“Gather!” A gruff voice shouted across the square, as the sounds of the bell quieted, “Around the center, all of you!”

Orcus moved through the crowd of people with relative ease, maneuvering himself toward the front with as little suspicion as he could muster. The tired whispers of townsfolk rose through the air around him as he pushed through the cluster, and he was careful not to make too much eye contact with anyone.

Somewhere out there, Oriax was taking up a position as well, hopefully behind where a few of the cultists were gathering at the head of the grouping. Orcus couldn’t be certain where Seku would fit into this spontaneous plan of his, but he was confident that things would sort themselves out in the end. When fighting was involved, they usually did.

With a bit of charm, the Prince of Demons had persuaded his way out of a confrontation with the cultists who had initially come knocking on the outpost door.

As it turned out, they had indeed been tipped off that a strange group of individuals entered town that night, and feared that the mages had returned. Orcus had managed to convince the two idiots that it was only him inside, and that he was simply a scavenger. Seku and Oriax had kept themselves and Chauncey's unconscious body hidden quite well as the cultists investigated the outpost, which meant that only the Prince of Demons was "forced" into the plaza. He left his weapons behind, but with a simple bit of Telepathy, Orcus conveyed his plans for that night.

“The time has come again.” A wiry man with a raspy voice, hooded and robed, stepped up onto a wooden block, adding, “Six souls will be selected tonight, so that the rest of you might go in peace. For that is the Kingsnake's true intentions for these lands: Peace and prosperity for all, beyond the shackles of your foolish leaders. Though these six lives will not be taken lightly, punishment must be dealt for the rebel adventurers that continue to receive aid from those few who walk among you.”

Panicked murmurs rose through the crowd of people.

“It was only two last time!” Someone shouted.

“…And one before that!” Another said fervently, feminine in tone, "We've not helped any adventurers since you ran them out, just as you asked of us!”

A third voice yelled, “We don’t want any more trouble. Please!”

“Quiet.” The cultist croaked, “Or it will be more of you! Take your punishment with pride, for the Kingsnake has called upon you for the great sacrifice. It is an honor that you might stand before him.”

Several of the hooded figures around the square then made their presence all-too known, pushing and shoving townsfolk just to corral them back into line, with some even producing leather bludgeons to strike at the dissenting voices.

An amused smirk curled up Orcus’s lips as he stepped through the crowd, hardly receptive to the fear now very palpable throughout the area. He delighted in the tactics being used, but didn’t understand why the townspeople were so afraid. It wasn’t like there were that many of these supposed cultists to begin with, as far as Orcus could tell. They could have easily overwhelmed them with numbers, losing only a few or more of their own in the process. Perhaps it was a simple matter of tiredness and resignation after all, as Seku had suggested. Perhaps the people simply feared what else might come for them, should they resist.

“The Kingsnake is merciful to those who submit willingly.” The head speaker continued, and the crowd began to quiet as many eyes turned on him, “There are no wrongful sacrifices here, for you shall be rewarded. A small suffering today, is a forever peace tomorrow. The promise of Ashran'shatha is nigh! Now, we shall—”

Orcus raised his hands into the air suddenly, letting down his cloak and hood, interjecting, “I would like to be selected for the great sacrifice.”

“What—who said that?” The speaker at the front stammered, looking down throughout the crowd as his eyes settled on where Orcus stood. Many of the townsfolk followed suit. He wrinkled his nose, “You… you want to be selected?”

“Do not sound so surprised.” Orcus shrugged with a smirk, glancing around himself momentarily, “You said the Kingsnake rewards willful submission? Well? Here I am. Willfully submitted.”

“Guh—I mean this is unexpected...”

"As a matter of fact, I insist upon it.” Orcus imposed himself again, loud enough so the whole plaza could hear. He wanted the people to know his face, and his voice. He may not care to save them, but they would bask in his presence nonetheless. As for the cultists, they could do as they pleased. They would not live long to regret much of anything.

It was then that the murmurs began again, though they were much less frightened this time. If anything, they were more confused as to what was going on. Several of the cultists also looked around at one another, unsure what they were supposed to be doing. Their eyes eventually settled on the head speaker, who appeared to be at a loss for words himself. Orcus was certain they'd never had anyone do something like this before, and the momentary mass confusion was all he was really aiming to achieve.

“Uh… of course!” The head speaker decried awkwardly, “Your enthusiasm is appreciated. The Kingsnake’s eye settles on those most loyal, yes. You will be rewarded, young man, there is no doubt of that. Step forward!”

Orcus did as he was instructed.

“Mystic Sight.” He murmured.

--- Mystic Sight: -1 use ---

--- Mystic Sight: 2/4 uses remaining until next Rest ---

As his vision dimmed, the Prince of Demons did not notice any signs of celestials, fiends, or undead in the area. Further convinced that these “cultists” were nothing more than mortal flesh, Orcus proceeded with a devilish smirk.

The last of the townsfolk stepped aside, and Orcus found himself at last standing before the wooden block upon which the wiry man stood. The man had wisps of long, greasy gray hair dangling out from within his hood, and his nose appeared to have been broken and healed in a slightly crooked direction. Two other cultists, younger by comparison, stood on either side.

“Where is this Kingsnake, anyway?” Orcus asked loudly, “I would very much like to meet him.”

“In due time...” The man smiled, “For now, we must—”

“You haven’t even met him, have you?” Orcus willed his voice even louder, “You hide behind your hoods and your silly little dogma. You inspire fear in these hapless citizens, and yet you yourselves are little more than cowardly worms—pawns in service to an utter fool. How pathetic.”

The man’s features wrinkled angrily, “How dare you speak to me in that tone? An example will be made of you, insolent brat. Seize him. Now!”

Orcus grinned, “Like you made an example of the adventurers? Of the mages? These people? You seem to think that you are mighty for preying upon the weak, that by feasting on their fears your patron will shower you with praise. But how very wrong you are.” Several of the cultist moved their hands down to their sides, readying their weapons. All attention was drawn to the Prince of Demons, exactly as intended. Orcus added sinisterly, a dark aura growing around him, “You thought you could benefit from the misery of others without paying your dues? Well, the master of misery has arrived in this world, and you owe him a great tithe. Oriax!”

The silhouette of Oriax’s impressive form bounded up behind the wooden block, his maul arcing through the air.

[Oriax's Target] --- Take 11 points of bludgeoning damage ---

The head speaker was sprawled out across the ground in a split second, blood spewing from the cavernous hole in the back of his head. In an instant, shouts from the crowd blew up into full scale panic as people scattered in every direction. The cultists were stunned for a moment as well, but they wouldn’t stay that way for long.

“Oriax, my weapon.” Orcus demanded.

“On you, hands!” Oriax shouted in reply, tossing the Prince of Demons' mace into the air.

Extending his hand, Orcus caught the weapon in a single swoop, and was immediately in on the action.

Whoosh!

His first attack narrowly missed the cultist ahead on his right, who was quick enough to lurch backward and away from the mace’s swipe. In return, the cultist lunged with his own sword drawn, but the Prince of Demons parried quite easily.

Shouts from other cultists farther back in the crowd were unintelligible, but clearly strained. Orcus was certain that the party would have a bit of time in the mayhem to dispatch a few bodies, given how many townsfolk were still heavily congesting the plaza area as they made their escape.

[Seku's Target] --- 4 points of piercing damage from main hand, 3 points of piercing damage from offhand, bonus to damage not applied ---

Orcus glanced into the upper-left pane of his overlay momentarily, regarding the kill as likely belonging to Seku, who must have been somewhere out in the crowd nearby. Nevertheless, he braced himself for more attacks.

From the top of the wooden block, Oriax offered Orcus a hearty grin, “It’s a good night for a hunt, hands! Don’t fall behind! Hyah—!”

Without a moment’s more hesitation, he jumped from the wooden block and down onto the second closet cultist on Orcus’s left, the reddish-purple aura of his rage beginning to engulf his entire body. However, he slipped in a streak of blood from the dead cultist at his feet, and tumbled all the way down onto the stonework.

--- critical failure! ---

“Ah, shit… what the hell was that?” He groaned from the ground, prone and at the mercy of the cultist he’d intended to hit.

[Oriax] --- critical hit! Takes 7 points of slashing damage –

--- 2 points of slashing damage from critical ---

--- Rage active, slashing damage resisted! -5 points of total slashing damage ---

--- 4 points of slashing damage ---

--- Health (Oriax): 10/14 ---

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“Idiot.” Orcus huffed, himself still locked in place with a cultists’ blade.

Glancing the sword down and away from himself, Orcus thrust his mace back up and across in a diagonal path.

[Orcus's Target] --- Takes 6 points of bludgeoning damage ---

The cultist winced with a shriek as Orcus’s mace battered him across the chest. However, in a flustered panic, he waived his sword arm forward, slicing the Prince of Demons across his body.

[Orcus] --- Takes 5 points of slashing damage ---

--- Health (Orcus): 7/12 ---

“Wretch!” Orcus hissed, but was suddenly aware of more cultists closing in behind them, now that the crowds were beginning to disperse somewhat. A second man was off his right shoulder by a few feet, and another was atop Oriax as well.

[Oriax] --- Takes 7 points of slashing damage ---

--- Rage active, slashing damage resisted! -4 points of total slashing damage ---

--- Takes 3 points of slashing damage ---

--- Health (Oriax): 7/14 ---

Spinning on his heels, the Prince of Demons regarded the cultist on his immediate right, and the one ahead of him. Oriax was in a tough situation, but he’d have to pull through for now.

“Vel’athas sari!” Seku’s voice hissed in her native tongue, and a plume of green vapor billowed out from Orcus’s left-hand side, ensnaring the man before him.

[Seku's Target] --- Takes 9 points of poison damage ---

A bloodcurdling cry echoed for all but a moment, as poison rendered the cultists’ flesh from his body. He was dead not long after.

“Fine kill!” Orcus shouted, who could just now see the small, shadowy frame of Seku some fifteen feet away from him. However, he glanced across his right and out beyond the rest of the plaza, to where five more cultist were pushing through. He turned to Seku, saying, “The crowd has played its part to our benefit. Let us deal with the remaining numbers here and make ready to advance on the rest incoming.”

Seku nodded, and brandished her daggers.

Close nearby, Oriax kicked himself up onto his feet, and spun his maul around through the air, shouting, “Man, you guys’ suck ass!”

[Oriax's Target] --- Takes 10 points of bludgeoning damage, 2 points of rage damage ---

Orcus glanced over his shoulder in time to clock Oriax’s maul cleaving into the neck of one of two cultists’ surrounding him. The body crashed to the ground in a limp heap, unmoving. He then maneuvered himself around side the second cultists, putting a bit of distance between himself and a third just pushing through the last of the fleeing crowd.

In the same motion, Orcus stepped back momentarily. Scooping his mace, he brushed aside the cultists’ sword and allowed his weapon to sink into the inner thigh of his opponent. The man yelped, but Orcus punched him in the mouth and ripped his mace free from the leg, tearing scores of flesh as he did.

The Prince of Demons turned to face the rest of the crowd, shouting manically, “Where is your Kingsnake? Where is your cherished savior now? There is only death awaiting you on this killing field!”

Nervously, another cultist breached the clearing and swiped at Orcus, though his attack missed wide right, panicked and trembling.

--- Health (Oriax): 5/14 ---

Orcus glanced up to catch the last of the text scrolling up his overlay, but resigned himself to focus on the fight.

Suddenly, a hazy shape of black darted around Orcus’s backside, reappearing on his left to flank the nearest cultist that had just attacked him.

Two quick cutting motions shifted through the air. One pressed through the cultists’ left boot, the other sunk deep into his back and was then sliced up the middle. The man groaned in agony, as Seku silently tormented him with her blades.

[Seku's Target]--- Takes 5 points of piercing damage from main hand, 2 points of sneak attack damage, 4 points of piercing damage from offhand, bonus to damage not applied ---

“I’m very sorry, but please die now.” Seku murmured apologetically, as the last bit of life escaped the cultist, who fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood.

Orcus furrowed his brow curiously, regarding the wistful look in his party member’s eyes. Though he could scarcely believe it, she really did seem sorry, and yet she had killed the man so easily. She was just as insane as Oriax.

“Keep lining em’ up!” Oriax shouted with a manical augh, “I’ll keep hacking em’ down!”

[Oriax's Target]--- 13 points of bludgeoning damage, 2 points of rage damage ---

Altogether, there were three more cultists approaching Orcus and Seku, and one more currently on Oriax. However, the three that were closing in on the party did not seem particularly excited given the onslaught of gore that was at their feet.

--- Health (Oriax): 4/14 ---

“Seku, do you believe any of these men possess valuable intelligence.” Orcus asked hastily, “I have a mind to capture one, but only if it is worthwhile.”

“…Maybe.” She shrugged unsurely, “I guess, they would have to know something about Garimor, and some of their plans. Strongholds too.”

“Very well.” Orcus nodded with a plain delivery, “Pick one out for us to keep, we’ll dispose of the other two.”

Seku’s eyes widened with a twinge of vigor, as she said in an instant, “That one.”

Orcus regarded the young man farthest to their right, some forty-five feet away, with an uninterested glance. He couldn’t be more than twenty years of age, and fear hung on him like a rotten smell. A red flush filled out his cheeks, and strands of blonde hair got caught in front of his eyes as he tarried onward.

However, the Prince of Demons didn't have much time to form an opinion, as the cultist on his left lunged wildly with a sword attack. Orcus battered the sword away with his mace, and shoved the man back a foot or two.

“Negate Essence.” Orcus stated clearly, and a sudden burst of necrotic energy coiled itself around his person.

[Orcus] --- Gains +7 points of temporary health from Negate Essence ---

--- Health (Orcus): 7+(7) /14 ---

Encircled with a protective tendril of darkness, the Prince of Demons turned to Seku, “I will trust you, but you'd better not fail me. Now go, finish these vermin to your heart's desire.”

Seku nodded with beaming intensity, just as one of the cultists lunged at her!

--- Health (Seku): 7/9 ---

She gasped, but quickly composed herself for an attack of her own.

[Seku's Target] --- Takes 7 points of piercing damage from main hand, 2 points of sneak attack damage ---

With a rapid thrust, Seku leapt into the air and brought her dagger across the man’s neck. The wound split open and blood cascaded down his throat, as his eyes looked on his shocking disbelief.

“I’m very sorry! Please die quickly.” Her voice trembled, as she started across to close the few feet between her and the remaining cultist on Orcus’s left.

A sickening yelp resounded nearby but was cut short, followed by a hard-hitting sound. Oriax’s gleeful laughter filled the air thereafter, as he dropped the last of the cultists near him.

Meanwhile, the man on Orcus’s left gritted his teeth loudly, shouting, “Just who the hell are you people! There wasn't supposed to be anyone like you here!”

Nevertheless, his sword swiped through the air at Orcus in a desperate move.

[Orcus --- critical hit! Takes 6 points of slashing damage –

--- Takes 4 points of slashing damage from critical ---

--- Health (Orcus): 4/14 ---

--- Negate Essence dispelled---

Orcus groaned as the blade cut across him, wounding him deeply. The Prince of Demons could feel the warm blood tricking through his garments, but the adrenaline kept him upright. He was only thankful for the temporary health he’d been granted from his last remaining spell for the day. He scowled.

“Unfortunate for you then. Now die and be silent!”

[Orcus's Target] --- 7 points of bludgeoning damage ---

Orcus’s mace arced through the air and fell across the cultist’s neck, iron prongs clawing their way through the red fabric of his dark robes. The man relented a whimper, as Orcus yanked his mace back, flesh and blood chasing after.

In the moment of pain, Seku launched herself onto the same cultist's back, and with both her hands above her head, plunged her daggers into the base of his neck.

[Seku's Target] --- Takes 6 points of piercing damage from main hand, 5 points of sneak attack damage, 3 points of piercing damage from offhand, bonus to damage not applied ---

The man’s body fell to the ground, Seku still atop his warm corpse.

“Wait, please don’t kill me!”

“Oriax, no!” Orcus shouted, glancing up in time to see his maul-wielding, blood-raged companion about to permanently separate the poor man from his head, “We're keeping him alive.”

Oriax stopped, but only just, heavy breaths escaping his nostrils like a large beast of burden. He grinded out in a babble, “Don’t like his smell, hands. Not one bit. Lot of blood on em—bad blood. Bad blood’s gotta go, don't like it... gah! Fucking with my head again!”

The young, blonde-headed man fell to his knees, sobbing, “I don’t want to die. I didn’t want any of this. You have to believe me; I’m begging of you!”

The Prince of Demons walked up behind Oriax, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Taut muscles twitched, as he said, “You have spent enough life today. There will be more tomorrow. I promised you. Now listen to my orders, and step aside.”

Oriax snarled, glancing over his shoulder as if tempted to bite Orcus. The reddish aura around him was almost entirely purple now, and his eyes burned the same color. He grunted some unintelligible noise.

“Are you a mindless beast? Or will you control yourself?” Orcus doubled down, “There are things we may yet learn from him. Look, he is a broken soul already. Kill him now, we gain nothing. Don't make me put you down, Oriax.”

Oriax showed his teeth, but shoved Orcus aside and stormed off in the opposite direction.

“Oh—thank you. Thank you!” The man pleaded desperately, “I don’t know what I would have—”

“Silence.” Orcus hissed, imposing himself above the sole remaining cultists, “Another word, and I will cut out your tongue. Move an inch, and your soul will find itself at the gates of hell quicker than you can blink. Nod if you understand, you miserable wastrel of a life. And be content that I do not skin you alive.”

The young man fell silent and deathly still, as the Prince of Demons peered around the plaza momentarily.

It was largely vacant now, littered only with the warm bodies of dead cultists. Orcus didn’t see any sign of other ne’er-do-wells, though he did not doubt they were out there, which he supposed was a good thing. Let them run back to their leader in fear.

Regardless, he was exhausted. There were more problems to solve than not, but they would have to wait until he rested.

"Uhm, maybe we should get off the street, mister Orcus?" Seku said hesitantly, stepping up behind him as she wiped her daggers clean of blood.

"Yes." Orcus sighed wearily, "We should."

For now, it was back to the Mages’ Guild outpost with his captive. If the townspeople wanted to remove the dead bodies, they could do it themselves. As far as the Prince of Demons was concerned, he'd done enough charity for one day.

*************

Encounter Summary

--- +2.5 xp (0.25 DR * 10); 40% of EY = party kill bonus (pkb): +1 xp; 40% of final DR = last kill bonus (lkb): +0.1 to Seku ---

--- Experience (Orcus): 7.81/300 xp ----> 11.31/300 xp ---

--- Experience (Oriax): 7.6/300 xp ----> 11.10/300 xp ---

--- Experience (Seku): 17.50/300 xp ----> 21.10/300 xp ---

*************