Still engaged in the frenzied movement of combat, Tak’ quickly scanned the alleyway for signs of both his pack and his prey. Three of the prey were already downed, struck by the pack, and several more were about to face the same fate. Half-man Elric was cut and bruised, but not in danger. Arrogant-wiseman Koreth was bleeding, but was fighting like a Klar defending her cubs. He would conquer. The pack was safe for now, and Tak’ could deal with his own concerns - his two opponents who were as intent on ending his life as he was theirs.

His body was still burning with the fire of his Will, his arms and legs infused with more strength than any halfling had a right to have - but the feeling was quickly fading, his Will nearly exhausted. Tak’ had to equal the odds, and fast.

Noting that the downed thief he faced was slow in getting up, Tak’ acted, committing himself to a risky maneuver. Leaping onto the prone thief in an all out assault, Tak’ struck with both daggers, one aimed at the throat, the other at the belly. The thief only blocked one of the twin daggers with his club, and as the full length of a Sloth-tooth entered his guts, he gave a strangled scream clutching the impaled weapon in vain as he breathed his last.

Continuing to roll with the maneuver, over the top of his fallen opponent, leaving both daggers impaled, Tak’ was suddenly weaponless. He was up in a second and suddenly faced his second opponent, the agile elf with the bone knife with the wicked blade. The elf extended to his full length as he pierced the halfling in the shoulder once again. A piercing wound would heal quicker than being ripped by that serrated edge. Tak's eyes lit up as he picked up his forest spear, already slick with blood from his dead enemy. Holding his weapon aloft he gave another warcry, this one joyous and shrill, indicating that victory was at hand.

Gaigin cursed, jarred by the thief's blow. Not jarred enough, however. Feigning injury, Gaigin stumbles slightly. The club-wielder grinned, raising his weapon for a finishing blow. Gaigin moved quickly, crouching and sweeping in under the raised club. With a yell, he swings his club, pounding it's tip into the thief's groin...a street tactic for a street fight. The warrior hits true but not before the thief got a chance to bring his own club down on Gaigin's back.

Gaigin grins, whirling to face his opponent, still crouched low. The thief wants no more of this and starts backpedaling towards the alley's entrance.

Elric looks down at his many wounds, indeed he's had worse though not recently. With a dazed look he scans the alley. His comrades are still outnumbered; the outcome still hangs on the balance. Purpose flows through him now, as a wicked grin creeps across his face. Raising his swords into battle guard, each movement bringing pain to his wounds, he shouts for any and all to hear "A few wounds for us, yet three dead for you. Know now the true fury of Gaigin’s Pack"

With this Elric swiftly darts across the alley coming at one of the thugs facing Gaigin. On approach Elric throws remaining reason aside and leaps high into the air. Swinging both blades down with horrific fury in a great arc.

The thug was lucky enough to have one Elric's blades hit on his carru leather armor thus not cutting through; the other blade, however, hit true. With a thunderous impact Elric’s blade strikes. Hardened bone sword ripping through the soft bone and softer flesh of the thug. As the thug is thrown to the ground Elric twists his blade savagely wrenching it free. Desperation taking over at having a warrior on top of him, the thief swings his club blindly at the bulk. His club catches Elric right above the knee joint and the half-elf is thrown off. The half-elf limps with a grim visage towards the thief who was still getting up. Both men were hurt but one had a killing rage come upon him while the other wanted nothing more than to get away from this dammed alley.

Koreth laughs at the two grimy men before him, "Run! Run you fools, lest I sheath my sword in your guts!" A plan formed quickly in his mind, he grinned widely. He would surely claim victory this day; he could feel it.

Koreth keeps careful eye on both his opponents, careful not to allow either to circle around him. He laughs; a wicked grin on his face as he spits into the eyes of his unwounded opponent.

The unarmed thief tried to grab his knife from the floor while his fellow entertained Koreth. The man swung hard with his bone club at Koreth's exposed shoulder. The noble warrior grimaced in pain as a sound of bone against bone is heard. It did not matter for his ruse had worked; Koreth brings his sword down upon the uninjured thief's right arm with as much force as he can muster. A spray of blood greets Koreth's blade as it slices home, severing muscle and tendon alike. The thief howls in pain, dropping his weapon as he reels back. "Now let's see you fight with only one arm!" Koreth laughs heartily.

The air cleric was still engaged in melee combat with his own thug; both were injured but their morale was vastly different. The cleric thrust his spear again catching the thief on the shoulder. The spear´s head punctured through flesh and came out as bloody as the man's scream was loud. He clumsily attacked but did not reach the nimble priest.

The true joy of hunting present, although this is not how Chit-Zik usually fights, the thri-kreen becomes only aware of whatever is within the range of his antenna as long as it lives. He moves toward his prey, seeing its reluctance to have his enormous mass upon it. He does not even take time to bask in any form of victory, or acknowledge the blood on his weapons before preparing to strike again.

The thug's leader lifted his heavy datchi club, the weapon still had not tasted blood as it was deflected by the kreen's hard carapace. He changed his tactic and swung at the head this time. The club whistled through empty air as the kreen dodged the blow. His prey wounded, Chit-Zik thrusts both gythkas into the leader. The leader sidestepped the first thrust but the second gythka connected with his midsection. The thug doubled over in pain and the kreen saw its opportunity to finish him off. He dove with his mandibles to bite a chunk from the leader´s face. The thief barely moved aside but not before kreen saliva dripped on his face. The thug's leader reviewed the whole mugging scene with terror on his heart. He suddenly became interested in leaving the alley as fast as he can, "Ye'll pay for this today, I swear I'll kill ye all!"

RETREAT, FIGHT IS OVER, HOSTAGE…

It seemed that the thieves were waiting for their leader´s order to run away. Gaigin and Elric covered each other's backs in the back end of the alley as they let the thieves leave. Elric already limping and deeply cut and bruised, simply made a defensive gesture with his two swords before leaning his back against the wall letting out a deep sigh. Gaigin was right next to him in a flash to lend a shoulder for support. Ayrus' thug was long gone along with Koreth's elven thief whose tries to stop the blood from his arm seemed futile. Both of them turned the corner and followed their leader without much opposition.

Koreth watched the thieves run with some satisfaction, "Let that be a lesson to you!" Turning his attention to the fallen, he plunges his sword into the dead thieves around him, making sure they are truly dead. Once satisfied, he wipes his sword with the cloak of one of the dead thieves. He then sets himself to check at his injured body.

There were still two thieves that were caught in the middle of the alley and were not able to run, one of them faced Tak…

The elf dropped his serrated knife, and backed against the wall, spreading his arms widely in a gesture of supplication. The fear in his eyes was evident, and grew more so when he realized the halfling that faced him knew no mercy for the enemies of his tribe. Tak’ brought the spear up to the elf's gut and began to thrust. The elf gasped in surprise at the savage warrior's reaction; a rivulet of blood dripped down his chin.

The elf was defenseless and prone while Tak’ pierced bone, flesh and cheap plaster pinning him to the wall. Clutching futilely at the weapon, trying in vain to free himself, the elf slowly grew less and less frantic in his efforts. Tak waited until the elf had ceased both movement and breath, he then reached over and forcefully yanked his spear free of elf and wall, letting the body of the elf roughly fall to the ground with the dignity of a large bloody sack.

The other thug's fear could be smelled in the still noon air. He frantically looked for a way out but his way to life was blocked by a huge kreen and a vicious halfling killer. The man desperately grabbed an injured beggar girl and put a knife to her throat. The man was about to crack and he yelled like a lunatic pointing at both kreen and halfling, "Keep them away, keep them away! All I wanna do is get out!" Chit-Zik clacked his mandibles and his claws drew frantic figures in the air while Tak grimly stepped forward. The thief kept close to the wall and started for the exit; he looked towards the "civilized" warriors and half-yelled half-pleaded, "Keep them away or I kill her…"

Your move.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Here is the situation as it stands right now.

Gaigin (SiW)

Koreth (W)

Elric (SeW)

Tak (SiW)

Chit (H)

Ayrus (H)

Thief (SiW)

Small Sketch of Positions

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G A

E C open end of alley

K Th Ta

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I realize that this is a small turn and not much action has occurred but I thought it was a good time to stop and role-play a bit.

I did not get a turn reply from Ayrus this time but he excused himself (he is busy Tuesday through Thursdays). Since what happened only covered very little game time, I thought it would be OK to cover for him.

When you answer, think about solving the immediate problem (hostage) and also role-play what you will after the fight (i.e. continue to council hall or not and any and all actions in between).

No one except "Gaigin" has commented on the turns so I am assuming that everything is OK and that you are all having fun.

Do you want to know what your game status is (i.e. hit points, etc.) or is the description enough?

L8r,

Fabian