Odin held his crossbow uneasily as they waited in the museum. There was a sense of danger about the place, with its gaping mouth splitting through the wall and dozens of khords struggling to escape into the streets. However, he stood stolidly watching Bohen examine the floor and, more importantly, watching the door in case more beasts were to burst through. He did not want to lose a man this fast and Bohen looked like massive-insect-dinner to Odin, just sitting on the floor of the museum.

Bohen suddenly exploded out a stream of speech, which Odin struggled to latch on to. He was blustering about how prepared everyone was. Odin had indeed noticed it, but in a room, packed full of khords, he hadn’t been as surprised as the ranger. If it hadn’t been them, it would’ve been someone else. Odin took a long breath, air whistling through his nostrils as he exhaled, while Bohen spoke of previous jobs. Here it came, he’s been building to this the whole time, Odin thought. He knows my face but he can’t quite place it.

But before Odin could really even entertain the thought, Bohen disappeared back into his work. What an odd young fellow, Odin thought, but he was as entertained as bemused and was interested in seeing how they would fend side to side. He turned to Rerra grinning broadly at the antics of the young one.

“My blade and I havff earned our gold in our day.” Odin simply nodded, letting the words out into the room, not sure who, if anyone, was interested. As he finished he found he had almost interrupted Rerra’s own words, which he was much more interested in listening to. He caught onto what she was saying and blushed slightly, but he knew it was the truth.

“I’ll do what I can to let your work your magic.” Odin grinned, constantly conscious of the way he’s scars turned and split. He could not help but feel lucky that he should fall in with a group both experienced and kind. He smiled from Rerra down to Bohen, and gripped his crossbow tighter, he had a new bubbling eagerness in his stomach which he had forgotten since the dragon.

Finally Bohen rose up and explained what he could discern from the markings that were written across the stone floor. Odin nodded to him and let him lead the party into the tunnel. Two guards joined them in the venture though the subterranean passage that held an ominous breath over all. Odin glanced to Bohen at his side and smirked. Just like the old days, he thought to himself.

At his other side was one of the guards, and Odin could almost feel the khord shaking in his boots, as if the vibrations were shaking the whole tunnel. Or wait... they were... no... Odin saw them rushing at the party with vicious intent, no doubt. He raised his crossbow and blazed two bolts into the insect at the forefront, before hanging his crossbow and pulling Foxtooth out to taste the underground air. The earth would be drinking insect blood tonight, Odin thought to himself.

“You’vff got enough room back there?” Odin called back to Rerra. He knew that things got muddled when space was crowded like this and he didn’t want him or Bohen catching a stone in the back of the head, especially not one with magic laced through it. More importantly though, Odin knew magic needed its time and its space and they were short on both right now. Well, they didn’t have much other options. Not Odin at least, he didn’t run from a fight and he hadn’t had the time to sneak up on the buggers so all he could do was cut them down, and that’s precisely what he planned on doing.

-Dragonblood

Ilde was walking to the museum. She hums to herself a human song; she had learned. Over her shoulder there was a short bow and a quiver full of arrows. On her belt was a dagger and short sword. Most would not bring weapons to a museum but Ilde had learn through the years was it was better to be prepared. Her hair was black and her eyes were a dark violet. As she walks, her braided beard shifted.

Ilde didn’t bother running or walking fast even though she was late. Ilde had never been interested in the stone and metals, unlike her kin. She preferred to be outside and to explore. However Ilde respected people’s difference and was curious about this “marvellous” stone. Ilde (being a bard) was good at gathering information. Even though half her time was spent with her sickly father, Ilde knew all of the latest gossip. This new sapphire was the most common topic in her kin conversations.

Ilde sensed that there was going to be a story behind this stone. She had waited until her father had fallen asleep. Then head to the museum. She had figured that it would be crowed so she took her time. She was almost there now. Ilde was expecting a big line of people. What she saw instead startled her.

Millions of people were running (as if their lives depend on it) from the museum. There were screams and some men in amour gone pale in fear. Ilde ran to the closest one. He was sputtering in terror. Ilde asked “What has happened? Why are you running in fear?” The man stared at her shaking. Then he stammered “B-B-Big B-B-Bugs!” Ilde asked “What have the bugs done?” Ilde asked making her voice soft and gentle. “G-G-Grab s-s-stone and k-k-kidnapped s-s-six people,” The man stuttered and stopped shaking. “Is there anyone else still inside?” Ilde asked calmly even though inside she was worried and shocked. “S-S-Some guards and t-t-three strangers,” He answered then fainted.

Ilde didn’t bother to talk to some one else. She ran into the museum. She noticed some guards shaking and standing by a giant hole. She pulled her bow off her shoulder. The guards were too scared to notice her walking in to the hole. She could still hear faint noises from the tunnel. She called on her magic and a little light appeared by her left shoulder and drifted forward. Without hesitation, Ilde followed it and entered the tunnel.

(Ilde is using dancing lights to guide herself and is following using the sounds they make. So technically she is using Search)

The creatures were rushing forward, with mandibles drawn wide. There was no question in their intentions and the adventurers rapidly readied their attacks.

Odin was the first to react, years of experience sending him into a routine of action without even thinking. His crossbow was up before he knew it, but perhaps he was acting too automatically, because his shots lacked his famed precision. Both bolts bounced harmlessly off the chitinous shell covers of the monstrous insects before him.

Bohen also had his crossbow up in a heartbeat. He singled out the same target at Odin had chosen, and fired his bolts in rapid succession. Only one of the bolts struck home, and stuck into the creature’s hide. It shrieked a piercing cry of pain, but didn’t stop or show any intention to be bothered by the bolt in the least. Bohen took a tactical step backwards.

Not too far behind them, Ilde the Bard was making her way through the tunnel. Colourful lights were dancing around her to an unheard musical beat. She spotted her fellow Khords up ahead, and noted the creatures that were running towards them. The sight of the monsters raised a memory of a story she once heard about such giant insects. Ankhegs, such was the name the farmers that told her the story gave them. And if the story was true, her kinsmen were in dire need of an extra pair of hands. She ran forward.
(Took some liberty here to get you into the fight. Hope you don’t mind.)

The two guards were staring at the monsters, who were coming closer with every breath. They eyed each other, and raised their swords. “We’ll regret being this brave later, brother.” Said one.
“Later? I already regret it now!” Came the reply. They waited for the creatures to come within range.

Rerra felt the power of the rune-inscribed stone strengthen her hold on the sling that was whirling in her fingers. She felt reassured and calm. With one fluent motion she let the stone fly and caught hold again of the released end of the sling. Another stone of Power was loaded quickly. A quick glance told her that her first attack had hit one of the insects full in the chest, her stone sending an orange glow of impact upon collision. The creature cried out, but the pain only enhanced its lust for a Khordaldrum catch.

And now they were upon them, their charge complete. With a last sudden spurt of legs and jaws they threw themselves into the fight. One was upon Odin and let its jaws close around his waist with vicious force. It struck hard, and the air was pushed from his lungs and a sharp pain shot up his spine. He also felt the strange sensation that his armor was burning for it sizzled upon impact. The creature tried to drag him back into the tunnel, but he set his feet against the stone floor and pulled loose.

Two of the monsters jumped Bohen. The first one caught him off guard with a sudden rush and nipped its mandibles over his leg. The wound wasn’t deep, but it burned like somebody had poured Old Maggotbender Ale over it. He stepped sideways and evaded the second creature without too much trouble.

The last of the monsters was upon one of the guards. But they had been ready for it and let their swords come down upon its head. One of them chipped off one of the spikes on the creature’s armor, but not more than that. The other blade pierced deep into the monster’s neck, and drew blood. Still, these things were a lot harder to defeat than any of them had hoped for.
The monster recovered quickly and grabbed hold of one of the brothers. It bit down and snatched him up with its powerful mandibles. Then it started dragging him away from the fight.

(OOC: We are entering the second round of combat now. State your intentions for two rounds please. HP wise, Odin has lost 14, and Bohen 5. I usually don’t tell people how much they’ve lost, but I suppose it helps. Ilde is not part of the fight, and can start doing her best to help. I placed Rerra behind Bohen and Odin and the guards. Seemed logical from the post you wrote, Vanadia. Good luck, all! )

Ilde continued to walk into the cave. Her lights danced around her almost to the beat of the last song she had heard recently. As she walked the sounds of battle got louder. The tunnel reminded her of something she had seen before. Finally she could see them. The one closest to her had auburn hair and wore rune covered armour. There were two guards a little ahead. Ahead of them were a very tall warrior and a young ranger.

Ilde opened her mouth to call out when the creatures attacked. The warrior and the ranger, at the same time, raised their cross bows and fired. Three of the shots bounced off and a single one struck. When the creature let out a shriek, Ilde remembered where she had seen them before. The monsters were Ankhegs! The Rune master swung a stone at it but that enraged it.

The monsters attacked; grabbing the tall warrior and just hitting the ranger. The two guards tried to defend themselves but their attacks made the Ankhegs angry. One snapped its mouth around a guard’s waist and began to drag him. Ilde tried to recall the story fast then remembered part of it.

The bugs would go for those who breathe
Leaving the bait behind.
Its saliva dissolving what it touches
Only through a man’s courage
Can this creature be beaten
Ilde wasn’t sure if it was true or not but made a decision. Her arrows could possibly kill some one so she would try to encourage the guards. Using her thumb, she strummed her bow making a deep thrum, thrum sound. Ilde then called out:

“Warrior, Warrior,
Is that your best?
Are you sure
You aren’t stronger?
Warrior, Warrior
Is that your best?
Don’t you know
You CAN beat
The monsters
With your sword?”

(OOC: Ilde is trying to Inspire Courage, after this she might use her bow.)

Rerra watched the scene unfold before her as her heart raced and her stomach dropped. Part of her thrilled to the battle, and part of her wailed with every cry of pain from the fighters ahead of her. She could see that her stones affected the monsters, but not enough, and not quickly enough.

Better to change the odds on our side, then, she thought and tucked the sling away while stooping quickly to snatch up a couple of stones from the rubble at her feet. With all of her strength, she crushed them together in the palm of her hand, feeling the strength of the rocks in her hands pull at the strength of her heart. Chanting to Gamultindar, Rerra began the prayer to bless herself and her companions. Dimly, she heard another female voice begin to sing nearby, but the God of the Khordaldrum had already begun to respond, the strength of the mountains pouring into her and making her feel ageless and immutable.

OOC: Almerin, you’ve asked for the intentions for two rounds. After casting Bless, Rerra will then draw her warhammer and fight her way to whomever she judges to be most injured, looking for her first opportunity to heal.

This was going to be a long fight; Bohen hated long fights. There was always something that went wrong whenever he failed to drop his targets in the first few seconds and this time things didn't exactly start out favoring the ranger and his companions. Of Bohen's three shots, only one found a hole in the monster's chitinous armor, and the normally devastating bolt didn't even seem to bother the creature.

Bohen hopped forward, angling for the wall behind the monster that had charged at Odin and spinning so that he'd be less likely to be caught by an opportunistic claw swipe. It looked like the thing had gotten a pretty good hold on Odin and Bohen wasn't about to just let it pull the fighter away from the group.

"Rerra! Focus fire, let's get this one off of Odin! We can't let them separate us" the ranger called out as he tried to find a safe opening to take a shot. He was concentrating more on dodging incoming blows than aiming his crossbow, so he wasn't expecting three solid hits right away. He knew this fight was going to drag on for awhile.



((OOC: 5' step to behind Odin's attacker. Fighting defensively. Full attacks against the one now flanked.))

Odin had dropped his crossbow and was now speeding for Foxtooth. His hand found the trusted rapier and stabbed it at the monster before him. Although the jab had been a hasty one, years of experience guided it into the insect’s neck and struck a weak spot. The creature shrieked and pranced like a wild horse.

Bohen noticed Odin’s success and decided it was best to take the monsters down one by one. Striking at the already crippled Ankheg before Odin seemed a good idea. He stepped behind the creature and took aim. Rapidly he fired three bolts from his crossbow, of which two struck home. The monster twitched heavily and then collapsed on the floor.

Ilde knew the three Ankheg before them would still make a formidable force of destruction, and she would not let that knowledge go to waste. She strummed her bow, which resonated quite heavily in the dark tunnel. On the tempo of the thrums she sprouted a verse that lifted the spirits of those who heard it. They felt as if the fear they had felt for these monstrosities, however small of suppressed it might have been, faded from their shoulders.

Rerra Stoneheart had been ready to cast a spell that would put Kharox’s blessing upon her allies. But she herself felt more courageous after hearing the newcomer’s words. She took a few steps forward and put her hands on Odin’s back and said a quick power prayer. Through her hand, she felt the energy of the rocks around her strengthen the old Khord. His wounds closed, and he felt revived, almost better than before.
(Changed your action since the Bless bonus is the same as the Inspire Courage one, and they don’t stack. Hope you don’t mind.)

The two brothers were too occupied with freeing one of them to notice what else was happening on the battlefield. The Ankheg that had snatched one of them in its mandibles was slowly backing away from the fight, and they had no success whatsoever in breaking its hold. Even thought they fought bravely and with a defiance one shouldn’t have given them on first sight, it was all in vain.

The other two Ankheg continued their attack on the adventurers, chosing Bohen as their target since he was most isolated in the fight. Cornered as he was between the wall and the fallen body of their own kin, they had an easier time snapping their mandibles on him. And they snapped hard. Both let their mandibles snap around him and squeezed hard. The first attack ripped his skin and ached his flesh, but the second creature bit down and dented his armor. Pain was washing over him in strong waves, and he could feel the warm, clammy flow of blood spreading from his wounds. He was starting to feel lightheaded.
What was worse, the second Ankheg was starting to drag him down the tunnel, away from the fight.

But Odin wouldn’t have any of it. Bohen had stepped up for him, and he would gladly return the favour. With a few quick steps he was near one of the monsters and let Foxtooth taste the monster’s blood. The blade gladly took the opportunity.
Bohen himself couldn’t do much more but shoot his bolts. He couldn’t reach his equipment, and needed to escape the hold of this monstrous insect before the encounter would become a fatal one. He squeezed the trigger on his crossbow in rapid succession, aiming straight into the monster’s face, only a few inches away. He couldn’t have missed even if he tried to, and all three bolts struck hard. The monster staggered with pain, but didn’t let go.

Ilde had finished her verse, and had lifted her bow. An arrow quick in hand, she peered over its tip, deciding which target to choose. She noted Bohen’s face turning paler by the second, and released her ammunition. The shot hit home, and Bohen suddenly faced an Ankheg with a new spike in its head, with feathers on the end for better aerodynamics. The creature sank through its knees and bludgeoned to the floor. The bard choose the other Ankheg that had attacked Bohen as her second target, but the shot was a hasty one, and missed all precision.

Rerra too had noted Bohen’s dire situation. After the monster had fallen, the ranger had fallen down and was having difficulty standing up. His wounds needed attending, and fast. But there was another one of those insects in the way, which Odin was fighting already. She drew her warhammer and with a soft prayer let it land on the monster’s hide. It didn’t do much.

Who wasn’t having any luck either was the guard caught in the fourth Ankheg’s hold. He was trying desperately to escape. His brother was now heaving at the creature with his blade, and was hitting it square in the torso. The creature didn’t even seem to react. Its focus lay on taking the one brother away through the tunnel, and it would not be distracted.

The Ankheg facing Odin and Rerra was having more difficulty not being distracted. He had aimed for taking Bohen away, but now had a rapier and a warhammer striking at its life. Angry and confused, it did what it always did when in danger. It spewed the contents from its stomach at its enemies. Odin and Rerra both caught a good portion of it. The acidic sludge hit Odin in the face, and started burning at his skin instantly. Rerra caught some on her arm, but knew to evade most of the slime.

This battle proved to be a lengthy one indeed.

(OOC: two rounds have passed again. Tell me your intentions. Bohen is badly hurt, really badly. Odin and Rerra will definitely survive the blast of acid for now, but Odin was hit pretty hard. Let's see if we can all get a post up within a week? )

Rerra heard the liquid gurgle coming from the beast and instinctively turned her face away, likely saving herself from greater damage as the acid spewed over herself and Odin. She knew all of them needed healing now, but she couldn’t pray while being attacked.

Gritting her teeth against the sting of the acid, she triggered the shied from her ring and tried to use it to batter the beast back, while continuing to rain blows with the warhammer.

The ranger hit the ground hard when the ankheg holding him collapsed. Everything between his feet and his head hurt, and the sharp ping in his side when he so much as thought about moving probably meant he'd dislocated or even broken a rib. End one final nuisance, he also had a catch in his throat.

Grimacing against the pain, Bohen forced himself to cough once. That one cough turned itself into a short series of wet-sounding hacks. That catch was gone, but now he had a familiar metallic taste in his mouth.

Propping himself up against the wall, Bohen once again leveled his crossbow at the nearest ankheg while Rerra assaulted it with her warhammer. The ranger wasn't sure how much longer he could remain conscious, but as long as he could move and keep his eyes open, he was going to distract those monsters as best he could so Rerra could open their skulls faster.



((Full attack. Once Rerra's target is hit, fire at any other ankheg's in LoS to grant as many flanking opportunities as possible.))

Ilde nearly cheered when the guards killed the creature. But her joy was short lived as she noticed that three were still left. Ilde noted that the guards were helping each other. The tallest stranger was fighting with a rapier and the red-head was helping. As she pulled the arrow to her bow, Ilde figured out what to aim for.

The ranger was going rapidly pale. Ilde briefly aimed and then fired. However her second arrow missed her second target. As she reached for her next arrow, Ilde looked around. The guards were busy. The other two were fighting hard against their target. Sadly the Ankheg was spewing all over them. Noticing the ranger was hacking, she made her choice. As she brought the bow at the level she needed, Ilde aimed carefully.

As she let loose the arrow she called out. “Ranger; Try to get out of battle! I’ll be there to help you in a second.” Ilde let loose another arrow. As the arrow left the bow, she started to move towards the injured ranger.

The ankheg that had spewed acid all over them was desperate. Its inner conflict was clear even without the capability to display expression. But while it should’ve ran, it stayed to attack. Bohen was now quite the easy target, and wouldn’t be able to resist being dragged back into the tunnel.

But the ankheg was wrong. Bohen was still surrounded by his companions, and they would not let him be dragged off anywhere. Odin stepped in, before the monster could make a move, and jabbed Fox tooth through the creature’s mouth. It took a few steps sideways and then back, balancing back and forth as if it was doing a twisted theatre dance routine. Odin struck again, and the monster fell down, twitching and spasming, its legs curling inwards like a dying spider.

Bohen was saved, but the same could not be said about the two guards. The fourth ankheg had finally got a good grip on one of the brothers, and was going to make a run for it.
The ranger should’ve moved away from the battle, to be properly healed, but he would not have it. Raising his crossbow, he aimed for the monster, and pulled the trigger.
All three bolts struck home, and the creature was flung into the far end of the wall from the pain and impact. Still, it wouldn’t let go off the guard.

Ilde had aimed for the ankheg that was attacking Bohen. Now she found herself changing targets and let her arrow fly in the direction of the final monster. For the second time that day, her arrow struck home. And for the second time that day, she was the one that struck the final blow, for the ankheg sank through its knees and went limp. Its mandibles opened and the guard they had been holding tumbled to the floor. His brother was on him in no time, but was pushed away by a bloody hand.
“I’m alright, Horice. I can stand on my own.”
“Alright? Lortrac, you’re bleeding all over!”
“Pff, I’ll live.” Came the stoic reply. And that was end of the discussion.

Meanwhile, Rerra had gone over to Bohen and placed her hands on his wounds. She prayed strongly, willing herself into a connection with her God. The wounds closed, and Bohen felt revived instantly.
(Used two Cure Moderate Wounds from your spell list, Vanadia)

They had all lived through a very difficult battle, and were now facing a choice. Go back, or continue down the tunnel. Also, they had been joined by a newcomer, who had felled two of the monsters with her arrows. She was a mighty companion to have indeed, but where had she come from?

Ilde almost cursed out loud when the ranger use his crossbow. However her attention went to the last surviving Ankheg. She let loose her arrow. With a thwack! the arrow struck home. Ilde smiled her delight. She looked around. The red head was healing the ranger. Ilde’s smile stayed a little longer. However it faded when she spotted the two guards.

She ran up to them. The wound solider was trying to act tough but Ilde could see he need the healing. “Well done, you two. I think you will need some healing.” She said. She listens politely to his answer. Ilde said “I’m quite sure you are a strong man, I don’t doubt that but even the best need healing.” (OOC assuming he still disagrees.) Ilde eyes flash in annoyance but continued softly “A wound is still a wound. You may feel fine NOW but the wound can get worse and you will die.” (IF he stills says no, she will heal him without permission.)

That done; Ilde now looked at the group, she had helped. A tall warrior, a short-bearded ranger and a female rune master. A bit unusual but she was strange too. She calmly came to them and said politely “Hello, fellow warriors. I’m Ilde. I heard the monster have some captives. Shall we all go get them or go back? If we go back we can get supplies and back up. If we leave now we have a better chance of bringing them back alive.”

(She will use cure moderate Wounds.)

His aim had become a bit more respectable as the fight wore on, but Bohen still mentally kicked himself for not felling the first charging monster in the opening volley. "You're slipping old man," he told himself, mimicking the line he'd used many times on his human commander back when he'd been a surface dwelling mercenary. The captain of his unit was about a third of Bohen's age but, because of differing racial life expectancies, had lived a greater portion "his time" as he'd called it.

When the first monster failed to drop, Bohen had flung himself into the melee, nearly getting himself killed. He probably would have died if it hadn't been for Foxblade. "Damned crazy kid" would have been his commander's admonition after saving the ranger's hide for the umpteenth time.


"Thank you, Rerra. I'll try not to require as much of your aid after the next battle." Bohen said, half grinning, as he pulled himself up the wall. He wasn't sure why divine healing always made him replay the fight that had caused the need for the curative magic. Probably something to do with learning from your mistakes or some other pulpit cliché. He was thankful for the assistance, but he wished that once in a while his mind would skip the introspection.

"Hello, fellow warriors." said the new-comer, after a terse conversation with the two museum guards. "I’m Ilde. I heard the monster have some captives. Shall we all go get them or go back? If we go back we can get supplies and back up. If we leave now we have a better chance of bringing them back alive."

"Your company is welcome, Ilde, as we go after the captives, of course. I'm not sure how long those that were taken have to live once these creatures get them back to their lair. Also, these tunnels are not dwarven. If we give them too much time, they might collapse some of the passages to prevent pursuit. Once everyone is able to continue, we should do so."

As the last worlds came out of his mouth, it occurred to Bohen that he didn't actually know how everyone's individual fights had gone. His vision had tunneled at the end. He knew Rerra was okay, she had been the one to pick him up but...

"Odin? Are you alright? It looked like it had a good hold on you there for a second." Then, looking to the two guards he asked, "What about you two? Not dead yet I hope." Bohen grinned, knowing he was playing right into the argument that had just been building about their injuries.

"cough"..."COUGH"..."COUGH" Ahhhh Chewwwwwww!

"Damn.......Blast" If anyone heard those words, it would be difficult to tell if there were meant to be two separated remarks or intended as one.

Rising slowly from the ground after pushing half a stone statue off of her, the rubble of the exploded wall,dusty old curios scattered about and shatter stone slide off and the figure scrabbling to its feet, and the debris fell to the floor of the once shiny plate armor rattling. Gema Thunderfist rose to find everyone and everything scattered about in this main area..

She had not expected anything like this when she had promised her parents to do this favor for an old family friend, Ikamor Irondock, A good friend to her parents, and her “Uncle “, though not by blood. She remembered ed many days in his dusty old museum of things that no one really wanted to see. However they had fed her childish imagination and fill her head with dreams of glory. She let her examined all the things he had collected, except the Sylvari pottery. That he would show her but not allow her to touch until she was much older. This was to be just a half day of guarding and a chance to see that sapphire again, and share its beauty with others Khords.

It was that those faded tapestries displaying victorious moments in Khordaldrum history and the dusty weapons and other items of warfare, none of them particularly well crafted, or so over used on the heads of goblins that dents and holes were all that was left of them. Those had captures her childish imagination and set her feet on her chosen course.—She would be mighty in battle and do glorious battle with Khord enemies. Of course the passage from childhood to adulthood tempered those early visions. Which is some was saddening.

Gema sucked in deep breathes of air. Not only had the blast knocked her to the ground but one of the thrice-damned creatures had stepped on her. Thank Khardox for good Khord-made plate armor. She had twisted and turned but could not dislodge it. She had blacked out for a bit hearing only snatches of voices with bits and pieces due to the ringing in her ears--talking about going in. She cleared her throat and looking about the room. No Ikamor, no sapphire, Gema was going in--drawing he great sword, she set off into the tunnel behind the blasted wall. Gema stepped through the hole in the wall and moved forward.

Echoing down the tunnel, Gema heard the sounds of battle hot heavy weapons and shields banging but still clear enough. Gema sprints down the hall, when she spots some light down the way and dears moving but not sign of those creatures at this distance. She held her sword ready to swing or charge. When she reached the lighted area she saw dead bugs and wounded Dwarves. She slows and moves over to help the wounded.

"Awk, Ye Finished them all with me never having a chance to give a blow. Who needs help?"

The self proclaimed Gema Thunderfist is clad Khord in fine full plate armor, a great axe at her hip and a great sword in her hand and heavy repeating crossbow over the shoulder. rather tall in a helm of strange design that some might remember from inside the Museum of Art and History against the back wall that exploded into the room before the Ankeg entered. Certainly this Gema was dress for battle.

Gema spotted one dwarf down on the ground back against the wall bleeding profusely. "Hang in there, Khord. We be a tough lot. I got just the thing for you." Gema moves over and takes off her belt and one at a time uses the three charges of her healing belt. 3x2d6 in healing. Then Gema tipped the dragon headed helm off her head to reveal the beardless chin, even featured face and silver white hair. Bohen, being so close, can notice clear turquoise eye regarding him intently. Even if Bohen was not sure of the Gema's gender, one glimpse of her breast plate made that clearly evident.

"Hello, what's your name. Looks like you got into thick of this battle." Gema adds with a smile. As she finishes using the belt, "That should hold you for now.

After the battle, Rerra barely stopped for breath before summoning Gamultindar’s healing strength once more, this time for Bohen. Indeed, if it hadn’t involved chanting at the lowest register of her voice, Rerra would have waited to fill her lungs, as she could see Bohen wincing with each of his own breaths.

She held her hands on him long enough to feel the ribs slip back into place, then stepped back, wiping her hands on her cloak in a business-like fashion. Being in the arms of her God was not something easily left, so she blinked a few times, almost dreamily, as first Ilde introduced herself, then another female Khord joined the party.

“I wish the elders were here to see this,” she muttered to herself,” Women don’t leave the hearthfire for adventures, ha!”

“Well met, Ilde,” Rerra instead called aloud,” and well done! That was your influence stiffening our backs and stoking our courage, I’ll wager! Glad to have you at our sides, I’m Rerra Stoneheart, Khun-kharad. I’m for continuing on, as Bohen’s right; we don’t know how long the captives nor these tunnels will last.”

Rerra cast a quizzical eye at the second newcomer, taking in the platemail and beardless chin, but not commenting on the contradiction. She herself was a contradiction, a female Runemaster, and youngish to boot.

“As for finishing them off without ye, I can’t say that I was willing to wait for help unknown, but I’m glad of it arriving nonetheless. I do, however, like to know who’s at my side.”