Brief Recap: Last turn, Blade fled the ship and swam to shore, and Fyona got Thugga the gargoyle to carry her back to shore. Sylphie teleports Bruce and herself to shore 30 ft. north of the company, while Bibi and Mog fly to shore, landing beside Ghotu, Blade, Fyona, and the rest of the company. Blade asked for a sword, which Gayrlana provided...

Blade and Bruce

When Mog ADVERTISEMENT Turn 87 Brief Recap: Last turn, Blade charged Bruce while Mog, Fyona, and Ghotu moved to stop him. Bruce threw down his axe, refusing to defend himself, imploring Blade to put an end to their feud.

Death It Is

Bruce stands without weapon, arms spread before him, staring directly into Blade's eyes. Sylphie stands a short distance away, taking no action, hoping Bruce knows what he is doing.

Blade charges, while Ghotu, Fyona, and Mog all attempt to stop him from killing Bruce.

But Blade is fastest.

He deftly steps behind Bruce, and before the others' attacks take place, Blade shoves his sword into Bruce's back, holding the blade horizontal so it passes smoothly between his old friend's ribs. Bruce lets out a quiet gasp, and looks down slowly to see the bloody point of the sword protruding from his chest.

"That's all the honor you deserve, my 'friend'," says Blade as he gives the sword a sharp twist.

Blade tears the weapon out with a flourish, some of the blood slinging onto Sylphie, who stares in shocked disbelief. Bruce falls to his knees, his eyes saying a silent goodbye to Sylphie, Ghotu, and Mog before he falls face first, dead.

In that instant, Ghotu's net engulfs Blade, wrapping him tightly in its mesh. Mog's bola flies over where Blade was standing, and Fyona halts her now futile attempt to disarm her friend. Fyona watches as Blade finishes the man they planned on killing several time but she feels no satisfaction in this victory. Fyona turn her back on the slaying and head towards her mother.

Blade attempts to free himself from the net. He struggles, but the magical net only ensnares him further.

Thirty feet away, Bibi sees Gayrlana smiling wickedly. She then runs to Bruce to attempt to heal him.

"Save your magic girl," Blade says struggling to free himself. "Would you heal a snake who had just bitten you?"

"If you knew me, like I thought I knew you, you would know the answer is yes."

"Then you are more naive than I thought. " says Blade. "Let's not forget the man just dumped me in the ocean to die. Everyone seems to be forgetting that little bit of information. I'm not one to forgive and forget. He got what he deserved."

Sylphie kneels beside Bruce, and says venomously to Blade, "He'd already told me to lift you from the water when Bibi's spell took me." She looks at Bibi hopefully, wondering what kind of healing spell the young druid has in mind.

Blade says nothing to Sylphie. It was a shame she had to see her husband die.

Mog approaches and says, "Blade, why? Did you not tell us that Vingrot was the true author of this feud? You have slain your own comrade. Does Blade serve the dead Count now?" Mog too watches to see if Bibi has the power to resurrect Bruce. Bibi attempts to use her staff on Bruce, but he is already dead and cannot be healed.

Blade answers Mog, "I serve myself as always. Bruce knew Vingrot was behind the whole thing as well, yet he still choose to blame me, put a bounty on my head and ultimately try to kill me. Which YOU did nothing to prevent I might add. Perhaps if you had taken action things would have turned out differently. So don't get all high and mighty on me Mog."

Mog stands and replies, "Blade blames Mog for this?" he indicates Bruce's body. "Blade has taken leave of his senses. We all saw Bruce throw down his axe, and we all saw Blade murder an unarmed man, one who was once our companion and fought many battles with us. Bruce has been our friend for many years, since the old days. He fought beside us against the giants. And now he is slain by the hand of his brother." Mog draws his dagger and cuts his arm, an orcish ritual of mourning. "The enemies of the company grow strong. Vingrot has split us asunder. Mog will not travel with Blade again, unless to take him to Pastille."

"I'm not blaming you, merley pointing out that you are all so quick to condemn me , but no one save Bibi tried to prevent Bruce from drowning me with no chance to defend myself. You sat back and watche dthe whole thing. Why did you not act then as you acted when teh tabled were turned? I merely showed him the same courtesy he showed me. He tried to kill you and Bibi as well, by ordering his men to shoot at any birds nearby. My definition of friend doesn't include people who try to kill me. Maybe yours does. As I said before, teh moment he ordered me dropped into the ocean to die, he signed his own death warrant, and any frindship taht may have occured in teh past became irrelevant. In Pastille, I was acting under false pretenses, a pawn in Vingrot's plan. Bruce however, knew full well who was behind all of the trickery and still choose to blame me and seek my death for Vingrot's action's." says Blade.

Mog frowns sadly at Blade. "Mog would have stopped Bruce from killing Blade too, as he tried to stop Blade just now. Both brothers were fools to serve Vingrot as they have. But Blade cannot pretend he is right to slay Bruce when Bruce throws down his axe. And Blade cannot deny that Bruce had Blade at his mercy, yet did not slay Blade. If Bruce wanted to slay Blade another day, why come ashore and throw down his weapon? Why not teleport away to safety? Blade lets his anger and thirst for revenge rule him. May they be his only companions from this day forward, for Mog will not be."

Blade words hit Bibi hard. She thinks about how angry she was just minutes ago when arrows here being shot at her and the other birds. She then turns to Sylphie "I can bring him back but I do not control the form that he returns in. Would he want this?"

Sylphie looks at Bibi with concern. She thinks for a moment, then says, "No, let him make his journey to the gods. He would not want to return as an animal, only to have this bastard slay him again." She looks at Blade coldly.

Blade ignores Sylphie's comments, he's heard it all before from other women he had made widows. "If everyone feels as Mog does, then as soon as Ghotu will release me from this damnable net, I'll fetch my things from the boat and be on my way. I'm sure there is somewhere in the Wurld still left where I am not wanted."

Bibi thinks about Blade's words, but still believes she should try to help Bruce. She takes falcon form and makes her way to were they had seen the healer (the Prophet) that restore Fyona's arm. She plans to return to human form, introduce herself and ask to seen the man at once.

[See below for more on this.]

Ghotu has a dour look on his face. "Blade, what you've done is evil." He shakes the Net of Entrapment, and it falls from Blade, leaving him lying on the ground. "I would take you to the authorities for this, but I won't be responsible for the death of a party member. I release you to your fate." He snaps the net back up, and turns from Blade.

"Much obliged," says Blade. "It seems we must part ways then, as at least two of the party members, exculding myself, think me a villain. We still have not heard Fyona or Bibi's opinion. Not that it matters, the best I could hope for is a tie, and I cannot cast the tie breaking vote. "

He then walks to Gayrlana and returns the sword she lent him. "Many thanks, my dear. Can I trouble you for one more favor? My belongings are on that ship and I'd very much appreciate the use of your gargoyle to fly me there and back. I suppose I could use a rowboat, but I am in a bit of a hurry. "

Fyona looks at her mother with a look that says 'no.' She is very angry with Blade yet she doesn't want to make it easy for him to leave.

Blade notes Fyona's look. "You do realize that the longer I stay here the more chance there is that the city guards will come and arrest me? Is that what you want?"

"My wants are obviously of little concern to you. So, do what ever you please." Fyona turns and begins to walk away.

"I beleive I just asked you about your wants. You have yet to cast your vote. I took your silence to mean that you concurred with the others. Speak your thoughts if you want them to weigh in my desicion, for I am not a mind reader. " says Blade after her. "I cannot stay here much longer Fyona, that fact cannot be changed. You are welcome to come with me if you'd like, but I fear that traveling with me will continually put you in danger for my actions. I do not wish further harm to come to you on my account, " he says indicating her arm.

"I gave you my opinion before you killed Bruce and that opinion didn't matter. So, I am finish sharing them with you." Fyona continues walking away.

"So be it," says Blade ruefully. He looks to teh ship, where his things are being kept and sees Bruce's men at arms gathering on deck and changes his mind about reaching the boat.

"Sylphie, you may keep the things Bruce stole from me after he kidnapped me and tried to kill me. There are several magical items that should fetch a fair price. It is the least I can do to ease your suffering. There is a sacred luck stone among the items, may it bring you brighter days."

Turning his attention back to Gayrlana, "Lady Bloodsword, " he says with a smile, "Perhaps I could interest you in giving me my old job back?"

Gayrlana looks to her left, to a young fighter in armor and swords standing nearby. He is handsome, and watches Blade like he would enjoy gutting him. Blade realizes this must be her latest paramour. Lady Gayrlana says, "Your, uh, position as my second has been filled Blade. Although, I suppose I could find a place for a fighter like you in my company." She smiles back at Blade with her crooked grin.

"Very well. I accept, though it will only be on a temporary basis. I'll stay long enough for it to be financially beneficial to the both of us. I'll need arms and armor. Once I earn enough money I'll buy my own and return the ones you can loan me, or buy them from you if they are of high enough quality. " says Blade.

Meanwhile, Bibi soars over the city toward the palace of the Prophet. She circles the massive building, but does not see the man outside. She flies into a window and begins searching inside.

Eventually, after traversing half the palace, she comes upon a large hall where there are many people gathered. It appears the Prophet is holding council with his advisors, all two hundred of them. They sit at tables drinking wine, the Prophet himself sitting at a large table to one end of the room.

[Anne, does Bibi reveal herself to him? If so, please post exactly what she does and says. The room is about 75 feet long wiht a two story (twenty foot) ceiling. ]

Bibi transforms into herself in a corner of the large hall and looks for a servant or page. "I am Bibi the Druid from (What ever the name of her forest is. Could you introduce me and ask if I may speak to the Great One."

The page looks at her in surprise. The gathering suddenly begins to break up, and the servant leads her to the front of the room. "O Great Messenger, peace be upon you, a mystic visitor has appeared before my eyes! This spirit wishes to speak with you!" The servant walks backward away from the Prophet (whom he addressed as the Messenger), bowing as he goes.

Bibi says, "Great One, I am here to beg for your help. A great hero's life has just left him on the docks. I cannot bring him back to his wife that is now weeping over him. I am hoping that your great heal powers can make him whole again." Bibi bows her head and waits for his answer.

The Prophet looks calmly at Bibi. She can sense the power in this individual, like he is more than a mere mortal. Though he doesn't literally shine, she fancies that she sees a halo or aura about his head. He appears beatific. He stands, and everyone else watches him. "Please, leave us," he says to the others. He keeps his eyes on Bibi as the others leave. After they are gone, he watches Bibi in silence for a while, and she feels like he is probing her innermost secrets. After a few moments, he speaks to her. "Bibi, druid of the ancient ways, guardian of Dunore. I know you. You were destined to come to me.

"I cannot save your friend. His soul has departed this world, athough..." the Prophet gets a worried look on his face before continuing, "...I...fear he has not found the Halls of his Fathers, to Modi and the Great Throne of Heaven. There is something about him...his fate is not yet written. Nor is yours." The Prophet again watches her in silence for an uncomfortably long time, then suddenly says, "Your ancient order is in danger. Your enemies unite against you. That which you covet is not safe. This warning alone may I give you. Further aid I am forbidden to render."

Any other questions Bibi asks are met with the same answer. "Further aid I am forbidden to render." When Bibi is finally ready to depart, the Prophet says, "Go, young one, and protect my newest disciple." Bibi is unsure what he means by this, and leaves the palace the way she came. Bibi returns to the group and first tells Sylphie that Bruce cannot be saved and then tells the whole group what the prophet told her. She suggest that they again travel to Dunore.

Blade goes to Fyona and says, "Are you sure you will not reconsider your mother's offer? It would be nice to have a friend among strangers."

"I'm sure that you and my mother will be close again in no time." Fyona turns away from Blade and Gayrlana. As she walks towards the group she wonder why she is going to go with them. She know that she wants sometime away from Blade. She was definitely falling for him and in light of this new situation she knows that she should stay away from him.

_________

Meanwhile... (actually several months earlier due to unsynchronized timelines, but who's counting? Me, that's who.)

Falun steps onto the ship, and motions five of the Protectors to follow him across the gangplank. The monk quietly says to Humphrey, "They seek you, do they not? I will try to distract them. If you can, meet me at the Wounded Lamb Inn."

The short man then steps forward to Falun and says, "I know you! You are the man who killed my father!" He looks at the lead Protector, and says, "Arrest this man!" indicating that the Protector should arrest Falun. "He murdered my father in cold blood! I saw it happen!" The Protector stops in his tracks, looking at Falun with a questioning look.

Falun says, "I've never seen you before in my life! Shubal--"

The monk interrupts him, his voice getting louder: "Of course you didn't, murderer! I was only a child, hiding in the loft! But I remember that scar, I will remember it for the rest of my life!" Falun's hand goes to a thin scar that stretches from the corner of his left eye down to his chin. The monk continues, now talking to the Protector, apparently named Shubal. "Arrest him, he must stand trial! My father was Ignacious the Prestidigitator! This man, Falun, killed him!"

Indeed, one Ignacious the Prestidigitator, a high ranking mage of the guild, was killed many years ago. The murder was a scandal, and no one was ever punished for the crime.

Falun stands sputtering, looking from the monk and Shubal, who now regards Falun with something akin to suspicion.

Humphrey attempts to sneak from his hiding place and to lower himself into the water. He swims underwater to the underneath part of the deck, close enough from the wizard and his henchmen to hear them, but not so close that they could look between the cracks and see him. He then listens to the resolution of the conflict. After it is resolved, he swims further underneath, waits until nightfall and then creeps to the Wounded Lamb Inn. On the way, he buys some clothing from a street urchin, giving him a silver coin to exchange his clothing with him.

Posting Instructions: Please post your actions for the round.

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