[HQ Ignorance] Scene Three: Dilis Swamp

[Nic Hughes]

>
> Prior descriptions could not save one from the
> overwhelming disgust that non-chaotics experience when
> encountering these beasts. Some were like warty frogs
> with unnatural colours and the horns of goats, others
> like fish with vestigal hooved legs and poison
> dripping from their dorsal spines, others carried
> primitive spears of stone, sinew and wood. Their
> appearance and smell and most of all the sound -
> "V-r-r-r-o-LUT! V-r-r-r-oLUT! V-r-r-r-o-LUT!" -
> revolted all those of True Power. 
>
> But the clearly murderous intent of these creatures of
> Chaos steeled the nerves of those present. The fight
> was on. 
>
>   

Aalmon felt a moment of primal horror rising in his gut until his with 
higher insight he calmed himself and conquered his instinctive fear.

"I have faced worse and lived" he reminded himself as he unslung the 
long-handled axe from his back and began to drop into a fighting stance.

“Keep the
women and unarmed behind, those foul creatures will not offer mercy or propose
ransom if they take you… I will distract them as much as I can, kill all the
others efficiently and fast. I will try to bring the rest to you in a dispersed

order.” He heard from behind him and called back "Yet they know the 
secrets of the swamp like no others, if you get the chance captives 
might be valuable."

He eyed the crescent blade of his axe, the point to fend with curving 
round like a razored dying moon and then the near-point for catching and 
snagging - with luck he will do well enough to use that inner point. He 
looked towards the slithering things that had singled him out as the 
blade erupted in an unnaturally bright flame, the searing heat of the 
stars themselves come to aid him.

Aalmon watched them approach and without a sound spoke with his brother 
"Hold my back and warn me of their intent, I will give you a chance to 
extract their secrets if I can". Then, assessing the way they approached 
he was glad of the spirit whispering and nudging him to stay on the path 
and out of whatever traps may lie off it. He summoned his courage to 
stand firm, with a loud cry he swung the deadly flaming blade of 
star-metal at the approaching horror.

OOC:

Lev, it should be clear what his intent is here and you could probably 
work out what he is using as augments. Do you want us to do an OOC list 
of augments or are you happy to stick with IC descriptions?

For the record and despite its grandiose name the axe is made of the 
star metal tin, rather than really being of iron. I suspect his patron 
wanted to make the gift seem grander than it was and played on a common 
misconception to do it without actually lying! Come to think of it I'm 
not sure what the basic bonus is for a saddle-axe, I'm visualising this 
as like an Iranian/Indian style axe a little under 2m long used 
one-handed from horseback and two-handed on foot.

Nic