The two men walk through the sand as the early spring sunrise brings scant warmth to the air. The man in front is nearing thirty and wears a simple coat. He strums a lyre and sings a songs off-key. Though a silver mace is at his belt, and a golden bow strapped to his back, neither weapon seems to truly fit in his ink-stained hands. He looks like a craftsman because deep at heart, he is.

The man behind, twenty-years of age or so, has a shaved head and red robes. He moves languidly. Almost lazily. Despite this, any observer would note that despite moving half the first man, the second always seems to stay in step. Like his movements are calculated to use the least energy but yet not be left behind.

Neither spends much time looking around their surroundings. The only settlement for a few miles is to their back, and yet they are not from there. They are travelers.

As the water of the ocean begins to boil, neither turn to look at it. As the six strange figures walk out out of it, equal parts fish as human, the two do not stop and stare. The six drag behind them a box that rattles and shakes as it is pulled.

One of the Six, with tentacles growing down the side of his face: HALT, ye twee. Je make eten for we box, ja?

Two of the others, one with a face like a starfish and the other with hair like a jellyfish chortle in that deep sea gurgle they all suffer from. These six are dressed much like pirates, though obviously not of the usual sort.

The First Man: Well, D, I do think we found the creatures the people of Walpurgis asked us to help with.
The Second Man: How many have they killed, now?
First: Elder said six for sure, maybe other travelers not better counted.
Second: Hey, you, tentacle face, how many have you killed?

The tentacle-faced man makes no answer to this, only brings out a scimitar.

The first man gentle pulls out a cloth and sets the lyre upon it before wrapping it carefully against the sand. While he does this, the second man runs and leaps into the fray.

[D vs P1: 4+11 vs 7+8. A tie!] The tentacled man manages to knock the second man's fists aside with his scimitar. If the strange mutant pirate is surprised that the blade finds the fist just as hard as metal, he has no expression to show it.

Tentacle-Face: Ah, Goed. Ik like when de blud puts on a beetje show.

And then the fight takes place in more earnest.

[B vs P2, P3, and P4: 9+11 (3) vs 7+8 (4), 8+8(1), and 11+8(3). B does 2hp damage to P2.] The second man meets several of the mutant pirates head on while swinging his shining mace. The one with the face like a starfish takes a heavy wallop.

[D vs P1: 8+11 (4) vs 4+8(2) = 3hp damage vs P1. 5hp remain.] D slaps out at the tentacled-face pirate until the scimitar is brought up and then brings his knee into the creature's mid-section. [Are the final two chained to the box? (50/50) >> 03, Exceptional Yes.] Two more mutants, one much like a pike and another with a shark-fin on his head, are chained fast to a box and not able to keep up with the fast fight.

[B vs P2, P3, and P4: 5+11 (4) vs 7+8 (2), 4+8 (1), and 7+8(2). B hits P2 for 4+1(3hp) - 2(1hp) = 2hp. 4hp remain.] Undaunted by the number of mutants surrounding him, he continues to swing his mace proudly and surely. Starfish takes another hit to the head.

[D vs P1: 5+11(2+1) vs 6+8(2). D does 3(2hp)-2(1hp) = 1hp damage to P1. 4hp remain.] As D continues to move the fight further from the others, the last two of the mutant pirates yank on the box to pull it along but do not catch up as the tentacle-faced one takes another strike to the mid-section.

[B will cast BLESS. He gets +1 to all dice rolls for 5 combat rounds. vs P2, P3, and P4: Critical. He's going to dodge all attacks, basically.] B chants a blessing to a name not spoken in these parts for centuries. A brilliant shimmer of color begins to spread over him. As the mutant pirates swing at him, they find their blows unable to connect.

[D vs P1 (further and further back up the beach): 7+11 (3+1) vs 6+8(5). D does 4(3hp) - 5(1hp) = 2hp. 2hp remain.] Now well out of the water, tentacle-face keeps trying to hit the red-cloaked man with his blade but keeps getting struck for his trouble.

[B vs P2, P3, and P4: 10+11+1(5+2) vs 9+8(6), 4+8(4), and 9+8(1). P2 takes 7(4) - 5(1) = 3hp of damage. Only a single hp remains. 4 rounds of BLESS left.]

[D vs P1: 5+11(4+1) vs FUMBLE (2). Fumble = 3 (mutant pirate hits himself). Does 2(3hp) - 6(1) = 2hp. D does 5(3) - 2(1) = 2hp.] Tentacle-face falls and with a rough grunt, cries out as its own scimitar pierces up through its chest. D gives it a swift kick to the head. Then runs over to help out his friend.

[B vs P2 and P3: 3+1+11 (5+2) vs 7+8(1) and CRITICAL(6). Uh oh. B takes 6(6hp) - 7(6hp). Never mind. 3 remain.] As a a mutant with piranha teeth slashes into the side of B, the heavy sound of the scimitar striking a metal breast plate can be heard. It had been hidden underneath the unassuming clothing.

[D vs P4: 5+11(5+1) vs 4+8(2). 3hp-1hp = 2hp. 6hp remain.]

[B vs P2 and P3: 9+1+11(3+2) vs 10+8(2) and 10+8(3). B does 3hp - 1hp = 2hp. P2 is killed. 2 rounds of Bless remain.] The starfish-faced mutant also falls. The others are getting more incensed, including the two still chained by the neck to the box which has grown increasingly active as the violence continues and blood is spilled.

[D vs P4: 4+11(3) vs 9+8(3). D takes 3(2hp) - 3(1hp) = 1hp.]

[B vs P3: 3+1+11 (4+1(1)) vs 9+8(2). B takes 2(3hp) - 5(3hp). Again, nevermind. 1 round of BLESS remains.]

[D vs P4: 8+11(6+1) vs 7+8(5). D does 4hp - 1hp = 3hp. 3hp remain.]

[B vs P3: 8+1+11(3+2) vs 10+8(4). B does 3hp-1hp. 6hp remain on P3. BLESS is spent.]

[D vs P4: 9+11(1+1) vs 11+8(5). D does 1hp damage. 5hp remain.]

[B vs P3: 7+11 (1+1) vs 7+8 (4). That's 3-1=2hp. 4hp remain.]

[D vs P4: 7+11(6+1) vs 6+8(4) = 4-1=3hp. 2 remain.]

[B vs P3: 3+11(3+1) vs 7+8(4). B takes no damage.]

[D vs P4: 10+11(3) vs 8+8(1). D tests Luck. 7 vs 12. Success. D does max damage, killing P4.]

[P3, P5, and P6 will all test SKILL: P3 fails and tries to flee. P5 succeeds. P6 wants to flee but is weighted by the box.]

[P3's skill vs B: 5+8 vs 4+7. P3 starts running. B pulls out the golden bow and shoots: 9+9 (4) vs 7+8(4). 3hp - 1hp = 2hp. P3 is still running but takes 2 more damage. 2 remain.]

The first man, B turns and faces the two remaining mutants, one is trying to drag the box back into the ocean and the other is trying to drag it to shore. A strange stalemate. A few arrows latter from the golden bow, and another dead is left on the beach.

B: Derron, free the last.
Derron: Are you sure, Barston? They did kill a lot of villagers.
Barston: Maybe. But a few survivors are a good way to let other such monsters know that this beach is protected by the Church of Sennas.

Derron shrugs and pulls hard on the chain with his bare hands. [Skill -2 but we'll let Derron use Strong Arm to get a +1, so Skill -1: 7 vs 7. Success.] It snaps and the last of the mutant pirates flees back into the water and is gone.

All that remains is the box they left behind.

Derron: I don't suppose that's the box we were supposed to be finding.
Barston: The old man didn't mention anything about the contents being alive, so I guess not.
Derron: Should we leave it?
Barston: No, that is just as responsible, or more, for the deaths.

Barston stands back and readies his mace as Derron throws open the box and a clipped-wing gargoyle springs out. Its stone face rusty with blood stains and its skin grimed with salt.

Gargoyle: Youu has freeed mee.
Barston: Mayhaps. Will you turn around and walk back into the ocean and promise to hurt no-one else anymore?

[Will it? (Unlikely) >> 88. Noooooo.]

With a screech, the gargoyle attacks both of the men who meet it in the middle. [B and D vs G: 5+11+1 (5+1) and 7+11+1 (5+1) vs FUMBLE (2). Fumble = 7, -2 next turn. Gargoyle takes 3hp - 1 and 3hp -1 damage. 4hp total. 6hp remains.] Unfortunately, years in the box seem to have robbed it of the memory it can no longer fly. As it tries to leap in the air, it falls flat on its face and mace and fist smash into its stone back.

[B and D vs G: 8+1+11 (2+1) and 9+11 (5+1) vs 10+9 (2). It takes 2-1 and 3-1 more damage. 3hp remain.]

[B and D vs G: 9+11+1 (5) and 7+1+11 (2) vs 11+9 (6). It was aiming for... {B|D} >> D. Hits D for 4-0 = 4hp. B hits it for 3-3 = 0.]

[B and D vs G: 6+1+11 (3+1) and 8+1+11 (4) vs 6+9(5). It will absorb both blows.]

Barston: Ack, it might be no good. The stone is too tough.
Derron: That does not sound like you.
Barston: True enough!

[B and D vs G: 10 + 11 + 1 (4+1) and 8+1+11 (6+1) vs 8+9 (4). Barston tests for luck: 6 vs 12. Success. Damage upped to 7(4). Derron does a natural 7(4). 2hp gets through. Only a single hp remains. Skill test = 7. Gargoyle tries to flee.]

Derron: Now it's running.

[Back into the sea? (50/50) >> 73. No.]

Barston: Aye, but not the correct way.

Barston again gets out his bow and takes aim. Derron pulls out a strange metal disc and gives a silent prayer to Sennas. Before the gargoyle can get out of range, both loose their weapons and let fly. [B and D vs G. Will give G -4 for fleeing on foot instead of flying. 6+9+1 (5) and 5+9+1 (5) vs 5-4+9(6). Both hit, but will need to test luck. B gets 4 vs 11. D gets 5 vs 10. Both succeed. B does just 1hp. D just 1hp. Combined, it is enough.]

As the golden arrow and the silver disk hit the fleeing gargoyle, the magic holding it together withers and it crumbles into old, wasted stone. Soaked by blood and sea water.

Derron: Back to square one, eh?
Barston: No. We helped a town. Come, D, let's head back and tell them how to handle themselves in case the two escapees did not take the hint.
Derron: You think we will get paid this time?
Barston: I'll tell them they can erect a shrine to Sennas. That'll do.

The two men set off back the way they came. Though Barston stops and looks out to sea.

Derron: You really think we can bring her back? Astrid's been gone for a nearly a year.
Barston: Derron, the two of us can do anything.

He claps his younger friend on the back and the two central members to the newfound Church of Sennas walk into the gray.