The quest for the Scroll of Forum Resurrection

I then pulled out my rifle and aimed it towards the bartenderer.

"I remember you, you bastard"

I then pulled the triger and a bullet hit the bartender in the back.

 

Half-orcs and dwarves. This was going to be tough. Still, it was the best bar-fight I'd had in ages!

The dwarf wore some strange medallion. None of us were wearing medallions, so I assumed he was an enemy. Feldon was starting to attack him, so I looked for some prey of my own. The half-orcs would be hard to take down, but a good challenge all the same. I rushed to fight them...

 

The Dwarf pulled a gun and fired a shot. It pinged off of my favorite lithograph, then a bar light, and finally into the back of the bartender, who looked ready to expire anyway.
Whose side was the Dwarf on? He was either the best or the worst shot in all of Arcanum.
I continued my charge, barely avoiding a vicious thrust by one of the Half-orcs. All I could see was that Emblem of Evil the Dwarf was wearing. A tribal war cry broke from my lips.
"Baaaah!" I cried.
And now I was upon him. I raised my Great Sword to cut him down.

 

As Feldon swung his sword at the Dwarf, the half-orc swung his at Feldon. With nothing else to do, I flicked my knife as I ran at him. I've never been the best knife tosser, so only the butt struck him. Although it got him in the head, it didn't do much damage - it just stunned him for a second. That was all I needed.

As I slid towards him, I balled my hands into a singular fist and swung at his knee. There are advantages being short, and the ability to break someone's knee inward is one of them. He roared with pain as I searched for my knife again...

 

Tumbled near the doorway, I looked up - sort of - at the Dwarf who barged in shouting the odds. He didn't look familiar, and I didn't know whether he was friend or foe. He didn't attack me immediately, which is often a good sign.

Then Feldon screamed a war-cry that sent chills through me, not for its ferocity, but because it meant the spirit of the ram was on him. I resolved to stay out of his way, since he often had trouble telling friend from foe at such times.

Scooting sideways across the floor to shelter near a bench, I managed to remove myself from his direct line fo charge - at the unfortunate dwarf by the looks of things.

The only way I could disentangle the Stunaliser was to wrench off my coat, which I did, just before a knife embedded itself, quivering, in the floor near my foot. That was bloody close. Looking around I saw from Luden's expression it had been his throw. So he was a tosser as well as a PRAT, was he? Still, I had to admire the way he kneecapped his mark, who happened to be standing, very painfully as it turned out, not far from my refuge.

There didn't seem to be any obvious way I could help right now. I briefly toyed with the idea of putting Feldon out to save on the painful recrimminations should his fury get out of hand. No, that was too chancey - what if I merely made myself his target? Not wanting to feel idle, I found the hole I'd blown in my great coat, and rummaged for a needle and thread.

 

The other half-orc started swinging my way but I easily dodged his slow swings.I got bored of dodging so I ducked,jumped on him(he fell on the ground of course)and stabbed my dagger between his eyes.My summoned ogre grabbed the other hal-orc ,who was still moaning from pain,and wringed his neck.I stood up,pulled out my dagger from the half-orc's head and looked around.

 

As my blade began its deadly descent, I was hit full-on by a flying Half-orc with a broken neck. I missed the Dwarf by a foot and went crashing into the doorjamb with a loud crack.
"Ouch." I said, and tried to clear my vision, but something warm and sticky was obscuring it. Someday I must invest in a helmet.
As I struggled to keep my balance, I pointed an accusing finger at the swimming figure of the Dwarf.
"Sluggg Riderrr," I croaked.

 

I cast minor heal on Feldon and then stunned the dwarf.
"Hey guys it seems it's time for interrogations."

 

I picked up my knife from the ground near the Sheriff.

"Not here" I said, walked to dwarf and knocked the butt of my knife into the back of his skull.

"Let's get him out of here. He won't wake up for a while. Someone will have to carry him though..."

 

Ouch! That looked like it hurt. I put the last few stitches in my coat and tied it off like nanny showed me.

I looked around the bar area as I stood and shrugged into my coat. The place looked surprisingly unscathed and our side looked in remarkably good order. The great coat settled onto my shoulders with the reassuring weight of materials, some of which I might soon be needing if we were going to put the dwarf to the question without resorting to barbarity.

Mercifully the manic gleam seemed to have left Feldon's eye. Perhaps his fury was receding. Still, I didn't bother approaching him just yet - no sense taking chances.

 

Last thing I remembered was some fool charging at me and then pointing a blade at me.As I stood there frozen I felt something hit me in the back of the head(good thing I was wearing a helmet or I would have died).But as they were thinking me unconcious(which I was not)I was listening to what they were saying.

 

"Look at the poor chap," I said, gesturing to the unconcious dwarf, "D'ya think he realises how ugly he is? Hoho, he's got egg in his beard.

"If you fella's don't mind, I think we'd best get him someplace quieter, and I'll adminster some of my best Verudite. That'll loosen his tongue. Best bring a bucket, too; it has some unfortunate side-effects."

 

"I think your ogre might come in handy here Andrew" I remarked as I looked at him.

"Feldon, what does that amulet signify?"

 

I felt my strength returning. There must be a mage in our little group. I wiped goo from my eyes, looked down, and saw the Dwarf sprawled in the doorway. Apparently I had struck him a mighty blow.
"Hah! That will teach you to meddle with Feldon Kane!"
The group was all gathered 'round, and looking at the Dwarf as well. Andrew mentioned an interrogation.
"Yes! We must discover where the rest of this scurvy-ridden, flea-infested, slug-riding son-of-a-bastard's bastard's bastard's accomplices are. I know of a suitable manger to inflict the Ancient Torture of Bo-Peep."
I tried to remove the medallion from the Dwarf's neck, but the chain wouldn't break. I only succeeded in raising the Dwarf's head off the floor and letting it thump back down. I tried over and over again.

 

After ten or twelve tries at removing the amulet, Luden's question penetrated my brain, and I told him the saga of The Slug Riders of Garr-din.
"When Arcanum was young, the Great Sheep-god Ramses placed two races upon the ground. One was my people, the worshipers of Baah-ha-mut, The Platinum Sheep. The other race was The Slug Riders. They were placed here to make us strong in our constant war upon them. Their only wish was to devour our crops and other riding implements.
Then one of my ancestors, Shu-kar Kane, discovered the Holy Salt of Mortawn, and the Slug Riders were repelled. Over the years, their membership shrunk and was bastardized, much like that of the Molochean Hand.
But there are still Agents of the Slug around, and they somehow seem to scent my people. They track us down and attempt to kill us. This is their symbol -- The Spewing Slug!"
I tried to remove the amulet again, but all I got for my troubles was some more head-thumping. I grabbed the Dwarf by one ankle and began dragging him away from Madame Lil's. His head thumped down the front steps.
"This is the first time I've captured one alive, and I intend to get to the bottom of his...this case. Come with me if ewe will."

 

I went after Feldon waving to my ogre to follow.

 

"Will you please let go of me, and I am no....what ever you call em. I got this amulant from so dude who threatened me and then I killed him and took all of his stuff. There are you guys happy now!!!!"

 

"Hm...should we trust him?"I went behind the dwarf and cast charm.
"So my "friend" please tell us the truth.You know I can read your mind so you better tell us yourself 'cause if you lie my ogre here is a little short-tempered and might do something painful."

 

"Ha...you guys just do not like dwarves thats it. I am not part of any damn slug riders clan!!!!!"
I reached for my axe but I could not find it.

 

"Hey ogreeee.Calm down our friend please."
The ogre pulled up the dwarf and tossed him in to the wall.His head started bleeding.
"Ouch...that must have hurt."