Devil's Deal IC 4: The Fourth One

[Raunchel]

"Let's go there then. Are you coming, Tulip?", Yildiz answers, already thinking about murdering the Ghaash'kala, mostly for daring to limit her movements, but also because she hates the kind of people that say that they are doing good.

[Archmage1]

Tulip nods at Yildiz.
"Of course! Exploring is always lots of fun! You never know what you'll see and hear, and find!"

[Hazuki]

"I suspect we'll have some idea. I didn't come here without doing some research beforehand." Mithra claims, hand resting on the satchel at her hip. "I have a map and a small collection of events, or simply rumors, that have occurred in the Shadow Marches. Including other places that this Albino Orc, or her lackeys, may have visited."

[Raunchel]

"And what you get to taste of course. I love trying the taste of new people!"

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles at both of them, looking around eagerly, even as she departs Dilaa's shoulder, and darts around a bit.
"So... which way are we going? Or do I get to pick?"
She seems hopeful. Also resigned, because she knew that Mithra would never let her pick the direction.

[Hazuki]

"There are a few route we can take. One along the rivers, another along the roads, and a third that will take us through the most prominent settlements. Assuming your choice is the town Koptun mentioned." Mithra answers the Petal.

Lun starts to unsubtly slip away when Yildiz mentions tasting people.

[Archmage1]

Tulip thinks about Mithra's plan.
"Maybe... maybe we could go along the rivers first, so we can explore them, and then, on the way back, we can go through the settlements, so we can say hi? I think that would be lots of fun!"
She flies about a little in her excitement, and she also spots Lun, slipping away.
She waves.
"Bye Lun! You'll be ok, right? It could be lots of fun to come with us!"

[PersonMan]

Dilaa listens silently as the others converse, not seeing a particular benefit from any of the paths Mithra mentions. "I think you'll be doing very little tasting, actually," she says as Yildiz mentions it. "Apart from those working to spread the Albino Orc's destruction, I think you should refrain from doing so at all."

As Lun begins to edge away, Dilaa turns towards her and, remembering what the sheriff had mentioned, as well as the situation they'd found her in, speaks. "Are...will you be alright, staying here? If Mithra can do so, we may be able to bring you back to Garmine with us. It would be better than here, I think. You'd be more welcome, that's certain."

[Raunchel]

"But, Dilaa, I haven't tasted anyone for a very long time. And I'm really, really thirsty.", Yildiz replies, sounding really miserable. "Are you sure that we can't find anyone? Please? PRetty please with pink skulls on top? Just a little sip. I won't kill them. I promise."

[PersonMan]

"If you can find someone who will willingly give you blood, without you using some kind of dark magic or tricking them, you can. Otherwise you'll need to wait until we're fighting the Albino Orc and her forces," Dilaa replies, crossing her arms.

[Hazuki]

"Dilaa, Yildiz drinking from the odd orc won't really hurt anybody - they're significantly tougher than the commoners you may be used to knowing. Why, the average orc could keep fighting well past your standard human soldier. At worst, Yildiz' draining will make them tire more easily - which could, admittedly, lead to them losing money...were it not for the loss of an entire tribe already, which means any given farmer or merchant will be in more demand than they're used to regardless. The worst Yildiz can do is bring a few orcs down to the production level of your average human settlement - which is hardly what I'd call dreadful." Mithra speaks up.

Lun pauses as Tulip and Dilaa speak to her, frowning ever so slightly. "I'm...not sure what would be better for me. I don't like fighting, and it seems like you're going to do a lot of that. But...I have to fight here anyway." She clenches the sack she took a little tighter in her hand. "...would coming with you be too much trouble?" She asks, voice halfway between hopeful and embarrassed.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks really confused as Dilaa, Yildiz, and Mithra start talking about Yildiz drinking people, and she looks at each of them, as she tries to remedy the situation, and to understand.
"Um... why would anyone want to drink people? That sounds really silly! And really yucky!"

Tulip smiles at Lun, and drifts over to fly in front of her.
"Of course you can come with us, if you want to! It'll be lots of fun! Do you know any stories?"

[Raunchel]

"They're really tasty! Even better than candy. And it's healthy!", Yildiz answers. "Orcs aren't the best, but they are filling. You really should try it."

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks disgusted, her face scrunched up, and her bobbing around grows steadier, as she becomes less excited.
"It sounds sickening! Meat is bad enough, but blood... drinking life... that's horrible! It'd taste terrible!"

[Raunchel]

"But it is all I can drink. Or eat. I need it, Tulip, or I will go mad. And I love it!"

[Archmage1]

Tulip frowns, and looks really, really confused.
"But... what about fruit? Or nuts? Dilaa can eat and drink other things, and so can I, and Mithra doesn't eat, and the acolytes eat... I thought you were like them, just not as big? Maybe you just haven't found the right thing to eat, and you're confused?"

[Hazuki]

"I've never been very interested in stories. They're nice to think of sometimes, but they kind of make you sad. So many of them are about great people, and it just reminds you of never getting to be like them." Lun admits to Tulip, but then distances herself from the Petal and Yildiz, as they get deep into their conversation on drinking blood and the double-plus-ungoodness of it.

[PersonMan]

"As long as she doesn't take it from them unwillingly, or use some dark magic to make them agree, I won't have a problem with it, either way," Dilaa replies, shrugging.

Dilaa steps to the side with Lun as Tulip and Yildiz once again launch into a lengthy exchange. "We will be fighting here, yes. But when we go back to Garmine there won't be any fighting. The ones in charge of the place make sure it stays that way," she assures the half-orc, smiling. "We can probably take you with us now, if you want to join us, or you can stay here until we return and join us then."

[Raunchel]

"I was just making a joke, don't worry about it.", Yildiz smiles, looking as innocent as she can.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles as Yildiz reveals that she was joking.
"Oh! I'll bring you some nice fruit then!"
With that, Tulip zooms off, seeking some fruit for everyone.

[Hazuki]

"I want go with you!" Lun says, almost immediately after Dilaa has offered the choice. "I mean, if that's fine and all." She shifts to a slightly more dignified posture.

~

Tulip manages to find a small tree just covered with small oranges, ready for the picking.

[PersonMan]

"I don't think it'll be a problem," Dilaa says, smiling. "Do you have...will you be needing to get your things, or do you have everything on you already?" She asks, realizing that it's quite possible that Lun has no other belongings, given how her state.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles happily as she sees the tree, and she flies up to it, and politely asks if it minds if she takes some of the oranges, to give to people.

[Hazuki]

"I'll be able to get by without it." Lun replies, as casually as she possibly can.

~

Tulip manages to negotiate acquisition of the oranges.

[Archmage1]

Carefully retrieving the oranges, Tulip smiles at the tree, before she hugs it, and then leaves, heading back to the group, with one orange for each person. After she arrives, she is clearly excited and happy, and she produces the oranges, and gives one to each person.
"I found some oranges! They'll be really nice, because their tree was nice too! Try them!"

[Hazuki]

"Where did you find those?" Lun asks, her eyes widening slightly at the bundle of oranges the small Petal has retrieved. She nevertheless gratefully accepts the gift, using her tusk to peel off its fruity hide.

"I don't eat, Tulip." Mithra informs the Petal, not holding her hand out to accept the orange.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles happily at Lun, as she appreciates the orange.
"They were on a tree, so I asked if I could have some, and I could! It was really nice!"

At Mithra, however, she looks sad, still holding out the orange to her, bobbing up and down more than her norm as she hovers in front of Mithra.
"Aw... but they're really yummy! Are you sure you won't try it? You won't regret it!"

[Raunchel]

"Thank you!", Yildiz says as she accepts the orange, and she starts struggling with the peel.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles as Yildiz thanks her, but as she sees Yildiz struggle with the peel, she decides to try and help, flying a little closer to Yildiz, and whispering to her.
"You make a small hole, just through the skin, and then you just gently remove the rest of the peel! Would you like me to help?"

[Raunchel]

"That would be really nice of you. You're really my best friend! And I'm just very bad at this.", she replies, holding out the orange.

[Archmage1]

Smiling, Tulip darts down to the proffered hand, and lands, just to the side, so Yildiz could see what she was doing.
"See?"
She carefully peels back the orange skin, revealing the deliciousness inside, and starts peeling it the rest of the way, so Yildiz could enjoy her orange.
"It's a nice orange!"

[Raunchel]

"Thank you so much!", Yildiz hugs Tulip.

[Archmage1]

Tulip hugs her back, smiling happily, before she takes off once more, hovering not too far from Yildiz.
"You'll like it!"
She seems to be waiting for Yildiz to try it.

[Raunchel]

"I really will. But it looks like Dilaa might also need some help. Perhaps we should help her first?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks over at Dilaa, looking to make sure she was doing ok with her orange.

[Raunchel]

As soon as Tulip looks away Yildiz pulls off one of the parts of her orange, and hides it in her dress, while she fakes chewing it.

[roll0]

[PersonMan]

Dilaa looks up as Yildiz mentions her, raising an eyebrow. She accepted Tulip's offer and has been peeling the orange after a brief incision with her teeth. "I think I'm doing fine," she says, looking down at the fruit.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles at Dilaa, before she looks back at the new chewing Yildiz, which causes her to smile.
"It's really yummy, isn't it?"

[Raunchel]

Yildiz nods, still chewing. And stewing. She is angry at Dilaa for not giving her more of a distraction, but she will get back at her. And she knows just the way.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles at Yildiz, clearly waiting for her to take another bite.

[Hazuki]

"Perhaps you'd all like to leave now?" Mithra asks, looking over at the pair and their fruit-based shenanigans.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks back over to Mithra, and nods, smiling cheerfully.
"Ok! We'll get to see so many new things! And we have yummy oranges!"
She flies over to Dilaa's shoulder, and starts unpeeling hers, so she can start munching on it's deliciousness.

As they walk, Tulip speaks to Lun about stories, sings a bit, tells some tales, and does some exploring. All in all, she has, predictably enough, a fine time.

[PersonMan]

"Yes, I believe we have everything taken care of here," Dilaa says, nodding.

During the trip, Dilaa will ask Mithra if it would be possible to bring Lun back to Garmine with them.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz seems oddly content during the long walk, remaining under her parasol, smiling cheerfully. On her way she secretly dumps the orange, under the excuse of needing a few moments alone.

she does nothing bad or so until camp has been made.

[Hazuki]

The group prepare for their journey with nary a trouble, as they pass through the Lar'ask village and out into the rolling hills and swampy rivers of the Shadow Marches. Tulip's tale-spinning earns her a few complimentary remarks from the wiry half-orc, who has eagerly devoured the orange, as well as more food from the sack that she "won" during her fight - and thanks to Dilaa's intervention. Along the way, Lun has a few questions for the group - namely, about where they come from, and how different they seem compared to most of the people she's known. While she is initially a little wary of the group, Tulip's enthusiasm, Dilaa's warmth, and Yildiz appearing nonlethal lets her relax at least a little along the river route.

By the time the sun starts to set, they go back to the hillier routes in search of woodland to take shelter and make camp in. They soon find a cluster of small trees that rests quite near a river and the overhang of a mountain, but, as they walk deeper inside, they find that a clearing inside seems to already be occupied, with a lantern, a bedroll, and two packs laid out.

"I'm beginning to think I should simply summon camp for us." Mithra comments, looking over the packs and folding her arms over her chest.

"And that spell doesn't need blood sacrifice?" Lun asks the cloaked mage, following a conversation they'd had earlier.

"It does not. Most mages and priests use blood for showmanship, more than out of any practicality."

[Archmage1]

Along the way, Tulip cheerfully describes her garden to Lun, and invites her to visit, sometime, after this is all over. She has a fine time, singing, talking, exploring... all the things that she loves doing. Consequently, once they reach the campsite, she is smiling quite happily. She looks around the clearing, and looks pleased, as the clearing was a lovely place to close her eyes for a bit.
"But there's lots of room here! They wouldn't mind us staying here too, would they? Maybe we can ask them!"

[Raunchel]

"I would also rather stay outside, I like my nightly walks, and I could keep watch! I'm not tired yet.", Yildiz says, hoping to stay outside, so she can more easily complete her plan.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa raises an eyebrow as they find the clearing occupied, but doesn't seem bothered by it. "If we can find and ask these people, we might be able to make camp here, but otherwise it may be better to rest in the magical sanctum you've used before," she says, before another thought comes to her. "Are we close enough to have to worry about the Albino Orc's followers here?"

[Raunchel]

"We don't have to worry about them. They should worry about us. And esecially their sweet thick necks should.", Yildiz states, finally showing her malice again, both in her voice and her eyes.

[PersonMan]

"If we're found during the night, they would have a significant advantage. We may want to post two people on watch, to ensure that we can't be ambushed," Dilaa says. She doesn't mention that she's also worried about Yildiz potentially endangering some non-Albino Orc affiliated necks if she's left alone. The vampire child has been behaving well recently, but that has all been with Garmine's restrictions on her. Now, further from there than ever, could she be trusted to not feast on someone who stumbled past in the night?

[Archmage1]

Not really understanding Yildiz's comment, Tulip instead focuses on Dilaa's, and joy dawns in her eyes as she thinks of a solution.
"Then let's go looking for them! It'll be like a scavenger hunt!"

[Raunchel]

"And our new friend could contribute as well, by helping me keep watch!"

[PersonMan]

"We...won't need to keep watch yet?" Dilaa replies, confused for a moment. "Unless you mean later. But I don't think that would be a good idea. She doesn't want to fight, and I'd rather let her get some sleep without the threat of violence...Unless you'd want to?" She asks, turning to the half-orc in question.

[Raunchel]

"It'll be a lot of fun, really. And I heard that your kind can see better in the dark than most others.", Yildiz says, sounding as nice as possible.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks sad as she is ignored.
"But... we could go looking for them, and find them! I'm sure they're around here somewhere!"
Her voice is softer, more quiet than it was.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz leans over to Tulip and whispers: "But we're hiding from them, because they are the meanies. So, we don't want them to find us. It is like a big game of hide and seek!"

[Archmage1]

Tulip shakes her head, firmly.
"But we haven't met them, so that's silly! They could be really nice! That's why we should find them, so we can see!"

[Raunchel]

"But our friends in the village found them, and they said so."

[Archmage1]

Tulip shakes her head.
"Silly! These are explorers, not mean people!"

[PersonMan]

"Yes, I don't think the people camping here are some of the Albino Orc's followers. I was thinking about after we made camp, not now. We can look for them if you want," Dilaa explains, smiling to Tulip.

[Hazuki]

"I don't like fighting...but I have to do it sometimes. And I don't want to be in danger because I couldn't fight." Lun replies to Dilaa, then shakes her head at Yildiz' comment. "I can't see in the dark."

Just as the group continues their argument, there is a rustling among the nearby trees, and a figure steps out of them. He is obviously an orc, and apparently quite seasoned, judging by the scars that criss-cross his green-hued face. He is somewhat muscular, and wears leather armor beneath his cloak that seems to have been purposefully scarred in particular places - even the few cloth parts of it seem to have been dyed in places. Somehow, Dilaa can't smell his scent in the air, but she does easily notice the long blade at his hip.

He examines the group for a few moments, then unsheathes his blade just enough for it to show. Then narrows his eyes at Dilaa. "That blade. Can you use it?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles, and looks quite happy once more, as Dilaa agrees with her, flying towards her friend.
"Yaay! Let's go looking then! It'll be lots of fun!"

At that moment, the figure steps out of the underbrush, and speaks up. Tulip looks delighted.
"Ooh! That works too! He could find us! Hi!"
Tulip waves happily, always glad to meet new people.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa is about to reply to Lun's words when the newcomer appears. She tenses as she notices that he's armed, but doesn't let her suspicion force her into action. As the orc draws his blade slightly, she slowly, almost casually, puts a hand on her own weapon, ready to pull it from her back if it was needed.

"Of course," Dilaa replies to his question. "There's no point in carrying a weapon I can't use. But why do you ask? It's an odd question to greet someone with."

[Raunchel]

Yildiz looks at the newcomer, smiling. "Hi! Do you know how to use yours?"

[Hazuki]

"Then duel." The orc replies to Dilaa, ignoring the words of the two small beings with her. He draws his blade and slashes at Dilaa with one quick movement.

Hit way, way, misses her. Feel free to describe it how you like.

"Get back!" Lun tells the group, as she herself runs over to the edge of the clearing. Mithra seems quite content to stand where she already was, a fair distance from the pair.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa moves back with a start, her years of training making the movement smooth and swift. Without thinking, she moves out of the way of the orc's attack, and by the time her mind begins to work on what to do, her weapon is already in her hands. "Why are you doing this?" She asks, moving forwards to counterattack even as she speaks. She lets her anger grow, the fire in her veins spread until she feels the strength of her rage grow enough to empower her. Despite her anger, she doesn't strike with the intent on killing the strange orc who had attacked her so suddenly, instead aiming to merely disable him. His swing had sailed past her, but she's not sure if he was simply not a threat or if his haste to begin the battle had betrayed him. Her blade briefly spinning in her hands, the warrior steps forwards to bring it against him twice, once from each side.

Going to Rage. Entering Stance of Clarity targeting him, so total AC against him is unchanged. Full attacking for nonlethal.

A1: [roll0]
D1: [roll1]

A2: [roll2]
D2: [roll3]

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks really confused as the two start fighting, but Dilaa asked the really important question first, so she waits, wanting to hear the answer before she does something.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz giggles when the stranger attacks Dilaa. This is truly a strange land. But she is in doubt, on one hand seeing the deser warrior crush this idiot would be fun, but on the other, she really likes hurting living, preferably sentient, beings. For a moment she things, but then her mind has been made up. "Hey! Stupid ugly guy! Learn some manners!"

And she leaps forwards, striking and slicing from behind. [roll0], damage: [roll1]+[roll2]

[Hazuki]

The first of Dilaa's strikes slams into the side of the orc, stealing most of the breath from out of his lungs, while the second whacks his ribs with such force that he crumples to the ground with all the grace of a fish on dry land. Then Yildiz is upon him just as swiftly, starting to drain the blood from his bruised and beaten body.

5 Temporary HP this round. She suspects it will take about half a minute to drain the rest of his blood.

Lun, whose eyes have widened at least twicefold after watching the pair utterly annihilate the orc, shakes her head to regain her senses. "That's the battle armor of a tribe. I've seen it before." She comments, softly so as not to disturb the recently-flaying warriors, and shuffles over to the two nearby packs. She opens one and starts to rummage through it.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz enjoys the taste, and mirth shows in her eyes as she brings the fallen orc closer and closer to death. She truly longed for this, it is just unfortunate that she couldn't hunt this one herself.

[Archmage1]

Tulip, noting the increasing pallor of the orc, and the way Yildiz had sunk her teeth into him, thinks quickly.
She flies up to Yildiz, and tries to pull her away, tugging ineffectually on her cloak.
"Hey! He's down, and you're hurting him more! Stop biting him!"


[roll0] Grapple
[roll1] strength

[Raunchel]

Yildiz keeps drinking, she has to. She feels so thirsty, and this feels so good. She can't stop, and won't. It simply is too nice, too good. She feels clear, awake, for the first time in weeks.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa almost moves to keep fighting, comes close to swinging her blade down to finish off the orc as he falls, but stops just as Yildiz rushes onto him. For a moment she doesn't do anything, her senses widening again as she returns to a world not restricted to her clash with the orc. Then Tulip rushes over to the vampire child, and Dilaa comes out of her trance. "Yildiz," she says, frowning as she realizes what she's doing. "Yildiz! Stop!" The warrior's demand is followed by her dropping the massive blade she'd just used to bring the orc down and her stepping forwards to grab the undead girl.

"Yildiz. We should question him first," Dilaa says as she does so.

Going for a Grapple here.
Touch: [roll0]
Grapple: [roll1]

[Raunchel]

Yildiz easily evades Dilaa's first attempt to grab her, and keeps drinking as deep as she can. She can hardly hear what is said around her, the blood calls to her, singing in her thin throat. And then she is seized, strong hands pulling her away from her prey. She tries to slip free, blood flowing from her mouth: "Hey!"

I forgot to roll for the first round, so here it goes: [roll0] con drain, before she is stopped. (defensive touch ac of 25). She needs more dex or dodge bonuses

Escape artist: [roll1]

[PersonMan]

"Stay off him until we can find out if he's our enemy or not," Dilaa says in response, using the grapple to effectively whisper her words int othe vampire's ear.

[Raunchel]

"When he has talked, he is mine.", Yildiz whispers back after swallowing the last of the blood.

[PersonMan]

"If he is an enemy, yes. But please be a bit less obvious next time," Dilaa replies, then releases Yildiz from her grasp.

[Hazuki]

"It would seem that Lun has some thoughts on the matter." Mithra says, as she stands beside the slightly shorter girl.

"Right. I've seen armor like that before, from when I was further North and staying with the tribe that got...disbanded." Lun says, holding a leatherbound journal in her fingers. "And I've seen people who've taken symbols off of their armor, like it looks like he did, and I thought it would be a good idea to look through his things. So...he is from the Lekrux tribe, and he was one of the Deputies. The ones who work closely with the Sheriff? And I think he was upset about his tribe." She explains, giving the fallen orc a sad glance. "And didn't really know what to do."

[PersonMan]

"Disbanded?" Dilaa asks, raising an eyebrow. "I don't understand how a tribe can be...disbanded. Were they conquered, or was it something else?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip seems happier as Yildiz stops drinking, but she seemed contend to listen while everyone else talked.
"Maybe we could wake him up, and ask him!"

[Hazuki]

"The tribe the warlord got..." Lun answered Dilaa, her frown deepening as she flicked through a few more of the pages. "It says that he didn't really have a purpose after his tribe was destroyed. And that he didn't want to live. But he was too cowardly to do the honorable thing."

[Raunchel]

Yildiz sounds disappointed: "So, he wants to die? That's boring."

[Hazuki]

"I concur, Yildiz. He should never have submitted his life for review." Mithra remarks dryly.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks around at the fallen orc, before looking at Mithra, and then back to Yildiz, before she looks back at Mithra.
"But if he thinks his life has no purpose, we could give him one!"

[Raunchel]

"Like lunch?", Yildiz smiles, while taking the blood off her chin with a handkerchief. "Just joking of course, but maybe we should just give him what he wants."

[PersonMan]

"Perhaps Yildiz and I can speak to him about finding a purpose for him," Dilaa suggests, looking over at the vampire child.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles happily.
"So I can wake him up?"

[Raunchel]

"Yes, you can wake him up."

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles happily.
"Ok!"
She flies over to the fallen orc, and hugs his face, her wings covering his eyes, as the power of growing things, and nature flows through him, restoring 22 hp.
When she finishes, and he wakes up, she leans back, and looks him in his left eye, smiling cheerfully.
"Hi again!"

[Hazuki]

Tulip's magic rushes through the damaged form of the armored orc, and he stirs not long after. He instinctively reaches for the sword that would have been at his hip, but that instead sits a few feet away in the grassy clearing. When his hand meets air, he rolls to the side and hops back up to his feet to gaze cautiously at the figures that surround him and his camp. He draws the second sword that is sheathed at his hip and holds it out in a defensive stance.

Realization slowly dawns on his face, before it furrows into another frown. His eyes move to Dilaa, then over the rest of the group, before singling out Yildiz. He charges at her with a swipe - one that just barely misses her head.

Having some combat experience herself, Yildiz recognizes that this orc was intending to miss her with that attack.

From beside Mithra, Lun's fingers clench hard into the diary she holds as the orc attacks Yildiz.

[Archmage1]

Tulip shakes her head.
"No, no, be nice! Maybe we can help!"
(She casts hold person, dc 17)
"Really! Please let us try?"

[roll0] diplo.

[Hazuki]

The orc's movements come to a sudden halt after his swing at Yildiz, as Tulip's magicks take hold of him.

"Tulip..." Lun speaks up. "What are you doing?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles.
"I'm trying to give him some time to help think! That way, I'm sure that he'll realize that he can help other people too!"

[Hazuki]

"But that's not how we do things." Lun claims, opening the diary again and glancing down at a few of the latter pages. "He was shamed and he has to do what his oaths say, or else he isn't really an Orc any more. Or...not the right kind. He was a Gatekeeper, you see? They're meant to defend people against unnatural things - and he must have failed it, and took the marks off of himself, and he didn't want to become just another mercenary. But if he dies, he can get some of his honor back. He might be able to defend the Shadow Marches still, in his spirit. But if he gives that up, then he won't be able to. In a way, stopping him from dying would be killing him."

[PersonMan]

Dilaa listens to Lun's words, glances over at Yildiz, mind working. If the only option for him was death, then it was only right to give that to him. She had been considering letting Yildiz consume him, but that was no fate fit for a dishonored warrior. He needed a death by the blade - even if it would not be a pure one, earned in battle, it was better than letting him be turned into a dried-out husk. Dilaa's mind briefly goes back to the shining warmth of the arena, the eye of the gods looking down on her. The solution becomes clear, and she steps over to the orc, weapon drawn. "May you rest in peace," she says, before bringing the weapon down through his motionless body.

Move up to him, then Coup de Grace.

[Archmage1]

Tulip starts crying, sad about the needless death.

[Raunchel]

"What!?", Yildiz shouts in anger. "He was going to be mine! I am going to hurt you for this. I hate you! I really hate you! I hate", she falls silent, still moving her mouth, once again having forgotten to breathe in. She keeps on raging, kicking the dead body.

[Hazuki]

Mithra sighs as Lun winces at the sudden bloodshed, then walks over to Yildiz. "If you'd like, we can try to find some bandits for you to drain."

[Raunchel]

Yildiz takes a very deep breath, before answering: "That would be a lot of fun!"

[Hazuki]

"Very well. Name?" Mithra asks, turning to Lun, who flicks through the book.

"Arish." Lun answers, averting her eyes from the corpse.

Mithra's eyes glow green as she holds a hand in the general direction of the corpse. The grass beneath it soon parts, along with the earth, and the orc's corpse descends into the earth, which swallows it whole. There would be no indication that a corpse had been there, were it not for a rock that was pushed to the surface, part-embedded in the stone. Mithra points a finger at the large rock and a beam of energy darts out from her finger, carving the Orc's name into it.

"Off we go." Mithra says to Yildiz, beckoning for her to follow. Then, the two walk off.

~

Once they are a little bit away from the clearing, Mithra speaks up. "We could cover far more ground by flying. Would you object to being carried?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip flies off, and sits on a tree, looking at a nice blossom, trying to convince herself that this is what the orc wanted.

[Raunchel]

"Uhm, no, I wouldn't object to that. I like being carried, it is a lot nicer than walking.", Yildiz answers, cheerfully. For a moment she gets the idea that it will make Mithra suppremely vulnerable, but then she recalls that the authorities still have those spells, and explaining a dead Mithra would be very complicated, better to wait for an opportunity with witnesses who can be fooled.

[PersonMan]

"It's a shame that was necessary," Dilaa says as the orc's body descends into the earth, cleaning his blood from her weapon. As Tulip flies off, the warrior heads over to Lun instead. "Did you know him?" She asks, tone soft, trying to offer the half-orc some comfort.

[Hazuki]

Mithra nods and a pair of glowing green wings emerge from her back, seeming to go through her cloak, before solidifying into a pair of bright white, feathered wings that look particularly powerful. She then leans down and scoops the vampire up, with about the same difficulty an average person would have.

"I'm curious. You have a residence in Garmine now. Is your coffin there?"

~

Lun watches Tulip fly off with a slightly sad look, then shakes her head at Dilaa's question as she sits herself down on the hard ground. "Not personally. I recognized a few things, and I've seen people like him. The kind of things that fighting all your life does to a person. It has to have meaning, and when all that is taken away...you get people like Arish."

[PersonMan]

Dilaa nods, sitting down as well. "It can be hard, finding a new way for yourself. I've had to work through it as well," she says, looking down at her weapon as she speaks. "Those who can do nothing but kill are always cursed."

[Hazuki]

"I don't think I've ever seen anybody who's changed themselves. Not yet, anyway." Lun comments, putting the diary in her lap. "But I do think it's nice that there are people out there who've never been cursed. People like Tulip, who can heal." She speaks a little more loudly at this point. "I wish I could heal, like her."

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks sad at Lun's words, but she flies down to rejoin Lun and Dilaa as she speaks, settling on a comfy looking rock.
"But I healed him, and he only kept on trying to hurt people! But he was nice, once! I was hoping that he could help, but he couldn't..."

[PersonMan]

"Well, I like to think I'm making progress," Dilaa replies, smiling slightly. "And that is nice. Tulip might be able to teach you some healing - I only know of mundane means to treat injury," she continues, herself speaking up and looking up to where the tiny fey sits.

"As for him...I think that all we could do for him was give him peace. Some people you can't help in this life," she says as Tulip joins them.

[Raunchel]

"It is in a safe place, but not in that house. I prefer it to be well hidden.", Yipdiz answers. Her coffin now os in her dress, so she can keep it safe, and use it in an emergency.

[Hazuki]

"I'm sorry that you couldn't help him." Lun remarks, nodding at Tulip's words as she perches nearby. "But that doesn't make trying bad, does it? You tried do a good thing, and that should be rewarded - and I bet it will, next time. And then it will be worth it, won't it?" Although it doesn't sound like she's entirely confident, there's a certain earnestness in the half-orc's eyes.

~

"Then should we take special care that you're unharmed in this trip?" Mithra asks, as she launches into the air at quite impressive speed.

[Raunchel]

"Of course! I hate being harmed.", Yildiz answers, as always keeping her secrets to herself.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks sad, but pensive at Dilaa's words.
"Maybe you're right, Dilaa. I don't think he was sane, anymore, and someone insane is always hard to try to make better. I just hope he's better now."

Tulip smiles softly at Lun's comment, looking over at her, and shifting slightly, to get more comfy.
"I just want the world to be nice, so no one needs to worry about meanies. It's be really nice, don't you think, if it was like that?"

After a moment, she decides to try to change the topic, and she flies over to Lun, and sits in her lap.
"Lun, do you want me to try to clean you? And maybe do something with your head stuff? It can be woven into lots of different things! And then, maybe, I could try to teach you?"

[PersonMan]

Dilaa gently lays an arm around Lun's shoulders, hoping to offer reassurance to the half-orc. "Both of your ideas are good, and I don't think you should let the darkness of the world discourage you," she says, smiling.

[Hazuki]

"Then I shall summon a crystal bubble for you once we arrive back at camp. Nothing will be able to harm you through that." Mithra replies, as she swoops closer to the hilly ground.

~

"That would be really nice." Lun nods in agreement with Tulip, smiling tuskily back at the Petal. She pauses when Dilaa wraps a warm arm around her, but settles against the larger woman easily enough. "I'm glad you think so."

When Tulip asks her questions, her smile grows wider and she nods. "That would be so kind of you, Tulip! But I, um, didn't know that I needed cleaning?" She admits, self-consciously patting at her hair.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles, happy that someone agrees with her plan.
"Thank you, Lun. Well, your head stuff is really sticky, and it all sticks together, and most people's is really stringy, so I thought it was dirty?"

[Hazuki]

"Oh." Lun's cheeks burn a bit. "Then, yes, please. Clean me!" She requests, moving her head away from Dilaa's top so as to not get it sticky.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles happily, focusing, and cleaning Lun's hair, and then, cleaning the rest of her, smiling at the results, before she darts up, to hover behind her, and starting to weave her hair into a fun shape.

[PersonMan]

"Don't worry," Dilaa says as Lun shifts away from her, planning on adding more but simply falling silent as Tulip cleans the half-orc with her magic. "Do you think you could do mine as well, Tulip?" She asks, seeing an opportunity to further move her friends' thoughts away from the bloodshed earlier.

[Hazuki]

A pleasant smile comes to Lun's lips as she feels her hair completely cleaned, and her eyes flick up to Dilaa as the weaving begins. "You're a good fighter."

[Raunchel]

"That won't be necessary, I won't sleep anyways. I can keep watch over everyone!"

[PersonMan]

Dilaa smiles down at Lun, glad that she's been able to offer the half-orc some comfort and enjoying seeing her happy. "Thank you. Given my past, though, I don't think it's very surprising," she says.

[Hazuki]

"Forgive me, Yildiz, but I rather doubt Dilaa is going to let you sit by Lun alone." Mithra points out.

~

Lun nods at Dilaa's reply, going quiet for a few moments, before speaking again. "Can you teach me?" She asks.

[PersonMan]

"I could, yes," Dilaa replies, nodding. "I'm teaching some others as well, so they can better defend themselves. If you like, I could perhaps teach you with them, if you wouldn't prefer more private lessons."

[Hazuki]

"Are...are they here now?" Lun asks, glancing warily at the shadows along the edge of the clearing.

[Raunchel]

"Hmm. Maybe I can promise that I won't hurt her? Or offer that she can keep watch with me?"

[PersonMan]

"No," Dilaa says, a smile coming to her face as she imagines the Acolytes all emerging from behind one of the bushes. "That would be once we arrive in Garmine."

[Hazuki]

"Would you believe you?" Mithra asks the vampire, as casual as ever.

~

"Oh, okay." Lun nods, relaxing once more into the shoulder-hug. "I was thinking...sooner, than that? So I'm not just dead weight, when you go to fight the warlord? I don't want you to have to worry about me, when you could be handling the fighting."

[Archmage1]

Tulip continues crafting her badger.

[Raunchel]

"She should. I won't let myself be restrained."

[PersonMan]

"We could, yes. Though I'm not sure I could teach you all too much in such a short time," Dilaa says. "Even if you learn quickly, you can only learn so fast," she continues. "But it should be enough for you to stay safe. Especially if you stay with Mithra - you can keep any other enemies away from her, so she can use her magic unhindered."

[Hazuki]

(Hope y'all don't mind a timeskip in the next GM post?)

Tulip soon manages to craft Lun's hair into a fairly badger-y style. At the top and center of Lun's head, their is a stretch of hair that's woven backwards into a braid, with the hair at the sides of her head likewise pulled back - with some of her pale skull showing between the "stripes" to resemble a badger's face markings. These three braids rejoin at the back of her head, forming a fluffy-textured waterfall of hair that ends with a single loop at the bottom, ending in a small ponytail-like flick that resembles a badger's tail.

"Thank you." Lun says to Dilaa, yawning.

~

"I see. And if Lun decides to spend the night safely in my safe haven?" Mithra asks curiously, as her flight slows down slightly and she glides down to a small collection of mountains.

[Raunchel]

"Then I'll just stay outside, playing with myself."

[PersonMan]

Dilaa smiles as Tulip finishes, complimenting the petal on her work as she looks at Lun's newly-styled hair. "It's nothing, really. I can understand why you'd want to be able to protect yourself."

[Archmage1]

Muffins!


Tulip smiles at Lun's hair, showing Lun an image of herself, with her fancy new hairdoo, before she starts working on Dilaa's hair, shaping it into a dragon.

[Hazuki]

Mithra soon descended with Yildiz to what seemed to be a small bandit camp, nestled between the mountains, and their behavior certainly didn't seem to indicate anything otherwise. The mage simply stood back while Yildiz was allowed to run free in the craggy area, draining and killing the orcs as she pleased, until she was finally ready to return to camp.

Once there, she finds that Lun has been cleaned and had her hairstyle changed, as has Dilaa, but the half-orc is particularly sleepy. Mithra soon conjures up her rope trick and invites Lun up with her, which she does, and then pulls up the rope behind them - leaving Tulip, Dilaa, and Yildiz ot rest and guard in the camp proper. The night passes by quite peacefully, with no disturbances, and when morning comes, Mithra is the first down the rope trick.

Lun is next, and looks just a little bit healthier when compared to the day before - cleaner, less injured, a little more nourished, and like she'd had a lot more sleep. The teen smiles as she wanders up to Tulip.

"Good morning." She greets the Petal. "Can we get right into training? I haven't slept that well in ages!"

Mithra follows her out of the rope trick, looking as she always does, and looks ponderously over the trees that surround them.

[Archmage1]

After she finishes Dilaa's hair, and everyone decides that it's a good idea to sleep, she snuggles up in Dilaa's lap to sleep, and, in the morning, she cheerfully greets Lun once she sees her.
"Ok! I can start teaching you how I heal! I hope. I just think about how much nicer it would be if the person I'm healing was healed, and it happens, but I think it's because the trees, and animals, and insects, and birds, and everyone like me, and I like them too, so maybe I can start telling you about them?"

[Hazuki]

"If it will work, yeah!" Lun answers the Petal, sitting down in front of her and crossing her legs. "I've tried thinking about things like that, but it hasn't ever done anything magical for me. It just sort of stays the same?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles.
"You have to believe, and be nice, and it'll come!"

With that, Tulip starts instructing her pupil, teaching her the different sorts of plants around the camp, and how to go about talking to them.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz has spent the night running around, constantly active, always hiding from boredom. She slept recently enough, and loves the freedom of the darkness. When the sun returns she hides in the shadows, close to the others, waiting for them to set off. She feels so much energy, so much strength. She killed them, all of them. Six adult orcs completely drained. She looks different, she has colour in her face and feels warm to the touch. She smiles at the others: "Hi! How did you sleep?"

[Hazuki]

Lun diligently follows Tulip's examples, following her to the plants that surround the clearing, and attempting to talk to them. But whenever she does, they don't talk back. Not even when she uses her best manners!

"It...it isn't working, Tulip." The half-orc informs her, looking a little sadly at the tree.

When Mithra notices Yildiz talking, she shrugs her now-wingless shoulders. "I slept well enough."

[Archmage1]

Tulip shakes her head, and then she smiles happily, as she thinks.
"Trees are really slow, so you have to be patient, and listen. They don't really talk like people do. I don't talk to them much, really. But we could try finding some birds to chat with! Birds are always happy to talk! They love their nests, and their eggs! I think I could show you some magic too, a trick to make it seem not too cold, and not too warm, if you'd like."

[PersonMan]

Dilaa bids the others a good night and, after some time, goes to sleep as well. In the morning she greets the others with a smile, glad to see the past day's worries gone from them. As Lun and Tulip go off to discuss her healing abilities, she begins her routine, stretching and ensuring that her blade is well cared for. As Yildiz approaches, she fixes the vampire child with a brief curious look before smiling. "I closed my eyes and relaxed," she says with a brief grin, before shrugging. "It was nice. I haven't slept outside like this in quite some time."

[Hazuki]

"I'd like to try that." Lun smiles at the Petal, her enthusiasm easily re-ignited by the Petal's words. "I just didn't know that plants and animals had such a hard way of talking to each other. But I'd really like to master healing first!"

While Dilaa snarks at Yildiz, Mithra strolls a little closer to her. "Dilaa, you're skilled in crafting armors and such, are you not?" The mage asked, as she reached into her cloak and pulled out what seemed to be a set of fairly crude leather armor - complete with some horn trim. It was certainly stable enough, and did the job of armor, but it was hardly the work of a master craftsman. "I picked some armor up from Yildiz' dinner and crafted this out of it. If Lun is to accompany us in combat, she'll need more than rags. So - what can I do to improve it?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles happily.
"Ok! Well, when I decide to do this trick, I..."
Tulip goes over her process of asking nature to be nice(At least, how she thinks of it), slowly, culminating in her endure elements effect. After she finishes, she smiles at Lun.
"Do you want to try now?"

[Hazuki]

Lun listens carefully to Tulip's tutoring, even if she slips into a daydream a few times, and nods once she's finished her explanation of how to protect nature. "I'll try!" She says, with some confidence, as she makes the small gestures needed for the spell - and the incantation - and furrows her brow in concentration. Focus is evident in her eyes, the muscles in her wiry limbs straining against them as she tries to push the power onto the Petal and shield her from the elements. She bites her lip, re-does the hand motions, and holds the gesture for as long as she can before her hands slump into her lap.

"I-I can't do it, Tulip." She says, then glances up at the Petal forlornly.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks very sad as nothing happens while Lun tries to copy her spell, and she flies down, closer to Lun, to try and comfort her, speaking softly.
"Aw... I'm sorry! I... I don't think my sort of magic is something you can do? But maybe Mithra can help you learn different magic? Mostly, I just ask for something to happen, and it does, but I'm not sure that'll work for you, because you aren't a part of nature, not like me, or Weaver. I'll try to keep helping you, if you'd like, but... I'm not sure it'll work. I can teach you the stuff that Bandaid taught me, about healing with bandages and things! Would you like that?"
She looks a little more cheerful as she thinks of a way that she can teach Lun.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa looks over the armor, expression changing slightly as she examines it. She frowns briefly, smile slightly, nods to herself a few times, before looking back to Mithra. She begins to explain how to best improve the armor with only the available materials, doing a lot of moving of small parts and individual sections to increase not only the defensive resilience but also the flexibility and comfort of the armor. "Did you craft this by hand, or use magic?" Dilaa asks, curious.

[Hazuki]

"If that's all I can do, then I'll have to do it." Lun says in response to Tulip, smiling back at her as the Petal's cheerfulness radiates over her.

"Magic." Mithra answers the warrior, as she places the garment on a nearby rock. "Not as much as I'd have liked, but certain parts of my repertoire are more limited than others - and I'd rather not utilize them frivolously while we're in the field, so to speak." She holds one hand over the armor and her eyes glow green, as the leather shifts to her will and changes into a quite more pleasant looking set of armor. "Thank you, Dilaa." She says, examining it for a moment, then turning to look at the Petal and the half-orc.

"I'm afraid I don't feel up to tutoring another student." Mithra tells them. "But if working in a controlled environment doesn't work for Lun, I'd suggest participating in an actual combat. Nothing spurs latent magic into action like the threat of being snuffed out."

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles happily at Lun.
"Ok! I'll start soon, once we start for the day!"
She looks a bit sad as Mithra discusses combat, but then she smiles.
"That could work too! People often do new things when they think they're in trouble!"
After a few moments, she looks around, and then reaches into her bag, producing an orange, smiling happily as she wobbles a bit from the new weight.
"Would anyone like another orange? They're really yummy!"
As she asks her question, she looks around, smiling cheerfully, clearly trusting that people would want the delicious oranges.

[Hazuki]

"I would!" Lun says, eyeing the orange like she hasn't had any breakfast. Because she hasn't.

[Archmage1]

Looking delighted, Tulip darts over to her, and holds out the orange for her to take.
"Here! Does anyone else want one?"
She flies around, delivering oranges, before she pulls out another one, and starts to peel it, so she can munch on it.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa nods, understanding. "That's right - you only have so much magic at one time, right? So if you...run out, you need to wait for more?" She asks, realizing that she isn't quite sure on the limits of mages. They had some kind of cap on how much they could do with their power at once, but she isn't sure how it worked, if it was like most things and would gradually flow back, or if they needed to do some specific thing to regain it.

As Tulip flies around, Dilaa nods, smiling. Once she has her orange she peels and begins to eat it, looking around and considering how the day would progress. "Should we get going?" She asks the others after she's eaten.

[Archmage1]

Tulip nods at Dilaa's words, looking excited about the prospect.
"Yes! That way, we can explore, and go places, and I can teach Lun the stuff Bandaid taught me!"

[Hazuki]

"It depends on the magic." Mithra answers, walking to the edge of their camp. "Lun, that armor is for you. We can't have you fighting unprotected." She informs the nomming half-orc, her mouth still filled with orange as she walks over to the leather armor and immediately tries to put it on. The mage then turns back to Dilaa. "Some magic is learned - written down in a book, then you study it so that it fills your mind every morning - as you get better at it, you're able to more efficiently store this knowledge, and cast better spells. You're fine until you use this magic, but suffer more mental fatigue with each spell you cast. You need to rest to feel at your best again - and be able to memorize your spells."

"Magic can also be prayed for, and granted by divine beings - in that case, your selection is limited only by your faith, and how much power your chosen deity gives you. Once you've expended that power, you have to pray again for more. Then, there is the kind of magic that comes from within, like Tulip's. It simply...is, and normally comes in the form of spells that you would find useful. As I've explained before, these separate sources of magic usually result in similar spells simply due to them being the most obvious and efficient paths for any magic user to take. Using this spontaneous magic drains your body and soul, as you channel its power into the world, and neither will willingly submit to more punishment than necessary. Even if you want to throw out a seventh ball of fire, your body may not."

Meanwhile, Lun is grinning as she stretches out her limbs and skips over to the edge of the clearing, to join the party as they leave it. "Thank you! I've never been given...gifts, just like that before." She says, then takes another bite out of her orange. "You're all so nice to me."

[Archmage1]

Tulip flies over to Lun, after she finishes putting on her armor, and settles on her shoulder, smiling cheerfully.
"You're nice, so of course we'll help you! It'd be silly not to. It's normal!"

As the group moves, Tulip instructs Lun in the arts of medicine, as taught to her by Bandaid, interspersed with comments about the lovely plants, and animals, and rocks, as well as the occasional conversations with passing birds.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa stays with Mithra as they head over to where Lun is sitting, and she gives the half-orc some help with the armor, ensuring that it sits properly. The first wearing of an armor is always the one in which it's important to wear it well, she explains. Otherwise one could become accustomed to wearing it in a fashion that makes it less comfortable, more hindering to movements - or even dangerous, as it creates holes in the defense it offers. Once this is finished, Dilaa returns to listening to Mithra's explanation, nodding after each concept is gone over to show that she understands. Once Lun joins them, she looks over the half-orc's armor one last time, searching for gaps in its protection and finding that most of them are small enough to consider the teen protected.

"I imagine that you'll find many people who will be happy to treat you well. This isn't a very welcoming place," Dilaa says.

[Hazuki]

Lun spends the trip intermittently listening to Tulip's instructions and stretching out in her new armor, testing its flexibility and how it feels attached to her. Mithra walks alongside the group, occasionally chiming in on the conversation and keeping an eye out over the horizon. They don't pass many people at all while they're traveling the river routes, although it does provide them with a pleasant view on an otherwise cloudy and windy day.

It's about midday when, while navigating a bend in the river, they hear a loud series of barks riding along the wind. The group crests a nearby hill, moving closer to investigate, and manage to spot what seems to be causing the noise. A particularly large orcish creature, too big for its mount, is riding a horse that seems to small for it - and having a very loud, if sluggish, conversation with a smaller figure on a horse beside it. All around them, other mounted orcs and half-orcs ride, keeping an eye on the horizon. They number at about forty, and don't seem to have spotted the party yet.

"Varför har vi måste söka efter överlevande ändå? Det är så tråkigt och jag skulle mycket hellre vara hemma , kröp upp woith en brand och en varg ! Kekok bör finna sina egna matrester !" The large one bemoans, waving his arms around lazily.

"Slingrande runt de böljande kullarna på en välutbildad häst är fruktansvärt stressigt arbete , jag vet . Bara stå ut med det för en lite längre , och allt kommer att bli br ." The smaller one replies, much more quietly, and muffled slightly by the scary wooden mask that looks demonic attached to his face.

"What are they saying?" Lun asks, frowning deeply as she looks at the gathering of almost-markless orcs over the hills.

"Searching for survivors." Mithra answers.

[Raunchel]

"Survivors of what?", Yildiz asks, looking at the searching orcs. Could they belong to the bandits? Coming to try and track her down? It seems unlikely, and even if they did, the girl can outrun a horse, especially over longer times.

[Hazuki]

"Of the Albino Orc's attacks, I imagine, seeing as they mentioned one of the lackeys Koptun told us about." Mithra answers.

"They do wear similar kinds of clothes..." Lun adds quietly. "She doesn't have a flag, or anything like that, so her followers don't wear any. Could bandits get that many horses?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip, who had been having fun teaching Lun, focuses when she hears the strange words, wanting to understand them(Comprehend Languages)

[PersonMan]

"I doubt the survivors want to be found," Dilaa says, pulling her weapon from her back as she looks over the ranks of orcs. "I think we should fight them now - we can get them to tell us exactly where we need to go afterwards, and it will make the area safe for anyone who managed to escape their attack."

[Hazuki]

"Men jag är så hungrig ! Var är alla husdjur ? Säden ? Allt jag kan se är gräs och hästar ! Läckra , läckra hästar !" The larger one bemoans, as he runs his hand through the mane of his mount quite lovingly.

But I'm so hungry! Where are all the farm animals? The corn? All I can see is grass and horses! Delicious, delicious horses!

"I'd suggest having a plan before attacking." Mithra comments.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks confused.
"But... what if they were lamenting the attack, and they're looking for other people who survived from their home? They're really hungry!"

[Hazuki]

"Tulip, the tribes are incredibly xenophobic. They would not have half-orcs or ogres among their ranks, and they would almost certainly be wearing the armor of their tribe." Mithra responds. "The fact that ogres are infamously greedy should tip you in on that one's hunger."

"Du är inte äter hästarna . Du kommer att vänta på middag , precis som resten av oss ." The mask-wearing half-orc informs him, adjusting the reigns of his own saddle as they slowly ride over to the next hill.

[Archmage1]

Tulip continues to look confused.
"What's an ogre? And Lun's a half orc, and she was with a tribe!"

(Continued translations?)

[Hazuki]

"Du är så grym mot mig . Jag vill bara äta saker ..." The ogre bemoaned from atop his steed. "Är det för att jag hatar din hund ?" He asks, giving an apologetic look at the half-orc. It would be cute, if it weren't so hideous.

"That's an ogre." Mithra pointed at the large one. "And Lun was also the victim of xenophobia. Even considering the Lar'ask are relatively kind compared to the rest, the fact that she was allowed to stay on their land without being ran out or killed is a marvel."

Lun stays quiet at this, fidgeting with her armor.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks at the ogre, curiously, before she turns to Dilaa, and Mithra.
"So the really, really big ones are ogres? Well, if we are going to fight them... I don't think that Dilaa can fight all of them at the same time, so we need to trick them, to confuse them, so she doesn't have to! Maybe I can help make Dilaa and Lun hard to hit, and be better, and then try to keep them disrupted and confused? And maybe convince their horses to run away? Maybe they'll decide to be nice? But if they're as mean as everyone says they are... they won't, but maybe they'll be nice in their next life?"
She seems hopeful.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa's eyes go over the group as they watch, only partially listening to Mithra translate their words as she examines them - as a group, as individuals, as enemies, as allies. In every way she has learned how to examine a potential threat. The conclusion is simple.

"Tulip, you're either underestimating me, or overestimating them," Dilaa says. "These aren't the monsters of Garmine, or rogue golems made to guard entire temples. I can attack and let them break themselves if they try to stand against me, if they don't scatter once they realize they're outmatched," she adds, looking over to the others. "Although...it may be best if Mithra and Lun stay back," she continues, wishing for a moment that she had that mental link with Mithra the mage had created before. "Tulip, if you could use your magic to help them deal with any of the orcs that come this way, that would be very helpful.

And Yildiz..." Dilaa pauses for a moment, smiling. "If your violent tendencies haven't been tamed by your feeding, now would be an opportune moment to follow me," she continues, moving forwards towards the orcs, trying to put some distance between her and the others so that they won't necessarily all be spotted once she moves into view.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz runs after Dilaa, smiling wickedly. This is why she came. To kill, to maim, and to hurt. And also to plunder. Her thirst returns. It can't be truly sated, it always is there, lingering in the back of her mind. She draws her swords, spreading them wide. She maintains a pace equal to Dilaa, although she moves away from her, so she can strike from another place. And then, then the blood will flow and there will be such sweet screams.

[Hazuki]

"I'm not going to stay back." Lun says defiantly, following right along in Dilaa's footsteps. Mithra seems perfectly content in staying behind, however.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa eyes the orcs, and smiles as she comes close enough to them to charge. "Fine, then. But be careful. Don't do what I do just because I do it," she says, hoping that Lun understands what she means. Then she charges, quickly gaining momentum as she rushes forwards, blood rushing with the thrill of the coming fight. Rather than try and clamp down on the feeling, Dilaa lets it come, hoping to channel her rage into a battle that is being fought for good reason. Her blade shines in the light, gleaming as if in anticipation of the bloodbath to come. Years of training flow together, and Dilaa brings down her weapon on the leader of the orc band with a faint hope that doing so won't scatter the rest, that they'll stand and fight rather than turning to flee. She wants their blood to spill.

Rage, then Charge! -3 AC, entering Island of Blades stance. Power Attacking for 4.

A: [roll0]
D: [roll1]

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks sad as Dilaa starts advancing, her words almost lost.
"Aw... but it won't be as tricky this way."
Tulip flits along, following Lun, even landing on her head for a few moments. As she does so, Lun seems to blur, significantly, before Tulip drifts away.
(Casting Displacement on her)

[Raunchel]

Yildiz starts a sudden burst of speed, going faster than a horse, faster than any girl should ever be.

Yildiz charges, and makes a single surprise attack on the one that looks the most dangerous.

Sense motive: [roll0]
To hit: [roll1], Damage: [roll2]+[roll3]

[Hazuki]

Dilaa's charge comes as nothing less than a complete surprise to the lazy ogre and his compatriot, who barely have time to move before the warrior's sword - lit up by the familiar green glow of Mithra's magic - slams through the belly of the burly beast and skewers him completely - while still on his horse. As her blade pulls out of him, he crumples to the ground in a bleeding, unconscious heap right beside his horse - who doesn't seem to know quite what to do. If anything, it seems relieved to have such a weight pulled off of its back.

The half-orc on the horse quite nearby takes in a deep breath to make an announcement at the already-moving-into-action gang of orcs, but is silenced as soon as Yildiz' blade appears through the side of his skull, where an ear might be. He barely gets a gurgle out before collapsing to the ground, completely lifeless. However, while he's falling, the mask on his face floats up, just out of Yildiz' reach, and lets out a demonic bellow.

"Attaaaaack!" Then, it disappears from sight.

What follows is the sound of thundering hooves, as all of the orcs diverge on the position of the four sudden appearances - including those of the too-slow Lun. No fewer than ten horsemen charge directly at Dilaa, one of them attempting to run her over with their horse - and ending up with only her standing there steadfastly, practically shoulder-barging the steed away while the other nine split in separate directions, weapons flying, and all bouncing off of or being dodged by the nimble desert warrior.

Yildiz gets another group of them, charging just after the first, all of them with glaive and sword and spear and oh my! Each of them charge towards her, one after the other and splitting to the left as they make their blows. But through all of them, the vampire child dodges, ducks, dips dives, and dodges almost every blow until the final one - a wicked-looking broadsword that slams into her shoulder...and simply bounces off with nary a scratch on her dress.

Twenty combined charge at the grouping of Lun and Tulip, spread five feet apart in a perfectly fitting space for the pair - and the onslaught of weapons that's soon about to fall upon them. The first spear blow is dodged by Lun, as the sharpened end dips past her ear and goes on with its rider. The greatsword that comes next, the half-orc has far less luck with, as it slams into her chest with a swing so brutal that it sends her reeling backwards even as the blade seems to get lodged halfway into her ribcage. She falls back to the ground, eyes rolling into the back of her head as she starts to bleed profusely through her damaged armor - still with wisps of magic that the orc's attack had managed to pierce.

It's a blow that would more than kill any normal person, and put an average grunt into almost-death, and it seems that Lun is no different. With one of their prey down, the orcs are inspired, and all who hadn't swung at Lun join in with those who were already going to attack Tulip - but every single one of them misses the nimble fairy, leaving her with the sight of the pale half-orc left bleeding in the snow. As the charging horses go onwards, all but the one left rebounded by Dilaa, Lun obviously struggles to breathe, even in her unconsciousness.

Then, her eyes open. The blood spurting out of her chest wound stops shooting blood all over the place. And she forces herself to roll over on the ground with a grunt, spitting blood out of her throat and forcing herself up into a kneeling position with an even greater cry of pain. The lethally injured half-orc glares after the horseman, all of which are turning back for another run at her allies, and an angry yell starts to form in her throat.

Tulip has heard about quite a few warriors who can live past wounds that would normally kill or otherwise others. It's a surprisingly common trait among orcs themselves, even with her limited knowledge of them.

Mechanics: It's the Diehard feat. :smalltongue:

[Archmage1]

Tulip, horrified by the injury that Lun suffers, drops down to her, and causes the pair of them to vanish(Dropping into Lun's inventory, and casting invisibility on Lun).
She whispers to the badly injured orc.
"Stay down! You're hurt, and if you keep going, you're going to die! That would be terrible! Remember what I told you? If someone is bleeding all over the place, get them to stop, so they can get better!"

[PersonMan]

Dilaa begins to feel the joy of combat building in her, the orcs' feeble attempts at retaliation feeding her feeling of belonging. Just as she readies herself to strike again, already finding gaps in the defenses of every opponent around her, she hears a cry of pain from a familiar voice. Instantly jolted from the beginnings of her trance, she spots Lun falling, a group of orcs rushing her and Tulip. The sense of completion leaves her instantly, replaced by a crimson rage that takes hold of her body. Dilaa doesn't bother trying to hold it back, and as she turns away from the orcs around her her body is already shifting. Thick scales form on her skin, her limbs bulge with bestial strength and her head lengthens. A powerful maw equipped with teeth made for crushing bone and tearing flesh replaces her mouth, and all humanity leaves her eyes, limitless rage in place of any hope of mercy. With a challenging roar she rushes forwards again, ignoring the opportunity she's giving the orcs around her as a storm of slicing, burning sand whips up around her legs. Tulip dropping down and the disappearance of the slowly standing Lun barely register for her as her bloodlust grows, a singular desire to crash through the orcs and only stop once their broken bodies had formed a pile beneath her feet.

Standard: Hybrid Form GOOOO!

Swift action to swap to Fury of the Sands stance, and rushing back over to the others at top speed.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz doesn't notice what is happening around her, not now, not with the blood flowing, spurting around her. Enemies trying to hit her, and her swords leaping with her through the air. She wants this. This is what she likes almost the most in all of existence. The hunting of helpless prey.

She jumps around, weaving under, over and by the sides of her enemies, never staying in one place, always moving, in a fast dance of ruin. One moment she slides under a horse, the next she hops onto ones head to cut down a rider. She is death incarnate, and she does not give any mercy. She laughs, she smiles. She is happy. Her laugh is not the sweet one of a child, but it is haunted, tainted by centuries spent in the darkness. As she sommersaults away from an attack she licks the blood from her blade, tasting the sweetest taste.

"Weeeeee! This is fun!"

Yildiz starts her Dervish dance, to tumble around the area. Her skill is high enough to not need any rolls to avoid AoO's.

Right hand 1 to hit: [roll0], damge: [roll1]+[roll2]
Right hand 2 to hit: [roll3], damge: [roll4]+[roll5]

Left hand 1 to hit: [roll6], damge: [roll7]+[roll8]
Left hand 2 to hit: [roll9], damge: [roll10]+[roll11]

[Hazuki]

The intimidating mask of the half-orc appears in the air again, where it once had been, and swivels around in the air to face the rampaging werecrocodile that's running over to join where her invisible allies once stood. "FLEE!" It demands, voice filled with arcane might that reaches out across the battlefield and...simply brushes off of the raging woman.

"I," Lun spits more blood, which splatters across the grass beneath her invisible hands. "I can't let people fight for me." She rasps, but doesn't seem to make any movements.

While this is happening, the horsemen have spun around on their mounts and turned around for another charge - including the one Dilaa stopped - and all aimed at either the wildly-leaping vampire child or the sudden appearance of the werecrocodile, despite fear evident on some of their faces as they sprint towards the latter. The ones charging towards Yildiz are met with nothing but air or a glancing blow, as she nimbly dodges between their attacks and leaves their wake with orc and half-breed corpses. One corpse, two corpses, three corpses, four corpses, ahahahaha! Plus, four very confused horses.

The other half of the mounted orc forces charge towards Dilaa, all of them making it to her with ease - but all of their attacks simply bouncing off of her hide, or sailing through the air above her head as they maneuver their horses around her in an attempt to stay as far away as possible without looking cowardly. The last one charging towards the werecrocodile is met with a freshly-unveiled Lun, as she's leapt through the air and tackled them right out of their saddle - leaving them to land with her shoulder slammed into their ribcage as they collide with the ground. Lun's foe, despite cracked ribs, reaches for his blade to finish the job on the teen, but the heavily-injured girl finishes him off with a hard punch to the side of the skull.

[Archmage1]

Moving with Lun, Tulip hugs her, and tries to heal her newest friend(Well, asides from the cheerful birds they met along the way, and a few others), sending the healing power of nature surging through her veins(22 hp restored), before she flickers into visibility.

(If an orc moves to attack Lun, Tulip will use Halt to stop it(Immediate Action, DC 19 will, or all movement prevented.))

[PersonMan]

Lun's reappearance only further feeds the rage flowing through Dilaa's body, driving back the satisfaction of her enemies' attempts to strike her. But now their attacks came to an end, and as they moved to strike again she reacted, exploiting the gap in their movements to unleash a flurry of violence around her. Her weapon flies out first, carving through flesh and bone alike as it sweeps through the undefended flanks of the orcs, followed by a thrashing tail that beats down with crushing strength. Finally, Dilaa stretches forwards to the orc nearest to Lun, the decision to make a wordless threat leading her to direct her hunger in a single direction, teeth closing around anything that can find purchase on as her maw closes.

Full Attack! Woo! Power Attacking for 6 for more damage!

Blade1A: [roll0]
Blade1D: [roll1]

Blade2A: [roll2]
Blade2D: [roll3]

TailA: [roll4]
TailD: [roll5]

BiteA: [roll6]
BiteD: [roll7]

[Raunchel]

Yildiz turns between the horses, the spears, the swords and all the assorted weapons of the orcs. One moment she is in one place, the other she is dozens of feet away. She goes high, she goes low, always evading, always slipping through every opening. If she wasn't the cruel thing she has become, she would not have enjoyed this. It was hardly a fight, she wasn't threatened. But she simply liked all this too much. Again she leaps up, cutting at two orcs at the same time, before sheltering under a horse for a moment. From there she hops onto the back of another, slitting it's rider's throat. She bounds away again, leaping and bounding in her dance of death.


Right hand 1 to hit: [roll0], damage: [roll1]+[roll2]
Right hand 2 to hit: [roll3], damage: [roll4]+[roll5]

Left hand 1 to hit: [roll6], damage: [roll7]+[roll8]
Left hand 2 to hit: [roll9], damage: [roll10]+[roll11]

[Hazuki]

Yildiz' dance of death leaves nothing but a slew of blood in her wake, as all but the very last orc she's introduced to her blades collapse with grunts and dying breaths. The one who'd been forced off of his horse, even with his mostly mangled throat, somehow manages to remain on his feet and gaze at the gory mess that surrounds him with a horrified expression. Of the split-in-three offensive of mounted orcs, nine more barrel down after her, managing to secure blows that she easily manages to avoid.

Dilaa's destruction is considerable more chaotic, as she rampages through the back ranks of the force closest to Lun - one rider is sent flying forwards, face grinding through the dirt after Dilaa's blade cuts halfway through him. Another is separated from his horse - but only by his top half, as the other keeps riding on with his horse. Her tail slams into the back of another, to send him crumpled up against the neck of his burly mount - while her jaws pierce the armor and tough hide of another, chomping her up and dumping the corpse at the grassy ground. The line of horsemen riding back from their last attacks on Yildiz come at her from the side, one lucky cavalier landing a blow on her shoulder...but one that rebounds off and sends tremors through the weapon.

The ranks of the orcs fleeing from Yildiz attack come straight towards Lun, perhaps deceptively brave, or just unaware of the threats that the werecrocodile was making in response to their attacks on the wiry combatant. The first who comes at her clumsily slings his weapon, as his eye is distracted by a fellow orc flying through the air around him, and Lun steps to the side of his powerful charge. The second is met with an eldritch reprimand from the Petal standing guard over Lun, her will strong and her weapon prepared to slam straight into the half-orc...but ultimately met with being left to stand like an organic statue.

Lun flashes a toothy grin at Tulip for the healing that rushes through her body, sealing up the wound on her chest - although her armor is damaged and her sarashi soaking with blood - and just about remembers to duck below a waywards glaive swing sent her way. One of the horsemen, riding up from the other side, almost manages to slam her gut with her spear - but Tulip's whirling magic manages to misdirect the attack, sending it harmlessly to Lun's side as she faces the oncoming attackers.

She dodges to the side of one, but her footing lands clumsily and a greataxe comes low, looking like it might just re-crack open her ribcage, but she manages to contort her body so that it simply crashes into her shoulder and makes her scream. The gaping wound left in her pale flesh soon starts leaking blood, and she spins around to face the last two pairs of orcish combatants still charging at her. First a spear, which she spins away from on her heel, then a glaive, which is knocked aside by her uninjured arm. The last two, she grits her teeth and runs at, avoiding the surprised spear-thrust that comes at her. She leaps at the last moment, grabbing a hold of one horseman's reigns and saddle, then using it as a springboard to leap at the other horseman at the end of the line.

Lun soars through the air and slams her foot into the neck of that unlucky half-orc, whose neck audibly snaps as the pale teen goes sailing by and lands on her feet on the opposite side, panting and her face contorted as she holds back the pain.

26 orcs left, plus one in his negatives.

Also, Lun is back into negatives.

"Oh come on! What is even the point?!" The horrible-looking mask bellows, as it floats above the battlefield. "I can understand the lizard, but two little girls?! You could deal with those with a spanking!" It huffs. "And I suppose I'll have to handle that." It eyes glowing red, it surveys the combatants around the hilly battlefield and settle on Lun. "It's past your bedtime! Go to sleep!" It orders the teenager, as it catches her gaze - the glow in its eyes is mirrored in hers . Her eyes glow red briefly, and her movements grow a little weary.

She sinks lower and lower towards the ground, struggling to stay on her feet or even pull her head up from the floor. Her muscles strain, as she attempts to force herself away from the ground that's soon to become her bed. Her breath getting heavier, she wrenches her head upwards to watch as Dilaa rampages through the ranks of the orcs. She stares at the warrior for a moment, and her grip on the ground grows that much stronger. Taking in a deep breath, she pulls herself up from the ground, and the magic glowing in her eyes starts to dissipate. As she forces herself back into a fighting stance, more of the glow disappears - then flows over her form, over her grievous wound, and sinks into the gaping cut. Her flesh knits together, leaving only a scar i its wake.

The half-orc looks down at herself, eyes wide in amazement, and faces the mask with her feet firmly on the ground. She flashes a cocky grin. "Nope."

Now Lun isn't in negatives, and needs no healing.

Player turn again!

[Archmage1]

Tulip calls out to the approaching Orcs, sounding quite upset.
"Hey. leave Lun Alone!"
As she speaks, the orcs feel something strange around their heads.

(Casting mass whelm, hitting all 8 of those orcs, dealing [roll0] nonlethal damage to each, will negates dc 20)
Additionally, should another orc foolishly try to approach, she'll stop him too.

[Hazuki]

All eight of the orcs that had just charged at Lun get a brief moment of confusion on their faces, at the sight of the Petal telling them off, then shudder as they fall off of their mounts and slam into the ground. Every one of them is knocked out cold.

Meanwhile, the horses that have become without their riders, a good portion of them now, are starting to look more and more irate at the situation they find themselves in. No riders, a lot of noise, and a lot of magic being thrown about. It seems like they're prepared to panic fairly soon.

Tulip obviously doesn't get more, because it's still the same round. I just forgot to note the thing about the horses in my last post.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz runs through the carnage, she hates spanking. She hates it with a fierce passion. And she utterly and completely hates that mask. She leaps up onto a horse and jumps up again, towards the flying mask. And then she turns to nothing, only shadow, and rushes towards the mask.

Essentially, gaseous form, with all of Yildiz's speed boosting. Next round she can turn corporeal above it, for added fun.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Archmage1]

When Tulip spots the frightened horses, she calls out to them, hoping to calm them down before they hurt themselves.
<Horse>
"It's ok, none of us want to hurt you! Maybe you can go over to that tree, so no one acidentally hurts you? It'll be ok, I promise!"
[roll0] handle animal

[PersonMan]

Dilaa's rage melts into the frenzied motion that spurs her onwards, anger fading as the fighting continues. It's replaced by the utter confidence that seldom finds her elsewhere, the knowledge that this is where she belongs. This is what she had been made for. Forged from a hopeless child, she had been turned into a living engine of destruction. Her destiny, if she had one, was to live like this, fulfilling the on true purpose of her being. The thought sends joy through her limbs, the rush of gladness guiding her strikes with as much ferocity as her rage did, and Dilaa finds herself laughing. Her voice is changed, barely recognizable as her own, almost all signs of humanity lost in it as she rushes through her enemies, striking out at them without obvious pattern, movements nonetheless lining up to keep her well-defended.

Step and full attack, if possible. Prioritize hitting as many orcs as possible.

Power Attacking for 6 for more damage!

Blade1A: [roll0]
Blade1D: [roll1]

Blade2A: [roll2]
Blade2D: [roll3]

TailA: [roll4]
TailD: [roll5]

BiteA: [roll6]
BiteD: [roll7]+11, woops

[Hazuki]

Dilaa's swings tear through the mounted orcs as she cackles to herself in that croaky crocy voice, one sent left, the other sent right, and their skulls cracking together in the middle as a result of her rapid swings. One spins her mount around only to be met with a tail slamming into her side, while her companion is all chomped up in a brief respite from Dilaa's laughter.

Unfortunately for Tulip, the horses seem to be ignoring her words in favor of neighing loudly and stomping their hooves. They bristle and neigh, and look over at each other, then at the giant predator that's smashing her way across the battlefield, and even at the space where Yildiz had once been, and charge along the hills in wildly different directions! Luckily for the group, none of them got hit by one of the fleeing horses - aside from the already-injured orc, who got a hoof to the face and ended up in the growing group-hug with the ground.

"Feh." The mask glares after the horses, as a dagger is unsheathed by an unseen force from one of the fallen troops. "See?! Even your women think you're not worth their time! And don't you dare run away!" It demands, as it flings the knife up in the air and it harmlessly bounces off of Dilaa's back. Obeying orders, but shaking in their saddles, the remaining fourteen orcs split up into two groups again - one headed for Dilaa, the other for Lun and Tulip.

The hail of weapons has about as much effect on Dilaa as all the others hand - namely, none, as they simple roll off of her rippling, scaled muscles or sail past her limbs. The trembling hands of the orcs attacking Lun seem more inspired than anything - perhaps because they were the luckiest of their group, having not been ordered to attack the blood-spilling monster that killed all their comrades. One swing of a greatsword is blocked by Tulip's magic, standing completely still. The horseman right after follows up that failed attack by slamming his glaive into her exposed stomach, causing her to topple over to her hands and knees for a moment.

Lun picks herself back up in time to side-step, deflect, and slide away from the next three attacks. For the last orc in the line, she takes in a deep breath, leaps through the air feet-first and...completely misses with both kicks, but sailing forward with such momentum that the orc attacking her fails to land, while she does. On her behind, in the grass.

14.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa spins her weapon in her clawed hands briefly before the weapon flares up, flashing white-hot for a moment before bursting into flame, seeming to be entirely consumed by the suddenly-appeared fire. Without missing a beat, the warrior lashes out with her fiery implement of destruction, the fire seeming to heed her commands as if it were a physical object, a lengthy, curving blade rather than flame.

Burning Brand activated, so all damage is Fire. Apart from Natural Weapons.

Power Attacking for 6 for more damage!

Blade1A: [roll0]
Blade1D: [roll1]

Blade2A: [roll2]
Blade2D: [roll3]

TailA: [roll4]
TailD: [roll5]

BiteA: [roll6]
BiteD: [roll7]

[Archmage1]

Frowning as the Orcs refuse to listen to reason, Tulip tries to hit them over the head with it, hoping that they might be more reasonable when they wake up.

[roll0] nonlethal damage to the 7 orcs, dc 20 will to negate.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz' misty form floats above the mask, before suddenly she becomes real again and starts falling to the ground. But not before taking hold of the mask.

Not on computer, so forgive me if this gets messed up. Grapple time! She uses the 20 for the touch attack, hitting automatically. And then the grapple roll uses the 10, with a +4 total bonus, giving her a 14. BEfore she crashes into the ground, hopefully holding the mask. Or maybe the mask is floaty enough to keep them in the air.

[Hazuki]

Another seven of the mounted half-orcs are invited to the ground-party, as Tulip's magic wreaks havoc among their ranks. Some of them get minor bruises, as their horses join their fellow equines in fleeing as far as they can from the battle that's almost over. But, for the most part, they remain unlethally injured. The same could not be said for those terrified orcs that Dilaa hurries after, incinerating them with wide swings of her fiery blade, while those who remain are crushed or chewed up by her ginormous jaws.

Its eyes flickering wildly over the battlefield, the mask yells once more. "You can still take the-" It is cut off as Yildiz suddenly materializes above it, wrapping her arms tightly around the creature and dragging it down to the ground with her, as it yells and flails in her grip. "I WAS A FOOOOOOOOL!" It cries out, even as Yildiz lands gracefully and it remains trapped.

With their "leader" currently defeated by a child, and the rest of their comrades taken out, the three remaining orcs begin to flee on their mounts. Lun watches after them, standing tall for a whole few seconds before falling to one knee and clutching at her stomach wound.

Doo doo dooo.

[Archmage1]

Looking concerned, Tulip darts over and hugs her, resulting in a feeling of growth, and healing Lun for 22 points.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa watches the fleeing orcs for a moment, an urge coming to her to follow. She even begins to step forwards, ready to give chase with the one method she can, until her mind returns and she stops in place, mid-step. Blood dripping down her form, she stands still for a few moments before sighing and slowly changing back to her human form. The blood remains, leaving her face and neck covered in congealing red. "Are you alright?" She asks, heading over to Lun and looking at the half-orc with concern as Tulip heals her wounds again.

[Hazuki]

The fleeing orcs are halted, as a ring of misty ice suddenly springs up around them and their mounts. Although the outside doesn't seem to be burning anything around it, there are a few brief cries from within that are soon silenced.

Lun hugs Tulip back with one hand, a smile coming to her lips, even if it's a little forced given her fatigue, as she gets back to her feet. "Yeah. Thanks." She nods.

[PersonMan]

Dilaa looks over at the walled-in orcs briefly, before wiping some of the blood off of her lips. "I didn't expect you to fight," she says, looking down at her bloodied hands and weapon, gaze then going over her blood-splattered clothing. A sick feeling comes over her, and she frowns, clenching one fist as she kneels to begin brushing her blade against the grass, trying to remove some of the crimson fluid before it congeals. The obvious enjoyment of earlier is completely gone.

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles happily as Lun seems fine, but as Lun stands, and Tulip shifts expertly to her shoulder, giving her a chance to see the carnage, she frowns, and looks distresses.
"They... they were mean, and they wouldn't stop, but I hurt them, and that's not nice, but I'm nice, but am I?"
She sits down heavily(Well, heavily for a 1 pound faerie), on Lun's shoulder, as she tries to think her way out.

[Hazuki]

"Sorry. I still don't like people fighting for me..." Lun responds, as she tugs at the few threads holding her torso armor together and pulls it off like a cracked shell. "Then I saw you fighting, and that just reminded me that I should be able to fight for other people. So I did my best." Her brief smile is disturbed as she looks over her blood-stained outfit and makes a yuck face. "But I don't think I'm as good as you yet." She says, followed by an awkward laugh.

When Tulip sits down on her shoulder, the half-orc frowns at her. "If you're hurting people to help people, it's got to be good, Tulip. As long as those people you're hurting are bad, and the ones you're helping are good."

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks down, and kicks her feet lightly, to distract herself a bit.
"But... what if they were nice, but they were afraid, so they were scared into doing mean things?"

[Hazuki]

"I don't think a really good person would start doing evil, just because they're scared." Lun comments, glancing over at the battlefield and clenching her hands a bit. "A person who's actually good, in their heart, would rather be hurt than hurt good people."

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks doubtful, and looks down again, remaining silent.

[PersonMan]

"Fighting like this isn't something you should want to do," Dilaa replies slowly, setting her weapon back on her back with a sigh. "It's not good, but it's necessary to prevent worse."

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks really sad at Dilaa's words.

[Hazuki]

"If it bothers you so much, Tulip, I have a spell to retrieve knowledge from the minds of the dead." Mithra comments, as she shimmers into existence beside the trio. "And it is guaranteed to be the truth - the dead tell no tales."

"I think it is good." Lun replies to Dilaa, a little uncertainly. "To have somebody who wants to go out there and solve these kinds of problems for people. Instead of just doing it when they stumble on it, or when their leader tells them to."

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles at Mithra.
"You do! Then we could know for sure!"
She looks delighted.

[PersonMan]

"Wanting to solve issues isn't the same as wanting to slaughter other people," Dilaa replies, standing. "One can want to help others without wanting to massacre those creating said problems."

[Hazuki]

"Would you like to ask the questions?" Mithra asks, as she reaches into her satchel and retrieves a scroll.

"Not all the time, but somebody has to do it." Lun replies, frowning a bit. "And when somebody does it, that means nobody else has to."

[Archmage1]

Tulip nods eagerly at Mithra's words.
"Yaay! That way, we can know if they were really mean or nice!"

[Hazuki]

Mithra nods and moves over to one of the numerous half-orc corpses that scatter the battlefield, unfurling the scroll and intoning a few words. The corpse's eyes alight with a green glow. "You have four questions, Tulip. Use them how you wish." The mage tells her, packing away the now-blank scroll.

[Archmage1]

Tulip watches Mithra as she reads from the scroll, and once the spell was done, Tulip flies over to the corpse and Mithra. She nods at Mithra's words, clearly thinking hard about the questions.
"Were you nice?"
Her voice is low, and concerned, clearly hoping for one answer, while knowing, in her heart, that she was going to hear the other.

[PersonMan]

"Yes. But that doesn't mean to you need to enjoy ending lives," Dilaa says.

[Hazuki]

"Yes." The corpse answers.

"Tulip, that is a terrible question. It requires context and intuition, which a corpse doesn't have. It knows that it thought it was nice - but almost everybody thinks that they're nice. But, it doesn't understand your definition of nice, or what you mean. A better way to get the information you need is to ask if it has ever done anything that you think is mean. But, specifically. Like theft, murder, or loitering."

~

"...I never said that I do." Lun replies to Dilaa, blinking at her.

[PersonMan]

"I didn't say you do. Only that fighting, especially enjoying fighting, is not good, however noble the goals are," Dilaa replies, shrugging. "It's something every warrior must come to terms with at some point in time. Especially those whose lives have forged them into weapons, such as myself."

[Hazuki]

"Umm...alright." Lun says, shuffling her feet.

[Archmage1]

At the answer, Tulip seems devastated. Someone nice had died! When Mithra talks, Tulip looks over at her, but she seems quite upset.
"But it's really important! If you think of yourself as nice, then you are nice, or you could be shown to be nice!"

With that, she asks her second question.
"Have you deliberately hurt people?"

[PersonMan]

Dilaa smiles weakly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Lun. I can be very...difficult, sometimes. It's just good that we got through this without too much trouble," she says, offerign the half-orc a more secure smile after she finishes.

[Hazuki]

"Yes." The corpse answers.

~

"Yep, for certain." Lun says, followed by another awkward laugh and a cough. "I should, um, get some water from their skins. To clean this off." She says, running a finger through the blood that's cooling all over her. She moves to the nearest body to do just that.

[Archmage1]

Tulip scrunches her face up in thought, before she tries her next question.
"Why did you deliberately hurt people?"

[PersonMan]

"Oh. That isn't necessary, I think. Tulip?" Dilaa calls, waiting for a pause in the fey's questioning of the corpse to call out to her. "Could you use your magic to clean us up?" She asks, smiling again as the sadness begins to finally slough off of her.

[Hazuki]

"Lutent's dogma." The corpse answers.

~

Lun pauses as Dilaa tells her to wait.

[Archmage1]

Tulip frowns, before she asks the next question, her final question.
"What do you know about Lutent's Dogma?"

[Hazuki]

"Everything." The corpse answers.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks disappointed.
"Aw... I'm out of questions, but I don't know why he thought he was nice! Do you know what Lutent's Dogma is?"

At this moment, Dilaa's question comes in, and Tulip darts over, and nods, and the blood and grime of battle starts vanishing from the pair.

[Hazuki]

"I'll hazard a guess that it has something to do with Lutent, one of the Albino Orc's minions." Mithra answers Tulip.

Lun gives another toothy grin as she's cleaned. "Thanks, Tulip! If I learn magic, that's going to be one of the things I learn."

[Archmage1]

"Maybe this dogma is why they're being mean? Maybe they've been tricked! We could wake one of them up, and ask about it!"
Tulip looks excited, even as Lun responds as well.
"It's a really good trick, and it's really useful! And really easy!"

[PersonMan]

Dilaa smiles, enjoying seeing someone else as thrilled by magic as she still sometimes is. "It is quite useful. Have you known anyone who could work magic before you met us?" She asks, curious about how much Lun has actually seen.

[Hazuki]

"...no." Lun answers Dilaa.

[PersonMan]

"You may want to be prepared for when we go back to Garmine, then," Dilaa says, nodding. "There is far more magic there than I have seen anywhere else. It seems like half of the people living there are mages."

[Hazuki]

"Wow, really?" Lun asks, eyes wide. "Are they nice mages?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip nods at Lun's words.
"There are lots of nice people in Garmine!"

[PersonMan]

"Many of them are, I think. But they tend to mind their own business - it's very easy to live a peaceful life in Garmine," Dilaa adds, nodding. "Though you'll need to get used to how...strange some of its people can be."

[Hazuki]

"I hope I'll be able to handle it. I mean, I did just start accompanying a group of some of the strangest people I've seen." Lun smile, her tusks becoming just a little more prominent because of the gesture. "It seems like the strange people I meet are going to be nicer than the 'normal' ones anyway."

[Raunchel]

Yildiz skips towards the others, holding the mask in her hands. "So, mr. Mask. Do you have a name?"

[Archmage1]

Tulip smiles cheerfully at Lun, happy to be back in a situation she understands.
"Silly, we're normal! But when we get to Garmine, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun meeting people, and seeing new things!"

With that, Tulip turns back to Mithra.
"Can we wake one of them up, and ask them more questions? Some of them are just unconscious!"

[Raunchel]

"We should spare one, and put all the other heads on spikes. To show that this is serious.", Yildiz suggests. "Or of course we can plant the survivors, that's always nice."

[Archmage1]

Unsurprisingly, Tulip looks horrified at Yildiz's suggestion.
"But that would be really mean! That's murder!"
She looks confused by Yildiz's second statement.
"But... orcs aren't seeds. They don't grow!"

[Raunchel]

Unsurprisingly, Tulip looks horrified at Yildiz's suggestion.
"But that would be really mean! That's murder!"
She looks confused by Yildiz's second statement.
"But... orcs aren't seeds. They don't grow!"

"I mean taking a pointy stick, and impaling them on it. It works really well to terrify the peasants. Daddy used to call it planting them!"

[Archmage1]

Tulip just looks at her, stunned by the horror of the idea.

[Hazuki]

"You mentioned questioning them, Tulip?" Mithra asks, leaving Lun beside Dilaa. "I don't imagine they'd surrender information willingly. Or that it would do us much good."

[Raunchel]

"We could cut off parts until they give answers!", Yildiz suggest, very enthusiastically.

[Hazuki]

"Torture is an extremely inefficient method of gaining information." Mithra replies to Yildiz. "You would gain more information from counting the rings in the arm you chopped off, than anything they'd give up."

[Raunchel]

"Really?", Yildiz pouts, "But Mommy told me that it works really well! And that it can be a lot of fun! Or is there a magic trick in which you look at the rings, to get answers?"

[Hazuki]

"Then your mother was wrong." Mithra replis, turning her gaze to the horizon. "And there is no such spell. I was exaggerating to make a point."

[Raunchel]

Yildiz puts her hands in front of her eyes and starts to make sobbing sounds, clearly upset by all this.

[Archmage1]

"We could ask them nicely! I'm sure that they'll be happy to talk!"
Tulip seems quite confident, but she ignores Yildiz, who was being really silly, and crying about not being mean.

[Hazuki]

The mask that had stayed cattily silent in Yildiz' grip bursts into laughter when the vampire starts crying.

"They won't." Mithra tells Tulip.

[Archmage1]

Tulip looks sad.
"But... I can ask them really nicely, and I can try to convince their minds to be nice too! Are you sure?"
She looks at Mithra's face, her eyes looking sadly hopeful.

[Raunchel]

Yildiz's anger finds a focus, and she produces her hacksaw. "Now, mr. Mask, tell me everything about your little plans. Or I will saw off a few little pieces."

[Hazuki]

"Ha...hahaha...aww..." The mask's laughter dies down as Yildiz produces her hacksaw. "Do I look like a mask with a plan? No! I simply attack to people's faces sometimes."

"If you're going to use magic, it's more likely to work." Mithra replies. "But it's better done in a controlled environment. Surrounded by their comrade's corpses, and those who killed them, is not going to lend itself to enchantment."

[Raunchel]

"So, in whose employ were you when I found you?", Yildiz smiles as wickedly as she can.