Luminosity

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

Fiona had actually wanted to keep going, to get these people back to the village and better comfort as quickly as possible, but once they did come to a stop to set up a small cooking fire and a meal, she could see the use in it. Most of the people in the wagon looked to be near starvation, and the small period of rest would be good for them. Since Vaeri had taken care of the preparations and the cooking, Fiona helped hand out the modest meal, as well as offering small amounts of water to help the weaker ones wash it down. She took only the smallest taste for herself; she was hungry and tired from all the strain of the day, but nothing compared to the people she was helping.

She spent most of the meal with the rescued villagers, speaking with those who were awake enough to converse, and keeping her eye on those that were struggling. She'd never been through anything like this, but she supposed she had a good deal in common with many of them, being a villager who grew up in a place much like they had. A few of them seemed to take a liking to her. The experience of sharing food around a fire as equals was likely quite liberating. Before this she supposed they simply had to fight for scraps.

Fiona took the lull in activity the meal provided to quickly stitch up the small hole in her jacket the crossbow bolt had left behind. By the time she was done, the light was definitely beginning to shift and lead them towards dusk. She glanced around to see where the others were.

"If everyone's ready, we should move on. We can still reach the village before nightfall, I think."

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

"Uh. Thanks," Fiona said to Vaeri, accepting the small piece of parchment. She wasn't really interested in branding herself with some kind of magic on a whim, but perhaps one of the others would take it. She would ask them later. For now, there was work to do if they didn't want to stay here any longer, which Fiona certainly didn't. Flipping the lid of the gold chest back closed, she scooped it up by the handles and carried it over to the wagon, setting it in the back. It was a bit of a tight fight, but all of the surviving prisoners were able to get inside, with enough space to be relatively comfortable for the trip. She imagined anything would be better than what they had recently endured.

Fiona was glad Sana agreed with her on the subject of the gold. She imagined some of the others might not want to let it go so easily, but these people were in dire need of it. When Sana came over to ask her favor, Fiona nodded immediately. "I'll let Hugh know. Be sure to watch yourself, though. I doubt there are more slavers around, but it never hurts to be safe." She couldn't claim to know what the woman was going through, as Fiona had yet to experience anything like what Sana had endured already today, but some space and quiet seemed like it would help.

"Alright, let's get going. I can drive the wagon." Fiona stepped up to the front end of the wagon and took hold of the reins, waiting to make sure everyone was on. Her horse would follow along on his own. "Lob, can you lead the way? Make sure the path is clear enough for the wagon to come through easily."

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

Having just finished giving drinks of water to everyone that would accept it, Fiona stood and brushed off her knees. "I'll take a look around, see if I can find anything." It was calm at last, and while the scene could have been better, with less offensive smells and sights of bloodshed, the forested area was peaceful again, something the day surely needed. Fiona was in excellent condition, but she could already tell that she would be in sore need of rest by nightfall.

Just as she started looking for a place to search she noticed her horse trotting back into the camp. Fiona was a bit surprised he hadn't kept his distance, but she was glad all the same, going over to meet him and briefly stroking his neck. "All clear now," she assured him, before leading him over to the covered wagon she could see. That looked like the mostly likely place to store something, and she hoped that with the speed of their attack, the slavers wouldn't have had the time to hide anything valuable, or seen the need to. Leaving her horse outside the entrance to the wagon, Fiona quietly slid her sword from the sheath, not wanting to alarm the freed captives, but also wanting to be prepared if there was anyone inside.

As it turned out, there was not, and her hopes were correct; there were some obviously valuable objects lying about in the wagon. Sheathing her sword, Fiona's eyes were drawn to the moderate sized chest first, and while it was locked, the chest itself wasn't very sturdy, and a quick downward stomp of her boot was enough to break it open. Her eyes widened noticeably when she peered inside. The chest appeared to hold the slaver group's treasure, consisting of silver and gold pieces, as well as a number of colorful gems, few of which Fiona knew the names of. That one was an... amethyst? She thought so, anyway. "Wow," she breathed to herself, shutting the lid of the chest again. That was certainly going back to the village with them.

The rest was scattered in a fairly unorganized manner amidst piles of junk, but some of it was quite useful, as far as Fiona could tell. There were three potions, labeled Bull's Strength, Cure Light Wounds, and Mage Armor. She took the Bull's Strength and Cure Light Wounds potions for herself, figuring those were most useful for her, and set aside the other one. Two scrolls were present, Protection from Evil and Gust of Wind, and there was a cloak near the back which, judging by the inscription on it, was magical, and would increase resistance. Taking the cloak, she placed the potion and the scrolls into it, put it on top of the chest, and then grabbed the chest by the handles on each side, lugging it out of the wagon. It was heavy, but manageable for such a short distance.

"Found quite a bit inside," she announced to the group, setting down the chest. She opened up the cloak to display the items next to the chest, and then lightly kicked open the lid of the chest to reveal the gold, silver, and gems within. "We could take some as payment for the job here, but I think most of it should go to the village. They'll need it to get all these people taken care of. As for the items, I took a pair of potions, but figured the rest would be better off elsewhere. So... take what you need." Considering herself an adventurer and not a treasure hunter, Fiona really had no attachment to any of this. The gold would be useful certainly, but it would be better spent by someone other than her, she knew.

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

I'll have Fiona search that covered wagon, if you wanna pm me what's inside. Need her to meet back up with her horse anyway.

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

Fiona hadn't thought of it like Vaeri did, but maybe the elven woman was right. Her sword arm had been severely injured even at the start of the fight, and she'd still managed to hold her own against two opponents. "Thanks," she said, as they walked. "You have a point. It's something I pride myself on a little, I guess. I'm not skilled enough yet to avoid all the hits, but toughness and resourcefulness help me get through them. I'm a work in progress, though, no doubt about that." She did notice the rather odd move Vaeri made to lick at her own wounds, but made no comment on it. She wasn't in the habit of judging oddities like that.

Fiona had come across a few elves before in recent memory, but none had come to be traveling or fighting companions such as what this was shaping up to be. She wondered, from how she described herself, if Vaeri had not been so different from Fiona, wanting to carve her own path even when it seemed more logical to do something else. She was beginning to strike her as that kind of woman, though obviously she had found a calling with her chosen faith.

She arrived next to Sana just in time to hear her say a farewell. The dead man was apparently her father, something that shocked Fiona not only because of the tragedy of it, but the sheer coincidence as well. The woman's luck today was... less than stellar, to say the least. Having no knowledge of Sana's past or relationship with her family, she respectfully maintained silence on the subject, nodding her thanks to Sana's compliment.

"I'll find some water for them," Fiona offered, leaving Vaeri to do the healing. Fiona hardly had any skills in that regard that would help them, but fetching water she could do. The slavers they had fought carried skins of it, and while the two that Vaeri incinerated were gone, the others had some left, and Fiona quickly rounded up a few, returning them to the captives.

The smell of them was heavy, but Fiona refused to show it, trying to offer them what comfort a smile could offer as she crouched before each one in turn and offered a small amount of water. There was only so much to go around, so what she did have needed to be carefully split. A few of them offered words of thanks, to which Fiona responded with gentle squeezes of their shoulders. In truth, she was starting to feel a bit emotional from seeing their states. It was wonderful to help these people, and she was certain the others in the group back in the village would see the worth of this little venture when they returned.

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

Fiona wasn't about to reject the healing from Vaeri. Her sword arm had become more or less useless from the damage it had taken in the fight, and she was little use to the group without it. Allowing Vaeri to heal her, she found that same warm, painless sensation flowing into her limb, the damage soon completely healed, and she twisted her hand and fingers about when it was done, testing it, and finding that she had her strength back. Nodding her thanks to Vaeri, she looked around quickly, to find that the fighting was winding down, and that they could get to freeing these people soon. Sana appeared to be distraught about something, but... perhaps it was best to allow her some distance?

At Vaeri's question, Fiona actually laughed softly, trying to avoid letting the sound carry far. In addition, laughing too loudly would certainly put a strain on her torso, which was going to have some decent bruising soon. "That was skill, was it?" she said, looking skeptical. "If it hadn't been for the distraction of your spell, I think I'd have died. I think I've a long way to go before I can call myself skilled." Vaeri was at least somewhat right, though. For a simple farm girl, Fiona handled herself better than most would in a fight.

"There was an old swordsman in my village, though. Said he used to be a knight, though I don't know if I ever believed him. He showed me a few things when I could sneak away, got me started. After that... well, I think it's the bruises and cuts that teach me the most." She had a tendency to learn things the hard way, and supposed it was lucky none of those things had killed her yet.

"Come on," she said, gesturing with her head towards the prisoners. "We can talk while we help." She started off towards those captured by the slavers, feeling more steady now that she'd caught her breath. "What about you? Where'd you learn to fight with that axe?" She had to admit it wasn't the weapon of choice she'd have guessed for a woman of the cloth, but clearly she wielded it quite well.

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

The axe-armed twins were unimpressed by Fiona's threat, and began their attack, immediately forcing Fiona on the defensive. Their axes were light enough to be swung with one hand, the attacks swift enough that Fiona couldn't reliably dodge them, forcing her to block instead. Each clang against her sword sent rippling pain up her forearm, and her enemies quickly took note of the pained expression on her face, not to mention the blood dripping from the bite wound.

They were done with their taunts, all business now, but so was Fiona. Arming herself with her dagger in her off hand, she found a loose and light branch on the ground, subtly hooking the toe of her boot under it, and kicking it up into the face of one of the twins. It struck him near the eye, and he recoiled, giving Fiona a brief opening to dart away from the swing of the other, and assault the distracted foe. His armor was solid, but there were weak points, and Fiona was quick. Her first knife stab found the side of his leg, drawing blood when she ripped the blade free, the man's pain allowing her to shoulder him to the ground, where she descended on him, stabbing again near the armpit, going for his heart. She missed slightly, but certainly got a lung instead, judging by his wet wheeze of a breath he tried to take.

Anticipating the other brother coming to the rescue, Fiona lashed out with a wide slash of her sword, nearly catching his throat as he jumped back. Wounded as the one beneath Fiona was, the brief break in her attack was enough for him to retaliate, bringing his knee up into the middle of her back, pitching her forward onto her face and off of him. Without thinking she tried to rise by putting too much weight on her injured arm, the sharp shock of pain making her waver for a moment. Next thing she knew, a heavy boot kicked into her side, sending a jarring pain through her ribcage as the force rolled her over.

The injured brother was unable to rise, but the one that had kicked her was quickly on her, striking down with his axe with rage. Having risen to her knees, Fiona deflected the blade aside, at the cost of her sword, which slipped from her grasp. The man's free hand went straight to her throat and clamped down tightly, picking her up to her feet and driving her back until her back slammed against a tree. His next axe strike she managed to block with her right forearm, the plated guard there protecting her from most of the damage.

His knee thudded hard into her abdomen, weakening her further, and immediately she was shoved back against the tree, the grip constricting her windpipe again, and while she still had the man's axe locked up with her dagger, she knew she wouldn't hold out for long. It was extremely fortunate, then, when her attacker was entirely distracted by the large flaming pillar that burst down from the sky nearby, incinerating two of his allies. He looked away, unconsciously loosening his grasp, and immediately Fiona took the opportunity to stab her knife up under his chin, the blade sinking in to the hilt and killing him instantly.

She gasped in a ragged breath when she was released, falling forward onto her hands and knees. The other brother had stilled, appearing to have bled out, or his lungs had failed from being filled with blood. Regardless, he was dead. Groaning, Fiona sheathed her dagger, picked up her sword again, and then slumped her shoulder into the tree for support, while she caught her breath.

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

As have I. Hoping I helped set up Drizzak for something cool :D

Meanwhile, Fiona's busy being a chew-toy :/

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

"Easy, Liam," Fiona whispered to her horse as they rode out, able to tell that he was getting quite nervous. The smells of death and decay were putting him on edge, as was the half-orc leading them along. Not to mention the creature on Fiona's back. Drizzak had apparently wanted to make his way onto the horse without any of her help, which she could respect, but after the second failed attempt, she was beginning to get a bit nervous herself. Finally, when the goblin had a hold of her shoulders, she offered no protest, considering that they'd delayed long enough. It wouldn't be a lengthy ride to put up with, at any rate.

Trying to ignore the fact that Lob had smeared himself with what she was quite certain was bear droppings, Fiona instead kept her eyes on her surroundings rather than her companions. It was unfortunate then, when the camp suddenly came into view, giving them no chance to sneak up on it or prepare an attack. It probably couldn't have happened with these dogs around, anyway.

From atop her horse, Fiona was momentarily stunned, even more speechless than Sana was, her mouth hanging open in shock at the scene. So many people... she didn't know what she'd been expecting. Maybe that the slavers hadn't been this successful? It horrified her to see, and filled her with an anger that she knew she would need. Looking at their opponents, it barely occurred to Fiona that they were outnumbered and facing more heavily armed enemies. She had no complaint to Sana's order. If she had to kill, quickly was how she preferred it.

Kicking her heels into her horse, Fiona drew her sword and charged forward, figuring that Drizzak needed no warning. She could carry him into the fight, and she was quite confident that he would find a way to make the most of the situation, and the height advantage of being on horseback. There were many foes to choose from, but it was the dogs that Fiona made contact with first. A downward stroke of her sword slashed into the neck of the first to come in range. Poor beast, she thought to herself.

Breaking off towards the right, Fiona urged her mount towards a pair of axe-wielding slavers, two men that looked so similar she thought they might be twins. Just as she was about to reach them, however, she saw a set of jaws out of the corner of her eye, and raised her left arm, her sword arm, to protect herself. The dog looked more like a wolf than anything, but Fiona didn't have time to think much about it. Teeth bit deep into her arm, and the force of the leap took her from the saddle. There was a brief moment of weightlessness before her back hit the forest floor, the fall knocking away all of her wind. She and the dog rolled over once, until the beast was on top again, thrashing her arm. Out of the corner of her eye Fiona saw her horse careen away and out of the fight.

Being more preoccupied with the dog tearing into her arm, Fiona quickly drew her knife from her thigh, awkwardly since she had to reach across her waist to do so. When she had it, she immediately plunged it into the canine's side, before shoving it off of her, and stabbing it again in the chest to kill it. Withdrawing her injured arm, she found that she could barely still hold her sword, and as she scrambled back to her feet, the axe-twins were already closing in.

"Got a cage all ready for you, lovely," the one on her left said, grinning. "Put the sword down now. Can't sell a corpse for much. Well, not to most people." Fiona glared back, her anger evident in her eyes, though they seemed hardly to care. She tried to hide how weak her arm felt.

"Your friends were torn to pieces in the village," she snapped back. "You'll get the same, for what you've done to these people."

Cinder Sickness - A DnD style classic RP

Fiona will go for 4.