[20:49] <Jagaragon> The battle rages in the distance for several hours, the screams filling the air. At last however you can no longer hear the din of war.
[20:51] * Sigfried shifts fitfully, sleeping again after his watch.
[20:53] <Kaleah> "Hey, uh, I think the battle is over."
[20:55] * Chaim opens his eyes, slowly stirring awake to crawl over to the exit of his wagon. After ripping out the threading used to seal the wagon, Chaim tumbles out to get a view of the outside world now that it's over. Also, to check on the camels.
[21:01] <Jagaragon> Outside the skies have cleared, and despite the now rising moon the desert is oddly warm. Chaim looks around for any sign of the camels, he finds them tucked next to the Camoth who is itself placed against the rear of the wagons.
[21:02] * Vercingetorix comes out of his trance. "Ah, good. Then we're once again safe from... whatever those were."
[21:03] * Chaim immediately begins to climb the Cammoth to take a look around the general area, using its height for support.
[21:09] <Jagaragon> Though the night's sky is clear, the elderly dwarf's eyes are still maladjusted to the sudden drop in light. Though he can make out now flashes of weapons anymore, he can see little else.
[21:12] * Chaim decides it's way too early just yet, and climbs back down the Cammoth to reenter the wagons.
[21:16] * Kaleah kicks Sigfried in the side. "Wake up, fights over."
[21:16] <Sigfried> Sigfried draws a dagger from his sleeve and rams it down, trying to hit whatever happens him as he screams wordlessly.
[21:19] * Sigfried screams wordlessly and pants, trying to ward off any more blows.
[21:20] <Jagaragon> The dagger slams into the floor of the wagon, near Kaleah's upper thigh.
[21:20] <Kaleah> "What the hell!" she shouts almost falling out of the wagon.
[21:21] * Sigfried looks about wildly for a moment, standing up, dagger held defensively in front of his face.
[21:22] <Sigfried> "Demon Wastes. . . Corporal Fitzpatrick, what's our status?!"
[21:22] <Sigfried> Sigfried's eyes focus.
[21:22] <Kaleah> "Ignore nothing, he tried to stab me!"
[21:22] <Sigfried> Tiredly, Sigfried puts the dagger back up his sleeve. "Who touched me while I was sleeping?" he asks slowly.
[21:23] * Chaim shakes his head. "That's because you kicked him, Ms. Horns."
[21:24] <Kaleah> "I was trying to wake up the knife-happy maniac, not attack him!"
[21:25] <Sigfried> Sigfried shakes his head silently, changing into his armor behind Chaim, staying silent.
[21:28] * Chaim slumps his shoulders. "Our friend, Sig', appears to be a little nervous here. I don't blame him one bit."
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[21:30] <Sigfried> "Didn't think it'd be a problem, so I didn't mention it. Hitting me with any force while I'm sleeping. . . Is a bad idea. You're lucky I had a knife at hand, Kaleah. Otherwise I probably would've tried to channel a wounding spell into you that could easily have killed you instantly," he says slowly. He finishes locking his armor into place around his body.
[21:32] <Sigfried> "Chaim- if I recall correctly, you said we're clear, right? The camels still here?"
[21:33] <Kaleah> "Yes, because this is my fault..." Kaleah muttered quietly.
[21:33] * Chaim stretches out and yawns. "Perhaps the five of us need a long talk about where we come from. Understanding each other is important if we're going to survive like this." The old dwarf then turns to Sig, nodding. "Aye, friend. They be out there, huddled for warmth. No sign of battle, sky's all clear."
[21:35] <Sigfried> Sigfried nods, then gets to work. He removes the stitching locking the two wagon's together, stitches both the wagon's back into one piece, and removes any extraneous fabric. When he checks, the Lolthmel has saddled itself to Chaim's wagon once more, and the other wagon is saddled as well.
[21:35] <Sigfried> ". . . I've known dumber soldiers than these camels. Alright, Chaim? Think now's the time you get back on your mammoth. Everyone ready to go?"
[21:37] <Kaleah> "No, if there was a battle then there must be something we can recover, even if its just a body."
[21:38] <Sigfried> Sigfried shrugs. "The site they were battling over is in our way. If the camels want to shy away from the site, we're diverting around the area and we head further in. If not, we drive straight through. If it gets dicey, we keep going no matter what. Loot isn't worth our lives."
[21:40] <Kaleah> "I'm not talking about loot, I'm talking about proof of whatever we saw out here."
[21:41] <Sigfried> "Whatever, Kaleah."
[21:42] * Chaim blinks, dumbfounded. Deciding against speaking out against that rationalization, he exits the wagon and climbs back up to the top of the Cammoth.
[21:43] <Jagaragon> Prahda blinks "Sure is tension in here."
[21:44] <Jagaragon> Everyone saddles up, attempting to ignore the creeping sense of forbodding. Nearing the edge of where you believe the battle took place both you and the camels draw short, neither sure of how to go on.
[21:46] * Chaim turns toward Sig. "Even the camels are afraid. I take it it's a sign that we should go around."
[21:47] <Sigfried> Sigfried stares out into the area, looking to see what the cameloids fear.
[21:47] <Jagaragon> There's no tangible reasoning for their fear, you can see a few burnt remains here or there, but of the battle that raged before it was as though it never happened.
[21:51] <Chaim> "Doesn't seem to be anything out there now though. Your call, Sig'."
[21:53] <Sigfried> Sigfried looks about. In the group's silence, he makes a decision. "Go around, camels. We have to go deeper for now, but we don't have to go through here. Hutt-hutt!"
[21:56] <Jagaragon> The camels move on, somewhat reluctantly into the desert. Stepping down into the flat you notice there is most assuridly one piece of proof that this battle took place, all over the desert small pieces of glass have formed ontop of the glass.
[21:57] <Jagaragon> ((sand*))
[21:59] <Sigfried> Sigfried's gaze hardens as he sees the glass underfoot. Only Vercingetorix in the wagon with him could see him freeze, motionless as the glass crackled when the camels continued through.
[21:59] <Sigfried> "[. . . Hate this fucking place,]" he says under his breath.
[21:59] * Vercingetorix examines the trails of glass, trying to see where the battle might have been headed.
[22:00] <Jagaragon> It's hard to tell, but it looks as though the battle simply raged on this field for some time before finally disappaiting.
[22:02] <Jagaragon> At last you enter the center of the battlefield, or you believe it to be the center as the greatest concentration of husks now lay upon the ground.
[22:04] * Chaim stands up on the back of the Cammoth and takes a long look around.
[22:06] <Jagaragon> You begin to search through the literal mounds of corpses, though in comparison to the numbers fighting before you find that the number of dead even here is sorely lacking.
[22:06] <Jagaragon> Prahda calls out in the darkness "Over here! I've found something, or someone... It looks like it's alive."
[22:06] <Sigfried> Sigfried vaults from his position and runs over, health kit in hand.
[22:07] <Sigfried> "What's wrong Prahda? Show them to me!"
[22:08] <Jagaragon> Prahda steps aside to reveal a badly maimed corpse, from it's wounds you can tell that the beast will die soon.
[22:10] <Jagaragon> badly maimed body*
[22:13] <Jagaragon> Sig's eyes widden, from its torched and toasted form he recognizes a Vrock, the elite guards and shocktrooper of the fiendish forces.
[22:13] <Sigfried> Sigfried's eyes widen. He grabs Prahda by the waist and SPRINTS back.
[22:14] <Jagaragon> From the wounds on the Vrock Vercing calls out "I think... I think this may of been a battle between the fiends and devils."
[22:15] * Chaim hops down from the Cammoth and approaches the point where Sig and Prahda sprinted back to. "What is that thing over there?"
[22:15] <Sigfried> "Vrock, stay back," Sig pants a bit, catching his breath.
[22:17] <Chaim> "It doesn't even look conscious."
[22:17] <Sigfried> "Don't touch it. Fought those things before. Don't get close, either. Do you all remember when I killed those ten elves? . . . I learned how to do that by watching them. Never underestimate a fiend."
[22:18] <Kaleah> "Always good advice!" Kaleah called from the wagon.
[22:18] * Vercingetorix "Indeed. Appearances are often deceiving when dealing with beings of chaos, especially when that appearance would make you feel safe."
[22:20] * Chaim shrugs, then heads back up to the top of the Cammoth. "You're the boss, Sig. We know what happened here now."
[22:20] <Sigfried> Sigfried puts Prahda down, blushing. "Sorry. I was the only one wearing heavy armor, and I wanted to get you away from that thing as fast as possible." Sigfried looks around again. "Christ. The [Blood War] must've played out here," he says.
[22:21] <Jagaragon> Loud footsteps can be heard out in the flats. Off in the distance you can see a small shimmer of light that quickly goes dark.
[22:22] <Sigfried> Sigfried's eyes widen. "Oh, shit."
[22:24] <Jagaragon> Sig peers at the source of illumination, but cannot recognize anything out here that would possibly provide such pure light. He watches instead as it goes from point to point, blinking into existance only to fade away in a moment.
[22:26] <Sigfried> "Ethereal plane? Maybe Blink dog. . . Could be one of the Spiders. . . Or. . ." Sigfried turns about. "Whomever here knows infernal, say "Greetings." Chaim, say the same thing in Celestial."
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[22:27] <Jagaragon> A voice calls back to you in the high tones of celestial [[None who speak those words live long here stranger.]] followed by another long pause.
[22:28] <Sigfried> ". . . Right. That didn't sound full of foreboding and evil. Chaim, was that Celestial? What did it say?"
[22:29] * Vercingetorix translates for him. "I believe we can presume ourselves safe, for the moment."
[22:30] <Sigfried> Sigfried chuckles for the first time in what seems like ages. " 'Safe' isn't a word I'd use to describe any time anyone is in the Demon Wastes, comrade." Looking to the Celestial speaking creature, Sigfried shouts out: "Do you speak Common, comrade?"
[22:30] * Chaim frowns. "I believe so too. Give me a minute, Sig." Chaim starts, then turns to the source of the voice. "[That's probably true. I presume you must be here for the same reason we are, however - investigation?]"
[22:30] * Kaleah ducks back inside Prahda's wagon.
[22:31] <Sigfried> Sigfried steps inbetween the creature and Prahda.
[22:31] <Jagaragon> [[Investigate? I care no more for investigation than the beasts do for our happiness. I am merely here to kill and gather what information I may.]]
[22:32] <Sigfried> "Uh, Chaim? Vercingetorix? Updates for us who don't speak Celestial? Is it hostile?"
[22:33] <Chaim> "[By beasts, I presume you mean the fiends here. We are merely passerbys and witnesses to the battle.]"
[22:34] * Chaim then turns to Sig. "If 'it' was hostile, we probably wouldn't be talking right at this moment."
[22:34] <Jagaragon> "[[Then do as you wilt, my business is making sure these fiends stay down.]]
[22:35] <Sigfried> Sigfried grits his teeth. "Grand, comrade. I do so enjoy conversations I can't understand with beings that can kill us before we can get a word in edgewise if they'd like."
[22:35] * Sigfried takes that planned for drink of Narwhal for when things get -really- tense.
[22:35] <Chaim> "[Then I salute you and wish you well, great Celestial. If you would so prefer, we will leave immediately and resume our own mission. We have no business here and do not wish to interfere in yours.]"
[22:36] <Jagaragon> Vercing recalls tales of crusaders that travel into the desert, looking to stop the demonic and fiendish forces where ever they can be found.
[22:36] <Sigfried> "Chaim," he says after his imbibing of the Emergency Liquor, "Can you ask it what in the [Nine Hells] has happened here? And tell it it missed a spot- there's a Vrock over there still alive."
[22:36] <Jagaragon> "[[Celestial? Hah! Boy I am no messenger from on high, merely a man at ill ease with the actions of the planes.]]
[22:37] <Sigfried> ". . . And ask it if it speaks Common. I'm getting paranoid, now. I'm almost certain it just addressed me. . ."
[22:38] <Jagaragon> "Indeed lad, I do. Though my ability to speak it has...lessened as of late."
[22:38] <Sigfried> Sigfried blinks.
[22:39] * Chaim nods assuringly to Sig. "He is an ally." Then, he turns back to the man, or whatever it may be. "[We will leave this to you then. Please vanquish the remaining survivors, and again I wish you well.]"
[22:39] <Jagaragon> Another bright flash occurs, this one noticably closer.
[22:40] <Sigfried> "Very good, comrade. Well met. We're soldiers of the Kingdom of Bael-Ar, on reconnaissance. We heard rumors an army amasses here, ready to strike our kingdom. Now, call it a gut feeling, but I think you spend more than a fair amount of time here. Care to enlighten us?"
[22:40] <Jagaragon> "[[As you wilt.]]"
[22:40] <Sigfried> Sigfried takes an involuntary step back as the light flashes closer.
[22:40] <Sigfried> "Say- are there more than one of you here?"
[22:40] <Jagaragon> "Not much to say, here the Blood War is played out. We... I have hunted their kind my entire life, and those damnedable spawns of theirs."
[22:41] <Sigfried> Sigfried chuckles nervously. "I have no problem with demons and devils killing each other for me, comrade. Any changes in the status quo as of late?"
[22:42] <Jagaragon> "Their spawn of riled up, the tribes have even attacked the wanderers. Tales of my scouts reported movement from Khyber, not much to hold in the courts of men though."
[22:43] <Sigfried> Sigfried pales at his words- mostly when he said "Khyber".
[22:43] <Sigfried> "Who are you, comrade?"
[22:44] * Vercingetorix "[And is there anything that you might need a band of adventurers to do for you?]"
[22:44] <Jagaragon> "Those who know much call me by many names. Slaughterer, Madman, Monster, Father, Saint.... amongst men I was called Ulric."
[22:45] <Jagaragon> "[[Putting these beasts to rest before they may move again would be a great boon.]]"
[22:45] * Chaim turns back to Sig. "I shall remind you, Sigfriend, that we do not know the nature of the enemy we worry about. We were only told to search the area of a fort. That is still our mission."
[22:49] <Sigfried> Sigfried thinks on the man's words. "What have your scouts reported. . . from the Underdark? What evil stirs in Khyber?" Sigfried says, mouth suddenly dry.
[22:51] <Jagaragon> "Hah! They're right stirred up, never seen so many of the ants moving about. We actually have to pick our battles now, for to many of the beasts and their spiders roaming around, and far too few of us."
[22:53] * Chaim strokes his beard. "However, the devils and demons have been engaged against each other?"
[22:53] <Sigfried> Sigfried shudders. "Driders, sir? Half-spiders, half men, all monster? Which crawl from the walls, snatching men in formation, before returning to their dens, leaving only their prey's screams echoing behind them. . . That what you mean by Spiders, Sir?"
[22:56] <Jagaragon> The voice is now growing steadily closer to you, where once there was merely flashes of light you can make out two small pinpoints of clear white light burning towards you. "As always Chaim, for whatever reasons they long ago wrote down the beasts now fight. Here in the wastes such things are normal. Driders? Ah yes...they die easy once you catch them flat footed, or a few well placed greass spells."
[22:58] <Sigfried> "I wouldn't know," Sigfried mutters. "They took out our torch-bearers first. We could only fire into darkness. . . That Crawling Darkness. . . Forty men, fresh recruited soldiers. . . eight men coming out of that. Driders, Sir? What kind of scouts do you send in to observe the movements of *those* horrors?"
[22:59] <Jagaragon> "Good ones lad, good ones."
[23:00] <Sigfried> Sigfried remains silent for a long period of time after that statement. "Sir, any specifics these men could give? Anything we could return to the King of Bael-Ar and Lord Mir with?"
[23:01] <Jagaragon> "Hah! So you're from that little upstart kingdom eh? Heh...never even say thank you for all my hard work." The points of light stop just outside your range of view, there they stand infront of a massive shadow.
[23:02] * Vercingetorix "In the king's defense, he's... not entirely all there."
[23:03] <Chaim> "[Then we will thank you now. There is little we can offer you here, but we are graciously thankful for your many deeds.]"
[23:05] <Sigfried> Sigfried looks at the points of light, and the shadow as well. "Before you go," he says slowly, "how far are we from the center of the Demon Wastes, Ulric?"
[23:05] <Jagaragon> "[[Hah, it does well on you dorf that you would be so kind as to be hospitiable to an unseen force.]]"
[23:06] <Jagaragon> "Well boy, if you were to take a few thousand steps in the way you were going. You'd be at the edge to a cliff entering the labyrinth and with as dark as it is, I'm not to sure you would of seen it till it was too late."
[23:07] <Sigfried> Sigfried stops breathing for a moment.
[23:07] <Jagaragon> "We were forced to flee when the portals opened, the beasts cost me alot today."
[23:08] <Sigfried> "Right. Thank you for that," he says hoarsely. "We'll be turning around now to report our findings to the King and Commandant Mir, Comrade." He pauses. "Any parting words you'd give from one old soldier to another, Comrade?"
[23:09] <Jagaragon> At last the figure takes a few steps forward, revealing a mountain of muscle suffused in an aura of pure light. "If you happen to see a fiend that has the hand of my beloved, tell him I'll be seeing him in the hells soon."
[23:11] <Sigfried> Sigfried nods at that. There's nothing he can and would say to that, other than "Your mission of death bare you well. Kill a few hundred for me, Comrade. Sigfried Jaeger, Squad Trollius of Bael-Ar at your service. Get a few for me, Sir."
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[23:14] * Chaim , inspired by the form of the crusader stands upon the back of the Cammoth. "Indeed, we shall. [Stay strong and keep up that good fight! Do not let despair win, friend!]"
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* Retrieving #Ididntdrinkthewater modes...
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[23:18] <Jagaragon_> The man moves before the downed Vrock, pulling along a huge warhammer in tow. Suddenly his aura grows by a magnitude of  potency and fills both he and his weapon with an ominous power. Standing over the beast he puts one massive foot upon the Vrock's shoulder, and through the night's crisp air you can hear the bones crack from the pressure. [I redeem you fiend, in the name of uncaring gods. Upon this alter of
[23:18] <Jagaragon_> Upon this alter of War I do so solemnly find you cleansed. Ahmen]
[23:19] <Sigfried> Sigfried's eyes widen, watching, waiting for the Hammer to fall- literally and metaphorically.
[23:19] <Jagaragon_> With that he brings the great weapon down with a single motion onto the beasts head, you do not hear the sound of steel upon bone, merely the powerful thud as it impacts the earth beneath the fiend.
[23:20] <Sigfried> ". . . Come on comrades," Sigfried announces. "We're going home." With that, he makes to turn- he stops, and looks to Ulric.
[23:20] * Sigfried salutes.
[23:21] <Jagaragon_> "[[Fare the well dorf.]]" before laughing at Sigfried "To noble for me." with that he simply nods before turning away into the desert.
[23:22] <Sigfried> Sigfried holds his salute until Ulric is a fair ways away. He turns and boards Chaim's wagon silently. "Come on, Lolthmel. Let's get the [fuck] out of here."
[23:22] * Chaim salutes the crusader as well. "[Farewell, friend.]"
[23:29] <Sigfried> "Alright everyone, we ready to go?"
[23:31] <Kaleah> "Yes." Kaleah said from the wagon.
[23:34] <Jagaragon_> The camels turn back around, readying for another long trip. Sig notices however that the Camoth reeks of Narwhal and is having no small trouble remaining stationary.
[23:36] <Sigfried> Sigfried looks at the Camoth blankly. He checks his flask of Narwhal.
[23:37] <Jagaragon_> It sloshes around slightly, revealing it's contents still similar.
[23:38] <Sigfried> Sigfried looks back at the Camoth. ". . . Where did you find more?"
[23:39] <Jagaragon_> The Camoth merely lets out a few slurred clicks in it's natural tongue.
[23:40] <Sigfried> Sigfried sighs. "Of course. Thank you for your assistance, Comrade Camoth. Why is there never enough Narwhal," Sigfried sighs. "Let's move."
[23:45] <Jagaragon_> The camels take off, recovered from the rest waiting out the battle they trek hard through the night.
[23:45] <Jagaragon_> Throughout the night you get the feeling of being watched, yet as you look out onto the vast dunes you see nothing except the moon and sand starring back at you.
[23:48] <Sigfried> Sigfried puts his helmet on, this new armor blackened to restrict glint just like his old one. He sidles further back into wagon, not at ease in this empty desert, nothing for miles. . . feeling as though he's being watched.
[23:49] * Chaim stays put on the back of the Cammoth, despite feeling uneasy about the fact that it's magically drunk.
[23:50] <Jagaragon_> On the dawn of the second day your feeling of being watched returns, this time with a much more tangible form. Before you sit six drow accompanied to your honor by a drider.
[23:50] <Jagaragon_> horror*