Star Metal Marauders- Highway Harvest

Frangipani simply gave Sparhawk a tight nod and hissed at the statue.

Bjorn lunges forward into the dwindling orange light, and tries to grab one of the fleeing devils by the shoulder, to keep it from escaping. Athletics: 11

Quote from ChoirOfFire >>

Bjorn lunges forward into the dwindling orange light, and tries to grab one of the fleeing devils by the shoulder, to keep it from escaping. Athletics: 11

 One of the devils slips through the shrinking hole, but Bjorn is able to snag the tail of the other one, which gets trapped in the wall as it closes up. It’s bottom half drops to the floor with Bjorn left holding the now limp, spine covered tail.

the corridor grows quiet, only the sound of your hard breathing. The foul smell of devil blood assaults your nostrils and then the whispers return. You think you hear Ufeli in the mix this time.

Sparhawk gathers himself. "I think that Marduk blessed me?" Perhaps to the crews surprise, he does not seem pleased by this. "Did he speak to any of you. I find this quite troubling."

"Anyone in need of some healing?"

Tossing the tail away, Bjorn begins laughing. He makes it about halfway to the torch before the laughter fully overtakes him and he has to brace himself against a wall.

"So he's real. He can give blessings and kill devils." Bjorn looks up with a malevolent grin. "A real, actual god."

"How does it feel, Marduk? Thought you'd give a command to me, eh? To the one and only Bjorn Erlandsson? Just because yer a god?"

Drunk on blasphemy, he goes over to spit on the sculpture.

Seeing his friend psychologically break, it occurs to Sparhawk that this statue may or may not be the power of the gods, a real god, or just magic and illusion (Wizard of Oz).  Either way, he does what he can to calm his friend, stating that he too did not like being coerced by the statue, and manipulated. Sparhawk motions for the crew to go back out the way they came back to the front hallway at the top of the stairs. (If needed, he will "help" Bjorn head away from the statue.)
"We all have our stories, and are quite happy with who we are. We don't need something forcing us to change.  I like you the way you are my friend."  Sparhawk holds Bjorn, gently, yet firmly, trying to use his calm presence to help him. 

(like a man who has seen something terrible in combat, the captain has to bring the soldier back).

"Now, pull yourself together, we have work to do here and I need your wits."

(Sorry, he's not upset, he's just gained a new level of arrogance lol. A god tried to use its powers on him and he resisted. Theoretically he just did the impossible, and he hadn't even planned to. It's gone to his head a bit)

Eberk walks up to the tail and kicks it. “Little bastards.” He returns to the group, “What now Captain?”

Sparhawk gathers the crew. “Way I see it, we got two choices.  either finish our search, hoping to find Abernath, or head out.”

”I don’t like this statue and it’s effects on us “

“Then, Complete our business in Miribar. Then Report back to Irongrass our findings and head to the jungles. 

Thoughts. This is a group decision.”

" Keep searching."

She glowers at the statue.

“The rest of you?”

”also, who needs healing? (Sparhawk 17/37)

“I’m ready to keep searching. And I can heal up people.”

Lir holds up a charred limb. 

“Bjorn, the defiant?” (more of a statement than a question)

””I could use a bit of healing Eberk”

"Lets continue our search. Clearly, Abernath has created some bigger problems here. Gods, devils, artifacts of power.  Keep sharp."

Eberk says a prayer and cast Healing Word on Sparhawk and Lir.

Sparhawk: 6

Lir: 7

"Thank you my friend. Even in this place, your goddess gives you her blessing." (Sparhawk will also heal Lir, placing his hand gently on him (lay on hands 10)

"It's ridiculous to think I wanted to avoid Soft-Bottom. I'm sure he's not as powerful as a god," Bjorn boasts. "If he's here, we should root him out. Maybe his little experiments got to him already."

('Tis but a scratch! Okay, maybe it's close to half my HP.)

Sparhawk, growing impatient with this wizards troubles, "Alright, we have two passages. Eberk, Lir, Bjorn, how bout you check the far passage over, but let us know if you see anything of note." He looks at Frangipani, "Frangi, you and I will look down this corridor for the same."

(Unless I'm confused, there are two hallways (south side of the map) to the right of the hexagon room. (Group one will take the further west hallway. Group two, the closer one, not sure where the devils came out of?)

Frangipani follows her captain.

Perception- 6

Stealth- 10