plantlife of the swamp bottom the Imperial Princess tried to ignore the touch of sinuous, slimy, things brushing across her skin as she forced her way upwards... finally, after what seemed a lifetime, breaching the surface, tossing her hair back, & gasping for air!

Swimming quickly to the edge of the pool K'ora grasped a vine & hauled herself up onto the relative safety of one of the massive drasil tree-roots which stretched as far as the eye could see... although in the thick, low-lingering, mists of the swamp that wasn't too far. After a few moments spent lying on her back, breathing deeply, just revelling in the taste of even the fetid swamp-air on her lips, allowing the realisation that she wasn't dead to slowly sink in, the Princess proped herself up on one elbow & peered around...

... A short way off the wreckage of the Imperial sky yacht poked from the swamp waters like some macabre burial marker - K'ora took another moment to realise just how fortunate she'd been to survive the crash... with a little help from that Stoneman gladiator... Casting her gaze across the mist-enshouded surface of the swamp she wasn't sure whether to laugh or curse when she spotted the Obsidian's head & shoulders emerge from the waters as he strode towards her: she should have known that a simple fall would do little to hurt one of the rocks...

Of course, that suggested... yes, there was the other one, emerging from the nearby treeline with the two Felines in tow - cats, they always landed on their feet... ::rolleyes But what of the human? She'd seen his rather simian antics after he'd lept from the falling ship - maybe these Earthmen were some variety of monkey? She'd be sure to mention it to her father's scientists when she got back... if, she corrected herself... if she got back...

Suddenly K'ora noticed another figure emerging from the swamp - the glistening scales & serpent-eyes of an Ophidian! She'd heard many a tale of the savagery of the the more primative, death-worshipping, snakemen who dwelt in the most isolated, desolate, swamps - as this one appeared to be. Fearing for her life, the Imperial Princess screamed! ::scared

[The Ophidian (now visible - & being screamed at by a startled K'ora) & Nick are both Hurt with Bashing damage, the other PCs & Haltha are all undamaged. Damp & glistening, reclining on the massive root of a drasil tree, K'ora manages to look even hotter than usual, despite having just swam through a swamp... ::blush ::drool Nick gains a Willpower point thanks to his Hotshot Virtue]

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'Ah, bloody hell!' Despite his acrobatics, Nick comes down hard on the ground. He collapses instantly, rolling off his right leg and onto his shoulder, then back, converting his downward momentum into forward momentum. He ends up in a kneeling position...

Came down hard on my landing leg, but all in all - I feel fine!

Nick jumps to his feet. 'Woohoo!' ::w00t Suddenly he cringes, collapsing a little and bending his right knee. 'Aaghh...' ::cry

That hurt. He gingerly picks up his energy staff and makes his way to where the others crashed and burned.

Where the others crashed and burned

'Hey!'

The others look up. The Earthman's balanced on the horizontal trunk of a massive, fallen tree which is half-submerged in black, scummy water.

'Jesus,' he says, 'an' who was in charge o' driving that thing again?' ::huh

He slides down off the big tree, landing on a dry[er] patch of soil. He winces slightly, favoring his right leg a bit.

Nick, the others may have noticed, speaks in some sort of dialect, or accent. The others don't know what it is or where it comes from, but it seems to be more pronounced when he's hurt.

Anyway, Nick feels great - his leg hurts, but something about leaping, not falling, off the sky-barge, and improvising his way to a safe landing in the swamp...

...well, it was just awesome. ::happy

'Okay, let's get organized,' he says. 'We should get moving pretty quick; just because we're in the swamp doesn't mean there won't be pursuit. You,' he says to K'ora, 'don't go anywhere, please.' He smiles at her. ::sly

He frowns at the Ophidian.

'Who are you?' ::huh

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Gro-Khash emerged from the swampy waters and trudged silently towards the princess. He was glad to see that his efforts had paid off and she was still alive.

He came to a stop next to the root she reclined upon and quietly regarded her with his crimson stone-eyes before turning away to watch the others appear from further into the swamp. Only the human appeared to be hurt, but it seemed to be relatively untroubled by its injuries, indicating that it was tougher than it looked. Unsurprisingly, his brother in stone seemed none the worse for wear, and it appeared he had succeeded in protecting his feline charges as well. Gro-Khash nodded in approval.

Gro-Khash was a little surprised when the human suddenly started to give orders, but didn't see any particular flaw in its logic, so he refrained from saying anything. When the human spoke to K'ora, Gro-Khash turned towards her and they shared a brief look that only a former princess-turned-captive and a former gladiator-turned-captor could share. Then her eyes looked past his and focused on something behind him, and she screamed.

Whipping around, Gro-Khash was surprised to find an Ophidian emerging from the same shallow waters that he and Princess K'ora had just come from. While not terrified as the princess appeared to be, Gro-Khash was nonetheless concerned to see an ophidian appear here and now, seemingly out of nowhere. He subtly shifted his position so that he was between K'ora and the ophidian, and did his best to find a decent center of balance while standing hip deep in water, just in case he had a fight on his hands.

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Grenda sighed deeply - needless to say, her dress was ruined. But there was no time to mourn the passing of a D'Scathi original when life itself was to be treasured, especially since her own safety was still in question. After a few moments of searching, she managed to find dear sweat Haltha, as filthy as she was, lying in the muck. The princess extended a hand to her childhood friend.

"Here."

Her Stoneman was also nearby; she smiled at the sight of him, and stepped gingerly through the morass to his side. Once there, she gently laid a soft hand on his massive arm.

"Thank you."

The three of them followed the voices to where the others had gathered; not surprisingly, the human was giving orders, as though the many moons of Tellus spun around him ::rolleyes

'Okay, let's get organized,' he says. 'We should get moving pretty quick; just because we're in the swamp doesn't mean there won't be pursuit. You,' he says to K'ora, 'don't go anywhere, please.' He smiles at her. ::sly

When the Imperial princess screams, at first Grenda is startled, but she soon recognizes her faithful servant; not sure how he wants to handle his rather miraculous appearance, she decides to let him set the rules, and does not acknowledge their association.

"Do not be afraid; I don't believe he means us harm."

With a twinge of regret, Grenda leans against a fallen tree and tears off the bottom of her gown, which she then tears into two long strips, one to wind around her waist and another across her chest. Having secured a bit more of her dignity, she slips out of the remains of her D’Scathi and discards them; this new look shows off far more of her sleek, black-fur covered body than ever before, and it is quite striking ::ohmy

"So tell me, human, do others of your race actually listen to what you say, or do they prefer to ignore you as we do?" ::sly

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Meanwhile...

Maelstrom, greatest of the leatherwings, cocked her head to one side & let slip a beastial cry sure to chill the blood of any enemy... but Tekhmet knew his companion better than that, heard the ragged thread of self-pity in the great beast's voice: & well she may feel sorry for herself - the Imperial lightning gun had only clipped her wing, but the wound was painful & stopped her taking to the skies - Maelstrom's cry was the call of a frustrated predator unable to stalk prey. Still, it had been a necessary sacrifice - the others, Tekhmet's loyal companions, had managed to elude the Imperial patrol... a large, heavily armed, patrol which had appeared out of nowhere the previous day - the sort of thing usually reserved for escorting the Emperor himself...

... But the great leatherwing's cry had also been in response to a distant, but distinct, noise: the far-off sound of the blast of an Atomic Cannon striking its target. Tekhmet knew that fearsome noise all too well - the cannons were the primary barrier to dealing with the Emperor, after all. The following noise of something heavy crashing into the desolate swamp was a lot closer to hand... Maelstrom fixed Tekhmet with a gaze from one eye & murmured an almost strangled little cry - it was certain that she hated being grounded in the swamps until her wing healed, but she'd be alright... even the local wildlife in the dreaded swamp of despair knew better than to mess with the queen of beasts. Besides, maybe whatever had crashed into the swamp could provide a clue to why the Imperials had been massed in such a remote area? Tekhmet headed in the direction of the crash...

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His descent abrubtly halted by the swamp, The Ophidian paused momentarily under the water, remembering the days of his youth in a swamp not unlike this one. But that had been long ago, another lifetime...

As he emerged from the swamp, water glistening off his dark olive scales, he paused. He couldn't help but stare, entranced by the beauty of the Imperial Princess. Her beautiful sliver hair seemed even more appealing as it rested damply on her shoulders, her soaked Arachnian silk cloak clinging tightly to her shapely body. The Ophidian sighed; it was sad that one so gorgeous could be so cold.

Suddenly K'ora noticed another figure emerging from the swamp - the glistening scales & serpent-eyes of an Ophidian! She'd heard many a tale of the savagery of the the more primative, death-worshipping, snakemen who dwelt in the most isolated, desolate, swamps - as this one appeared to be. Fearing for her life, the Imperial Princess screamed!

Shaken from his trance, The Ophidian smiled; a sinister expression on his snake-like face. Emerging fully from the swamp, he stopped just short of the Obsidian stoneman that seems to be protecting her,

"Quiet, Tyrian, you'll wake the Dead, unlesss that isss your wisssh?"

He frowns at the Ophidian.

'Who are you?'

The Ophidian glances in the human's direction, just long enough to acknowledge that he is ignoring the creature.

When the Imperial princess screams, at first Grenda is startled, but she soon recognizes her faithful servant; not sure how he wants to handle his rather miraculous appearance, she decides to let him set the rules, and does not acknowledge their association.

"Do not be afraid; I don't believe he means us harm."

Turning to face the feline princess, The Ophidian feigns ignorance of her,

"That isss true for now, feline. Why are you here, and why have you brought a Royal Tyrian here? Isss there sssome ssservice you desssire from the Ophidiansss?"

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Her Stoneman was also nearby; she smiled at the sight of him, and stepped gingerly through the morass to his side. Once there, she gently laid a soft hand on his massive arm.

"Thank you."

The stoneman nods and follows her wordlessly, eyes darting around her and intent on ripping apart any wildlife that may approach the princess

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