Drow Raid - DM Greenboy

The man stumbled forward his body criss-crossed with wounds, his eyes vacant seeing things only he could see. He stumbled to the campfire babbling about a drow raid, how is caravan had been sacked and all but he had been lost.

Wythran, Linus, Scarlett, Attis, Elijah walked from the camp each playing their own thoughts of what would occur. They knew the location along the road and what to expect in general.

Questions plagued them.. why had they let the man go? Was this a trap? Yes .. it was obviously a trap and they had no choice but to blunder in it each for their own reasons. Wythran's being the most obvious.. a chance to strike at the enemy.

A marching order was determined with Attis and Linus in reserve, Wytrhan as scout, Elijah as forward and Scarlett mid group ready to respond at a moment's notice.

Grim faced they left the merchant to tend his wounds at the fire and head out. They kept good order their weaponry and leathers creeking with anticipation as they moved forward.

The stoic elf was the first to notice the pall of smoke on the horizon and quickly there after the others began to speak of the sickly sweet odor of burned flesh and the coppery tang of blood letting. Their bodies tensed out of reflex as they approached each one lost in thoughts that were theirs to know. Each hoping in their own way for a mercy, but expecting full well none.

As they came to the crest of the hill the scene of terror and wonton disregard for human life rose beofre them. The wagons were afire, the lifeless forms of their owners spitted next to them in a gory testament to the Drow's true nature. They watched, each with their own eye, as the bodies sizzled giving up their last moisture and body fats as their last words. Splayed out on the ground before the caravan, their life's blood spent were both women and children. Some women showing the 'obvious' signs that this raiding party was comprised of mostly males.

They did what they could in short order as Wythran and Elijah scouted the general area of the caravan following whatever tracks could be found. Each individual in the group tensed wordless as they felt that whatever was going to happen would happen quickly.

They continued forward.

The forest itself seemed to grow things from the shadows as they looked on for red eyes in the darkness and blades springing from an unknown direction. A man stopped the group as they moved forward. A cleric with a wolf in tow.. they spoke asking questions of the surrounding area and what occured, of drow sign. Seeing no need to listen in on a conversation Wythran continued scouting.

There. A crack a slight movement in the shadows and from them sprang the blasted ones. Sword and spell flashing they charged in. Their cunning at such things readily apparent. While the main group had looked to the blood stains and talked to the man they had circled their men and sprung. Casters first down the mouth of the valley, archers lining the sides poured arrows into them and warriors charged.

Wytrhan stood poised as they came. Their black skin, glistening in the ironic full mood, veins filled with disgusting life's blood waiting to be spilled and souls needing to be sent screaming to Shevarash's knee. A split second of readiness is all that greeted them and then they were stuck in battle to be joined.

Elija's feet blurred as he threw themselves bodily at the monsters. Lashing out with expert fists. Each punch greeted with a crunching of cartilage, a spray of hot blood, and a yelp of pain. He took four toe to toe, each blasted thing giving as much as they got. However, these four stood not long before the fists of ELijah and the humming of Wythran's bow as arrow after arrow accompanied the pounding finding vulnerabilities.

Screams and shouts could be heard as the shape changing old woman who had popped out of no where throwing off her blindness and having at them without regard. She was covered in short order with their mortal liquid as she struck them down.

It was obvious they had not fought before for the melee was quick and without organization. Given time they would learn their strengths, but now was not the time. Eljah and Wythran attempted to work together for they had done so previously but even then they were still discovering their skills.

Linus hands weaved a pattern of mysticism and attis healed as they kept them on their feet. After a pitched battle the drow lay defeated and the group moved forward. Some went to speak to a survivor on the hill, a merchant. While Wythran peeled off to see to the drow.

One by one he picked over them taking ears. Some cried out in succor which with a fash of steel and a dilating eye he gave them the redemption at his lord's knee to be judged. The grisly work was slow and methodical, his hands growing sticky from their blood which slowly dried in the wind.

A few he gave 'special' attention to as they appeared to be leaders. He sawed off their heads.. slowly with purpose making the cuts in a purposefully ragged way. Each with the symbol of Shevarash carved on the forehead.

Most of the group them took the merchant back where Linus and Wytrhan went to deliver a message that the archer deemed necessary. 5 heads, 5 pikes 5 messages. Linus had warned him that this went against his better judgment, and shortly after the message was sent more of the blasted things sprung on the two. Linus brought forth an elemental to cover their escape. The Archer was incensed, but with a withdraw comes another chance to wreak havoc amongst them another day, and the continuation of Linus' life, of which Wythran felt responsible. Against his desires they withdrew harried by the Drow.

Incensed or not, when they found their way clear Wytrhan realized the wisdom of the withdraw and realized that had he been there alone, he would have died. Without hesitation his blade flashed across his palm and the blood oath stating his debtedness to Linus was made. The merchant was informed and they went their separate ways.. each carrying with them the scene seared into their souls as well as the mantra of the archer.

TOLERANCE IS TREASON