On Spiders, Centaurs and the inebriation of Frogs

[Seth]

A lively chatter filled the room with cheer, rumors of strange wanderers and the news of a great tournament being held at the castle had sparked the interest of the quiet townsfolk, reflected in the conversations roaring around the town's pub, warming its patrons from the cold, misty night outside it's happily lit walls... None seemed to notice the two figures talking quietly over their mugs of ale in a smoky corner of the tavern...

So tell me Seth, why are you not fighting in this tournament?

Well, there's a lot to organize this time round, I have to take care of the match-ups, transport to the arenas, it's also my job to make sure no spectators get hurt, and of course if I were to be injured in a fight, well, there'd be nobody to keep everything going smoothly, would there?[/b]

Seth spoke these words in a much lighter tone than his usual speech, he had been troubled little by great events and ancient evil in the last few months, and his demeanor had improved greatly.

He lifted his tankard and took a deep swig from it as Jym spoke...[/i]

Hmm... I suppose you're right... but I would have enjoyed a re-match...[/b]

Seth placed his ale back down, and wide smile had come across his face as he looked back at his little friend...

And why would you need a rematch? I seem to remember I was the one who was beaten last time!

Come now Seth, we both know that you were not fighting with all of your skill...

You may be right there... Tell you what, you win this tournament, and I'll give you your re-match, how does that sound? And I'll fight with all the skill I can muster.[/b]

Jym grinned broadly across the table as he ordered two more drinks;[/i]

How about a rematch right now? There's no need to cross blades...[/b]

Another grin spread across Seth's face as the girl handed them their drinks...

Alright... Ready? Go...[/b]

With that the two of them lifted their mugs and began to drink. As he drank, Jym began to slowly lean farther back, draining his mug until finally the little frog tipped right off of his chair, landing in a heap on the stone floor... Neither won their contest, as this launched Seth into a fit of laughter, spraying his own drink across the table as he struggled over to help his friend to his feet...

Ah, my friend, if you're ever going to beat me you'll have to overcome your own clumsiness![/color]

Jym rose to his feet unsteadily, holding Seth's arm, and the table for support. the two stood for a moment as Jym found his footing, and then...

A scream pierced the cold night air, and the bar feel to silence as a womans voice cried for help from outside, answered by the shouting of the village men, and the cries of battle...

Seth was outside in a moment, his sword drawn... As he burst through the door his eyes came upon a great scene; A huge spider, at least as big as a cottage was bearing down on the figure of a terrified woman as two smaller spiders darted off into the woods, hounded by a few of the village men.

Seth darted toward the woman, prepared to fight back the great spider, but to his amazement his task was accomplished for him; A huge figure, almost like a man leaped from seemingly nowhere, it held a giant war hammer, at least as big as Seth, but its legs were that of a horse, the man was a Centaur, coming to the aid of humans.

His arms were like those of four men, the figure reared up between the woman and the beast, shouting at it as he raised his hammer and brought it down with a crash into the monsters skull, sending it reeling back in pain.

He moved forward slowly, as if to warn the creature, but the spider was not deterred, it raised itself up, and brought its weight to bear on the Centaur, his strength only just matching it... The two were stood in a test of power, and the Centaur was loseing...

He struggled to hold on as the villagers returned from the forest, looking on in awe... Seth jumped forward, sending a spray of fire past the Centaur and the spider reeled back, turned, and fled into the forest with its opponent in persuit...

As Seth darted to the woman Jym finally burst from the tavern, crying at the top of his lungs;[/i]

RIGHT, WHERE'S THE MONSTER?! I'LL SHOW THE BEAST WHAT-FOR!

Jym swayed a little in the doorway, groping for his sword as he looked around for the beast... On his fifth try he finally felt a hilt, and pulled hard, ready for battle he drew his mighty... Pocket knife... And rushed toward the crowd of people... After about ten steps his feet became tangled in the hem of his cloak, and he fell flat on his face... The little Frog was down for the count...

Seth knelt beside the distressed woman...

Are you hurt?

My children! Save them! The spiders have taken them![/b]

Seth realized all too late the time he had wasted, and leaped up, making for the woods...

Wait! Seth, wait!

Two people ran up, with two more figures in tow, The first were Blyclaaf and Alana, the second two were Scarecrow and Azaroth, they had come from other parts of town to the commotion...

There's no time to waste! I'm going after that spider. Scarecrow, Azaroth, search the woods around here for more of them. Blyclaaf, Alana, make sure everyone's OK, stay here in-case there's another attack... And get Jym off the street, tell him to come after me when he is able, the tracks should be fairly each to follow... Oh, and give everyone a torch, it should help to keep back the spiders, they'll be reluctant to go near the light and flame...

With this he took off into the woods after the Centaur and Spider, following the rather obvious tracks...

Alana, Azaroth, Blyclaaf, Jym or Scarecrow reply

[Gorge]

*As Gorge sat high upon a tree on the edge of the woods gazing up at the stars, thinking about nothing in particular, an eventfully evening was taking place closer to town. Not knowing about what was to come Gorge grew himself some berries and began to get comfortable.

Just as he had found the position he thought to be perfect for berry eating, he could hear a scream and he footsteps rushing below him. Peering through the trees he saw a group of villagers go racing past. Thinking that this was kind of an odd event to be taking place gorge sprang to his feet and stood upright scanning the undertow of the trees..

A few moments passed and more footsteps could be heard but this time he could see a glimmer of light.. Grabbing his Gnoree Gorge leapt down a few branches and sent a vine spiraling down toward the man holding the torch...

Gorge Jumped down and slowly approached the man who had now cut himself free. As gorge got closer to the ground he could see that there were in fact two men, booth looking alert and imposing. the figures looked familiar but Gorge was still unsure. The figures unfroze from their position as one began to speak

"Oh ha ha Gorge, mighty amusing, but if you don't mind we are kind of in a hurry."

By this time Gorge realized it was Azaroth and Scarecrow. feeling kind of embarrassed Gorge held his ha out offering some berries to the two of them..

[glow=green,2,300]"My mistake guys, its just that i have just seen a group of villagers go rushing past and i thought that maybe you were trying to harm them and after your alertness i am lead to believe that there may be something wrong. can I help at all?"[/glow]

Azaroth, mouth half full of berries began to tell the tale of the event that had just taken place in town. Gorge was in a way excited that something had happened. leaping into the trees he shouted out to the guys bellow

[glow=green,2,300]"Well I'm not sure whether that was an invitation but never the less I will follow along and scout the way from the trees. If I see anything i will let you know.."[/glow]

With this gorge leapt up-wards like a gazelle that was being chased by a cheeter... Azaroth and Scarecrow began to rush up the path heading deeper into the woods...

<~ Anyone Reply~>

OOC: I know my name wasnt mentioned in the reply on the last post butt it sounds fun.. sorry if i wasnt meant to reply

[Seth]

**Meanwhile, deeper in the woods...**

Onward Seth ran, ducking branches and dodging tree roots... Just ahead he could hear the beating hooves of the centaur, and the clicking of the great spiders legs as it fled, always just ahead, but never in view...

Suddenly he heard a shout, and a thud, followed by loud rustling, seconds later the warlock burst though a sheet of leaves into a small clearing and saw the centaur slumped on the ground, his great hammer lay beside him, his eyes were closed, and a gash spread down his arm, a dark green goo smeared across it...

Seth stopped next to him, and lighting a branch he slowly turned, waiting for the massive beast to re-emerge...

Anyone continue in the town

[Azaroth]

When Azaroth finished his berries he stood up and walk towards Scarecrow. Scarecrow raised is katana and they skulked further into the woods, with George tailed the two. Scarecrow blocked the way with his katana and spoke

Ssh over their, lets follow i before it gets away

Just as Scarecrow finished George noticed a giant spider a little further in the forest. George took a step back from the spider as if fear was flowing through his blood, as he stepped back he broke a twig giving away their location. The spider turned around and noticed the trio watching it, it turned tail and fled into the forest. Scarecrow, Azaroth and George followed suit and bolted through the forest, they were running for what felt like hours when Azaroth said

For the Sake of it, why can’t i squish the dam thing?

Ssh it stopped whispered George

It looked like a gathering meeting about fifty spiders standing in a clearing and more surprising were whispering to each other. In a second Scarecrow noticed they had a child with them. This was enough for Azaroth he ran out shouting something about squishing bugs. George followed closely behind and Scarecrow followed with a sigh.

Azaroth drew his War Hammer and lifted it over his shoulders, when he got close enough he lowered it squishing spider sending spider guts all over the forest. While Scarecrow had limped into battle slashing to the left and the right leaving spider limbs all over the forest. George Had Entagled a few spider in his vines, the spiders screams echeod accross the forest. Scarecrow continued to make a path towards the boy but with every spider he killed one more replaced it. Azaroth was covered in head to tail in spider gizzards and the sound of squissign and the grin on his face ment he loved squishing spiders. The trio eventuly cut down the spiders to one, who was gaurding the boy and seemed bigger and smarter then the others. George used his vines but the spider just stood up and walked to the side moving out of the way, Azaroth Jumped and slammed his hammer on top of the spider wiht all his might but the spider was rock hard and seemed inpenatrable. Scarecrow had taken Azaroth and george's deistraction to grab the boy and was leaving towards the town. The spider saw that the boy was gone and decided this was the best time to run.

Azaroth Was about to give chase when Scarecrow shouted

I have the boy lets go already
Yes lets leave already George whispered Quietly

Azaroth slowed followed dragging his hammer behind with a glum look upon his face. As the Trio were a hunded metres from the town scarecrow throw the boy at george.

You return the boy, Theirs another child out here we have to rescue


[glow=red,2,300]Um not sure whos going to reply but anyone involved may reply[/glow]

[pain]

*(OOC: I felt left out, sorta like gorge did i suppose, sorry, plus i noticed this thread is moving along fast enough.)*

Back in town, Pain was leaning his back against a seemingly random village wall, a few blocks from the spider attack. Two strangers in simple villager attire, one male, one female walked past him while discussing a kidnapping near the tavern. Over-hearing this, Pain headed toward the area where the incident took place.

There he encountered Alana and blyclaff, thouroughly making sure everyone was safe and Jym, laying his back on a bench. Pain looked on and from his point of view, he saw there was not a great deal of trouble as the other castle members clearly have things under some form of control, but decided he might be needed so he sat down next to the intoxicated, but recovering Jym and watched Alana and Blyclaff discuss what they should do now.

Blyclaff broke from his conversation with Alana and looked over to check on Jym, he then noticed Pain sitting next to him with his arms crossed staring at the ground.

"Hey Pain, when did you get here?"

Hearing Blyclaff, Pain looked up. But feeling the need not to, he did not reply. Instead Blyclaff spoke again.

"Tsk, anyway listen we might need your he.."

Just then Pain interupted.

"What happened?"

Starting to get upset with the younger warriors attitude, Blyclaff simply turned around and ignored him. So instead Alana approached Pain and explained what happened. During the explanation Jym slowly pulled himslef up and sat upright. At that moment Blyclaff spoke to Jym,

"Jym, are you ok? can you stand?"

"Yeah, im feeling much better now..."

"Good, now listen, Seth told us to tell you to follow him into the woods. He's going after the centuar and that larger spider"

"Ugh...really?....*hic*....uuuhhh.....YES! I'LL FIND HIM!"

Although now able to stand and use his motor skills more effectively, the frog was still quite intoxicated but nonetheless Jym lept of the bench and darted towards the woods in search of Seth. The frog ran past Gorge who was heading the opposite way, towards Blyclaff, Pain and Alana. However Jym figured it was in his best interest to find Seth, so he kept heading towards the woods. Gorge approached the three remaining at where the incident started while carrying a child and spoke of how Azaroth and Scarecrow are looking for the other child.

Gorge, Alana and Blyclaff were now in conversation about what to do next while Pain listened on in silence, while Jym was in seach of Seth, Seth in search of the Centuar and the largest spider and Scarecrow and Azaroth looking for the second child.

*Anyone Reply*

[Seth]

**Meanwhile, in the small clearing...**

Seth turned in a slow circle, the flaming branch held out before him as if to ward off the giant spider... But where was it? Then it came; swift and heavy a great blow to Seth's side sent him reeling. The great beast towered over the Warlock, its sickly black fangs clicking hungrily as it planned out the meal in its mind...

Seth looked up, gingerly grasping for his sword, but the Stormblade lay some ten feet away, and the flaming brand was broken and extinguished...

Just as the great shape loomed down however, it reeled back; an arch of lightning had shot into its eyes and the spider stumbled back in pain, giving Seth time to stand before it lunged forward again...

Somebody continue, but nobody except Jym may interrupt Seth

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