Troll Hunt - Page 4 - RPG Crossing
RPG Crossing Home Forums Create An Account! Site Rules & Help

RPG Crossing
Follow RPG Crossing! facebook bluesky

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #46  
Old Jan 14th, 2025, 02:34 AM
Corwin's Avatar
Corwin Corwin is online now
Community Supporter
 
Tools
User Statistics
Last Visit: Feb 16th, 2025
RPXP: 28618
Corwin Corwin Corwin Corwin Corwin Corwin Corwin Corwin Corwin Corwin Corwin
Posts: 7,738
Pyre
right-aligned image
Cumdyn bears the assault, almost slain yet keeping his grip on the torch. Mago slams his greataxe into Grodahk in return. Gutted and spraying ichor, the troll falls to his knees and rises again, scrabbling at the barrel with bloody claws. "Light him up!" Kári puts his shoulder to the barrel before Grodahk can get a grip and oil flies, spattering the creature and sloshing thickly under its feet. Cumdyn sweeps the torch through the oil and fire spreads over the sand and up the troll's legs. The burning troll lunges over the spilled barrel. Kári sees flame reflected in Grodahk's eyes and meets the attack with a solid axe blow to the troll's forehead.

The light in Grodahk's eyes goes out, the troll slides back and slumps to the sand. The crowd gasps as a thick plume of smoke carries westward on the wind, then the east end of the stands explodes into cheers while the west end stays silent. The gladiators look up through the smoke to see the announcer glare their way before putting on a milder face and raising his hands for silence.

"WE HAVE NEW CHAMPIONS! TO THE NEWCOMERS GOES THE VICTORY, TO THE VICTORS GO THE SPOILS!" A city guard walks the healer down to a side gate, cuts her bonds, and roughly shoves her into the arena. "KING HOARKL IS MERCIFUL! THE WITCH IS GIVEN HER LIFE." Seraphin carefully picks her steps across the sands, shivering in the wind, as bookmakers and couriers circulate through the benches above. She skirts the burning troll and bows her head to the warriors. "Gentlemen, blessings to you. My stores are yours but not thanks enough. All I can say is that our heads would have sat together in the troll's midden had you lost."

A few servants call out from the stands above as they make their way through the east gate. "Count Ivar is hiring guards!" "Sir Threnton Weaver's gladiators eat well and live better!" Denisot meets them under the stadium, smiling as he limps along. "The keepers'll thank ye fer Grodahk's death, he'd done in more than a few of 'em. Don't take the first offer ye get now neither, make 'em bid up fer ye. Don't ferget who told ye." At the far end, the convicts are cheering and slapping each other on the back as they catch a glimpse of Seraphin walking free. She nods their way but looks mournful; her cellmates may never see the light of day again. The gladiators practicing as they wait their turns pause and clash gauntlets and swords against shields and breastplates as the victors pass, until the dark space rings as loudly as the arena above.

Denisot guides them back to the booth at the contestant's gate. "Good on the lot of you, have your winnings." The man in the booth slides three heavy clinking sacks under the window and turns to the bravos lined up for the next rounds. Seraphin takes their hands, one by one. "Don't forget what I told you. What I have left is yours, and grateful as I am, you shall need it all and more if you keep on this way." She slips off into the crowd and is gone.



OODMCongrats! Rough start, big finish! I'm counting a chain of 93 damage and a couple good skill checks, -7(Cumdyn-torch fire) -6(Cumdyn-torch fire) -33(Mago-axe) -35(Mago-axe) -5(Kari+Cumdyn-oil fire) -7(Kari-axe), to chalk up Grodahk. Got him by 3 HP.

Each gladiator takes 400 gold and two 20HP healing potions.
__________________
Posting rate: Slow.
he/him
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old Jan 14th, 2025, 03:58 AM
Horseman's Avatar
Horseman Horseman is offline
Community Supporter
 
Tools
User Statistics
Last Visit: Feb 15th, 2025
RPXP: 13099
Horseman Horseman Horseman Horseman Horseman Horseman Horseman Horseman Horseman Horseman Horseman
Posts: 3,660
Mago Cathargo

Mago pants, catching his breath. It was clear why Grodahk was the champion. He was a worthy champion, Mago considered himself lucky to have survived. He looked to each of his comrades, each near death like himself. Mere moments and Grodahk would have killed them each in turn.

Mago heard the roar of the crowd and held his axe high in victory, his head hung, sweat dripping. Then he raised his head, looked to Kari and Cumdyn smiling, encouraging them to celebrate the win and take in the victory.VICTORY ! He screamed

Mago faintly heard the offers for work. But the thrill of the fight flowed through his veins. Perhaps this is the life he had been seeking. What guard job would pay 400 gold for a short bit of work. None. No, Mago was now a Gladiator and embrace this life. He would take his money, buy drink, food, women, gambling. Likely until it was all gone.

Then he would fight again.


Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old Jan 14th, 2025, 01:29 PM
Gibbon's Avatar
Gibbon Gibbon is offline
Procrastinator
 
Tools
User Statistics
Last Visit: Feb 15th, 2025
RPXP: 6920
Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon Gibbon
Posts: 1,607
KáriKári hefts his battleaxe in the air and roars along with Mago, the joy of victory pulsing through his veins as the crowd roars along with them. Before the gladiators leave the arena, the Icelander recovers the other healing potion from where it was thrown in the sand and tosses it over to Cumdyn. Kári reckons he has earned it. Cumdyn was the one who dealt the final blow by setting Grodahk on fire, and he looks the worst of all three of them. Somehow the huge southerner seems to have recovered from being almost disemboweled by the troll. Although Kári is pretty sure he'll be feeling it later on. As will he.

Will he fight in the gladiator ring again? Perhaps. It was good money, and the thrill of victory in front of thousands is intoxicating. But equally they might have been dragging his corpse out of here right now, rather than Grodahk's.

So he'll think about it.

Maybe tomorrow.

Right now, he's going for a drink.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:44 PM.
Skin by Birched, making use of original art by paiute.(© 2009-2012)


RPG Crossing, Copyright ©2003 - 2025, RPG Crossing Inc; powered by vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. Template-Modifications by TMB