Chapter 1: Burnt Offerings

Seeing another one of his comrades fall to the bugbear, Gongar lets out a guttural scream and unleashes his hammers at the beast.

OOC:

Wow, these rolls have been absolute garbage.

Shalelu fires three more arrows in rapid succession, hoping to take down the powerful Bruthzamus before he can hurt anyone else.

OOC:

Rapid Shot: -2 to all attacks
Point-Blank Shot: +1 attack/damage
Bardic Performance: +1 attack/damage
Favored Enemy: +2 attack/damage
Precise Shot: Ignore -4 for firing into melee
Enemy in cover: -4 to attack

Xandak's concerns for the outcome of the battle eased up a bit when he managed to land two solid blows on the bugbear. Allowing himself to use the sword might have been a good idea after all. His confidence growing, he braced himself for Bruthzamus' retaliation.

...but he didn't brace himself enough.

The first hit connected solidly with his shoulder, shattering the joint and causing him to lose all control over the limb, letting the sword drop to the floor with a clang. Xandak stumbled backwards a bit and dropped to one knee, his upper body exploding in pain and his vision beginning to swim.
The second hit him right in the chest, causing most of his ribs to break, and puncturing several internal organs. He flew backward, tumbling across the floor several times before coming to a stop in a broken heap.

In the few brief seconds he still lived, his sight gave way to a vision of himself as a young boy, standing in the sacked house he had called his home, staring in disbelief at the corpses of his family in the wake of the giant raid. He heard himself swear vengeance on the attackers, through blind rage and hot tears. But soon this image faded away into nothingness as well. Faced with the overwhelming knowledge that he would never be able to fulfill that promise of vengeance, Xandak's mouth opened and he uttered a strained sentence as he stared into nothingness, the first words he had spoken out loud since taking up his vows in the House of Blue Stones:

"I'm... sorry."

And with that, Xandak Alaertos, champion of Irori, breathed his last.

Seeing the seasoned warrior fall after two powerful blows, Shadow swallows hard and then takes another shot.

Ryco continues his inspiring tune, with subtle seductive notes hidden within. "You shouldn't leave your ladies unsatisfied. Get back in there."

OOC:

Unnatural lust: Will save DC 16, Target Mr. Bruthazmus; Subject one of the scantily clad goblin girls.

Ryco ends his tune with a sudden strum before rushing forward, throwing his lute to hang off his side "Step aside, step aside." He briefly looks in passing upon the heap of desecrated flesh, blood, and viscera that once was Xandak; knowing he was beyond his magics, he continued forwarded to Urthask. He kneels at his half-orc body and begins brushing his face "Come on you beautiful hunk of man, I won't see two fall today."

A gentle smile adorns his face as the half-orc blinks open his eyes "Mornin' sleepyhead."

Gongar has no idea why the bugbear would have turned his back at such an inopportune time but is satisfied with crushing his skull in revenge for his long friends death. As his blood stops boiling he scans the room to make sure the goblin wenches and the one next to the babies isn't going to cause any issues then walks over to Xandak's body.

Kneeling next to his head, Gongar arranges his arms across his chest with his sword in his hands and starts to chant:

The night is black,
The sky is blotted out,
We have left the holds of our fathers,
And Xandak has returned to the Maker.

The light becomes dark,
The night and again night,
The day with sorrow tomorrow
For Xandak has returned to the Maker.

He joins the Old Ones who have passed on,
Their homes are the stones below,
Their spirits are laboring free.
Tomorrow is naked and empty,
for Xandak has returned to the Maker.

As he finishes he stands up and gazes at his remaining companion, being tended to by the human and halfling.

Thank you for tending to Urthask while I sent our friend off to the beyond.

Ryco knows a touching moment when he sees one, he pats the half-orc on the chest with a smile then stands up and makes his way back to Shadow, giving the dwarf a solemn nod as he passes by him; words need not be said. He gathers up the second smallest goblin child and sits next to Shadow, giving her a thanking nod.

Urthask regains consciousness just in time to catch the last couple of lines of Gongar's euligy for Xandak. The half-orc rises groggily and stares grimly at the fallen monk. [i]I would be dead too, if it hadn't been for these people we've just met.[i] Urthask glances at the bugbear's corpse and recognizes Gongar's handiwork. Good.

Urthask places his hand on Gongar's shoulder. "My people believe those who live courageously live on as the stars that watch over us at night when they depart this life I have seen few that can rival brave Xandak."

Shadow nods back at Ryco as she stows her bow. She walks slowly toward the fallen monk and places a gentle hand on the dwarf's arm, "I'm sorry for your loss...he was very brave." She looks up toward the goblin females, to see how they are taking the death of the bugbear.

Shadow speaks to the females calmly, "You're safe. We want to talk, not hurt you. You help us?"