Lizardmen RPG - Accepting new players

Seeing Xiuhcoatl beginning to tire and blood streaking down her side from arrow wounds, Xolek shouts to the Salamander, chirps and what sounded almost reptilian at time come out of his mouth (1 beast handling point). The Salamander flicks its tongue and darts forth, stops and lets out a large burst of her volatile flem outwards towards the fleeing loggers. Immediately after the large reptile darts into the jungle away from others to seek refuge, as commanded by Xolek.

Xolek himself then bursts forth, pipe in mouth burning red hot, smoke coming out of his nostrils. Hearing the Priests words behind him, Xolek begins to glow (1 magic point) brighter and brighter as he catches up to those warmbloods fleeing....if able to reach its climax, the light will blind all those unworthy to be in Lustria.... Xolek laughs wildly, ready to strike those first blinded with his weapons (1 attack point)

 

Seeing everyone fleeing and burning and... both Quas could only meditate on his own state looking now at the two arrows protruding from their chest, hurting at any attempt to touch them. Leaning their huge back against the only non-burning tree they tried to do something about it, but only their groans of pain followed...

 

Following the other skinks out into the battlefield, Tik pauses at every fallen saurus and skink to check them over. Most had only minor wounds, but a few would need medical attention. As he nears the front line, he stumbles across Quas seated against a tree, a dazed look in his eyes. "Hello Quas, you're looking rather tired..." before the kroxigor can say anything, Tiq'xoltiq's gaze is drawn to the arrows in the great lizard's chest. "Oh. Oh dear, that is not good at all." Checking to make sure Quas was still at least somewhat coherent, the priest directs him to lie down flat and calls out to any saurus and kroxigor nearby and physically able to help. "I need someone to hold him down so I can remove the arrows from his chest!"

 

Tezka heaved from the return blow, but unperturbed the oldblood was willing to keep fighting. However He noticed that Xlauax had urged him to spare the commander. Noted. If the warmblood didnt struggle, it could live. However there were also other priorities, as they noticed the wagon train moving away from the saurian cohort

 

The hulking Kroxigor groaned and laid down where they sat the most lazy way possible. Quas tilted his body sideways. Then the side rows of light blue and cream-white scales touched the ground they began coughing. With a visible struggle the giant crocodile tensed their muscles and rolled towards the tree, their back plates scratching against the mud. Breathing heavily, coughing and grunting Quas now lied down on his back, bleeding chest facing the sun.

 

Tezka swung his spear, using the blunt end to attempt to strike the commander in the head. As expected, the nimble warmblood ducked out of the way, but what he hadn't foreseen was the carnosaur leaping onto him. Texcoco bounded onto the unsuspecting warmblood, his claws embedding in his armor and flesh, locking the man in place. The more he struggled, the deeper the claws would embed themselves. He would not be going anywhere.
The oldblood released a growl towards xlauax, signaling the warmblood's capture.

 

--- Xolek-zi ---

Xolek’s harsh shout’s drown out the buzz of battle, awakening some form of recognition and understanding in Xiuhcoatl despite the salamander’s savage, yet dulled intellect (-1 Beast handling point). Unnaturally compelled to fulfil the oracle’s order’s the salamander slithers ahead, weaving between wary skinks as the beast scuttled towards the fleeing carts. Making difficult progress, Xiuhcoatl is forced to unleash her torrent of flame early if there was to be any hope of striking at least one of the carts. As suspected - her shot was wide, the sticky ichor that ignited upon contact with the air fizzling out on a harsh damp wind that drove the flame to the right, missing the first cart. Watching as Xiuhcoatl spluttered and coughed Xolek made the call for the beast to retreat whilst his control was still strong - Besides, it seemed Xiuhcoatl had exhausted her reserves of flame making chemical, the large sack’s which straddle the creature’s neck sagging and empty. (Xiuhcoatl ammo reduced to 0)

As the beast to his side charged forward, So too did the oracle himself - Chanting as he did so. His word’s distorted by the wind’s into a language almost unrecognizable to both himself and those around him the air hummed for a handful of moments as his plea was answered. First budding from his tail, a simmering light began to pour from Xolek, the light seemingly slithering from the cracks between his many obsidian scales.(Blazing Aurora successfully cast. Target: Xolek-Zi. Duration: 40 Seconds. -1 Magic point) (Effects to all within a 5m radius: -8 Melee defense, -8 Melee attack, -50% Missile hit chance. All debuffs are halved on allies)

Those few running archer’s to the side stumbled, whilst the cart in front of him sharply veered, its driving horses braying in fear. Forced to run into either fire or the denser patch of unburned jungle on each side, the horses desperately swerved right, barely missing the tree’s as they struggled to regain direction and speed to the dismay of all on board. Similarly, the lone logger who had threatened him before had seen sense, giving way from the fight in flight - However, at sight of such searing light, the logger found himself stumbling on his hands and feet, his vision bathed in brightness. In doing so, Xolek-zi took up the opportunity to attack, his strike however slit throught the air unyielding as the warmblood attempted to squirm away from his fate, from his destiny. [Xolek-zi: -1 Battle]

--- Tiq'xoltiq + Quas ---

Scurrying around, The priest manages to find the few fallen warrior’s amongst the group - Among them are at least three wounded skinks and two wounded sauri.

Two of the skinks had sustained harsh, but recoverable damage in the form of shallow axe wounds. The other, he was however not so lucky. A partially violent strike had managed to land into the skink’s neck, severing parts of muscle and spinal cord. The skink was still breathing, but barely, its body no doubt paralyzed.

As for the saurus, one upheld only minor injuries to stone hard scales - The other, despite sustaining massive wounds in the form of what looked to be several crushed ribs, an arrow protruding from their chest and a nearly severed arm which hung from the saurus’s torso with but a thread of ligament denied immediate treatment from the skinks, attempting to shrug them off and continue tearing down the fleeing warmbloods - The saurian’s attempts were however halted by the surrounding lizardmen who immediately began to guide the warrior to be rested and at least bandaged up.

Now stumbling upon Quas, the priest quickly calls out with dismay - Of the nearby warriors, 3 skinks had rallied to him… but would they be enough? Luckily however two saurus had similarly heard his call, heading towards him despite their anger, and eagerness to chase down the fleeing loggers. No saurus would deny the word of a priest.

Quick in response the skinks quickly shuffled around, directing Quas deeper into the tree’s and away from the burning cart with calming clicks and hisses despite the backdrop of chaos. Likewise, the two saurus enacted the priests word as they struggled to hold the kroxigor’s limb’s down harder and stronger than seemed necessary - It appeared they were all too familiar with such arrows. Turning to Tik with cold, reptilian eyes, one of the sauri speaks out in a grating voice, his question almost deciphered into an order. “Priest. Skink Tiq’xoltiq. What is your knowledge of Warmblood arrows? If lacking I assist.'' Following up, the saurus mimics a small action with his blood stained hands, demonstrating how he would twist the shaft and pry open the wound in order to extract the arrow without the barb’s digging in even deeper. Likewise, One of the skinks quickly offered up a handful of broad leaves from a nearby plant as makeshift bandages, whilst another suggested he would dart back to the caravan and return with the proper dressings to stop the bleeding that would otherwise ensue.

--- Tezka ---

From one second dodging Tezka’s attack into the next, the officer found himself pinned to the ash covered ground. [Tezka: -3 Battle] Crying out in what amounted to little more than a gargle the officer struggled - but to no avail. Using its sheer weight, the young carnosaur had managed to pin the commander down (Officer health = 57 - 6 = 51/150), the warmblood struggling as another saurus poured into the engagement, the warrior lifting up his club ready to strike down - the warrior however halted as Tezka growled out.

Struggling, the officer wheezed as the beast’s claw’s dug into his arms, the warmblood speaking out in a panicked voice he called for his men, he called for Sigmar - In response all that was provided was the sound of screaming, the sound of the archer’s being burnt alive. These land’s remained untainted by the gaze of foreign gods, even a call to chaos would remain unanswered.

Looking to Xlauax, Tezka could see as the wagons swerved away - A slight feeling of anger burning inside him as they did so… Would they go unpunished for their crimes against this scared land? Watching with cruel eyes the oldblood could see as a number of chameleon skinks, Omeotl included, had begun to trace the carts. Their shadowy figure’s leaping over branches and between tree’s in pursuit, the carts were however, slowly escaping their clutches.

 

Spoiler: Character points

Current points for each character:

Key:
Point - (Amount character has), (Amount changed this round and why. Red for loss, Green for gain)
If a point is Green, It means this character has the max amount of that type of point.

Xlauax
Skill - 4
Battle - 2
Stealth - 2

Xahanol
Skill - 4
Battle - 4
Beast handling - 5

Xolek-zi
Skill - 3
Battle - 5 (6 -1 [Attempting to strike running logger])
Handling - 0 (1 - 1 [Directing Xiuhcoatl])
Magic - 0 (1 - 1 [Casting blazing aurora on himself])

Quas
Skill - 2
Battle - 8
Strength - 0

Tezka
Skill - 1
Battle - 1 (4 - 3 [Attempting to make boosted attack on officer])
Beast handling - 1

Tiq'xoltiq
Skill - 5
Battle - 3
Magic - 6

 

Angered but realizing that he was ahead of tue rest if the Lizardmen, Xolek turns around and his gaze towards those archers behind him.

Loading a dart into his blow gun, stops and quickly aims at one archer and releases the dart hoping to hit its target in the neck. Sprinting forth Xolek charges the next archer, cracking his whip forward the oracle aims for the warmbloods bow, hoping to rip it out of its hands. Xolek when in melee would then rob it of any hope that remained, and hopefully capture as an offering to... who he wondered.

(3 battle points? Whip tug, melee attack, capture?)

He went to go claim his prize.

 

--- Xolek-zi ---

The sound of a satisfying woosh rang out, followed by a gurgled scream. Squinting through the light which emanated from his body, the same light that illuminated the wafts of smoke which spiraled around him and the flame’s, Xolek could see as one of the two running archer’s tumbled to the ground. Thrashing, the warmblood desperately gripped its neck as it squirmed in the mud and ash - Its time had run out. Its hourglass had been cracked and smashed, the years worth of sand within pouring out in seconds, such was the price. [Xolek-zi: -1 Skill]

As for the other archer however, Xolek-zi clearly intended a different fate. Darting forward the skink quickly managed to catch up with the warmblood’s legs, the reptilian’s agility carrying him fast over the log’s and jungle debris.

Now within range the oracle let loose the strand’s of his whip, sailing through the air the material quickly latched onto the warmbloods bow - looping around it as if possessed by the lizard who wielded it. With but a gentle tug the warmblood’s sweaty grip gave way, the bow tumbling behind him with a clatter drowned out by the screams of his comrades. [Xolek-zi: -1 Skill]

Teeth gritted in determination the human pushed forward in any attempt to escape the skink’s fiery eyes. He had seen what this creature and its beast had done to his companions. Alas however, his struggles were not nearly enough.

Tumbling forward, the warmblood finally turned to face Xolek, immediately blinded as he did so.. There was no other opportunity. It was now his fate would unfold before him. Shouting in defiance of not only the lizardmen who had slaughtered his kin, but also cursing those who had taken the cart’s and abandoned him, the logger charged.

Slash. The multiclawed ribbons of Xolek-zi’s whip suddenly made contact. In a brutal, yet elegant arc the whip tore out ribbons of the humans skin, streaking up his shoulder and across his face. (Logger health: 90 - 40 = 50/90)[Xolek-zi: -1 Battle] Screaming from the pain the human tried to lash out into the blinding light, his momentum carrying him forward.

Xolek-zi was however too fast, able to quickly slither out of the way, allowing the warmblood to instead be carried further, causing him to fly into the mud (Logger's hit chance = 40 (-10 BLINDED) + 24 +2 - 20 = 45%) (Score = 43, Attack Misses). Ash and dirt stuck to his face and torn skin as he cried, pleading for the lizard’s mercy, such were Xolek's moltern scales and blazing light that to this warmblood he could of easily been mistaken as some celestial angel. It was in that moment however, Xolek-zi who stared into his eyes watched as the warmblood’s belief, his faith visibility shattered. Truth hurt more than any whip could.

The logger now knew he was alone here. His life, His death, They would go unvalued by his beloved gods, let alone witnessed.

Accepting his fate as a shivering wreck, The warmblood’s pleading stopped. Death would be a release from this harsh, uncaring reality.

Spoiler: Character Points

Xolek-zi
Skill - 1 (3 - 2 [Shooting dart] [Disarming logger])
Battle - 4 (5 -1 [Attempting to strike running logger])
Handling - 0
Magic - 0

 

Glancing over at the other, Tiq'xoltiq reached into a bag he seldom used save for the direst of emergencies. Zuztle had taught him well, and helped him make some specialized tools for this very purpose. He pulled out an odd device, crafted from copper. It looked like someone had fused spoons with deep bowls onto the ends of a long-nosed pair of pliers. "Barbed arrows I know about, removed them I have. With this, but the pain will be excruciating. I need as many holding down his arms, legs, and yes, even his head as possible." Pausing, he called out to one of the skinks. "Can you find me an arrow that missed its target so I have some idea how far in they have penetrated?" Having said his piece, he dribbled some specially-prepared numbing sap onto the skin where the arrows had struck, making sure to saturate the area so it would soak in under Quas' scales. Once he was confident that Quas had been numbed enough, Tik lubricated the device with oil made from coconut palms before using an odd, curved-blade saw-knife tool to cut through the arrow shafts about an inch above Quas' scales. By that time, one of the skinks had brought him a spent arrow, allowing the priest to judge how much of the arrow remained in the kroxigor's body. As the others held the Quas prone, Tik mumbled a calming mantra to himself before carefully sliding the cups of the tool down to where the arrowhead lay.

"The tool is designed to catch the barbs in the cups to allow the arrowhead to be removed, but it is not an easy task," he muttered to anyone within hearing. "It may take a few tries to remove each arrow..."

 

Quas looked at Tik with a horrified look. A pair of yellow-orange eyes called both for help and an escape. The Kroxigors muscles tensed and the scales spiked a little yet his body remained frozen.
Massive jaws clenched tight as the cups submerged into cook's flesh. A wave of pain sent Quas' massive hands to the sides desperately trying to hold into something or someone.

 

Glancing around, Tik mumbles something about handing Quas a chunk of wood or something. One of the saurus hears him and hands the kroxigor a chunk of cut log, just a little bigger than his fist. It isn't a good worry-thing as it quickly begins to crack and crumble in the kroxigor's mighty grip, but it is better than nothing...

 

Gritting his teeth, Tik wiggled the odd tool into the wound, feeling carefully for the barbed head of the arrow. The first came out with no issues...

 

Watching as the priest revealed the tool a spark of recognition flared in the saurus’s eyes and nostrils, the two of them returning to firmly hold Quas down even harder than before - It is clear that the sauri had seen such a device at work before…

Mind soothed by Tik’s calming word’s and body forced to relax and un-tense as the numbing sap oozed its way into his open wounds Quas readied himself - And so too did the saurus, one heeding the priests instructions and passing a small log into the kroxigor’s palm whilst the other strengthened his grip ever tighter.

It was only now that Quas realized why such effort was being made. A sudden, searing hot pain spiked from his chest. His skin shivered and burnt. His entire body cried out!

Forced to clench his teeth and close his eyes Quas was given a moment of relief as Tik had managed to loosen one of the three bolts, flicking away its gnarled, sinue covered barb to a nearby skink. Now only two more remained. (198 - 5 (bleed) = 193/280)

 

Sudden burst of pain struck the Kroxigor's body. Their teeth were pressing against the log in such force that they began to carve deep into the improvised wooden branch. A muffled growl followed and their muscles tensed some more most likely giving those who attempt to hold Quas in place quite a daunting task before them.

 

Cursing under his breath, the priest moved to the second arrowhead. This one was embedded much deeper, and while it came out, a lot more time and work was required. He could feel the kroxigor shudder in pain from his attempts...

 

Xlauax set to work tying up the Druchii With a bit of rope, he would interrogate him later, after the heat of battle had died down.

 

Tezka looks down, noticing Xlauax finishing the bindings on the commander. Coughing up some ichor, Tezka looked around for the wagons, only to see them moving out, gaining distance with the saurus. This he could not allow, and he spurred Texcoco on in pursuit, if they hurried they still might catch them.

 

--- Xlauax ---

The captain squirms and struggles in the thick, blood soaked mud, coughing and spluttering as he does so - No better than the worms his race placed themselves so far above. (Roll: 60. Needed: 24) His attempts to lash out and escape Texcoco’s grip were quickly greeted with discontent by the sauurs, the two warriors that now surrounded him aiding to further pin down his limbs. Their growls rung in his ears, their claws dug deep. Taking shallow breaths the captain looks towards the chameleon that now assailed him, his eyes meeting that of Xlauax - Both could see the intellect, however foreign, within the other.

--- Xolek-zi ---

Just as the captain had been bound, brought low and captured, so too had a handful of his men, among them being that which Xolek-zi now pinned. Gritted teeth, the warmblood made muttered noises as he attempted to struggle free, his attempts were however, to no avail (Roll: 96. Needed: 24.) Murmur’s turned to cries as the creature began to realise his position, his gaze averted and distant, looking out towards his fellow who similarly lied in the ashes, squirming. Screaming out in his pain, the other warmblood to his side had somehow managed to claw his way out and up from the mud and had began trudging toward’s Xolek-zi. His broken gate and wailing combined with the gentle trickle of blood that dripped from his neck, the dart still lodged perfectly within, would have one believe that he was a walking corpse, an undead if you will - His eyes however still gleamed with the light only life could manifest.


--- Tezka ---

With the captain subdued and Texcoco now free, the young carnosaur, despite its wound’s roared its defiance at the distant wagons. Needing no motivation from its master the beast began to quickly gallop in pursuit, his heavy feet crunched any broken twig’s pushing the earth down with each step.

The sound of a sharp cry coming from the cart’s which now whizzed ever faster, their horses thundering forward clearly marked their notice of being followed. Much to their dismay however, their screams only drove Texcoco further, He was gaining on them. Tezka was enjoying this - That was until the sound of whizzing split open and sliced the air. A sound he recognised like no other. (Roll to dodge x3: Dodge chance: 35%)

--- Tiq'xoltiq + Quas ---

One of the saurus pinning down one of Quas’s arm’s spared a glance towards Tik, grimacing as he watched the priest work the contraption - He knew what was coming next. Almost immediately Quas shuddered and roared out as the second bolt dislodged, coming loose in a spray of muscle tissue and blood. His eyes clamped shut, the kroxigor’s mind fixated on only one thing, the processes end. (193 - 3 + 3 (bleed) = 187/280)

With two out, only one remained. The bolt had however, managed to lodge itself firmly between what looked to be two of the kroxigor’s lower ribs - This would be a little harder.

Forced to carry out a slower process Tik, with a sigh of relief, had managed to retrieve felt like the bolt coming loose. He had however only grasped a fragment of the bolt, the head having shattered on impact with the bone. The scream’s of Quas having been long drowned out, Tik flared with another wave of determination - It was rather this than infection and festering flesh, To be at the mercy of some tropical disease which often paved to way to further parasite’s.

Struggling to breathe, Quas shivered with pain as his wound’s felt red hot, At least it was over now. (187 - 3 (bleed) = 185/280)

Quickly leaning him up against the tree, the saurus steadily loosened their grip before disengaging from the kroxigor with a notion of thanks to the priest. As the warriors picked up their weapons and headed toward’s the burning cart, and the burning warmblood’s screaming therein the many skinks which had now been attracted by the kroxigor’s distress quickly gathered in, helping to treat the kroxigors wounds with bandages, soft leaves and ointments. (Bleeding stopped)

---

Some were captured, forced to the ground. Others were executed, Instead falling onto it. Then there were those who none needed follow - If their many dart wound’s were not enough, they would surely succumb to the jungle within a matter of days; if not for raviging infection, then their fate would lie within the hands of some beast who had scented the smell of blood from far off. Either which way, All but those warmbloods within the wagon’s were now dealt with.

Chanting Uykar quickly brings the Ahuatli forth from the tree line, shouting out their victory. In response to which many of the saurus now roared simultaneously. Meanwhile skinks chittered, scurrying around as they distributed themselves amongst the tasks at hand: Tending to the wounded, quickly arriving to prevent any flame’s further advances along with awaiting the priests orders. In addition, of the skinks and saurii, a handful had began following in pursuit of Tezka.

With the combat having come to a close the clearing began to echo with the voices of many. The Saurus had began to recite ancient hymn’s to their gods of battle, hauling the many warmblood bodies into a pile before Uykar and the clearing’s edge.

First to Quetzl, he who had given protection to his children. Chanting, the saurus would raise their shields as one before thumping their chests with their hand.

Second to Tzcalti, he who offer’s strength to a warriors arm. Snarling out, the saurus would rip the warmblood’s hands from their sockets, holding them up before piling them in front of a skink who had began work attaching them to a rope.

Last to Xapati, he who had allowed death upon the warmbloods. Now in a silence, the saurus would gather all bodies, stripping them of all clothing and belongings before getting to work by both burning and burying them - To allow the cycle to repeat once more, from death birth’s life.

All the while some of the older individuals invoked Potec, to help guide those now lingering spirits onwards, rather than having them remain to grow ever twisted and malign as the years would pass onwards.