1.3 - The Wyr River: Deeper Darkness

Darazen focusses another mental onslaught on M3.

(Ooc: nice roll... I'll take the damage)

I knew that would not last long.

Turning east to run, the mudman (M:3) leaps and tumbles east, dropping his prod stick. He knows he cannot take you all on, especially being out numbered. He has to get to reinforcements.

Vult twists and turns his wrists and with a grunt, breaks free of the ropes binding his hands.

Tara seeing the mud man (M:3) leaping tries to counter. He is well trained and very fast. He cartwheels and flips and Tara catches his feet with hers, sending him reeling and off balance. (2 XP)

Darazen thinks, "not so fast" and focuses another onslaught attack on the mud man (M:3) (2+3 dmg). His mouth opens to let out a warning as he falls, his face locked in look of pain and panic. He hits the floor and slides, breaking three of the beams.

Mudman (M:2) sits, stunned and unmoving, sword at his throat. He swallows and in raspy voice says, "Chara Key".

Darazen relaxes, sensing the situation is just about under control... Until the beams were broken! Damn! Now what's going to happen? Turning to Utazo's captive he hears the phrase "Chara Key". Hmmm, no idea what that means. Drawing on Numera training, his education and his intellect Darazen tries to probe the captive's mind for more precise information.

Trying to communicate, you find his mind simple. You see images, a wall of water... a black sky with a blue dot in it.... the queen and her court.... a few various (and mundane) missions. As you start to probe deeper, you hear
You search your own memories ... "Hurt me not, I ask. I am yours. Your service is my bidding. I do not wish to die."
It is the last part that... "GHERTLHUD batlh" .... "GHERTLHUD batlh" ... The queens divine? No... For my honor? ... No...

"For the honor of my queen" Yes, that's it. What is he planning?

As a few of your party gather around him, he eyes you with malice. He opens his mouth with a bloody grin and holds a small ceramic and synth sphere in his teeth.

(Speed defense roll: Darazen, Yui, Utazó and Vult)

You pause to listen and there is quite. No alarms, no smell of burning flesh, no ...nothing. You bend over and drag the mudmen off the beams.

From somewhere deep in the lost caverns inside some forgotten chamber, a panel now flashes. There is no one there to see it.

You are standing behind him, cleaning his face and hair. You are pulling and tugging the mud from his hair with gusto, causing some pain, but no damage. You see Utazó's eyes widen in fear.

Darazen looks perplexed. As the thought, ***For the honor of my Queen*** flashes into his mind he suddenly notices the sphere in the mudman's teeth. ***shit!*** Hoping the insight into his thoughts gives him "a jump" on the captive's next action, Darazen shouts, "Take cover!" and leaps for cover himself.

(ooc: Rule clarification: when we take an action does it cost anything if we don't use effort?)

(ooc: use an XP to reroll)

Yui leaps away as fast as possible

Xp to reroll

Springing, leaping and diving away from your captive at Utazó 's command, you all find cover. Utazó's blade finds its mark, but not before the mudman bites down and breaks the sphere. For a moment, nothing happens; then, an instant later the area around the mudman seems to contract in on itself. Rocks and loose debris in the immediate area pummel his head, centering on his mouth. His shoulders shudder. Blood from the gash on his neck flows up towards his mouth. Suddenly, everything seems to compact. It lasts a moment, then stops. Still on his knees, his head looks 5 times smaller than it should and it riddled with pot-marks and small stones embedded. He falls forward, clearly dead.