Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Silenthall
Quest: The Town of Fog
#TheTownofFog #Chapter6 @Durzan @Luc Seifer @Overly Shedding Chocobo

What Durzan was saying is the truth. It would explain why the bodies were found half eaten and why the whole town had gone missing, still until there's concrete proof there was no way they'd listen to the rants of the foreign invader. One of the guards did however, find Durzan's story to be quite interesting. He tapped his comrade in the shoulder and told him to wait while he went to get the captain.

A few minutes later the Captain of the Ramoan knights entered Durzan's cell, along with his lieutenant. They first gave Durzan a leather flask filled with water and asked the Delva to tell the story again from the start.

The lieutenant held the flask up for Durzan to drink from since his hands were still bound behind his back. Durzan hadn't realised how thirsty he was. It was kind of ironic, that he was dehydrated despite nearly drowning. Then again it had been sewage water he had choked on, and after Khar had resuscitated him Durzan had puked his guts out. The flask of water was much needed, he drained it all in one go! but now that he had sated his thirst his empty stomach now ached for food.

Durzan thanked the lieutenant. Though they may be enemies, common courtesy could never hurt. Besides, as far as Durzan was concerned he was still acting as an envoy for Borgon, Durzan wanted to make a good impression. Durzan sat on the floor cross-legged, sitting up as straight as he could. He looked over the Knight Captain, doing his best to size them up. Durzan hoped that if he behaved honourably, the captain would do the same. 

"I am Durzan of clan Dragthrall, I am currently serving as a Stone Guard under the mighty War Chief Borgon Garam of the the Delva'shok, at your service." 
Durzan greeted the captain with a bow of his head.
"I was sent to this village as a peaceful envoy." Durzan started to explain, "Just me and five of my comrades as an escort. We came to ask the leaders of Silent Hall for permission to pass to setup camp on their land for a few days to rest. War Chief Borgon wanted it to be made clear that we meant them no harm..."

Durzan then went on to recall how he and his men found themselves surrounded by an eerie mist. Durzan shared his suspicion with the captain that the mist may have been what put him and his men to sleep. He then went on to talk about the Cathedral, the deaths of his men, the traps, the eerie figure with glowing yellow eyes that ruled the dream. 

Durzan left out the part about Bula, claiming that woke up through sheer strength of will alone. He then did his best to describe the true appearance of the creature, but he admitted to not getting a good look. Durzan then recalled the events that led up to him being trapped and almost drowning, which explained the state he was in when the knights had found him.

"Captain, Sir..." 
Durzan added after he was finished telling his story, 
"This town is not safe. It is the hunting ground for that... that evil thing! I know that I am in no position to ask favours of you... but I beg you!


I must kill the dream monster! The souls of my comrades will not be at rest. They were denied the honour of a glorious death in battle, so now it falls to me to see that they are avenged. Please allow me to rid myself of this shame and regain my honour as a warrior!"

Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Silenthall
Quest: The Town of Fog
#TheTownofFog #Chapter6 @Durzan @Luc Seifer @Overly Shedding Chocobo

After hearing Durzan's story the guards, including the captain, fell silent. They paused and looked at each other. There was an obvious tension building up inside them. One of the guards twitched his eyes and soon after everyone started laughing.

"Don't say I never did nothing for you all." The guard who called the captain said. Everyone continued laughing they found Durzan's story to be quite hilarious. They made Durzan retell his story just so they could laugh at him. These men weren't going to believe a word that comes out of Durzan's mouth.

The captain walked up to Durzan and grabbed him by his horn and said, "You know what I think? I think you and your horde did all this. Since you're in the talking mood, mind if I ask. What are you westerners doing here in our country? You better tell me or I'll make sure you and your brothers take the fall for this."

Marlow found his way into the city, reluctant but with no better options. It had a sense of being abandoned, all the houses with no occupants.

Hearing his name, he whirled about quickly, arms at the ready to defend  himself. But he saw nothing. The memories of the tower of drowning blood resurfaced like a PTSD flashback, and he shuddered. Seeing nothing, he ran away in the other direction, deeper into the city. When he felt safe, he slowed and took to observing.

Using his eyes and ears he was able to discern the sounds of an army, and he scampered up a house and used the roof to get a better view. He saw refugees explaining, an army, a pyre with many, many dead and many more being hauled from, from ... a single direction. He couldn't see where from here, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

Nearby, he heard the muffle of soldiers talking and listening in, was able to get the sense that someone was being interrogated (Durzan), and laughed at. It wasn't enough to get the sense of what they were saying. He still had no idea where his friend, Stranger (Luc), was.

Marlow ignored the growing creepy feeling and pressed on, traversing the roofs of houses out of sight, peering into windows, looking for Luc.

Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Silenthall
Quest: The Town of Fog
#TheTownofFog #Chapter6 @Durzan @Luc Seifer @Overly Shedding Chocobo

Marlow made the right decision leaving the wilderness and heading over to the town. It was night time already, and the amount of death had attracted several types of dark creatures including Shades. Some Shades tend to stay away from any type of light, but there are others who are willing to risk leaving the dark in order to snatch a person and drag them down into a world of void.

While he was sneaking around the town, avoiding sentry after sentry, he came across a group of guards who were talking about Luc. They were at awe with what Luc had accomplished on his own. The boy took out more than 2000 Delvas all on his own. They weren't able to witness the actual battle or Luc using the Vermilion Eye, but the corpses speak for themselves. There was no one else in that field that field other than the Delvas and Luc. They also mentioned Luc's whereabouts. He was being kept in a two story house in the middle of town, unfortunately it was just across the main hall where the Ramoan Army setup their base.

Durzan had told the truth. He had greeted the Captain respectfully, giving his full name and rank. He had acted honourably for a soldier in his position. He had begged and pleaded with the captain for the sake of his comrades' souls.

And they laughed at him.

Durzan's Delvic blood began to boil. He had been through a lot today but suffering mockery and humiliation at the hands of these knights was the last straw. The captain stepped forward and grabbed Durzan by one of his horns. Durzan strained against the ropes that bound his wrists. To touch a Delva's horns without permission was a serious insult, akin to spitting in one's face. Durzan gritted his teeth and struggled against the Captain's grip. Oh how he wished he could just lunge forward and drive the tip of his other horn into the captain's throat. Who would be laughing then?

"You would blame my people for the slaughter of this village?!" Durzan spat, "I'm done talking to the likes of you. Cower in fear, and wonder as to why a Delvic Horde now marches across your lands. You'll get nothing more from me like this...

...And when that creature starts hunting again... Well, don't say I didn't warn you"

Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Silenthall
Quest: The Town of Fog
#TheTownofFog #Chapter6 @Durzan @Luc Seifer @Overly Shedding Chocobo

Durzan's resilience only made his situation worse. The Captain tried asking Durzan nicely, as expected, Durzan wouldn't talk about their mission. Being a honorary member of the Delvic horde, Durzan would probably die before leaking any information about his mission. Still they had the try and extract it out of him.

The captain had his men hold Durzan down on the ground. Then he pulled out his knife and sliced off one of Durzan's horns. Unlike other animals with horns, Delva horns do not grown back once cut off. He pocketed the severed horn and said, "My daughter's always wanted one of this. If you don't want to lose your other horn, I suggest you start talking tell me what your mission is."

The Captain didn't really need a to keep Durzan alive as a prisoner, he could just kill him and burn his body like the rest of his friends. Whether or not Durzan decides to talk, the Ramoan Captain was still going to kill him.

"Let go of me! Get off!" Durzan growled as the Captain's men pinned him down.
"What are you doing? Unhand me- no... "
When the Captain drew his knife, a cold realization hit Durzan in the gut.
"S-stop! Stop! Don't touch me! Get off! Don't! I'll kill you! I'll kill you I swear!"

Durzan had one of his horns cut from him. The right one to be specific. There was no pain, no blood, just a single fluid motion.
And it was gone.
Durzan was in shock. They had taken a part of him. A Delva's horns were a symbol of their pride, each set of horns are unique, an integral part of their identity. Humans could not understand since they saw the horns as being purely decorative. They were so much more.
To Durzan, it felt as though he had lost a limb. Something he had since birth, taken from him forever. Bula had loved his horns, she used to trace the tips with her fingers before kissing them. He had once killed a foe by gouging out his throat with the tip of the very same horn. The sense of loss was profound, hard to grasp at first. Durzan had lost a horn. Delva had started wars over less.

"Give it back..." Was all Durzan said in reply, "Give me back my horn!"
Durzan's magic surged through him, disintegrating the ropes that bound him. He was beyond negotiating with these Ramoans. After cutting his horn, Durzan knew that no matter what he did or said, they would not let him leave this place alive. Because the second Durzan was free he would have killed the Knight Captain. 
Rather than postpone the inevitable, Durzan chose to resist! They took his horn, he would make them pay in blood. He hadn't survived the horrors of Silent Hall only to suffer at the hands of these Ramoans. Even if it cost him his life, he would teach these Ramoans to fear the Delva.
Purple flames burned in Durzan's hands, the Knights had underestimated Durzan. They had taken his weapons but had not considered that Durzan could use magic. Indeed, it was rare among Delva, once again it was Durzan's trump card. It would be their downfall.

"Give me back more horn, or all your daughter will be getting is a dead papa!"

Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Silenthall
Quest: The Town of Fog
#TheTownofFog #Chapter6 @Durzan @Luc Seifer @Overly Shedding Chocobo

"How dare you talk about my daughter! Men take this piece of trash and tie him up outside. Let's see how tough he is out in the cold." The captain got really angry at Durzan for talking back to him and mentioning his daughter. As instructed, the guards dragged Durzan out into the open and chained him to onto one of the iron gates. The conditions outside were severely punishing. As additional punishment, Durzan was stripped of all his clothes and armor. One of the guards took a bucket of water and splashed it all over Durzan's bare skin. Then they left him there to freeze.

As the night grew darker, the temperatures got colder. Durzan is a tough person, but the cold was starting to get to him. His body shivers uncontrollably. The Captain and his men are all sitting comfortably inside a warm room drinking booze, patiently waiting for Durzan's will to break.

"Hmm... well that could have gone better..." Durzan grumbled. 

Even his red hot rage wasn't enough to keep him warm in conditions like these. To make matters worse, after showing off his magic, the Knights had bound him with chains instead of rope. 

It was definitely getting colder. Durzan would succumb to hypothermia eventually. Sheer will and guts could not win out over the laws of nature. On the bright side, being splashed with a bucket of cold water had helped Durzan to settle down a bit and clear his head. Today had been a nightmare, and he had been running on his anger and his emotions. 

Given some time to think, Durzan started to think rationally again. As things currently stood, he could not hope to hunt the Dream monster and avenge his men. Not with the Romoans occupying the town, and certainly not while Durzan was their prisoner. He had to escape, had to find a way to get back to the horde. Together, they could raise the entire town to the ground and force the Dream monster out of hiding. Durzan didn't care what it took. That monster had to die.

"ACHOO!" Durzan sneezed. 
His teeth were chattering now, and he was beginning to tremble from the cold. Durzan tried to keep up a brave face. He didn't want to give the Ramoans the satisfaction. Night was falling, it would give Durzan the cover of darkness but also make it a lot colder. Durzan didn't have a lot of time to act. He tested for weaknesses in his chains, and in the iron gate he had been bound too. If one or the other could be broken or worn down, Durzan might be able to sleep free...

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As Marlow scouted his surroundings from the vantage point of the rooftops, he also took time to survey his backside, not just his front. As the sun set, he thought he saw greater darkness intermingled where there was lesser. This made no sense to his innocent mind, but he took it as it was, and accepted the forboding shiver that tingled his spine. He did not want to go back to that battleground graveyard.

A gurgled scream penetrated the darkness where a soldier who was dying but not yet dead met his doom by way of hungry shadow. A nearby guard perked up upon hearing this, but did not abandon his post - not only did he know better, but he knew what it was.

A conversation drifted past his ears, that his Stranger, Luc, had single-handedly slain two-thousand fighting men. A second shiver crawled up his spine, and again Marlow was faced with the decision of whether he really wanted to find Luc or not. Luc falling on the battlefield and being swept away now made sense, that the man was exhausted. And that he was being taken care of by this Ramoan unit - courtesy of the overheard conversation - meant that he was a splinter Ramoan agent, or that he had become their ally with his actions. And again, army business was not something Marlow wanted to get caught up in. But neither could he go back - creepy shadows barred exit from the township - nor could he wait here forever. Eventually he would be caught, if he lingered. So he settled again on finding Luc, debriefing, and probably parting ways.

But first, he had to find his way to the place the overheard conversation said he was. Which was right in the center of their encampment. Delvan balls, man. And it was cold. He would need to find shelter soon. If he waited till morning, conditions may be better, and the army could march.  He saw a prisoner, a Delvan, taken outside a hut and chained to a cold fence, but he escaped. Perfect distraction for him.

Double-checking his arms, armor, and belongings were tight and secure, he raised himself on the balls of his toes, flattened his back, reached his arms forward, and propelled himself from rooftop to rooftop, across the heads around the backs of wary guards and through the darkness he went...

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Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Silenthall
Quest: The Town of Fog
#TheTownofFog #Chapter6 @Durzan @Luc Seifer @Overly Shedding Chocobo



Durzan was very lucky that the chain just suddenly snapped into two after testing it out for weaknesses. This allowed Durzan to escape his situation but not the cold. He still needed to find clothes and fast. His balls were starting to freeze off, literally. To make matters worse, the guards just changed shifts meaning the current ones patrolling the streets are more energized than the last batch.

There aren't many soldiers in the town though. Nearly half of the two thousand soldiers were outside pursuing the fleeing Delvas, and some troops were also dispatched to the west to investigate the missing caravan. Both patrols haven't reported back yet, and it seems like this was going to be one of those long nights. The captain and his circle of friends decided to drink the night away, all the while laughing at Durzan and playing with his severed horn.

Meanwhile, Marlow successfully infiltrated and navigated through the town unseen. He was able to learn the location of Luc and was now stealth-fully situated right on top of the house where Luc is being kept. Luc was still asleep but he has already fully recovered from his wounds thanks to being healed using magic.

With some effort, Durzan was able to find the weakest link in the chain that bound him to the gate. After grinding it up against the iron gate for a bit, he was able to pull it apart!

He was free from the gate, but a length of chain still hung from the shackles at his wrist. Durzan gathers up the chain, coiling them around his arm so that they would make less noise. At the very least, he could use the chain as a weapon. It wouldn't be lethal to whip somebody with it, but it could hurt. Plus, he could always use the chain to strangle someone~

Now if only he had some pants. Durzan was free now, but he was as naked as the day he was born. He couldn't escape like this, not without his clothes, armour, and a weapon. If the beasts of the wild didn't kill him, then the elements surely would. Durzan was not about to go off and die of exposure after all he had been through. Besides, he had business with the Knight Captain.

It was hard for Durzan to be stealth when he was so large, but he did his best. The abandoned house where the Captain and his men were drinking was not far, but there would be several guards patrolling the streets that he would have to sneak past. Durzan took a moment to try and plan the best route before taking off. He kept to the shadows as best he could, but again, it was hard for a Delva over seven feet tall to be discreet. 

Durzan was trying to get around the abandoned house, he was hoping to sneak in through a back door. Perhaps then he could take the captain and his men by surprise, or even wait until they were asleep and then steal his gear back. Durzan checked the path before him. It looked like the coast was clear, but it was hard to tell in the dark.

Durzan held his breath and re-adjusted the chain around his arm so that it wouldn't jingle. It was now or never. He broke out into a sprint, hoping to cross the main road and take cover in the opposing alley. He would have an easier time of sneaking over to the Captain's house from there... if he could make it without being seen...

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Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Silenthall
Quest: The Town of Fog
#TheTownofFog #Chapter6 @Durzan @Luc Seifer @Overly Shedding Chocobo



Durzan manages to safely get inside the house, via the back door, without being spotted. His equipment are in placed on top of the table just a few feet away from him. The Captain and his men are cheerfully drinking in the other room, completely oblivious to Durzan's presence.  Unfortunately, one of the patrols passed by the gate where Durzan was previously being held. He noticed that the Delva had escaped and immediately went for his whistle.

He was about to blow on his whistle, to alert the others, when all of the sudden he was pulled into the shadows by an unknown creature with yellow glowing eyes. The guard's partner dropped his torch and ran quickly in fear. But the creature chased him and caught as he passed behind the empty houses. Blood splattered all over the walls as the creature tore up it's prey's flesh. It was the same creature that Durzan saw in the sewers, the same one that murdered the inhabitant of Silent Hall. But it looked different from before. As it continued to consume human flesh, the creature's appearance begins to change. It started growing hair on it's head and it's facial features were closer to that of a human.

Durzan could hear the Captain and his men laughing in the next room. By some miracle, he had made it in undetected, but Durzan wasn't sure how long he could remain incognito. Surely someone would be around to check on him soon, and when they found the broken chains dangling from the gate, the Ramoans would know that Durzan had escaped.

No alarms had been sound so far, no whistles blown. Maybe Durzan's luck was finally turning around!... not likely. Durzan had a bad feeling. The mist had yet to return, but this town was still cursed. The best thing to do would be to flee, to make a break for it and to try and join up with the Horde. However, travelling alone at night would be perilous, and if the Ramoans were here, who knows where the Horde might be now.

Durzan cursed under his breath. He was in a real mess this time. Trapped in a cursed town filled with enemy patrols, and to top it all of he couldn't find his sword! Durzan resisted the urge to flip the table where he had found his armour. His sword was nowhere to be found! What had the Ramoans done with it? Durzan scoured the backroom he was in, but all he managed to find was an old, rust short sword.


"Hmm... better than nothing I suppose..." Durzan grumbled as he tied the scabbard to his waist.  

Now that he was no longer stark naked, Durzan's morale improved. He tiptoed over to the door that led to the next room. Placing his ear against it, he could here the Knight Captain and his men. 


"That bastard... he still has my bloody horn!" Durzan cursed.

One problem at a time, Durzan thought to himself. He would deal with one problem at a time. First, beat the shit out of the Knight Captain and take his horn back. Second? Kill the evil creature that ruled this gods-forsaken town. Third? Get the hell out of this place and back to the horde. Preferably with a few Ramoan heads as a trophy.


"Alright, let's deal with our first order of business then~" Durzan smirked as he drew his rusty short sword.

Sword at the ready, and magic coursing through his other hand, Durzan burst through the door, hoping to catch the Knights by surprise. He charged, ready to cut down everyone and anyone who came between him and the captain.

Chapter 6: Tangled Fates

Silenthall
Quest: The Town of Fog
#TheTownofFog #Chapter6 @Durzan @Luc Seifer @Overly Shedding Chocobo

Durzan certainly surprised the captain and his men. They were very quick on their feet though. The soldiers were able to grab their weapons and form up in front of their captain. This wasn't going to be an easy fight. Durzan was going up against a Ramoan Knight Captain and 3 other soldiers. Furthermore, his weapon is only a rusty sword, truly the odds are stacked against him.

On a positive note, the four men were pretty intoxicated in alcohol. This would greatly affect their fighting abilities, perhaps enough for Durzan to pull a win. Durzan also had the jump on them meaning he has initiative in this battle.

Weapon Stats:
Rusty Short Sword: 50 STR

His trek across the rooftops had gone swimmingly and now he stood on the roof his Stranger was housed in. Peering into a window, he saw Luc asleep, but he gritted his teeth. He could tell that Luc was looking better, but with everything that had happened, he felt uncertain of Luc's sanity and how safe the man really was. The tower had been keyed to him, what if waking this man up meant another drowning in blood?

His heart beat in his throat as he tried to decide what to do next.

He could have swore that he saw a shadow move through the streets, but he lost the movement as soon as he spotted it in his perphery. The men that fell were outside his vision.

But a commotion was indeed inside his vision. A blue man through a window raising hell. He turned to look where he'd last seen the man in chains, but now half an end lay severed in a snow drift. So the prisoner had escaped. And by the looks of it, he was not faring well. Not well at all. Marlow winced as he took a deadly blow and recovered from it.

Bluntly, he was too terrified of Luc to wake him up, which meant sulking about until he woke on his own. And the fewer soldiers about, the better. This blue man was probably dead meat anyways. On the rooftop, Marlow readied his arrows...

Marlow joins the fight