RP:Arkhen's Axe Murderer

From HollowWiki

Part of the Rise of Larket Arc


Summary: Kelovath is impersonated by Macon with the aid of a fermin illusionist. Prism is caught in the middle of an altercation with a couple of guards and is killed. Macon also unleashes a disease inside of Larket's sickbay.

Larket Sewers

Macon and his mute, unsightly dark elf traveling companion have entered the Fermin tunnels via Kelay. The pair is currently lizard-less so the huge creature they rode from Cenril to the entrance to the underground must be tied up somewhere hopefully no poor passer by will come. The story of a stupid, drunk elf getting eaten by a scaled mount is a tale for another day. Inside the tunnels ‘The Master of The Mad Fermin’ gains a few rat followers just from mere proximity to the glowing red artifact embedded in the blade of his great axe. As the growing party nears the sewer exit that leads up into Larket the armored, masked man stops and turns to face the boil ridden drow he's brought down here with him and the Fermin gained along the way. The means to complete their mission tonight; a jar filled to the brim with a rust colored ooze of infectious disease, stolen from a home in Cenril and brewed up by The High Priestess Gevurah is in the possession of the mute drow. “There will be guards on the sewer entrance.” Macon informs the group before vaguely explaining the end goal of this excursion, get this disease spread and, perhaps more importantly, instill some fear…


One of the fermin tag-alongs was a runty, androgynous fermin who carried the weight of living in the violent sewers; it's pelt was molted and gray, but the bare patches of flesh bore no sign of new hair growth, leading to the assumption the rat was suffering mange. Not only that, but what fur it did have was caked in filth! It's face was scared, the right eye a milky white and totally blind, and the over bite of two, yellowed, chipped teeth produced a heavy lisp. "Let me help," it squeaked, hopping up and down while waving a skinny arm. "I know what to do! I can do thith!" Whether or not Macon was ready for what the rat had in mind, it began to wave its hands, almost randomly with no purpose, but soon enough, the illusion weaved was set. Gone were the clothes Macon had worn- in fact, it seemed Macon was gone entirely, and in his stead was Kelovath in his splendid golden armor. The rat who cast this illusion, was also changed itself, though not nearly as drastically; instead of fur, an elongated face, and a thick tail, it sported human looking flesh, a thinner face (though nothing could be done about that unfortunate overbite), and it was dressed in rags that befitted a beggar. "Hthk-Thpittle ith thmart! I trick thothe guardth."


Macon narrows his eyes at the excitable fermin that without much warning transforms the former Sheriff’s appearance into something he absolutely despises. Staring down at a gauntlet that has changed from dull silver to brilliant gold the aspiring death knight seems to understand what has happened and almost can’t even bear it even as an means to an end. The newly minted impostor clenches his fist and teeth simultaneously. “Well done…” the traitor offers praise to the illusion weaving rat, through he doesn’t sound as sincere as he does furious. The long handled great axe is still stuck to his back, hanging diagonally to the ground with the blade end down near his hip, looking out of place on the form of Kelovath. The stone at the center of the blade pulsates in tune with the man’s fury at his own disguise. Macon extends an open hand to the drow slave and receives the infection filled jar, “You’ll stay here,” he informs the mute that appears to be knocking on death’s door. “You two.” The traitor points at two black furred fermin, “Scurry out there first.” The sewage caked pair seem much more under the command of the man and the madness stone inside that weapon of his than the illusionist and oblige without a word through there are a few squeaks and they snap and bite at each other when they pass Macon by (otherwise known as the point they are closest to the Rage Stone) Once they are out of earshot and no doubt in the process of clashing with three well armed Larket Guards the former sheriff speaks to Thpittle, “You an’ I will make like we’ve just chased those two out of ‘ere. Got it?”


Hsk-Spittle nodded eagerly, and for longer than necessary when Macon announced the plans. "Good thinking, good thinking. Yeth, we can go now." The androgynous, ugly, rat looking human skittered after the duo in the similar, silly fashion fermin typically ran in whilst on two legs, which was ultimately a fast paced, bow legged waddle on tiptoes. "Come come! We mutht hurry! No time to lothe, no time to lothe!" Perhaps Hsk-Spittle was too far gone to be affected by the rage stone, because the maddened creature gave no outward sign of being affected by the stone as it ran toward the exit of the sewers.

Lucy's Crossing

Macon emerges from the sewers under the illusory disguise of Kelovath just after the illusionist rat does the same. The incognito duo are just in time to see the last of the pair of black fermin they sent up prior die with a blade to the back of the neck while it was literally eating the face off of a felled Larket guard. The two remaining sentries look a bit confused at the odd looking illusion hiding the fermin that waddled out before Macon, but when he appears as the Paladin they quickly stand at attention, the one guard leaving his sword sticking out of the dead rat. The weapon doesn’t remain upright and clatters to the ground, rolling the bleeding rodent 90 degrees and off of the fallen guard with it. “Sir!” they both call out curiously eyeing the out of place weapon behind the illusion of Kelovath. Again the stone glows and pulsates as rage builds in the corrupt council member. Still he manages to at least sound composed as he approaches the two, “Were jus’ clearin’ a few more of ‘em rats out.” That is until he is within swinging distance and he and that great axe come to life in the blink of an eye. His hand rises at his side and the weapon is drawn to it as if pulled by some powerful magnet. The Rage Axe pivots in the air just before falling into Macon’s grasp and without losing any momentum it is swung with only one hand, cleaving the nearest guard’s right arm off at the bicep. Blood sprays and gushes onto the illusion of Kelovath’s golden armor, but the guard does not cry out in pain, instead the effects of being cut by the Madness Axe are on full display. In his off hand, the only one the poor guard has left, he takes up his weapon and yanks it from the neck of the dark furred fermin and rushes towards his postmate, swinging the bloody blade wildly.


Hsk-Spittal tsked in response to the mad display of the one armed guard, and then at Macon-Kelovath and the blood spotted attire. "I gueth it workth. We thould go to the thick bay. Give them the jar." Add the rat spoke, it watched the fight between the guards with a wide, crazed smile. While Hsk-Spittal blanketed itself in a human-like illusion, it still looked rat-like.


Prism happened to be walking by when the violence broke out. She yelped and jumped back, but after that she couldn't move. Frozen to the spot, she watched, eventually closing her eyes. She's unfamiliar with the area, but even she knew something was wrong here, but unknowing to the events that have taken place prior to this moment, she is clueless. Large wings remaind folded tightly again'st her back, her tail curled around her dragon clawed like feet. She might as well be one of the rat men caught in the mouse trap the cat has set up.


Macon watches as the remaining sane guard backtracks and parries his allies mad, yet weakened attempts at murdering him. “What is this? Kelovath?” The lightly armored man calls out towards Macon inside the illusion, clearly facing the inner conflict of killing his fellow Larket serviceman. A strong riposte ends the conflict between the two with the mad guard falling forward into the open arms of his once comrade, dead. Macon is wasting no time, dropping his precious axe to the ground, but retaining the glowing red stone that had been stuck to the blade of the weapon. In the same manner that the axe had moved previously now the artifact of Rage floats in the air before attaching itself to the back of the gauntlet on the former sheriff’s right hand. He approaches the remaining guard who stumbles, dropping his fresh kill to the ground just before Macon is upon him, delivering a vicious uppercut to the man’s jaw and quite literally knocking him senseless. Once more the effect of a blow from something holding the stone is shown and the onlooking Prism becomes the target of the now weaponless guard that comes rushing her way. Macon looks towards the illusionist rat and extends a hand holding the jar containing the disease they are looking to spread. “Le’s go.” he says the words but doesn’t start moving immediately.


Hsk-Spittle’s attention was wrest from the dueling guards the moment Prism stumbled onto the scene. How unfortunate for her! Hsk-Spittle hadn't expected there to be others wandering the streets this late at night besides guards, and even then, the Kelovath disguise was the counter measure put in place to ensure the plans were successfully carried out. "Oh no. Thit not good. No thir, not good at all." The moment Macon uppercutted the remaining guard, so then turned its sights to the draconian, Hsk-Spittle waved its arms once more in those strange patterns, but the illusion it wove nestled deep into the guards mind, and only he would see Prism as a fermin; Spittle only hoped that it would bring out a viciousness from the Larket sentry born from the mans prior hatred for rats. Even if he agression wasnt affected by the illusion, the guard would still try to eliminate Prism, regardless of her appearance. The invitation to leave was met with unintelligible chittering and Hsk-Spittal took Macon's extended hand and proceeded to waddle-run from the area.


Prism wasn't expecting something to come rushing at her and her reaction time is slow. She manages to move her body out of the way, but her tail was caught under the guards footing, knocking her to the ground on back and backside. Her head slams into the ground rather hard, giving the draconian the sight of stars and dots. She sat up but she couldn't find her balance or her ground, leaving her vulnerable for any other attack. Her head is throbbing severly, pretty sure she cracked her skull. Only thing she could do was crawl away from the scene, too shook up to worry with crying from the pain. Even then that wasn't fast enough, the guard found his way to her once more and proceeded to beat her, despite her cries for help and the lashing out with her clawed feet and scaled tale. She couldn't think right with that throbbing head, and with a good punch to the side of her head she was knocked unconcious. Little did the draconian know, but this is the end to her life. Right here in Larket, all because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. By the time she is found, it will be too late, for the end of Prism had ended by the hands of the Larket guard. Prism took her last breath and passed where she lied, beaten and bruised.


Macon doesn't allow himself to be pulled along by the illusionist rat for very far at all, shaking his hand free violently. He does manage to hand off the jar of disease provided by Gevurah in that motion. The impostor watches the effects of the rage stone and the illusion weaved by ‘Spittle, though he isn't aware the latter is going on. The image of Kelovath raises a brow while the guard puts a brutal beat down on the unfortunate draconian, the former sheriff making a note of this man for later. Macon finally follows after the fermin illusionist, taking a slight detour to walk by the axe he had dropped. Without bending over to retrieve it the man merely extends the gauntlet currently housing the madness stone, palm facing upward. The glowing artifact unsockets itself from the illusion of Kelovath’s golden backhand and appears to be sucked back into the blade of the weapon on the ground. Macon never breaks his stride while this happens and once the stone is in place the axe springs to life, rising upright and moving to chase the traitor down, once again attaching itself to the man’s back by some unseen force.


Hisk-Spittle looked breifly bereft when Macon wrenched his hand free, but glanced down toward the jar of gunk that had replaced the ex-sherif's hand. "Oh yeth, yeth yeth!" It lisped out on a squeal as it waddled down the lane, it's gaze fixed firmly to the goopy disease. "Thith will be wonderful. Just wonderful. What will it do? Doeth it make them covered in boilth? Will their lungth burtht in their chetht? Who knowth!" The words came out on a sing-song tone, and it was evident Hisk-Spittle was talking to itself regarding the symptoms of the contained sickness. The insistent chattering continued as they progressed through Larket, but when the odd guard or random citizen was within ear-shot, Hisk-Spittle quieted immediately, but still earned odd looks in passing; had it not been for the Kelovath look-alike in tow, the illusionist might have been stopped for questioning early in the journey. But, as it was, the duo continued through the streets without an incident, until the sick bay.


Sick Bay

As soon as the raggity Hisk-Spittle pushed through the doors, it was stopped by a healer despite Kelovath's presence. "If you aren't ill, you should leave. It's an outrageously late hour, and the patients need their rest." Apparently this nurse was either new to the area, or extremely nit-picky about the rules and proceedures within the triage. However, Hisk-Spittle shook it's head of moppy, dirty hair. "Thir Kelovath and I have jutht returned from Thage. Lady Gilwen made this medicine for those thuffering from injury and thickneth. It'th apparently a cure all?" Hisk-Spittle turned then to the ex-sherif and handed over the jar, "You thould find the thicketht perthon and give them thome, yeah?" As an aside to the skeptical nurse, Hisk-Spittle whispered: "Lady Gilwen owed Kelovath a favor, tho he athked her for thith; being a renowned healer and all."


Macon seems to ignore the obvious fact that he is not a needed party in the conversation the illusionist is having with itself, answering as best he can in regards to what that stuff in that jar will do to someone, “May very well do all of tha’, n’then it’ll kill ‘em.” Once they’ve reached and entered the sick bay the disguised councilman stands tall in that false golden armor and silently nods along with the explanation of his odd-looking traveling companion. It is only when he is handed back the disease container that he speaks in his best Kelovath impression, “Aye,” and moves forward into the temporary setup, looking for the ‘sickest person’. As he passes the nurse and the masquerading rat the rage stone vibrates inside the blade of the axe and pushes the healer into saying something kurt to Hisk-Spittle like, “Fine, but do -both- of you need to be here?” Which earns a glance over the shoulder from the fake paladin to see how the fermin reacts. Eventually Macon is standing over an awfully ill looking patient, contemplating the task he’s been given by that rat. Ideally this young man in the bed before him would have become one of his subjects as King of Larket. He doesn’t particularly care to see this citizen die, but anything to achieve that final goal and bring Arkhen’s champion down in the process. He frowns, “Jus’ a spoonful...” the aspiring death knight repeats the instructions given to him by Gevurah while unscrewing the top of the jar and doling out the rust colored concoction. One gauntleted hand gently moves beneath the chin of the patient while the other administers the dose. There is no immediate effect other than the disgusted cough at the taste, but that is typical for ‘medicine’ and doesn’t stir up any suspicion. The rest of that ugly potion of disease is left with the nurse to be distributed to the rest of the plague victims and further the spread of the highly infectious creation through Larket… They should probably leave now.


Hisk-Spittle wrinkled its long nose at the nurse and nodded stubbornly, but retreated toward the exit to wait for the Kelovath imposter to finish his business. After the medicine had been administered, the illusionist's attention fixed to patient zero, and, briefly, 'Spittle toyed with the idea of planting illusioned ideas within the rude nurse's mind; if she believed the patient to be on the mend immediatey, perhaps she'd be more willing to administered the concoction quicker? Forgoing the grandious hand wavings, the illusionist moved its hand in a slow, small arc, hidden beneath the rags it wore. The magic wouldn't last long, a day at most, but within hours, patient zero would begin showing signs of wellness to the rude nurse- healthy looking skin and coloring, bright eyes, no cough would be heard, no ague shivering seen. Hopefully that would see to the 'medicine' being offered to other sickly patients. "Let'th go thir." Hisk-Spittle said, "Let the kind nurtheth work." The creature turned then and left the room to retreat back into the sewers.


Macon is totally unaware of the illusion magic being sent into the nurse. The Kelovath impersonator offers a nod towards her and then one to the disguised rat before following it out back onto Larket’s streets. The traitor in gold armor quickly uses his longer stride to overtake Hisk-Spittle and redirect their course. Best not return to the scene of their previous crime at Lucy’s Crossing the pair is soon veering towards the northwest and a much more secret entrance to the Fermin tunnels where they will meet up with that boil-ridden Drow slave that they’ve left behind for this covert operation. Once they are safely underground the former sheriff reluctantly offers a, “Well done, Rat.” to the clever illusionist. Now they haven’t much else to do but wait for the news of Arkhen’s Paladin’s misdeeds to spread and for Gevurah’s new disease to do the same.