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Post by Keesha on Jun 24, 2005 17:49:46 GMT -7
Her eyes brighting even further she relishes as the silence envolves them, a sudden change of mind going through her as she grabs the daggers under her robe slowly and casually, knowing that the beasts would have discounted her already as being incapacitated inside the silence zone. A grin grows in her face as she can see the brightness of the creatures eyes as she aims her shot.
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Post by Waleed Ibn Alurah on Jun 25, 2005 4:23:42 GMT -7
Waleed grimaced as his spell was ended too soon on the Yakman to their left. With a look to his girls and Mamoun and a sweep of his hand towards the left Yakman, Waleed raised his scimitar and charged forward.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 1, 2005 16:29:02 GMT -7
In the face of Waleed’s charge, the Yakman stood his ground- gripping his twisted dark wood staff tightly in two large hands. Ya’qub saw what a focused Waleed could not as he closed to attack. The staff had begun to tremble and undulate in the towering creature’s hands. As Waleed swung, a black wave of crawling insects flowed from the staff’s surface, spilling out in a rising tide of mindless chittering. Too late, the Yakman tried to raise the staff in a spraying curtain of defense, but Waleed’s blade would not be denied.
Keesha was unable to read the expression on the other Yakman’s face, but perhaps it was one of confidence and satisfaction as it quickly cast another spell, its final gesture directed directly at her. What she could decipher was the pain and surprise that replaced it when Haroun’s arrow sank deep into its midsection. But even that look was short lived as Keesha’s dagger flew like an ale house dart to the bulls-eye. In this case, the Yaks-eye. She had to satisfy herself with imagining the cry of pain as she was shrouded in deep silence.
Waleed heard it. That and both yikaria yelling in near unison: "Hasan!"
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Post by Haroun El-ahrairah on Jul 5, 2005 14:49:29 GMT -7
Haroun took advantage of the distraction (the yakmen's cry for help), quickly recovered Hafeeza and charged at the yakman that had been hit by his arrow.
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 6, 2005 12:20:16 GMT -7
The flood of insects continued to pour from the staff, coating the floor like a living carpet. Hidden behind the bellowing Yakman on the right, a curious whirlpool of insects fed a growing whirlwind. As Haroun charged forward, ignoring the wet crunching of chitinous shells beneath his feat and the first skitterings across the bare skin beneath his robes, he saw the black whirlwind fall upon the Yakman. The force of which knocked the creature violently down into the swarm.
Across the room, Waleed and his bodyguards fought on, trusting in Haroun and Keesha to defend their flank. Valiantly trying to aid their master, Mamoun and the three girls ineffectually tried to distract the towering creature. Nonetheless, Waleed fought on, parrying a stunning blow from the magical staff and then thrusting and slashing with blood-letting accuracy.
Ya'qub saw an opportunity to act as insects poured over his feet and down the stairs. He waved his arm and with a command threw down a thin curtain of flame. Fate only knows how many insects where killed but it was as a cup of sand in the desert. Despite his failure, he praised Fate that Sahra was safely aboard the Bright Dancer.
Keesha saw the creature rise to its hands and knees, completely encased in insects. She threw another dagger into the mass as Haroun reached it and hacked repeatedly with his scimitar. Drawing on some inner reserve of hatred, it rose to its full eight feet in height before Haroun, its bellowing growing weaker. "Hasan..." Haroun couldn't make out the words it said next, but it seemed to regain a measure of strength and Keesha's first dagger fell from its face and into the living floor.
Perhaps it was the insect swarm that made the earth begin to tremble beneath their feet, perhaps not.
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Post by Waleed Ibn Alurah on Jul 6, 2005 12:48:16 GMT -7
Waleed knew their time was running out, if Hasan was the Efreeti downstairs then the Yakmen would need to be finished quickly to avert another fight. Waleed yelled while pressing his advantage, "Your head will adorn my wall you ugly beast!"
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Post by Ya'qub on Jul 6, 2005 14:09:08 GMT -7
Ya'qub shifted his gaze from the insects scuttling across the floor in an ever-growing mass to the the source: the staff.
An idea slowly began to form in his oft-scatterbrained balding head.
If I could only dislodge the staff from the beast's hands... he thought.
With that he began to concentrate on the form the spell might take to begin heating the wooden staff to his burning point, either to ignite it fully, or at least make it "too hot to handle"
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Post by Keesha on Jul 7, 2005 4:25:52 GMT -7
Obviously enraged by the situation she does something quite unnatural to her, charging towards the beast and preparing some close range spells to cast as soon as she is out of the silence zone.
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Post by Haroun El-ahrairah on Jul 8, 2005 20:43:49 GMT -7
Haroun, being to some degree used to having 'things' crawl over him while hiding in the sewers when a kid, and knowing time was against them, hacked again at the creature...
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 15, 2005 17:42:16 GMT -7
Haroun slashed the Yakman across the midsection and followed through with a downward chop at the legs as the momentum of his attack carried him forward. The expected counter attack never materialized. The beast, even as it fell screaming, frantically wiped insects from its face. Haroun spun and continued attacking relentlessly.
Ya'qub stood at the top of the stairs, the insects swarming over his jebella of concealment rendering it ineffectual. He cast a spell, focusing its energies on the wooden staff held in the hands of the other Yakman. To Ya'qub's dismay, the creature did not release its grip and continued to fight with Waleed.
Despite Waleed's bold assault and rallying cry, his guards and Mamoun where unable to do anything other than struggle against the swarm that threatened a cruel death by a thousand stings. Only one thing gave Waleed hope, the beast's attacks where too slow, its defense pathetic. Again and again, Waleed's scimitar drew blood.
Across the room, Keesha splayed her hands and poured fire onto the prostrate Yakman that Haroun stood over. The stench that arose was sickening, burning fur sizzled and insects popped. She stopped, shook free a face full of insects and spit out two or three more- the rumblin ground was rising toward crescendo. The center of the chamber floor burst open and from it leapt the dark-skinned giant.
The look of triumph on the Yakman's face was unmistakable, despite its alien appearance. It was there only the briefest of moments, however, replaced by one of purest incredulity. Waleed's scimitar completed its blinding arc- an arc that's apex had been across the beast's throat, reducing a forming command to nothing more than a harsh gurgle. It collapsed to the floor, sightless eyes somehow still filled with disbelief at the injustice of it all.
"Yes, masters?" the bejeweled giant yawned- a bit unconvincingly. A smile peered from behind the mock horror that he suddenly displayed as he took in the scene. "Oh! It appears I have arrived too late! Curse fate that I am such a heavy sleeper! But for that I would have been able to follow your command that I slay any intruders on SIGHT!"
As he spoke, the swarming insects began to scurry away, leaving you free from all but a few stragglers stuck in your hair and the folds of your robes.
Losing the sarcastic airs, the giant laughed and lifted himself the rest of the way into the tomb where he sat cross-legged on the floor. "I am Hasan the Dao, one time unwilling servant of the motherless bastards who were known only as The Subverter and The Pretender. You have freed me from slavery and in my boundless gratitude I will perform three tasks for you."
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Post by Keesha on Jul 18, 2005 2:50:53 GMT -7
Removing a couple of remaining insects from her pocket she smiles at the giant. "Keesha here, pleased to meet you and thanks for your offer... before we can make use of it, however, it would be helpfull if you could provide us some information about this place and whatever was going on here"
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 19, 2005 8:56:17 GMT -7
"You are within the tomb of Suhail min Zann," Hasan replied. "This holy ground has been desecrated by He Who Pretends Holiness and He Who Subverts the Enlightened. While they have never consulted with me the nature of their plans, I believe they intended to enslave important priests as they came to visit during the High Holy Days."
He gestured toward a large iron chest placed beside the far wall. "Locked inside that cursed chest, which I have been compelled to carry for one thousand and one nights, is the skull of Suhail min Zann. His remaining bones where crushed and scattered and lie beneath your feet."
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Post by Ya'qub on Jul 19, 2005 9:18:23 GMT -7
"Locked inside that cursed chest, which I have been compelled to carry for one thousand and one nights, is the skull of Suhail min Zann." Ya'qub found his voice. "Why, O Mighty One, should his skull be locked inside that chest, while the rest of him doomed to be trodden underfoot?"
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Post by Gamemaster on Jul 19, 2005 11:31:57 GMT -7
"Such is the fate of their victims," Hasan replied, turning his attention to Ya'qub. "They took perverse delight in offending the enlightened..."
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Post by Waleed Ibn Alurah on Jul 19, 2005 16:14:34 GMT -7
With one final chop, Waleed removed the head of the Yakman he slew and wrested it upwards. Looking into it's cold lifeless eyes, he murmured, "Yes, you will do quite nicely mounted on my wall." Flicking his blade to remove some of the blood, Waleed sheathed his blade and turned to the great efreeti and perfectly bowed low as if bowing to a sultan, "Greetings most wise one. It is my honor not to have slain by your omnipotence." Awaiting the perfect time to rise, as he had been trained to do, Waleed then assumed a more commanding stance and asked, "Oh great one, if you were to be tasked to rebuild the Shrine of Suhail min Zann, could you do so in a reasonable amount of time? Secondly, what know you of these earthquakes that destroyed the shrine?"
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