[3.5E] Heretic's Bane Icewind Dale [Archive] - Page 10

mshady

2010-10-15, 05:26 PM

In response to Thordek's questions and about what went on here, particularly with the undead knight, Carmard listens intently. He strokes his chin and thinks for a moment.

"I was nay aware of that" he says after a moment. "I think we'll have some answers soon"

"No, the bitch is not dead " Carmard say curtly. "I be sure she is alive 'nd well, wondering where we are." His words chill that conversation fairly quickly. " I'll pass on yer sentiment on matters"

He pauses for a moment and looks at Johannes and Murtuk after saying those words and nods in Johannes' direction.

"Good think'n though" he allows, even smiling slightly towards Johannes. He didn't do that often. Particularly in regards to anything to do with Johannes.
Without providing any other instructions or words, Carmard wanders off to confer with some of the other Arcanii. They are gathered around the trunk containing the stoneburner in conference with Arman and Arum. He leaves the rest without any other guidance, letting the direction fall to Thordek or anyone else.

It takes Thordek a moment to recover as Carmard walks off, but he gets back to coordinating things.

Over the course of next hour, Thordek organizes the remaining healthy troops into a security force as the clerics organize a center to treat the wounded from all sides, even the mercenaries. With the exception of the slaadi, of course.

With their heavy armor, many of the dwarves that went down survive the battle as the pressure of the fight rarely gave their foes time to administer a fatal blow. Out of the over 200 dwarves that had begun the battle over 120 had fallen with 47 would never to rise again. Many of the rest were seriously wounded and requires significant attention. Some had lost limbs as well. For the long lived dwarves, this represented a very serious loss, as it took over twice as long for a dwarf to reach maturity versus a human, never mind the years of experience lost.

It had been a hard, hard fight.

Next to a support beam sits Demios Kaladus. His leg is now splinted, and the only Silver Knighingale is in attendance. The Knightingales were part of an order of Berronar, one that Nalrak had trained with, that specialized in more than merely divine medical treatment. With so few priests and so many injuries, more mundane forms of healing to stabilize the wounded and aid them most gravely wounded in their recovery.

That they knew how to swing a mace and wore armor was more to keep them alive during a battle.

On another support sits Demios Regina, the one that Sable had shot with the crossbow. She sits bound but not gagged. The sits fairly stunned, with two Valkyries in attendance, just in case.

Other prisoners and wounded are held facing a wall with pikes pointed at them and minotaurs in attendance. The measure is more to keep the slaad away than intimidate the already cowed prisoners. They seem to recognize that, at least.

Strolling past, Carmard smacks one armored hand against the other to get their attention as he moves towards the two most important prisoners.
"Time for us to have a chat with them mages" Carmard growls out. "Anyone who cares to join, follow along" he says in passing.

Minutes later, the two mages are shackled to a pillar next to each other. They both scowl at each other, and outside of a quick snipe at each other, they remain silent and glowering.

Standing in front of them and flanked by his Arcanii, including Murtak now, Carmard crosses his arms and glowers at the two powerful, incapacitated mages.
He glances at Thordek and tips his head in his direction in acknowledgement.

"Someone else care to begin? I like to try the easy way first, so I don't have to wash my hands later" he says with chillingly cold indifference.

Strangie

2010-10-15, 11:22 PM

After cleaning himself up over the course of the hour, Wyatt decides to follow Carmard to interrogate the mages. He didn't really have much to say aside from witty banter, but the need to drill them with insults was too much, after being pushed aside by Kaladus earlier.

"Oh hey!" He says as he strolls into the room, walking in front of them, though he keeps his distance. "Looks like I know somethin' about war after all, having killed 'dat sniper and broke your stupid incantation, with the help of my partner of course..."

He puts his hands on his hips for a second, then points at them both. "What did we learn...?" He waits only a moment, not enough time to respond to the inquiry. He leans forward, furrowing his brow and pointing at himself. "I ALWAYS WIN." He straightens his vest out, standing up straight again. "Or, more specifically, we always win. Great. Now 'dat we have 'dat settled... what the hell made you guys think 'dis was a good idea?"

shaddy_24

2010-10-17, 01:17 AM

Magnum

Magnum grits his teeth at Carmard's response, but keeps quite. That isn't going to be pretty...

As Carmard gathers them around the captive Demios', Magnum stands back and leaves the questioning to the other party members. He just stands and looks as intimidating as possible.

mshady

2010-10-18, 01:16 AM

The two Demios sit in silence as Carmard addresses him. While his display is fairly impressive, the combination of their painful wounds and being shackled would cow most, but it fails to overawe either mage. Being senior mages, living in Sigil and dealing with that they had in their own experiences, a bunch of angry dwarves must have ranked fairly low. Even with their lives in apparent peril, the implied threat elicited no more than contempt for having been faced with far worse.
For those who knew Carmard, or remembered how he ordered all the remaining orcs in the caves to be executed and burned, knew what might come next could become very ruthless. Depending on what he had in mind. While Carmard had a reputation for being fair, falling on the wrong side of his fairness rarely boded well in such circumstances. Barauk himself might even attest to that, if the rumors were true.

Nonetheless, neither Demios responds directly to what Carmard says at first, but wisely chose not to aggravate him either. Kaladus sneers at his display though, while Regina simply glowers at them in disdain. What Wyatt says does get their attention. His display of bravado causes both Demios to roll their eyes, but Kaladus offers a tongue lashing as well through gritted teeth. Even with what the Knightingale had offered him, the pain of his shattered leg must have been nearly unbearable.

"You always win?" Demios Regina the Sylvan sneers. "Who won here, besides the Dustmen?" she says, referring to the dour caste that collected Sigil's dead for disposal or reanimation and who's view on life stated they were already virtually dead to begin with. "Winning's not just survival. No one won here, and no one wins from creating a monstrosity like that Artifact."

It takes her a moment to continue as she holds a compress to stem the bleeding around the bolt that was driven through her hip. Enough divine healing had been given to stop it from being a fatal wound, but it was still horrid.

"Ask him why this was a good idea" she says, scowling at Kaladus. The other Demios smirks, his puffy cheeks bulging for a moment. "I'd like to hear your answer on that point, Kaladus" she shoots back.

"So you tell me, kender..." she says, and leans forward enough for her shackles to clank as they reached the end of their length. "Why did your bunch think allying with HIM was a good idea? Or involving yourself in Godsmen business at all?"

Regina's thin Elven features are pinched into a scowl, her own rage almost provoking a response from someone...

Strangie

2010-10-18, 04:06 AM

Wyatt just stares at them both when they refer to him as a kender. He opens his mouth to say something, but then stops, simply palming his hand against his face and closing his eyes for a moment and sighing, before staring at Regina again.

"Are you kidding me? Okay, first off, let's get one thing straight - I'm not a kender. Halfling. I'm a halfling. Get it right! Couple a' pinheads." Wyatt frowns, folding his arms. "Secondly, if by 'him' you mean Barauk, we're not allies, and what we need 'em for is none of your damn business."

"But, if you mean 'dis guy..." he says, gesturing at Carmard. "'dat's because I owe him, and he needed all the hands he could get to keep you morons from doing something stupid. I kinda joined late in 'dis whole job. I can't speak for anybody else. But, anyway, I think we're askin' the questions here, ain't we?"

He rubs his nose for a moment, eyeing them both. "Actually, what I really came here for was to rub it in your fat stupid annoying ugly faces 'dat your little plan didn't go off the way you wanted. 'dat, and you don't seem like the talkative types anyway. Not the type to be intimidated by words alone, bein' all..." He wiggles his fingers, leaning back a little. "All powerful with your circle magic and stuff, Mister and Mrs. Archmage. Not 'dat it mattered because all it took was some alchemy to break your oh-so powerful incantation. Geez, gimme a break. But I've had my fun, so, 'dere you have it."

He shakes his head, frowning. "Don't even think about tryin' to turn 'dis around on us, because it ain't gonna work. Why do you gotta make 'dis so hard? You don't wanna make Carmard and the rest of us do 'dis the hard way, do you? 'Cause I don't mind." He twirls his light mace around his wrist skillfully, looking at body parts on the two of them that haven't been broken yet. "Prestidigitation cleans blood out pretty well, accordin' to experience, and mages break easy - ALSO according to experience."

He rolls his eyes a little at the mages' seeming unfaltering ego, and glances at Carmard. "'ey. Honestly, I don't think 'dese two are gonna budge much. 'dey're pretty stubborn-minded and still feeling high and mighty. If you need 'em taken down a peg or two... all ya gotta do is ask. My whole line of work is doin' dirty work. Sometimes you gotta crack some eggs to make some omelettes, you know what I mean?"

To those who have been around him, Wyatt's fast talking, odd speech impediment, and eccentric wording was probably normal, or maybe it wasn't. If the mages were able to actually remember anything he said, it would be a testament to their mental will.

Wyatt glances a bit at the others who are in the room, particularly Magnum, Sable, or any one else from the group, sort of shrugging his shoulders a bit and looking up at them. "If anybody else has got an idea or somethin' to say, now's the time, I ain't doin' everything by myself."

thorgrim29

2010-10-18, 10:03 AM

Thordrek sighs at Wyatt's disjointed display. He answers Regina's question.

As you probably figured out we came to Sigil in hot pursuit of the Artifact, it took us about a day to figure out where it was, so we came here to offer our help to the faction who was against it. We were tricked by this piece of **** into thinking that was him and his. The result, as you said, was a waste of lives and resources. But don't go thinking we're leaving just yet. You see, one of the leaders of you undead regiments was a death knight whose name I can't recall, but it claimed to be a servant of Barauk, the Artifact. Care to explain that?

Strangie

2010-10-18, 07:46 PM

'Disjointed' is probably a good description of Wyatt, unfortunately due to his arriving late in the party like he said and his task for the battle he didn't get to catch much information he could interrogate the mages with, on his own.

(OOC: That disjointed thing gave me a pretty hilarious idea. If you want to picture in your head what Wyatt looks like while he is going crazy on his ramblings, I think this should help.)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/934514/wyatt_anim.gif

Gorgondantess

2010-10-18, 10:57 PM

Johannes grimaces at the fallen Stoneburner, glad it's debilitated but still feeling sour. Two illusions was all it took- just two illusions... granted, they were effective, but was that the only way he could've provided from the entirety of his spellbook?
Apparently, though he can't help but shake the feeling that maybe a few less would've been killed or maimed if he'd've spent less time planning and more time acting.
Despite all that, the dwarven pragmatism in him takes over and tells him simply, what's done is done. As he breaks out of his musings, he sees the group interrogating the magi and smirks. If he knows Carmard, that'll just be a long, messy ordeal.
Striding over as well as he can on his dwarfy legs (though still better than most others of his stature) he smiles amicably at Regina, kneeling down to come face to face with her.
"Now, I'd really like to have a chat with Carmard, but apparently he has other things on his mind, so let's get this done with quickly, eh?"
Clapping his hands, he begins to talk like a salesman, quickly but with a definite rhythm and enunciating every word perfectly.
"I need to know about this Death Knight who was fighting with you folks. My short friend here makes an excellent point about the spell, and I do have it prepared, so I assure you, making a mess will be no problem... but looking at you now, I don't think we'll have to do that. You're a dignified lady, and we all know that there are better ways to go about these things than bringing the both of us down to the level of torture." As he talks, he toys with his sword, making it clear that the idea of torture hasn't been entirely ruled out.

mshady

2010-10-19, 01:24 AM

Demios Regina sits on the cold flagstone floor of the foundry and looks between Thordek and Johannes, than over to Carmard before returning to the two dwarves that addressed her. Her eyes are quick and intelligent, though she is obviously pained by the crossbow bolt that had speared her hip. Blood oozes from the wound on to the floor, forming a small puddle. Her tattered robes have absorbed much of it. What healing could be provided had stopped her from bleeding out, for now.

It occurs to both Johannes and Thordek, at least, that Carmard had withheld the additional attention to fully heal the wound.

If that was a good depended on if one thought having a rejuvenated archmage was a good idea, especially if she had vengeance on her mind. Or Carmard was just pushing the interrogation with the implication he was content to watch her bleed out unless he got his answers. That seemed particulary ruthless, even for him, but a lot of conventions had slipped over the last few days for neccesity...

Regina flashes Johannes a tight lipped smile for a moment before adjusting her position. Both hands are shackled over her head, and even her fingers are bound together. At least no one had broken her fingers; an oft used if barbaric precaution against mages...

"What of Ser Baraus? That would seem the least of my questions in... your place" she says, gasping as a wave of pain rolls over her.

She pauses for a moment to compose herself before continuing...

"It seems all of us had the same goal. Get that horrid little artifact" she states with conviction. "All of the Demios amongst the Godsmen jockey amongst each other for position, but it can take longer for a change than it takes a Dustman to get a joke" Regina says, snorting at her own brief joke.

"Yes well, when that artifact arrived with its delusions of ascension, we all thought it was mad. One Demios politely, politely I say, asked it to go. He was quickly turned to dust and it made it clear it was going to cut through all of us to get what it wanted...

Now, I've been here over a hundred years and Kaladus is simply old. Anything that'd shake up the order or things could only help us. So the two us joined with it, along with some other, now late, Demios and see what would happen."

"Of course, we did realize it was mad" she says with a sniff. "I suppose we were too, as we were going to play along until we could harness that power. The rest of the Demios, interested in protecting their own position, attacked us repeatedly but with its aid, it broke their forces"

That was when I thought better of things and threw out Kaladus and his forces from this area. My apprentices and I thought it far too dangerous to control and wanted to avoid an all out war amongst the Godsmen, so I used an Imprisonment spell upon it. When your forces came, I thought you mercenaries of Kaladus and I suppose you were in a ways. We were trying to permanently bind it so it would never leave, but the raw power of it made imprisonment a shocking difficulty."

She pauses for a moment.

"Everyone here would fight for the power it held. After seeing it firsthand, I though it too dangerous. Kaladus wanted it back for his own ends. Our Factol, when they reassemble, they may want us both dead. Deservedly maybe" she says and pauses.

"So to answer your question, Ser Baraus was a knight of the artifact. Raised and sent forth by it. It was easier to let it be as it was than argue the matter with it. All it needed to know was what to defend"

Melody

2010-10-19, 11:35 AM

Sable stands quietly as she listens to the others interrogate the prisoners. Her lips curl into a smile as Johannes speaks and she looks back at the two Demios with something almost akin to anticipation. Folding her arms across her chest she listens as Regina talks and then looks to the others for their reactions.

Strangie

2010-10-19, 12:48 PM

Wyatt, having gotten his urge for banter off his chest, notices Johannes taking center stage, and steps back a bit, toward Sable, resting his mace on his shoulder. He talks in a quiet tone, as to not interrupt the proceedings.

"I gotta hand it to Joh... he's pretty slick. Handlin' Barauk with an illusion is pretty serious stuff. After 'dis is over, maybe I should get 'em to talk to our employers for a raise..."

He ponders the thought for a moment, before watching Joh silver-tongue his way through the conversation with the Demios. In case the Demios happened to glance in Wyatt's direction at any point, he made sure to make it a point to spin his mace around his hand, letting them know that the thought of beating them over the head until he hit tonsils wasn't out of the question.

"... can't believe 'dey called me a kender, 'dough. It's like 'dey knew it would cheese me off." He mutters to himself, shaking his head. "I hate 'dose things..."

Chepe Nolon

2010-10-19, 01:29 PM

Nega sees that her questions wont be answered and falls in by Sable listening to the interrogation. She nudges Sable a little whispering"W'at is dis ting?"She listens and think of what she is going to do to Thordek to get to the bottom of this.:smallsmile::smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin:

mshady

2010-10-19, 02:31 PM

Walking over towards the group now forming around Thordek Nega brushes her armor with a cloth. She then walks slowly over to the group."Well I seem to 'ave been dropped in t'is."She looks over the group and bows in recognition to all present."Now would someone like to fill me inn on wat is goin on 'ere"" She Looks at them all with a serious and grave face

Just a note, but considering Nega's seniority as commander of an entire knightly order, someone should have responded to this one IC. Just to throw that up in the air for someone :)

Melody

2010-10-20, 03:53 AM

The stoneburner is the spirit of a crazy dwarf that Glorian made into the control for an extremely powerful magic device that makes a portal right into the elemental plane of fire. We were supposed to bring it to a certain point, activate it and run like hell.

However, Carmard had to unleash the stoneburner early so that it wouldn't fall into the hands of a demon.. or was it a devil? Anyways, after the stoneburner got loose it portaled itself here to Sigil.

We followed and found it had made itself at home with the Godsmen here. We were asked to help retrieve and deactivate it by him. She points at Kaladus. Unfortunately, he just wanted to get it back from her. She points at Regina.

So really I say we just leave them tied up and get out of here with it before Glorian has all of us killed for being late. There's a little more to it than that, such as saving a city, hiring a mercenary group, fighting a duel, being a gladiator, being offered as a contest prize, and saving Wyatt here, but that's most of it in a nutshell.

thorgrim29

2010-10-20, 11:05 AM

Ice devil, and a strong one at that...

Strangie

2010-10-20, 11:07 AM

Wyatt chinrubs at Sable's exposition. "Huh... oh yeeeaaaah... some of 'dis stuff is startin' to come back to me, now. And I couldn't agree more. I want to get out of 'dis godawful place and move on to the NEXT godawful place, only to risk life-and-limb to do something 'dat totally amazes everybody, yet again, because 'dat's just how we do things around here. Right Sable?"

mshady

2010-10-21, 12:48 AM

"Stories. Everyone has one" Kaladus snorts.

"What's yours than?" Carmard inquires. "I assume you have one"

"Do you care?"

"Do I care about yer explanation for betraying us, throwing fireballs at us and killing several o'my kin in pursuit o'what we came here for ourselves?" Carmard feigns seriously pondering the question before replying. "Not really" he says flatly. "Fortunately for ye, we didn't bring along a dedicated torturer so I can listen to yer lies too"

Kaladus sighs, than shrugs his shoulders.

"So after this little... chat and bondage, you plan to kill us, yes?" Kaladus asks, almost seeming disinterested. It's a bluff that few would see through on its face.

The two look at each other in silence for a long moment.

"Well, what else would ye have me do with ye?" Carmard says quietly. "I can't just let ye go after all this"

"No, I suppose not" Kaladus finally allows. He sighs and then clutches the leg that Carmard had broken with his hammer. His enormous arrogance of before lays shattered on the ground, broken by his realty now.

"I'm listening, but not for much longer" Carmard says quietly. To emphasize his point, he rests his hand on the hilt of a sheathed dagger.

"Yes well, we're all Godsmen" he says. "When that nasty piece of business showed up and demanded we all bow down to it and escort it to its ascension like some sort o'bloody coronation... there were differing opinions on what to do. To say the least" he says with a half hearted smirk.

"The Factol, naturally being the next in line for ascension... and waiting for that for a good long time, decided we should throw it out or destroy it. Another faction thought that if it would humble itself, it represented an unusual but wonderful supplicant. Another group sought to use it to weaken the factol's position by pushing its candidacy.

After all, being Godsmen, if the path of that was truly open it would renew all our faith if someone or something else showed it could be so. And that our Factol was not a roadblock on that path. Maybe it was time for a new Factol, and I aimed to be it. I could use that power, if I dared" he says with a bold smile, that fades after a moment.

"Regina's group, well they thought they could harness that power alright" he says and scoffs. "She convinced it the only way it'd get what it wants was through her. Mainly because she's a whore, and I'll let ye think on that bargain"

When no one seems to laugh or inquire on that matter, he continues.
"Well she lead the attack against the Factol. My group helped. Some back and forth and when they were beaten off, she fled deep into the Foundry. Instead of being my ally, she locked me out and double crossed me. When your group came, I saw I had the allies I needed to get back in"

"What was your plan with it?" Carmard asks.

"My plan? I was going to bring it to heel and control it, than have it carve its way through the hierarchy until I was on top. Takes some tricky magic to do it, but that was the plan. Not much of a plan now" he says with a laugh. "Ah, my leg..."
Demios Regina shoots him a look, but she says nothing.

"At what point in all this did ye decide to betray us?" comes Carmard's next inquiry. This time, it is no conversational question but one with a sharp, stiff, edge to it.

"At the point when it look like ye lost and didn't have a plan to stop it. When Regina was trying to bind the Artifact and failed, but lived to use her honeyed tongue to turn you my way next." he says, and pauses. "It was really the moment when I figured you'd make off with it and leave me at the Factol's mercies without it's power. About that time. I can't very well meet my goal when your goal is to tear up my goal, now can I?"

"Oh" says Carmard. "Ye were right, talking didn't help ye much"

"Sure it did!" Kaladus exclaims with an arrogant laugh. "You'll still kill me, but at least I'll be spared the torture first"

Carmard's unmoving face leaves no such guarantee.

Strangie

2010-10-21, 04:32 AM

"... Don't be too sure about 'dat, blockhead." Wyatt says, with a raised eyebrow. "And now you've got a broken leg for your effort, and I'm sure 'dat's not the end of it."

mshady

2010-10-21, 07:54 AM

"Ah, the kender again" Kaladus says with an overly dramatic sigh of patience. He flails his arms around a bit in the chains in mockery before smirking at him.

"Well, was worth asking. I don't see your bearded paymasters torturing me to simply be punative if I'm cooperative. I am, afterall, a prisoner and a maimed one at that. You wouldn't torture a helpless prisoner, would you?" Kaladus asks, his voice now one of feigned meekness.

"If they don't, I just might" Regina snarls at him.

"What's your plan than? Whore yourself out to the dwarves? Pass yourself amongst the ranks?" replies Kaladus derisively.

Carmard walks over to Kaladus while the two snipe at each other and places his heavy boot directly on Kaladus's broken leg and puts just enough weight on it to make him scream out in pain.

"You bastard!" Kaladus yells at him. Carmard replies by putting his weight on the wound again.

"Stop! What would possess you to do that??" Kaladus yells at him.

Carmard replies by putting a finger to his lips to signal his request for silence, like one would do to a child.

"Once, because I have had enough of old men bickering. Twice for insulting my heritage" Carmard says with a dead pan expression. "As for torturing you more? Maybe not. When I'm done here though, the mercenaries will probably stay on. That big, dog faced fellow may want to have words with ye after"

Kaladus' face blances at that thought. It takes him a moment to compose himself again.

"A question for you dwarves?" Regina asks, her voice a silky and inoffensive purr. "What did you need the artifact for? You don't strike me as the kinds who want to take over the foundry, or anywhere else. What was the artifact's intent?"

Chepe Nolon

2010-10-21, 07:57 AM

"T'ere wont be no killin or torture!" Nega speaks with a stern voice. She walks forward towards the prisoners. She removes Carmards hand from Kaladus. "Ye will be treated fairly" "Have I made myself clear!"
She looks at Carmard. Nega heals the prisoners wound. And steps up to the group. We will discuss a few tings in private and den we will return to questions. Come with me all!! She marches thru the group over to a little more private space waiting for the rest to join her.:smallfurious::smallfurious:

mshady

2010-10-21, 07:59 AM

Looking at Nega, Carmard sighs for a moment and looks at Nega.

"Fine" is all he says, before joining her. The two converse privately, along with anyone else who cares to follow.

Strangie

2010-10-21, 03:34 PM

Wyatt waits for Nega and Carmard to move away from Kaladus, before leaning toward him. "You luck out 'dis time, otherwise I'd beat your freakin' head in until I hit tonsils." He raises his mace for a second as if he was actually going to do it, but Wyatt just places the head of his mace in his other hand softly, staring at Kaladus the whole time.

He waves his hand dismissively, turning around and saying to Regina, "None of your damn business," before walking off to join the others...

thorgrim29

2010-10-22, 10:31 AM

Thordrek stays with the captives, he is ambivalent about the whole torture business, so he'll use the time to get more intel.

What I wonder is, what happened to the faction that opposed the Artifact, have they fled the city, are they dead, or are they nearby? Because frankly I don't see us just letting you go, but I cant imagine giving you to them being less unpleasant then being passed around the mercenaries for a few weeks before they let the slaadi use you as hatcheries.

Gorgondantess

2010-10-23, 12:29 AM

Johannes smirks at Regina's comment. "Just seein' if I can trust you."
He gets up, his face grim, and draws his sword, reaching with it down for her wrists... and slashing her bonds. Flashing a grin, "I hope you won't prove me wrong."
As soon as she brings her arms around, he catches her right hand in his own. "Now, do you need a healer?"
To anyone looking on, it would seem he's helping her up, and he might be, but the gesture was intended for a different purpose- his grip on her hand is gentle, but firm and controlling. It says more than words: "You will not f*ck with me." It isn't a demand: it is a statement, reinforced by his glance.
But as Nega heals Kaladus, he's had quite enough. As she's heading away, he stands his ground, gesturing to Regina that he'll get to her question once his business here is done.
"No, I disagree.
That man there is a snake. He's bitten before, and he'll bite again given half a chance. Sure, you can stuff 'em in some padded cell, but he'll weasel out somehow. I've dealt with his kind before.
Granted, we shouldn't torture him. He's not worth torture. But we shouldn't question him either: he's likely enough to twist the truth out of spite as to give a straight answer."
With that, he takes the tip of his blade, pressing it against the bottom of the Deimos' chin and lifting it up.
"Sure, Carmard may answer to you, but here in the Cage this blood'll bow to the Lady and not much else. So why don't you give me a good reason I shouldn't just end his wretched existence where I stand?"
As he speaks, he keeps one eye on the other Deimos, watching for a reaction... or any erstwhile spellcasting.

Strangie

2010-10-23, 01:03 AM

Before Wyatt gets too far, he sees what Johannes is doing with Regina, spinning on one foot and walking right back around toward him.

"Actually, think I'm gonna stay on guard duty for the time being, as much as I'd just like to be done with all of 'dis and leave 'dis wretched place." He stays nearby, and keeps a careful eye on things, particularly Regina. While he'd much prefer to beat the snot out of Kaladus for telling him off at the war table before the fight, any clobbering of high-falootin' snobby mage people would do for him.

"Too many snakes in the grass in 'dis city, it gets kinda tiresome after a while, y'know?" While Joh's sword is occupied with Kaladus, Wyatt sticks by Regina, to keep the both of them covered. They were, after all, prisoners.

Also, the kender comments were getting on his nerves. It was plainly obvious he didn't like being referred to as such - the fact that he'd been mistaken for one the entire time he'd been with the group didn't help very much.

Wyatt waited for someone to make a move.

Chepe Nolon

2010-10-24, 02:41 PM

Nega speaks in a clear voice:"I know dis is a difficult case Carmard but we will act wit' respect towards the prisoners. And we will bring dem wit' us until I can decide wat to do wit' em. You are da leader of the operation but I will take care of da prisoners. As for da magics Stoneburner we must find away if possible to release da trapped soul. If not we must find away to destroy or seal it. Dorfs are good and suc' tings. I have fait' in dat ye will solve dat problem. Leave da prisoners to me after questioning. And no torture. She then shouts:Thordrek get yer hide over 'ere and bring da jo'annes and da s'ort stuff dat is boasting his smallness. And I will make clear w'y Carmard is in c'arge and I will not allow any violence towards da prisoners. Now!! Nega then turns her attention to Carmards answers.:smallsmile::smallbiggrin::smalltongue::sm allfurious::smallyuk::smallcool:

mshady

2010-10-24, 03:10 PM

"First Mace Nega..." Carmard says with drawling patience "You do realize that we put that soul in there, yes? That it tis the soul o' a traitor from the Patriarch's old clan we took in? That it tried to kill the Silver Rune, Glorian?" says Carmard, crossing his arms across his chest.

"We're not releasing that soul" he says with firmness. "We're going to use it to blow up the stoneburner. If not now, we take it back to Glorian to harness it again"
Carmard pauses.

"I'll spare the prisoners, unless they give me reason. They might even be useful..." he says, glancing to Kaladus specifically.

thorgrim29

2010-10-24, 03:24 PM

Bloddy paladins...

Chepe Nolon

2010-10-24, 06:27 PM

Nega looks at Carmard with a stern and icy look and speaks again:I see you 'ave a plan for it den. I submit to your 'andling of da Stoneburner since you 'ave a plan, as for da prisoners my word stands. Dey will be 'andled good and em will be under da first maces protection until Da first maces decides wat s'e will do wit' em. As for da rest of yer mission I bow to yer wisdom. Are we in agreement Carmard? Her face turns slightly less stern and a hit of a smile can be seen but just a slight hint. She prepares for a Thordrek to arrive. She signals to the valkyries to make a stands near the prisoners. She waits for Carmards response.:smallmad::smallmad::smallyuk::smallyuk:: smallbiggrin::smallbiggrin:

Gorgondantess

2010-10-24, 07:57 PM

Johannes stares at Nega with incredulity. The Johannes?
Shaking his head, he just holds his blade up against the Deimos' throat harder.
"Excuse me, but I don't particularly care for being ignored. And if you weren't aware- which really wouldn't surprise me, as you don't seem to be aware of much- respect is something that is earned, not handed out like stale bread. Did you not see how many of ours he killed? I did the best I could to keep casualties at a minimum during the confrontation, and the berk goes and tosses his fireballs at us, in our moment of weakness. He's no better than that fiendish giant and his cohorts, and from what I've seen, much less useful.

Anyways, I'd carefully choose the next words that come out of your mouth. You're killing him."
As he says his last sentences, he twists the blade ever so slightly, just enough to draw blood that would trickle down the man's neck- though still just of course a flesh wound.
While his words are intense, he says them in a matter-of-fact manner. As far as Joh is concerned, killing this man would be no more wrong than killing a dog. Better, actually, because a most dogs are respectable creatures- more respectable than him, at least.

Strangie

2010-10-24, 10:34 PM

"Also, he's a stupid jerk. He totally tried to screw us over. 'dere's somethin' I learned during my times with other employers, and 'dat's never let the bad guys go. Even more so if 'dey aren't looking like you can turn 'em to your side. 'dey always come to bite you in the arse later, and I know 'dis from experience."

Wyatt sneers at Kaladus. "I'm sure 'dis dirty backstabbin' rat'll say anythin' to get out of 'dis if he could, not 'dat it is gonna help 'em any."

Chepe Nolon

2010-10-25, 04:34 AM

Nega seeing Johannes holding the blade at Kaladuses throat signals for her valkyries to protect and remove the blade from the prisoner.

thorgrim29

2010-10-25, 07:36 PM

Thordrek calmly walks between the paladins and Joh.

All right, cut it out ladies. We didn't barely live through today to fight each other. I'm as much against torture as you are Nega, but that bucket of slime there deserves death.

Then, turning back to Joh

And if I have my way that death will be the quick one he doesn't deserve, because that's what we do, we soil our souls doing what needs to be done, but we don't go one inch further. If we do so for a good reason, pretty soon everything becomes a good reason, and before long we're no better then dog-face or the godsmen.

To the halfling:

Also Wyatt, we're all glad to have you at our side, and your anger is understandable, but try to remember who's in charge, at least when we're outside your areas of expertise.

Finally, to the prisoners

And I asked you prisoners a question, what happened to the godsmen who were against the artifact?

mshady

2010-10-25, 09:16 PM

"Enough of an agreement" Carmard allows. He looks at Nega with an equally hard stare. It was not that Carmard actually disliked the First Mace, at least personally. She had a sterling reputation as a fierce warrior and a good dwarf from a fine family and much honor to her own name. The Arcanii and the Valkyries had long been at odds, however.

The simple fact that the Arcanii were wizards and sorcerors was enough to cause distrust, considering Nega's famous mistrust of most things arcane. Dwarven mages for plain unnatural to her sensibilities. The Levtokuld, who combined martial and arcane techniques, were nearly as mistrusted. Thordek ranked himself amongst the Levtokuld. The Arcanii's famously determined ruthlessnss may serve the Patriarchate well overall, but they simply saw things differently. How dwarven were they, taking so much from their arcane and military training as their dwarven heritage? It was epitomized by Glorian herself, infamous for her effectiveness. The Valkyries, nearly equal in number but not stature in truth, were seen as the conscience the Arcanii had less use for. They were dwarves to the bone, almost over exemplifying some of their principles. That particularly confounded the Arcanii, and sometime even the Patriarch himself.

"I'll spare them from torture, if..." he holds up a finger. "If they do what I ask of them. Otherwise, they be making a choice for harsher treatment"
Without so much as conveying sympathy, Carmard glances at the two prisoners. Now relatively healed, they had one less reason to cooperate now.

"I'd remind ye, as Paladins, that these two attacked us and that one betrayed us. Under our laws, belderak be punishable by death. A penalty I'd expect ye to administer to those two, if it comes to that"

Strangie

2010-10-25, 09:53 PM

"Yeah, fine. If 'dat's the case, 'den do something about 'dese two snakes-in-the-grass already, yeah? You just said Ol' Slime Bucket 'dere deserves death. Well?" He shrugs, holding his arms out and looking up at Thordrek as if to say, "Get it over with".

Wyatt backs away from the prisoners, Thordrek, and everybody else, spinning his mace around his wrist before putting it away and turning around when his distance is sufficient. "Some of us would like to get back on the road and out of 'dis hellhole already When you're finished here, I'll be ready."

The halfling finds a spot away from the proceedings, and takes a seat, taking out his trap kit and twirling around some of the picks on his finger, muttering to himself. "Not gonna matter who's in charge when everybody else thinks we're a buncha disjointed mooks flailing about at each other, unable to make a simple decision..."

mshady

2010-10-25, 10:03 PM

While some had gathered around the discussion between Carmard and Nega, the real drama was developing between Johannes and the prisoners.

Looking up the length of Johannes' sword with a defiant look, it was clear that for whatever else Kaladus was, he was either nearly fearless or so profoundly arrogant and bold he did not think Johaness would dare. It took a different kind of man to dare to call the bluff of someone with a sword at his throat, but Kaladus' eyes and smug grin was daring Johannes to do it.

The two test their wills against each other, locking eyes as they both try to decide what Johannes would do.

Finally, Joahnnes shakes his head. He just holds his blade up against the Deimos' throat harder.

"Excuse me, but I don't particularly care for being ignored. And if you weren't aware- which really wouldn't surprise me, as you don't seem to be aware of much- respect is something that is earned, not handed out like stale bread. Did you not see how many of ours he killed?" Johannes asks Nega heatedly.

That certainly gets the brash paladin's attention, and ire momentarily as her attention is drawn from her conversation with Carmard.

"I did the best I could to keep casualties at a minimum during the confrontation, and the berk goes and tosses his fireballs at us, in our moment of weakness. He's no better than that fiendish giant and his cohorts, and from what I've seen, much less useful."

Six of Nega's Valkyries, all burly lasses in bloodies plate armor that Johannes might have other words with at different times, quickly hem him in.

Two of them quickly seperate Demios Regina from the immediate situation, and not kindly either.

The rest stand close to Johannes and Kaladus. They do not move to remove Johannes' fine mithril blade from the Demios' throat. Instead they stand there and look at him, doing nothing beside being infuriatingly judgemental.

Kaladus reaches up with one hand and pushes the blade away from his throat with a sly smile on his face. He touches his throat where the blade kissed him. Kaladus rubs the blood between his fingers and smirks.

"Clearly, you're not going to kill me outright sir dwarf" says the emboldened Kaladus. "Nor are you going to throw us to the mercenaries' slaads. A fate we both no doubt deserve, but one I do not think we'll face either. Now... Now I think we're down to the bargaining part. What can I offer to spare my life, when I know ye won't take it anyways?"

He laughs at Johannes and anyone else watching.

"What? How am I worse than she is? You don't think she would have done the same? She's the worse of us. She just realized she was in over her head and tried to save herself instead of harnessing that power. So spare me the comparisons" he says with mock indignity.

"As for where the rest of the Godsmen? Off in a pocket dimension found in the upper levels. They left Regina and I to sort things out, no doubt, and stay out of the way of the Artifact. When they know things have been sorted, they'll return. They'll return with the Factol. They are afraid of that artifact, they had a taste of it. Wait until they figure out who made it. That is why you wanted all the glowstones from us, yes? Why you suddenly showed up right after it did? I'm not an utter fool you know"

"Now... What can I... do for you?" he says with a wide smile.

Strangie

2010-10-26, 02:09 AM

"Drop dead, maybe. I'd like 'dat." Wyatt says from his spot to answer Kaladus' question, with a shrug. Chances were good that he wasn't heard from all the way over there, but he didn't particularly care.

Chepe Nolon

2010-10-26, 12:17 PM

Nega smiles at Carmard and says:If judgement for dem be deat' I will personally crus' em skulls. And I will bend on dat if em cooperate em will receive treatment like I see fit if em forfit dat rite I'll let em get treatment as ye see fit Carmard."She then turns to Johannes and speaks:I assure you dear jo'annes dat I 'ave earned my respect in da 'ands of King 'Ignar and da Feanor Bital and dat if ye judge me as not deservin I will 'ave to take action but I tink Sable and T'ordrek can woutc' for my position and my doins. I foug't wit' ye in da battle and da number of dead do not serve any of us. Da dorfmot'er will stand in judgement of us all. And i would not be 'er valkyrie if s'e saw me unfit.""As for da rest of ye I give ye respect on da fite ye just foug't. And in my eyes ye performed good. As for da lives of t'ose w'o fell em fell in da glory of dis fite. Dat does not make any of us a barbarians like orcs. We will keep our 'onor. As for ye wyatt ye are of stature smaller den of ye are of bravery and intelligence. My valkyries will guard da prisoners and da questioning may recommence. And I assure ye all dat I will carry out any punis'ment em deserve wit' much vigor and poise. Are all satisfied?"
With that Nega reaches out her hand to Carmard and will do the same to all of the members of the party and then stand by to witness the continued questioning of the prisoners.:smallsmile::smallsmile::smallsmile::sma llbiggrin::smallbiggrin::smallcool::smallcool:

mshady

2010-10-26, 02:17 PM

OOC Note: Chepe... could you use a darker color when posting for Nega? It's a bit hard for me to see. Great post btw :) Bloody Paladins...

Strangie

2010-10-26, 05:19 PM

(OOC: In the words of Haley... the post was totally awesome, but it was like, lime green.)

Wyatt listens to Nega speak, and simply nods. "Heh, bravery and intelligence, well, I dunno 'bout 'dat... but, if ya say so... Nega, was it? Thanks."

shaddy_24

2010-10-26, 06:16 PM

Magnum

The cleric stays close during the situation between Carmard and Nega and Johannes and Kaladus. However, the situation seems to have sorted itself out, if not peacefully, for now. "We've finished fightin' our foes, no need ta fight each other." He shakes Nega's hand heartily when it's offered.

"For now though, we need ta decide what ta do with this fool." he gestures at Kaladus. He turns towards the captured wizard, "I see no need for you or your life. If it were up ta me, you'd be executed now, as a traitor and a heathen. You're lucky that I don't get ta decide your fate. Maybe th' others have some use for you yet."

mshady

2010-10-29, 01:49 AM

Kaladus smirks at what Magnum says, looking around at the activity.

"Yes, you've finished fighting your foes. No need to fight each other now" he says with a sly smile. "I've used that line a time or two myself."

"For someone everyone wants to kill, you really don't seem to give a frak" Buna remarks acidly.

"He always was an insufferable ass" growls the other Demios. The remarks only serve to make Kaladus laugh.

"My dear, you think they have any more use for you than they do for me? It's not like you would not have done the same"

That shuts up the other Demios for a moment.

"So why should do we let you live again?" Carmard asks.

"Besides the fact your bearded ladies won't let you kill me?" Kaladus asks smugly.

Carmard glances at Nega, than back to Kaladus.

"Don't mistake what she is. She may be insufferable in demanding your fair treatment, but it's only so she can be among the righteous when she bashes in your head with a mace" Carmard says, pointing at the paladin.

"The difference between her and I be that I won't kill you make yourself VERY useful, and very quickly" Carmard says.

"It always comes down to that" Kaladus says with a smirk. "Well, I had an oppurtunity to study it and listened it go on... and onnn... about what you did to it. Which means I know there were controls to make it do one thing. Kill itself. You actually came up with a magical compulsion strong enough to make an actual soul not just harm itself, but kill itself. Quite amazing! Totally beyond the limits of any mental compulsion I've saw.

You. You good dwarf turned it loose. Go blow up! Than you changed your mind. Cold feet? Coward?" Kaladus asks mockingly.

The sound of Carmard's teeth grinding could be heard.

"Than you told it to stop. The compulsion only lasted so long. It only needed to, since well, it'd blow up. Of course, no magic like that could be sustained. It'd burn out. At that point, it went from suicide to realizing all the power it had and wanted to do something with it. Perfectly understandable, felt that way a time or two myself" Kaladus says with a smirk.

"You disgust me" Buna informs Kaladus.

"Thank you, dwarf lady. Perhaps we can be acquainted later?" Kaladus smirks, than gestures to his groin and makes a pulling motion repeatedly above it.

Carmard reaches out and places a hand on Buna's armor and holds her back just as she lunges at Kaladus. The Demios only laughs.

"Get to your point" Carmard says with deep contempt.

"Yes well, with all that power in that artifact, what was done before can be done again. The runes someone put on it, a master of a very dark art I may add, are all still there. I can relay those runes in a few hours time, link them back to the glowstones inside it and so long as I can complete a geas spell, it'll do whatever I want.

That's all it truly is in the end. A geas spell so powerful that any thought of LIVING becomes so painful and sickening to the soul, the only possible option is to kill itself at all costs. Of course, the artifact is so strongly built, only blowing itself up in such a spectacular way is the only way to destroy the case and free the soul. That much power, of course... well, not even a soul would survive that because its soul is consumed in the control and triggering. It's really magnificent. I cannot believe a mere dwarven wizard did such a thing. It would seem so beyond one.

I would have done it before, but neutralizing it when uncaged was quite... troublesome. I was going to have the geas make it do my bidding, but it can suit your purpose too"

Kaladus pauses and looks at Carmard with a slight smile.

"So, you let me live and I go make it want to die? Deal? I can't imagine us having too much time before the Factol returns from his pocket plane with reinforcements. I don't want to be here when they do, and neither will you I bet" Kaladus asks.

Strangie

2010-10-29, 02:51 AM

"... And how do we know that your stupid geas thing is going to work the way you say it will? For all I know you'll turn it around and make it do something completely different, just to screw us over. Because you seem to have a lot of experience in doing 'dat."

Wyatt grits his teeth a little, tilting his head back just slightly while looking over at Kaladus from his seat after Kaladus makes his pass on Buna. "... I say we just bash his pills in and leave him to rot. Or maybe put one of our own Geas-things on him, if you're gonna insist on his cooperatin', if we can do 'dat. Keep him from doin' what he does best. Lest we trust him and 'den turn around, and 'den it's all over, since he can't seem to win with our face-to-face fightin' and has to strike a guy when he's defenseless, eh?"

He shrugs. "But, I ain't in charge... 'dere's my serious thoughts on it, 'dough."

Chepe Nolon

2010-10-29, 06:06 AM

Nega looks at Kaladus with a smile:You may laug' and be 'augty now lad but w'en da crack of yer skull comes I assure ye it wont give ye muc' time to muse. And ye can play toug' but ye know dat in da end ye are but a pawn. Yer master doesn't care about ye and neit'er do we. Your fair treatment is only due to 'ave ye 'ealty to stand yer punis'ment. So I declare dat ye tink on 'ow ye can find away to ease yer end rat'er den tink ye can win. Ye see me and Carmard don't disagree we only look at it from two sides. And as fer yer c'arm it's rat'er unbecommin*laughs* You 'ave only one c'oice 'elp as you can and ye will be treated to fair trial. Ignore and mock and ye will be treated to fair deat'. I suggest ye contemplate on dat instead of puffin smoke dat noone but ye can see. Kaladus even a snake can be crus'ed under foot. And I assure ye my boot is ready and will be as nice fer ye as any ot'er . She smiles at Kaladus walk over to him and blows him a kiss. Then she turns and laughs.:smallfurious::smallbiggrin::smalltongue::s malltongue::smallcool:

Gorgondantess

2010-10-29, 10:43 AM

Johannes sheathes his sword, seeing that further brandishing would be largely useless, and crosses his arms.
"The only reason your head is still attached to your shoulders is a great measure of restraint on my own part, as Carmard would likely frown on my killing you outright... though I'm sure these concepts of camaraderie are foreign enough to you that you might not have thought of that."
"Now, I don't see what's stopping us from just rewriting this geas from before. We've done it once, and we can do it again; it's not a perfect plan, but it's likely a good deal safer than trusting this rat with that thing- we know as well as him that he'll say anything to postpone his death. Once again, I say we kill him now, though I'm sure that'll be ignored... so I'll just say this: I'll give you 12 hours to do what you want with him, after which time I'll kill him myself if he's not already dead."

thorgrim29

2010-10-29, 10:49 AM

Thordrek shakes his head.

I don't see that happening when the one who actually built the thing is still alive and reachable with small effort. She'll be angry, sure, but that's pretty much her usual state of mind. And we know she won't set it against us, we don't know that about Kaladus.

And you keep going on, and on, and on about how Regina here is no better then you, perhaps, but she didn't personally betray us, unlike you. That makes a very big difference, as you would know if you knew anything about dwarves.

Melody

2010-10-29, 11:16 AM

Sable steps up from where she was standing in the background.

I say we cut out both of their tongues, tie them back to their posts and leave them here for their Factol or whatever to punish or heal. We're treating this like it's our problem to deal with. Let him decide what to do with his two errant children. Thordrek is right, trusting him, gestures at Kaladus, with setting a geas on the stoneburner would be foolish, and I don't see why we should care further what happens to them at all. Let's pay Hextros and get the hell out of here. We are wasting time.

As to whether the tongue removal is really necissary.. they are mages and it buys us a great deal of time. She smiles and looks to Nega. And we can heal the stumps so that they don't choke to death on their own blood. So it would hardly be torture since they obviously have the magic to regenerate the organs.

mshady

2010-10-29, 08:37 PM

"We could go back to Glorian with this" Carmard says. "It'd be the safer thing for you to do" he reflects.

"That's nay one of the options she gave us, though" he says, and reaches into his satchel. He pulls out a scroll case made of white horn and taps it her other hand.

"Our orders, that come from Glorian when our troops arrived, are that we are to recover the stoneburner. That part, we've done. The other part is our target remains the same and our troops are probably engaged now" he says, and pauses.

"Her orders say we are to detonate the stoneburner by any means neccesary." he says, than pauses.

"Stoneburners were an old weapon used in Deep Shanatar and to control it, a dwarven mage had to control it. That's why the Arcanii were formed originally. To blow up those things" Carmard says, pointing at the stoneburner's secured trunk. One of the minotaurs is sitting atop it, tending to a wound.

"No one trusts that rat." Carmard says, glancing at an excited Kaladus. "Either he rebinds it, or we'll execute him and move on. When we get there, I'll sacrifice myself to detonate it" he says stiffly, than swallows for a moment." "

"Trusting him is the more dangerous option. He'll either betray us or he's just incompetent and when we cut it loose again, it kills us all and runs again with what power it has left. Just to ensure we can trust Kaladus, we'll be taking him with us. If he does not betray us again, we turn him over to Glorian for a term of enslavement. "

Carmard pauses, then looks between Buna, Nega and Thordek.

"As this decision be involving me, the choice is between the three most senior dwarves here. I am prepared to carry out my orders, if that be the decision. If it is, I say we execute them both, pay the mercenaries and leave immedas quick as we can"

Melody

2010-10-30, 11:27 AM

Looks at Carmard with an expression filled with sympathy before looking back at the two mages. Her expression hardens at once into something approaching disgust and anger as she folds her arms across her chest. Slowly she begins to smile looking at Kaladus, walking close to the prisoner she leans down to whisper in his ear.

I really do hope you try to betray us again.

The whisper is brief enough not to draw the ire of the paladin and there are no overtly hostile gestures involved. Just Sable's slow smile and an expression of anticipation that lights up her eyes. Whistling she walks off to go check on Hextros and his troops.

Gorgondantess

2010-10-30, 01:02 PM

"You know, I'm tempted to take his head off right here and now just so people would start taking me seriously. What does "I give you 12 hours before I kill him myself" mean to you?"
He sighs, furrowing his brow and shaking his head.
"Listen, Carmard... that shouldn't be necessary. We're in the city of doors, here; endless possibilities and all that. Why don't I just fetch a sending scroll and see what Glorian herself has to say about all this? We don't need to trust that rat, but we don't need anybody to die, either. She can just shift over here, we'll have it pitched into the plane of vacuum, she blows it up, and she can be back by supper. Worst possible outcome is that we have to speak to the bitch."
While before he was full of vigor as he talked, by now he's just tired.

Chepe Nolon

2010-10-30, 05:25 PM

Nega looks over Kaladus and Regina."In lite of wat been told me I must vote as da dorfmot'er suggest. Da lass regina wiil be taken wit' us gagged and bound as fer Kaladus I must say dat I am indifferent. Do wit' im as ye wis' noone will bind dere life on da 'ope noone see t'ru em. I t'erefer vote fer taken Regina and leave it to Carmard and J'oannes even to decide Kaladuses future. I suggest we take it back to da lass ye mention Carmard. So stand my word in dis case. Treason as 'ere proved is punis'able by deat'" Nega takes our her mace walks up to kaladus and touc'es him with it. If it glows he is beyond help even from Nega.:smallamused::smallsmile:

Strangie

2010-10-30, 06:55 PM

"Eh, whatever. You guys have fun with 'dese two dirtballs." Wyatt gets up, deciding to follow Sable instead. "I'm sure y'all know what you're doin', eh?"

Wyatt sort of frowns and rolls his eyes a little while he's turned away from the group after he says his last sentence. He mutters to himself afterward, "... 'dat, and I don't want to have to run into 'dis Glorian lady if she DOES show up... good thing I know how to make myself scarce..."

mshady

2010-10-31, 02:35 AM

Nega walks over to where Kaladus is withdraws her mace. It is a heavy mace made of gleaming silver with sharpened flanges. Its tip and part of the hilt are encrusted in gems. Much of the weapon is covered in runes inlaid with wire. The weapon was an old, old one with a distinguished history. While it was a powerful weapon, it was also a tool of rough judgement. It was useful for divining those with a history of evil, or at least of a vile faith. If it touched wickedness, it would flare in a blazing light.

She hefts it in her hand, and pats it in her other hand twice as a demonstration to the unnerved Kaladus. He mockingly blows Nega a kiss. She takes the mace and touches it to Kaladus and waits a pensive moment.

Nothing happens, and Nega's mouth turns into a sour expression.

"Surprise. He's not evil, just a greedy, grasping ass. That mean you cannae kill him and we let Johannes sweep off his head?" Buna says with a laugh.

Carmard glance at the situation and shrugs slightly, returning to what Johannes and Thordek had to say.

"So much for deferring..." Carmard mutters. "We need to muster and move on before more trouble comes."

Carmard looks at Johannes with consideration and nods slightly to him.

"Ye have a point" he grinds out. "We need to leave here before the rest o'the Godsmen come back."He turns to Kaladus amd frowns slightly.

"My notion be to give ye 12 hours to produce or ye and Nega sort out who deals with him if he betrays us again"
Turning back th Johannes, he continues.

"We leave here, we find a place where our forces'll nay draw attention. You need to find a quicker way to get us back to Wayward. Once we're in Faitholme, we can get back to where we were 'fore this all happened. As for contacting Glorian..."
Carmard says and pauses. He reaches into his satchel and pulls out a small scroll tube and motions for Buna to do the same. He gathers them both and hands them to Johannes

"You contact her and inform me o'her orders. Than take Sable and Wyatt to find portals home. I'll storm that restaurant again if I 'ave to get back to Wayward. Having lived here, I trust ye have the resources and knowledge to do better than us assaultin' an eatery for the third time" he says with a slight smirk, than glances at Yennifer. "Yer temptress there may have a notion or two on things too"

mshady

2010-11-02, 05:45 PM

*bump* Guys? Gals?

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-02, 07:23 PM

Nega organizes the valkyries and the prison transport. Their hands are tied and they are gagged and tied with a neck rope between them. The valkyries march in line around them. Nega takes the reins of her horse turns to Caramard and speaks:"Where do you want me Carmard sir?":belkar:

Strangie

2010-11-02, 11:35 PM

Wyatt went off with Sable to go 'visit' Hextros, though if Johannes collects them before that, then he goes off to help them find the portal instead.

OOC: I was waitin' for a Hextros post or something, but, uh, yeah.

mshady

2010-11-03, 07:07 AM

ooc: its coming tonight :)

mshady

2010-11-06, 01:22 AM

Sable accompanies Wyatt to check in on how the mercenaries are doing. They have mustered over on the far wall of the massive foundry. Some of the mercenaries are tending to their own wounded. It's a fairly surprising act. One might almost expect them to feed their wounded to the slaads.

One thing completely expected were the mercenaries roaming around the battlefield looting the fallen Godsmen. Several small groups of them drag commendered carts around the area, stripping fallen soldiers of all of their valuables and showing little respect for the dead in the process. They knew well enough to stay away from any fallen dwarves, whose bodies were already being gathered and taken somewhere safe. Somewhere safe from the looters.

On their walk over, they pass by where Nalrak, Magnum and Kelith are working alongside the Silver Knightingale they had yet to be introduced to. A large number of dwarves are laid out on the floor and she moves between them. She wears only silver and black robes now, and her graying hair is tied in a bun atop her head. She directs the lesser priests with her to do what they can. Nalrak, Magnum and Kelith are working independently. She sees that Nalrak has stripped down to his bloodied fatigues now and is working to remove a spear shaft from the shoulder of one of the militia. Blood forms in a pool around the dwarf. Two more lay next to him, but their cloaks are drawn over their bodies to allow them some final dignity.

Alot of dwarves had fallen in combat or in the ambush by the other Godsmen or to stoneburner. It was a lot of lives lost caused by an act that had saved themselves, even if the intent had only been not to waste the weapon itself.

When they arrived at the mercenary camp, Hextros himself walks out to greet them.

"So you return!" Hextros proclaims. His dog like features twist into a jovial smile. "We saw you have the two leaders over in your area. The old man tell you why he attacked? Or did you just come to shower me in gold?" he laughs.

"Can't say I didn't see that coming. Their Godsmen. They'll crawl over each other to grasp at power and get over another. If one of them was off seeking a power beyond them, of course the other'd want it for himself. Oh well..." he muses.

"So what brings ye here, if not the gold?" Hextros asks. "I keep ask'n bought it before I have a mutiny, but by all means.. take your time."

Strangie

2010-11-06, 01:32 PM

"Feh, if you're lookin' for gold from us, well, keep lookin' - we're still waitin' for our own, as exciting as bein' the key to success has been. As far as 'dat old geezer goes... pretty much what you just said, to be honest." Wyatt replies.

"I'm just gettin' away from 'dat scene. I'd much rather bonk 'dat stupid smug look off 'dat old man's face and be done with it so we can get the hell out of 'dis place, but everybody insists on dinkin' around and arguin' with each other and making us look like a bunch of chumps. Ah, well, whatever. I'm sure 'dey'll figure out somethin'... eventually." He rolls his eyes a little, his disdain for being stuck here becoming more evident.

He rubs his chin a little. "Did you see us drop 'dat bomb on the incantation circle? Man, 'dat explosion lit the whole place up. I wonder how differently 'dis fight would have turned out had we not done 'dat..."

mshady

2010-11-09, 12:34 AM

Sable and Wyatt at the mercenary encampment

"You can bonk the bastard, after I eat his heart" Hextros growls. He casts his eyes towards the dwarven formation. His eyes light up with delight as he sees four dwarves hauling a trunk in their direction.

"That would be our gold, if ye excuse me" he says. With more important things to do, he wanders off and pays Sable and Wyatt no more mind. He only has eyes for shiny objects now.

Good to see you again a voice whispers to Sable and Wyatt. It takes them a moment to realize the voice is in their head, and thats its not the crazy kind of voice. It was instead the creepy kind of inky voice that seemed to make them feel dirty. Standing to the side is the looming figure of Volkross, the mercenary yugoloth. He stands in his flowing black robes, holding a wickedly sharp sword covered in blood. He slowly wipes the blade clean and simply stares at them. It's unnerving. It's unnerving and a sign it was time to leave.

mshady

2010-11-09, 02:05 AM

Yennifer, Johannes and Grathalmor

Heretofore silent, Yennifer steps forward with a crystal in her hand and shows it to Carmard when she has her attention. As if form fitting red leather wasn't enough. That fact rather miffed Yennifer as it was.

"Just to remind you of our deal, I thought I'd ask when it was a good time to fulfill your end of the bargain?" she says, brandishing the crystal. "I trust I behaved for you?"

Carmard tilts his head slightly in her direction and nods.

"Go ahead. I hope it works, so our bargain's fulfilled" Carmard grumbles out. Obviously, he's not too happy about allowing the Sensante access to the the trunk, but he is good for his word. He motions Grathalmor and an Arcanii to watch her as well, to make sure she was good for hers.

The two, along with presumably Johannes, go towards the trunk where the minotaurs stand guard around it. They hold their axes and swords at rest, but they all look tired and most of them are wounded. A medic had came by awhile ago and stopped the leaks, but they were clearly battered. Three of them had been slain by the Stoneburner, but both Kerik and Gore remain.

"Carmard said to open it up for a minute, so I can inspect it" Yennifer says, not bothering with introductions. "Now, please" she says firmly.

Kerik and Gore look at each other, than grunts. Kerik takes a step forward and glowers down at her. She seems throughly unimpressed by the two minotaurs. Kerik looks past her and over at Carmard.

"Carmard, you allow her?" Kerik rumbles. It takes a moment before Carmard responds with a simple wave of his hand.

"Fine" Kerik growls. "It's evil. I hope you wreck it, woman"

"It is evil, yes. Precisely why I want an impression o'its mind. So others can experience what made it so" Yennifer smiles. She holds up the crystal and gestures to the trunk.

Kerik and Gore nod to her, and gesture to another minotaur standing by it. He grumbles, than starts unlatching the overly large trunk. It's top creaks open and a moment later it reveals the faintly glowing spheroid inside.

"Oh, how magnificently wicked and beautiful" she says with delight. She places her hand on it with near affection.

"Now, tell me what those dwarves did to get you in here. What did they do? Let me share your story" It takes her a moment, but she gets the crystal in place and it begins to glow a brilliant blue and white as the experiences are drawn into the crystal. It actually begins to vibrate from the power of the experiences flowing into it.

"Fantastic" she says says, as the crystal finally stops vibrating after several minutes. When it finally stops, she pulls it off and closes the trunk and puts the sphere back into the darkness.

"That's what I came for. I'm sure it will be QUITE the draw at the brothel. Such magnificent torment, its nearly passionate. May it be a lesson to all who consider such magics, and a boon for our coffers as well." she says with a broad, pretty smile. "Now what, John?"

Strangie

2010-11-09, 12:26 PM

"Heh, not much fun if he's still not alive, y'know. Later on, 'den." Wyatt just simply waves Hextros off as he goes to collect his coins.

He freezes at the voice in his head, frowning. He turns his head toward Volkros, giving him a sidelong look. "Ehh... damn. Well, mercs here look fine. C'mon, Sable." He motions for her to follow, to head back to the others, though if she stays, he does too, never trusting anybody alone with the yugoloth. Even dealing with Kaladus and his kender jokes was better than dealing with this freak.

Gorgondantess

2010-11-09, 11:32 PM

Johannes goes along to watch and make sure the job gets done. He gives a satisfied nod as the stone is filled.
"Well, Yenn... while our time together has been just as exquisite as this misguided creature here, I'm afraid the next request I must ask of you will mean my departure from this 'ere cage. We need to find a portal back to Wayward, and preferably one not in the midst of a Taker's favourite restaurant. I was hoping you or one of your friends at the Sensorium could help us with that... and then we'll have to leave."
He smirks.
"Of course, you could always come with if you'd like. What do you say; traipsing across the planes with a band of hairy, rigid, ornery dwarves- yours truly included- you don't experience something like that every day, eh?"

Melody

2010-11-11, 11:20 AM

Good to see you too. Sable smiles at Volkross seemingly nonplussed at the creepy voice in her head.

Just wanted to make certain you guys were taken care of. She watches Hextros' retreating back for a moment before turning to Wyatt. Following him she walks through the dead and wounded with one last backwards glance at Volkross as they go.

Strangie

2010-11-11, 11:32 AM

"Great. Now I'm getting away from 'DAT scene," Wyatt says once he believes he is out of earshot from Volkross, though not like it might have mattered much with that guy, if he was following him. Which he hoped was not the case.

"Morons in one direction, freaks in another, just can't win, can we? I can't wait to get the hell out of here."

He does not give Volkross or anybody else a second glance - the faster he puts such people out of his mind, the better. The fact that they could talk into his head bothered him, but he ignored it best he could.

thorgrim29

2010-11-11, 04:19 PM

After a while of considering both unappealing choices, Thordrek speaks up.

I don't like trusting him... I like the idea of your soul being destroyed in a blast of arcane fire even less. Perhaps we could find someone in sigil to put a geas spell on him?

mshady

2010-11-12, 09:06 AM

Carmard nods in deference to Thordek's decision on things.

"Hope it tis the right decision" he says. "Thank ye" Carmard adds quietly. Buna places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes. The gesture is physically lost on Carmard through his thick cloak and armor, but he notices it all the same.

"Fine" Carmard announces. "We'll take your deal, and we'll put a geas on ye as well to ensure your cooperation with it later. We'll take ye both with us. All the way with us. If ye lied, I reckon the both of ye will be the first things he aims for" Carmard says with a smile.

"You think I'll betray ye? I'm insulted" Kaladus says with false indignation. "What about after?"

"Ye know who put that soul into your "Artifact?" Buna asks. "We'll turn ye both over to her as a slave. Maybe she'll put ye into a can too"

"Oh, that's bloody marvelous" Kaladus grumbles.

With the decision made, Carmard and Buna throw themselves into getting everyone ready to move out. It takes the better part of an hour, but the dwarves are ready to move out again. The uninjured dwarves help the injured ones up. Those unable to walk are carried on stretchers; both the dead and living. Magnum, Nalrak and Kelith follow the train of wounded soldiers, monitoring them carefully. Short of additional injuries, most would live, but the effort to do so had nearly killed every cleric in attendance.

The two Demios, Kaladus and Regina, are shackled and ambulatory, thanks to the healing spared for them. They are surrounded by the remaining Valkyries and led by Nega, who holds the chain and is prepared to lead them out. She gives it an occasional yank to remind them to behave, which produces a yelp in response.

"What about the Godsmen prisoners?" Buna asks Carmard.

"Let'em go. They can run for their lives or wait around for their mates. Not our problem. Tell them to run fast or the slaadi will eat'em" he says, not particularly caring about dealing with them at this point. Buna acknowledges it and sets about ordering the other dwarves to turn the prisoners loose. It takes several minutes for the shackles to be unlocked and sent running. None of the ravenous slaadi pursue, due to Hextros' restraint. His laughter can be heard across the foundry floor however.

As all the dwarves watch to see what happen, Johannes and Yennifer approach. Her arm is draped around Johannes, who has a supremely satisfied look on his face.
"John and I have some ideas. I know a way to get you back to Wayward" she says with a smile.

"Does it involve trampling a Taker restaurant again? I'm not against that" Buna says with a smirk.

"Not as much fun" Yennifer replies. "There is a temple of Shaundaukul that is full of portals to nearly everyone. Including Wayward. We go there, pay the toll and off we go"

"That was simple" Buna admits.
"That's Sigil. City of Doors. We go places" Yennifer replies, smiling with pride.

"Ye coming with us for the next leg?" asks Buna, not sure if she wants her to come or not.

"Johannes makes a tempting offer. Off to crawl through your Underdark with all his bearded friends to use that awful thing of yours? It's too good to pass up, but alas I think I shall" she says with a dramatic pout. The exaggeration makes Buna smile in reply.

Carmard walks over to them as well. While he had been in earshot, he inserts himself now.

"Johannes, I trust ye are coming too?" he asks. "You've done a fine job here and made fer an easier way. Can't blame ye for staying with that fine lass, but all the same..." Carmard says. The words seem fairly uncharacteristic towards Johannes, as it is the first time he recalls Carmard showing him gratitude over irritation.

He listens to Johannes response, and the dwarves prepare to move on finally...

(OOC: Assuming Johannes stays and moving things along...)

Strangie

2010-11-12, 12:00 PM

Wyatt steps in, just in time to hear about the Shaundakul portals, and notices everybody moving out. "Finally! Something I can agree with! We've been stuck in 'dis place for far too long. Back on the road again... feels good."

He seems awfully excited to be getting out of such an awful place. When the group does move out to the temple, he makes sure to say a quick prayer to himself at a shrine (or other respectable prayer spot) if one is available.

"Thanks to you, the roads are always open, and I can walk the world again. Watch over my company and I as we travel, let the wind guide us true."

He glances around for a moment, before adding quietly...

"... and bless my travel on the road with less freaks and weirdos. Thank you."

He rejoins the group shortly after, waiting eagerly to leave.

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-12, 04:42 PM

((ooc)) I refer to post written earlier when Nega has the Valkyries tie the prisoners up and place them between 6 valkyries. Sorry that post came a little early))

Nega organizes the valkyries and the prison transport. Their hands are tied and they are gagged and tied with a neck rope between them. The valkyries march in line around them. Nega takes the reins of her horse turns to Caramard and speaks:"Where do you want me Carmard sir?"

mshady

2010-11-12, 06:58 PM

The dwarven army, trailed by the battered mercenaries, exit the deserted foundry now. Several minotaurs guard the stoneburner, while Nega's Valkyries drag along Kaladus and Regina. The two walk largely in silence as they are led down the flagstones of Sigil.

If the other Godsmen had returned, none had shown their faces, and for that everyone was thankful. Despite what happened, they remained an enormously powerful faction in Sigil with equally powerful allies, and it would be best for all concerned to leave as quickly as possible before they exerted their influence to stop the dwarves or capture the traitorous Demios.

Hextros and his fiends depart with little acknowledgement and all concerned are glad to be separated from their presence. While they had proven to be powerful allies, they were a blight wherever they went and unapologetically offensive to everything the dwarves believed in. Carmard and Hextros exchange a terse wave from a distance, as well as a nod of acknowledgement. It seemed unlikely this would be the last they saw of Hextros. Like feeding a stray animal, once they got their first meal it was unlikely they would be gone for long. How long Hextros remained in charge of the Blood Company was an open question. What Hextros was remained an open question as well. His vaguely canine features were unlike anything from any Hells or similar Planes. Despite his foul and greedy disposition, he seemed like he had been more than that. Whatever his story truly was, he rode off on his fiendish mount without caring to share it and not many caring to hear it either.

The long, slow line of the dwarves makes its way out of the Lower Wards and heads towards the considerably more upscale Clerks Ward. It takes many long hours winding through the streets. A difficult journey on foot for a local, a battered dwarven force on a relentless force march with many wounded is simply punishing. Johannes and Yennifer lead the way, turning them this way and that, before eventually getting them all to a portal that would take them to the Clerk's Ward. With portals spread around the city, it made it far easier to move about, but few were in the Lower Ward or Hives because the rest of the city wanted to limit contact.

There were, however, portals used for freight to the better areas that were guarded. It took some haggling, but Yennifer and Johannes spend copious amounts of gold and move them through several portals to get the entire army there.

Once again, they are trailed by local militia, particularly the Harmonium. When Yennifer speaks with them, their attention becomes more distant, but they remain under observation from time to time. Considering the crime wave that followed Hextros' mercenaries, it was not an unwarranted if an unwanted, gesture.

On the way into the Clerk's Ward, Yennifer points out one of the more interesting establishments that symbolize the diversity of Sigil. Playing the constant tour guide, she explains the latest sight as they pass.

"On our left is one of the finest examples of why Sigil is so diverse. Run by the Blackfoot clan, this eatery is run by a clan of cannibal halflings with a fine menu and several drow bartenders. It is particular famous for its wrestling, pitting angels and demons together in prize fights. In the Clerk's Ward no less! Next time you are here, I'd highly recommend it" she smiles broadly.

thorgrim29

2010-11-13, 02:14 AM

You let us treat you to a traditional dwarven feast and I might go there for a drink. I think Nega might explode tough...

Thordrek laughs and winces as his many wounds make themselves known.

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-13, 01:04 PM

"You 'ig'ly underestimate me T'ordrek. But I'd doubt you get inn wit'out a bat'. You smell like cattle droppings. As for violence I never fite unless I need too and I'd rat'er drink ale den see people wrestle. Unless ye pride yerself for a fite wit' me T'ordrek." Nega Smiles and laughs heartily. She then focuses on the riding and controlling of her troops.

Strangie

2010-11-13, 03:47 PM

"What? Clan of halflings? But... cannibals? Er... maybe I'll pass up on 'dat offer..."

Wyatt grins at Nega's remarks, gesturing at Thordrek. "Hah. Sounds like a challenge if you ask me. I'm with her on 'dat regard, 'dough. Watchin' people kick the crud outta each other ain't all 'dat great... unless it's a friend of mine, of course. 'den I got a reason to watch."

mshady

2010-11-16, 01:47 AM

The long march continues for another hour, until the battered troop arrives at a bustling intersection. Pedestrians stroll by, along with carts drawn by anything from slaves or zombies to mechanical horses. The crowd noise is almost deafening. Across the way is a broad looking building with numerous, large doors. Dozens of tapestries adorn the walls, emblazoned with the welcome holy symbol of Shaundakul. A pair of statues flank each entry way as well, visages of Shaundakul himself apparently. The place does not look like a temple and more like a travel hub. Wagons surround the location, forming a queue outside of it and waiting to get in. A steady stream exits from the other side as well.

"I reckon that makes a kind of sense" Carmard remarks, watching the movement through the temple. "Shaundakul being a God of travel and portals, why not?"

Too weary to offer anything else, the dwarven throng follows the lead of the frustratingly energetic Yennifer and the relentless march of Johannes. While it was just across the road, getting across the street was an all together difficult operation which eventually involved the Knights of Moradin, lead by Hjalmar, and the minotaurs simply blocking off the road. Not surprisingly, most were content to wait than draw the ire of either.

Upon entering the yawning doors of this temple of Shaundakul, they are greeted by a several blue robed cleric types dressed in a similar fashion to Harold. Hopefully they would be more cooperative. Beyond them are dozens of portals, large and small, to places unknown. The room vibrates with magic, enough to excite any mages in the group and trouble many of the dwarves. The portals are mainly dormant, but some recently used ones swirl with a vortex of blue and white energy.

Yennifer and Johannes briefly consult with the priests, while another pair do a head count of all who would be travel. When they try to more closely examine the trunk that the stoneburner is in, they are met with growling minotaurs and decide to move along quickly.

After some haggling, involving as much tough bargaining as flirtation on behalf of Yennifer, the two quickly come to an agreement.

"We're in luck" she says, smiling widely. "While the price is steep, they do indeed have a portal to Wayward. They say it had not been used for awhile as it was in a ruined settlement in Wayward and unsafe because of a hydra infestation, but I assured them it would trouble us not. They agreed, so long as we didn't complain if we were killed and said it is the only way as the portal in the temple of Shaundakul there has been closed. From what Johannes said, it should not be too far a march from there to your own portal. Oh, and don't worry about the gold. What we'll make from the sensory stone, never mind the value of myself experiencing such trauma, more than cover your toll"

She smiles and gives Johannes a peck on the cheek and smiles.
"Time for you to go home again, John. Do come back and visit" she say with a wink.

Beyond them, the priests walk over to disused portal in the corner. After some chanting and manipulating some crystals, the portal roars to life with a throaty growl of magic.

"Hurry along. We charge extra the longer its open" the priest implies, not bothering to make that statement sound like a note of concern at all.

Strangie

2010-11-16, 03:20 AM

"Ah, here we are... not really a temple, but it'll do. Here's to hopin' our travels be blessed."

Wyatt gives his thanks to the clerics and other Shaundakul followers, being one himself. Whether they cared wasn't much of his concern, though it bothered him that everybody in this land these days was either conniving, disgruntled, or had some other barely tolerable attitude.

"Well, we heard the man. Let's get the hell outta 'dis damn place." He turns to Sable, with a grin. "Shall we?" He makes a gesture with his hand for her to follow along with him, so they both go through together. "Let's hope the portal on the other side 'dis time isn't facing the ground - watch your step 'dis time, everybody."

With that, he, hopefully along with Sable, made his way through the portal. He made sure to be careful, however - were there anything waiting for him on the other side, he wanted to be ready, as he was sure his dwarven friends wouldn't be able to react fast enough to whatever dangers lie on the other side, and he wanted to be able to warn them as well - though he made a note to himself to get out of the way once on the other side so he doesn't get flattened by the onslaught of troops and minotaurs behind him. He holds his buckler up in front of him in a defensive posture as he walks, muttering to himself...

God of travel, please bless the other side with something 'dat I will not hate.

thorgrim29

2010-11-16, 08:03 AM

As the army of battered, bruised and wounded dwarves pass the portal, Thordrek waits until the stoneburner goes through before stepping in the magical vortex. Before doing so, he looks back at Sigil, thinking of everything he missed there

Another time

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-16, 11:58 AM

Nega walkes leading her horse inn toward the portal."May I never set foot in this place again by da dorfmot'er" Sighing she steps thru.

Gorgondantess

2010-11-16, 11:55 PM

Johannes ponders staying behind with Yennifer for a moment. "Well, I suppose I could stay behind, go back to my dilettante ways, enjoy all the luxury of the whole multiverse..." He lets it trail off, then finally opens up with a grin.
"But then I'd likely never be able to be trampled by orcs again, and I wouldn't miss that for the world."
He gives Carmard a slap on the back, and that was that.

At the temple, he gives the slightest twitch at the sight of their robes- still quite sore from his, ah, negotiations with Harold- but other than that helps the proceedings go with what efficacy he can.

With Yennifer's farewell, he replies "Gor, Takers one way and hydras the other? With welcoming parties like that, I'll be coming to visit every week." He returns the wink, and heads on through the portal.

thorgrim29

2010-11-17, 12:03 AM

Don't worry Joh, the mercs and us killed most of the hydras, only the huge, flying, part dragon ones are left. Speaking of the multi-verse, next time we have leave, think you could take me on a tour of Sigil? Or at least of the nicest bars

Gorgondantess

2010-11-17, 12:19 AM

"Well, that depends on how you define 'nice'. 'Course you can get some decent dwarven ale, but if you're in for something more exotic I'd advise you head down to the Hive and over to Tiamat's Kip for the Baatorian firewhiskey. I've always likened the experience to simultaneously drinking a vial of alchemist's fire and being punched in the chest by an ogre. It's quite an interesting experience, so long as you don't need to be capable of walking or forming coherent sentences the rest of the evening, on account of both the debilitating drunkenness and the way it tends to, ah, cook yer innards a little.
On the other side of the spectrum, we could always head over to the Sensorium and try the Arborean heartwine. Again, you'd better not be intending on forming coherent sentences the rest of the evening, and you likely won't be able to walk, though one of your legs should still be working."

thorgrim29

2010-11-17, 01:15 AM

Sounds like I'd need a few elf lifetimes to see it all. Oh well, maybe I can get a research posting, there's bound to be information on the Netherese here, and I'm afraid I've let my historian skills go rusty in the last few months, and I could go to a different bar every night. Of course I may have to get preemptive absolutions with the Churches if half of what I hear is true.

mshady

2010-11-19, 06:54 AM

Overhearing the conversation, Carmard approaches Thordek and Johannes. He seems to be limping; having been shot twice in the leg this week has finally caught up with him.

"I think a research posting can be arranged" Carmard remarks. "Choice of assignment, if we survive this, might not be outta the question. Cannae ask a dwarf to do more than ye have so far" he says. He gives Thordek and Johannes a slight nod and continues to walk, until he's in front of the swirling portal.

"Dwarves. Time to go" he says, waving his hand and pointing to the portal. The chorus of groans from the dwarven force rumbles. Having an instinctive dislike for magic, using such powerful magic to go between the Planes themselves is not something many of them enjoyed.

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-19, 10:49 AM

"By the way Thordrek"Nega Yells out as she enters:"You owe me a wrestle ye big mout'"Nega laughs heartily.

mshady

2010-11-20, 03:09 AM

Carmard looks between Thordek and Nega with a look of surprise. He almost stammers out a question on Nega's statement.... but decides he doesn't want to know...

mshady

2010-11-20, 11:05 AM

Out the Rabbit Hole...

One by one the battered force of dwarves and minotaurs, most walking and some carried, march through the waiting portal. Last in line is the enormous fire cannon and its bladders of oil, all dragged by its grumbling artillery crew. The complaints about the portal are only silenced when the reluctant dwarves grimly march through it, unsure of what is even on the other side. The two iron golems haul the bladders of oil, and both Arman and Arum are in close attendance. That Sable and Wyatt had not came back through with a warning told Carmard things must be reasonably safe.

Or they were immediately engaged. Or the portal was malfunctioning. Or it was throwing them all into an underground tomb. Numbly, he figures he should have checked that first but it was too late now to worry about that.
Last to go through are the battered Knights of Moradin on their armored war pigs. Both the knights and their mounts all look battered, including the indomitable knight, Hjalmar Crownshield. Their charge had saved the left flank, for a time, until they were hemmed in by the weight of their enemies. Encircled, they have used spears and halberds to poke at the dwarves from a safe distance, and it had taken a toll. Two of the knights are tied to their mounts, severally wounded. Hjalmar looks at Carmard as he passes, and the barrel chested, one eyed dwarf gives Carmard a hard look as he passes.

With everyone else through the portal, Carmard and his Arcanii go through last. He takes a moment to take in the sights of Sigil one last time. Only in the City of Doors could such a massive structure be filled with so many portals. The effort it was taking to link the dwarven strongholds together with portals had and still was staggering. It seemed so.. easy here. He knew that it wasn't. The portals here could be impossibly old. With a last sigh of faint admiration, Carmard walks through the portal as well...

mshady

2010-11-20, 11:41 AM

The March Home...

In Wayward, the find what they expect to find. They stumble out of an almost tipped over portal that is buttressed upwards by a combination of stone, animal bones and pieces of rotting lumber. The area is dusty and full of irregular pebbles all over. The remains of a demolished settlement fill the area, and even a few bleached skeletons. In the center of town, the skeleton of a hydra lays on the ground as well. The big bones of the creature, complete with 9 necks and skulls, just sits there. A crow like bird sits on top of one of the skulls, watching the group with disinterest. A quarter mile away stands a herd of those demon eyed looking rothe, who graze on the gravel and leave pebbles behind. Their determined chewing sounds like a pistol's discharge with every bite, as they crush the stone in their powerful jaws. Overheard, the sky spins the wrong direction and is filled with a kaleidoscope of color.

"Ya, just as unsettling a place as it was before" Buna remarks, looking up at the sky. Her attention terms to the gravel crunching rothe as her stomach rumbles. "If we had the time, I'd say we shoot one o'those buggers and have a good slab o'steak" she says with a mischievous smile.

"I hear the minotaurs taken offense at the slaughter of cattle for meat" Carmard replies dryly. He is surveying the area with his spy glass, finding little of attention.

"I reckon it hits close to home for them. Oh well" Buna replies with disappointment.

Over to the south, thin columns of black smoke can be seen rising from a hazy looking settlement. It must be several miles away. Not far from the portal are the remains of a road, plowed through the sea of gravel that seems to head in that direction.

"Must be Wayward. I think that hydra worked it over good" Buna says quietly, with a tone of sympathy.

"Likely" Carmard replies with detached indifference. "Harold will save them, I'm sure" That remark had acid to it.

Carmard withdraws a silver looking instrument and holds it in the palm of his hand. He mutters an incantation and waits for it to do something. He gives it a whack, and his next words are more along the lines of colorful metaphors.

"This is going to be awhile" Buna mutters. She signals the troops to wait while Carmard literally gets his bearings. They grumble and set down their weapons or packs, waiting for their next orders. Quite a few of the dwarves quickly find themselves sleeping on the ground, taking advantage of any opportunity for a snooze. The more serious clean their weapons and armor. The clerics and Valkyries check on the wounded, changing bandages and the like while Carmard fiddles.

A half hour later, Carmard announces he's found the way to the portal back to Faitholme using his portal compass. The dwarven force drags itself back to its feet and shuffles away towards the next portal in their journey.
"I hate marching" Buna grumbles. "If I wanted to march all over, I would've joined the Forgemark Legion"
"At least the Arcanii have better boots" comes Carmard's dry reply.

For some reason, that was the funniest thing Buna had heard in an age. It was good to hear someone laugh.

Strangie

2010-11-20, 02:20 PM

As the others are making their way out, they find Wyatt outside and far enough away where he won't get tripped over, holding his hand over his eyes as he scans the surrounding environment.

"It smells like... death out here. Pah. Seems to be a recurring theme recently, huh. As long as they ain't walkin', 'dough, I'm satisfied. Nothin' out here of interest to report."

Once Carmard has the next portal location figured out and the march is on, Wyatt takes point again to scout ahead for trouble. "I'm gonna peek out ahead for ya. Doubt 'dere's gonna be much out here from what I've been seein', but, never can be too careful, right? Come on, Sable. We belong on the sneakin' front."

He quickly darts past his dwarven fellows, his quickness unusual for that a halfling and easily outpaces the majority of the group travelling with him. Once he's distanced himself enough to be able to scout effectively, but not too far away where his party can't bail him out in case trouble jumps him first - which, given his heightened awareness, wasn't very likely - he talks quietly to Sable...

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-20, 09:21 PM

"O' da smell of fres'air lasses and lads. Not home but way better dan were we was" Listening to Buna she walks over and offers her her pony."If yer tired Buna ye can ride. I'm tired of ridin I needs me walk. I need to get ready for my wrestle. I have a big mout' to beat." She spots Wyatt running between the dwarves an exclaims:"Ye gonna kill yerself if ye don't slow down Wyatt." She laughs and smiles walking around among the soldiers and looking at wounds and chatting with a few that seem disheartened. She smiles and mutters blessing as she walks.

Strangie

2010-11-20, 10:53 PM

"Slow down? Me? Hah! Last time I slowed down, I got feathered with a crossbow bolt. Besides! I gotta keep my eyes peeled for trouble, don't I? Can't have you lot stumblin' into a trap or anythin', y'know. Just leave it to me," he replies to Nega. "But I appreciate the concern, eh? Don't blink now - I might not be 'dere when you look again..."

Wyatt draws out his shortbow as he scouts the path ahead, keeping his ears and eyes open for trouble. Somehow, he seemed able to blend in with the natural environment, and those without extremely trained eyes had trouble even seeing him if they weren't already keeping track of him before he went into hiding. Dwarves who were looking away from him while he was getting set up would likely look back and not see him until they were right on top of him, and even then it wasn't likely, though he was aware enough to not let such an instance happen.

Somehow, Wyatt made himself a ghost of the outdoors.

Ah, the joys of the Camouflage class skill...

Gorgondantess

2010-11-20, 11:22 PM

Entering the portal, Joh chats amicably and walks on through, quite nonplussed- he's frequented the good temple before, and has no reason to doubt its validity.

Later, he chuckles at Carmard's and Buna's banter. "My good lady, if Mystra had intended us to walk, she wouldn't have invented magic."
As he speaks, he mutters a quick incantation and lays a hand on her arm- in moments, she's hovering inches above the ground.

After all that, Joh felt... strangely invigorated. Sure, things didn't go as horribly as well as possible... but they didn't go horribly, either, and at the end of the day he was still conscious, which is also a plus. Omelet made- a few eggs broken, dammit, but omelet made.

Melody

2010-11-21, 05:12 PM

Sable walks along ahead of the group scanning the area for possible threats, especially the sky. She walks carefully over the uneven terrain without really bothering to hide. Smiling she turns and says something to Wyatt as he walks close a moment before disappearing.

Werewhale

2010-11-21, 05:26 PM

Nalrak Ironfist

Busy, busy, busy. For a cleric, a battle did not end with victory or defeat. After routing the enemy, they did not get a chance to sit down, relax, reflect on the recent experience and recuperate. Oh no. The end of the battle was just the beginning of Nalrak and the other clerics' exertions. Ever since the fight drew to a close with the capture of the Stoneburner, Nalrak had immediately set to stabilizing as many of his fellow dwarves as he could, and then to set them as right as he could with the available time and resources. First his gloves had come off, in order to give him maximum digital dexterity. Then he had removed a piece of armor every time he felt it constrict his mobility until he finally was racing around in his fatigues, keeping track of the wounded. His arms and armour so unceremoniously discarded and in so many pieces, he had to order an arbalester who looked far too comfortable to collect it while he himself attended to his medical duties.

Even as they marched away, he had refrained from donning his armor(forcing the now rather disgruntled arbalester to carry it for him) in order to stay as mobile as possible as he tended to the wounded along with the other clerics. He didn't even think much about entering the portal, his exhausted mind being so preoccupied with the wounded, although as he exited on the other side, he was reminded that he was Carmard's bodyguard, after all, now unarmoured and his arms carried by a soldier whose position he was not entirely clear on. "The journey to Faitholme had better be uneventful..." he muttered as this realization hit him.

mshady

2010-11-23, 01:56 AM

The dwarves march in an orderly formation over the wide open plains in good order. The stoneburner and all of the casualties sit in the center of the formation, with the rest marching at five different points around it so the dwarves would be harder to flank. Everyone with a crossbow has it out in case a hydra is encountered, in hopes that the barrage of stinging bolts would drive it away. The truth was that dwarves were not the best of shots and a bit nearsighted as a rule, but having them out was reassuring if not a complete deterrent to something else. While a normal march might be filled with marching songs and the pounding of drums to keep the group in order and motivated, Carmard had issued strict orders against that. Even their shining standard had been struck now. All of this was done in hopes of avoiding attention from the local wild life. The presence of a draconic hydra in the area, a frightening prospect if there was one, made this an easy order to enforce, even amongst the usually unruly minotaurs.

As the familiar portal back to Faitholme comes into sight, the fatigue of their long march weighs heavily. Proud shoulders slump and long beards drag in the dust. The portal remains much as it had been before, if not for a cairn created next to the entrance where Nega had left two silver rings, roughly inlaid in the stone thanks to the quick work of a handy chisel. The dedication to Berronar was a welcome sign for the beleaguered dwarves.

"Well..," Buna sighs "this is it" looking at the portal. She forces a smile and stumbles through the portal. Several knots of dwarves stumble their way through, until everyone had made it.

After another 8 hours of walking, the dwarves had finally returned to their own ground.

They were in Faitholme now. The crystal walls were a welcome and magnificent sight. It's slightly cool temperature a balm for the sweltering dwarves,

Last through the portal, Carmard can be heard audibly sighing.
"Finally" he says. "Now on to the hard part"

thorgrim29

2010-11-23, 07:52 AM

Happy to be back in Faitholme, Thordrek goes to speak to Carmard.

Sir, unless you need me for something I'll go find a bunk and sleep for a day if that's all right

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-23, 02:26 PM

"Master Thordrek"Nega yells.Now when will you be available for our wrestle? Nega smiles.Your not c'icken inn out are ye ladNega Looks sternly at Thordrek.

thorgrim29

2010-11-23, 04:19 PM

When we're both healed and rested would seem wiser thn in our current state wouldn't you say?

Strangie

2010-11-23, 04:50 PM

Wyatt waits his turn for the portal this time - he figured it be better if dwarves went into Faithholme first. He stands by, waiting with his arms folded and tapping his foot every now and then. Once the majority of the group was through, he followed, stretching out.

"Ah, thank the gods... back on safe ground. Finally! Phew. I'm bushed, 'dough. I could go for a nice, long nap right 'bout now..."

mshady

2010-11-23, 10:53 PM

Tired by the long march through Sigil, than the hot and long march through Wayward, after a day of marching and fighting, Carmard takes a drink from his canteen, than dampens a cloth with it. He rubs some more dust from his forehead and shakes his trimmed beard to get some of the dust out of that as well. He looks back at Kalados and Regina with a sullen frown, than sighs.

"Aye, that'd be nice..." remarks, clearly embracing the idea on an internal level. Clearly, Carmard is an exhausted as everyone else.

"Pity that's not happen'n" Carmard announces. "We'll be leav'n the rest of the troops behind to reinforce Glorian and Tolrin in Icewind Pass. We're heading to back to the Underdark near where we were supposed to meet Bundok, that miner and some other allies for the assault on the Aurilite stronghold"

Hearing grumbling from those gathered, he hold up his hand.

"We rest there, no sooner. We get the stoneburner to a safe area and let Kalados try to bind it again. I'll not let his failure or duplicity risk Faitholme. If something happens, it happens there"

Carmard looks around at the empty tables by the portal they just entered as some of the permanent staff there head over to them. The ones who could bring food.

"That said... we take an hour for food and supplies" he says, gesturing towards the tables they sat at days before. "We can spare that, and no more"

With a sigh, Carmard staggers over to the table and sits down.

At this point, you have an hour to get some food and replenish a reasonable amount of expendables. Let me know what, but make it quick so we can move on :)

thorgrim29

2010-11-23, 11:05 PM

Fair enough

He goes pick up a plate of roast and a tankard of ale and goes to see the quartermaster.

Can we assume we're fully healed? In any case Thordrek will be replenishing his healing potions as much as is permitted by the quartermaster

Strangie

2010-11-24, 12:25 AM

"Gah... man, you dwarves sure do know how to march. Yeah, awright..." Wyatt glances around for a moment, turning to Sable. "I'm down for a meal. After 'dat, 'dough, we gotta talk to someone about my, uh, financial situation."

Wyatt empties his pockets to Sable. All there is to show for are some marbles and a handful of pocket lint. "I've not a single copper piece to my name! We gotta do somethin' about 'dis. I think I've repaid my debt to 'dese guys for helpin' me out in 'dat cave, but I gotta draw the line somewhere. 'dis is dangerous work we do, and nobody else can do it. But you're better at the words 'dan I am."

Wyatt stuffs his pockets back in, rubbing at the back of his head, grumbling to himself. "Bah... shoulda stayed workin' with Vik. I bet he's probably rollin' in gold pieces by now with whatever he's doin'. 'dis sucks."

Werewhale

2010-11-24, 05:38 AM

Nalrak Ironfist

Nalrak gets his pet arbalester to help him don his armor again, then dismisses the sour dwarf, before hunting down medical supplies to replenish his stock and some food. After that, he slumps down on a seat near Carmard to reassume his role as his bodyguard and greets him with an exhausted salute, muffled by a piece of bread he barely has the strength to chew. He has few, if any, words for anyone.

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-24, 06:46 AM

"You speak da tru't Master T'ordrek but don't ferget." Nega then looks at Wyatt and says" I have an inportant task fer ye Wyatt and yes dorfs know marc'in because we done it most of our lives. It comes to dat w'en ye battle ye move bit parties best by marc'.I'll need ye to fer some trainin young master. Ye will be able to give me da upper 'and on da silly lad. Now come wit' me fer a w'ile we need discuss tactics out of 'is ear s'ot."She laughs and winks to Wyatt as she motions him over. She then whispersNow lets plan fer 'is demise She laughs and grabs Wyatt by the shouldres and tells him stories of Feanor Bital and da far away land of Cormyr as they walk.

Strangie

2010-11-24, 03:11 PM

"Uh... talkin' to me? I dunno what a dwarf wants to learn from a halfling, but, uh, awright." The halfling moves along with Nega. "Hey Sable, can ya take care of 'dat uh... thing we talked about? If you can? I'd 'preciate it."

Gorgondantess

2010-11-24, 03:21 PM

Johannes shakes his head at Carmard. "Gods, man, is that really necessary? I know time is of the essence, but we've already spent days and days in Sigil- eight hours wouldn't be too much to ask, now, would it?
Either way, I'd be wary of trusting Kaladus to do anything than be anything but untrustworthy. I can still get in contact with Glorian if need be, eh? It won't be pretty, but it'll be prettier than that stoneburner on the loose again."

mshady

2010-11-24, 04:59 PM

"Oh, I'm sure she knows something already, being that we're late" Carmard mutters to Johannes. Waving at him with a biscuit, he nods to him in agreement.

"Send her a message. The response'll be interest'n I'm sure"

He turns to Johannes and looks at him with a flash of vigor through his tired haze.

"I understand yer point, but it is neccesary" he says stiffly. "I'm nay opposed to getting rest, but if we do it, we need to push on for now till we meet our allies. We rest there and work on the bomb. I cannae afford to rest now and however long that old bastard takes to do what he said" Carmard pauses. "Doing what I have to do if he doesn't will nay long at all, but I prefer is way first"

mshady

2010-11-26, 02:33 AM

Sitting down at the table, Carmard is flanked on either side by the cousins Nalrak and Grathalmor Ironfist. As food is delivered to the table by the stewards, he invites them to eat before him as a sign of respect. As they eat, he digs in as well. The meal consists of biscuits and salted pork, as well as ample amounts of ale and tea. It's not all that appetizing, but it is satisfies their hunger at the least. When they finish with the first course, Carmard waits before speaking.

"Thank ye both" Carmard says to them, "It's been a hard time here. When I asked for ye both as my bodyguards, it was nay for my own protection as many o'the other Arcanii. It was so I could ye both for yer other talents, even though I knew it took ye away from yer own plans.

Yours in dueling the worst o'what we may face so others don't have to, Grathalmor. Yours for your practices in the arts of healing, to save others that I couldn't, Nalrak. When this is over, you'll be released from your oathes of protection earlier than was agreed" Carmard pauses for a moment to judge their reaction. Considering that their duty would have lasted several more years, high honor that it was, both were far too senior for such service and all three at the table knew it. That they were both from a protectorate clan, not of the Patriarchate specifically, while the honor had been high, it had been unusual as well.

"For your loyalty, I'll repay it in kind if I live to do so" Carmard continues. "I'll support yer efforts to recover the Ironfist Halls, so ye don't have to live as refugees under the shadow of yer own homes. Whether the Patriarchate himself can help with the matter itself or it must be done another way"

The revelation from Carmard is flatly stunning, really. For most of the time they had know him, he had kept himself distant and formal with only formal shows of appreciation or well, any emotion really. That he felt moved enough to release them, let alone his offer of support, was surprising. The weight of the deaths in the Great Foundry must have weighed on him. It took the two cousins a moment to recognize something they had never seen Carmard show. A feeling of overwhelming guilt.

Gorgondantess

2010-11-26, 03:43 AM

Johannes nods grimly. He sighs as he takes the scrolls out- ten minutes or more of his precious rest time, spent contacting Glorian. What a delightful concept.
Nevertheless, he finds a nice, quiet corner and gets to concentrating, formulating his message as he goes.
"At Faitholme, Stoneburner secured; Leaving in an hour; sole method of detonation a backstabbing, treacherous mage; requesting your assistance to avoid another mishap."
Johannes intentionally makes sure that sacrificing Carmard wouldn't be presented as an option- he didn't doubt that Glorian would choose to take that route.

Werewhale

2010-11-26, 08:36 AM

Nalrak Ironfist

Nonplussed by this new, emotional, Carmard, Nalrak stares at him for a few moments, glances at Grathalmor once, back at Carmard, swallows his mouthful of food and then manages a weak, "Thank you, Carmard," hoping to express the depth of his gratitude, and the other emotions running through him that he was too tired to name, through the tone of his voice.

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-26, 02:21 PM

After walking with Wyatt telling stories from Cormyr for a while Nega says:Wyatt you 'ave a good nose can ye find Carmard and da ot'er s inn fer me. If ye do I'll bye a beer or two I s'ould tend to da business between us. T'anks muc' fer da 'elp lad it will be invaluable fer me against da master T'ordrek. Now find dat inn and come see me over at da temple.(ooc:I guess there is somekind of altar or something to Berronar there that Nega would know of) Nega waves as she stumps off to see her troops and the temple.

mshady

2010-11-26, 07:28 PM

Johannes concentrates on a length of copper wire coiled around his index finger as he drew the delicate magic from the scroll and bent it to its intended purposes. A Sending spell was not a trivial spell, but the casting time to send a 25 word message was irritating. Especially when he had better things to do, like eat or sleep, or other things. Oh well, if information was power, the conveyance of said information should probably take awhile. It still made him impatient, however.

With the spell completed, he waited for Glorian's response. It felt like the spell had been succesful and he knew within moments his message would be whispered into Glorian's consciousness.

The response was not long in coming, and it was not unexpected.

"Request denied! Engaged now. Detonate any means. Carmard knows alternatives. Ask. Have two days longer. Hurry. Recommend don't lose it again before attack! Berronar's blessings"

mshady

2010-11-26, 07:33 PM

Composing himself, he looks over as Johannes works on his sending spell and is apparently waiting for the response he was expecting. Having replaced his more formal mask of leadership, Carmard nods slightly towards Nalrak.

"Yer welcome" he allows, unless Grathalmor has something else to say. Having recently been upbraided by Carmard for nearly getting killed in the arena in Sigil, the admission of appreciation including him equally with his cousin might be surprising as well.

Than he returned to his food, and that was that.

shaddy_24

2010-11-26, 07:56 PM

Magnum

Magnum grunts in releaf at their uneventful return to Faitholm. He remains with the wounded for a short time, escourting them to the treatment area and handing them over to the doctors. They'd be in good hands here. He also looks for any surplus healing supplies on hand, though he doubts they'll have any. Most of it will have already gone to support the war effort, and they'll be short enough after dealing with those wounded in the past fight.

Returning to the main room, Magnum settles down for a meal. They didn't have much time, they would need him to be ready for the next fight. Something does occur to him though, and he turns to Carmard, "What do you intend to do with Kalados after he finishes? Ditch him to deal with the results on his own? Or call judgment for those who died by his trechery this day?"

Strangie

2010-11-26, 09:06 PM

"Uhm..." Wyatt simply waves as Nega leaves. "Sure, I guess? I don't think 'dere's any place like 'dat around here, and I'd really just like to... you know, rest a bit and maybe figure out a payment plan with Carmard, but I suppose I'll look..."

He slumps his shoulders, rubbing his forehead and looking around for what it was Nega wanted. "An inn... I think 'dat's what she wanted... when did I suddenly become Errand Boy? Bah..."

Melody

2010-11-26, 09:49 PM

Sable stands by the table for a moment waiting for Carmard's brusque nod to sit. Sitting as he nods, she looks at him a moment before speaking. I know it isn't the best time Carmard, but can we spare some pay for Wyatt before we leave? He needs reprovisioning. We used most of his stuff in that bomb we dropped down on the mage circle.

She grins and then chuckles softly at the memory of deafened, acid splattered, burning, and screaming mages for a moment. Shaking head she looks back at Carmard with a smile. He's been a good addition to the group. She waits to hear Carmard's response.

mshady

2010-11-26, 11:05 PM

As Magnum and Sable join him at the barracks table, Carmard addresses them, but only after he finished his own plate as he thinks over something or another.

First, he replies to Magnum question by asking another question.

"What should we do with him? After we let him work on the stoneburner and learn how to bind an... intelligence to it?" Carmard asks, with a raised eyebrow.

He waits long enough for Magnum to think about it, but answers the question for himself.

"He's asked that question a few times as well. Regina is playing the good prisoner, but they're both plaits of the same beard" he says, pausing again for a draught from a stein of ale.

"As I told'em, we leave them both for Glorian or the Patriarch to decide. Once we be done with them, I wash me hands of them" Carmard says in a weary voice.

Signaling he was done with his response to Magnum, he next turns to Sable to hear her question. He smiles slightly at her as she sits. Listening to her question though, that smile turns into a frown.

"What does he need gold for right now? There be a shop here?" Carmard asks. muttering to himself.

"We've but an hour. I understand, and you'll both get yer fair compensation when we survi...err complete this" he says. Before Sable can protest, Carmard holds up a hand to calm her for a moment.

From his ubiqutist satchel, he withdraws a leather bound note book and a charcoal pencil. He quickly scribbles a message, tears it from the binder and hands it to her.

Considering the price of sheets of paper, the gesture litteraly had value.

Sable looks at the note, and jotted in rough dwarven script are words she cannot readily decipher. The problem occurs to Carmard at about the same time as it occured to Sable, and he quickly translates.

"It says "Please open the store rooms to these friends of the dwarves to replenish what they lost in battle. Anything else at quartermaster's discretion. Signed, Arcanii Carmard Grindstaff". That will have to do for now. I trust that ye find that sufficient?" Carmard asks her, his voice clearly exhausted.

Gorgondantess

2010-11-27, 01:58 AM

Johannes sets his face grimly to the news. He picks up the other sending scroll, looking at it yearningly: to give that b*tch a piece of his mind would almost be worth the ten minutes. Almost.
Instead, he heads to Kaladus' location. Walking into the room, he gives off a pleasant smile.
"While normally I'd prefer to go about this a little slowly, I don't have time to deal with your crap, so let's get the preliminaries out of the way, shall we?"
With that, he steps over to Kaladus, grabs his hand, and bends back his pinkie finger until his nail is touching his wrist. He then twists it around to the side until he feels the pop of a dislocated joint.
"Yeh've got another nine, dirtbag. Every time ye stutter, or back talk, or if I even think yeh're lyin', I'll take another. Then we'll move te yer feet, an' then yer knees, an' by the time I'm done wit yer thighs yeh'd better hope I'm trustin' ye more n' Moradin himself.
I understand ye know how ta set off te stoneburner. Well, I don' trust you as far as I can throw you, but I happen ta be sumthin' of an expert on enchantments meself, so yeh'll tell me what ye can before I decide yeh're useless and just finish wit' yer face. An' I hope ye be in a particularly didactic mood this evenin', coz yeh've nay got an hour before I come to that decision. Start talkin'."
While entering the room, Joh was rather amicable, but by this point he sounds like he wants the man to piss him off.

mshady

2010-11-27, 02:52 AM

Nega got around a fair bit in Faerun, often using the Ways between the Silver Chambers between Cormyr and Sunderhelme. Coming to Faitholme had not been something that had come up for her in recent years, and it was not a tourist destination. She had been a very busy dwarf, reviving an order of Paladins and seeing to the protection of pilgrimages and other operations.

Now that she was here, she was determined to see what was here. Having the advantage of joining the rest of the party fresh, she still had a reasonable reserve of energy. With eight of her remaining Valkyries in tow, as well as the unwounded Silver Mace and Silver Shields, the collection of dwarves made their way across the green crystal chambers of Faitholme. It's a stunning sight, with more open space than some large towns. It is also stunningly vacant, seemingly designed for a much larger crowd. It had been a long, long time since the dwarves as a people were great enough to fill a place like this. It created a feeling of both sadness and pride.

All along the sides of Faitholme, there are passageways carved into the great walls leading to barracks, abandoned workshops and storage areas. Several of the walls are marked with tapestries. Some are ancient and moldering, marking the barracks of long forgotten dwarven battalions. Others are marked with the banners of various detachments of the Forgemark Legion and more specialized groups that did move through here often. Some of the troops that permanently guarded Faitholme had joined the battle in Sigil. Not all of them had came back.

In front of one of barracks sits a heavily muscled dwarf sitting by a fire smoldering in a stone pit. He is wearing scale mail and has a shaved head, with the exception of a wild mohawk. Three retainers sit next to him, with massive spears leaned against a pillar. As they roast a pig, they watch from a distance as Nega's troops pass.

Along the far wall, Nega can see where all of the temples are. No attendants or honor guards stand by them, but none the less they seem magnificent. Instead, they are marked by magnificent tapestries 50 feet or more in length, all emblazoned with the holy symbols of all the dwarven gods. In the center of it all sits the entrance to a temple to Moradin and another to Berronar herself. The temple to Berronar's entrance is hewn from the stone and covered in finely polished silver that leads to stairway. Torches light the way, the kind that never go out, and the passageway has a shining radiance to it.
The scale of it, like everything else here, is daunting.

As the troop heads up the stairways, they are treated to a massively long relief wrought in silver and gold leaf telling various depictions of stories associated with Berronar's faith. More tapestries hang along the wall depicting other religiously related scenes. The stairs ascend into wide open chamber made of crystal and silver that is illuminated by something akin to sunlight pouring through the center of a dome down into the temple below. At the back of the chamber stands a massive silver statue of Berronar, mace in one hand and another hand embracing all of her children. Before it stands a simple stone and silver altar. What must be hundreds of simple silver rings are set in front of the statue, in tribute to Berronar and some sort of long standing tradition. There was no telling the age of the rings before that statue.

On either end of the temple floor are two fireplaces that crackle with heat and comforting beauty. Obviously some king of enchantment, as there is clearly no wood here, they are large and magnificent. At various spots around the temple are old tables, some stained and set haphazardly around. At some point, this area must have been used to tend to the wounded.

As she thinks about it, she can slowly feel some of her own wounds slowly knitting back together as she stands, as well as a reassuring feeling. She did not know if it was anything beyond that. Clearly the inside of the temple was enchanted in some way. Not enough to heal quickly certainly, but it was something,

"See'n be believ'n" one the Valkyries mumbles in awe.

mshady

2010-11-27, 04:09 PM

OOC Scene Note: While Nega's Valkyries are off visiting the temple of Berronar, these two were stuffed in a nearby barracks. It is out of sight and, while not quite out of ear shot, it would take a lot to draw attention as no one really cares how they are doing.

"Gah!!" Kaladus yells in pain. "What the hell are you on about! I need those fingers for the spell you bearded arse!" he hisses at Johannes.

He glares at Johannes with a look of unadultered hate. Eyes that say if he had the oppurtunity, he'd make sure to kill Johannes in a horrible way. No one had treated Kaladus in a very long time, and he would be sure to remember every detail. Johannes returns the glare, his own determination unflinching as it is merciless.

Johannes rolls an Intimidate Check + 15, scoring a 27.

"Are you two making friends?" Regina purrs, clearly amused by the scene. "Break his left index finger next. He broken it when he was young. Imagine. Kaladus young?" she says, and laughs.

Kaladus looks at her with an equal glare, before returning to Johannes.

"When that paladin comes back, she'll hear of this" Kaladus seethes. "Since you seem intent on maiming me before they return, I'll tell you what you want. Obviously if I can't, your lords will kill me anyways, so why not? Just had to ask, you stupid berk. Where's your Sensate whore by the way? She off "experiencing" another man?" he says, and snorts.

Kaladus grudgingly explains the principle of what he will try to do to bind Barauk back into the stoneburner. The magical theory Kaladus outlines clearly demonstrates he is out of Johannes league, but he manages to keep up well enough. He knows enough for it to make sense, but with the density of information outlined it is hard to tell if he is being overwhelmed and mislead or not. At least Kaladus is not trying to obviously mislead him, he senses. Bluster aside, his life was now dependent on this working.

Johannes takes 10 on Spellcraft, giving him a 17 spell craft check. He rolls for a Knowlege Arcana check to understand the principle, scoring a 27. The spellcraft check fails and the Knowledge Arcana check is borderline. He rolls a 27 on Sense Motive though, and is pretty confident about not being mislead.

What he describes is a fairly risky maneuver. To bind Barauk properly back to the Stoneburner, he would need to have a summoning circle carved somewhere flat and require silver dust to outline the circle, along with certain runes. Next he would use a Dimensional Anchor spell to make sure Barauk could not escape, following by casting an inwardly focused Magic Circle against Evil spell around the stoneburner and a spell of Planar Binding for good measure. This all could take 3-4 hours of preparation and the circle would only last for about the same time.

As he explains, the Stoneburner works by the use of a powerful Binding spell to keep the soul in the container. Next, a Trap the Soul spell must be used to trap it completely in a gem inside the stoneburner that would allow it to control the Stoneburner itself. After that, several Sympathy spells are laid to encourage it to follow each step of the plan to operate the stoneburner as intended. Domination spells are further uses. Most nefarious of all is the use of several geas spells to make the pain inflicted on the poor soul be so blinding that it had no choice but to follow instructions as quickly as possible. The only way to end the burning pain was to force the soul to destroy itself.

It sounded like it would work to Johannes. It sounded pretty inescapable. That Barauk had shrugged off that compulsion once already though showed impressive will power. Could he do it again? It had required a lot of convincing to make it want to live the first time. The desire for epic vengeance had apparently been enough, once it realized what could be done. Several of Kaladus' spells seemed redundant, so chances seemed good.

Nonetheless, it still sounded incredible complex and dangerous.

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-27, 05:24 PM

Nega walks to the altar of Berronar. She deposits two silver rings on it and kneels in prayer. She will stay in prayer for the next 3 hours with her Valkyries. She has let her troops time to worship the Dwarfmother and get rein burst with her power. She then returns to the Barracks to check on her prisoners.
((ooc: Give me a hint mike when it's time ;)))

mshady

2010-11-27, 05:33 PM

(OOC: Well you only have an hour, so the troops can stay but she has to go soon if she wants to go at all with the rest of the group)

Strangie

2010-11-28, 12:18 AM

Wyatt wandered around a bit, apparently not finding what he was looking for. He was more interested in seeing what Sable came up with. He set off to find her, and once he did...

"'ey, Sabe. What's 'dat?" He points at the piece of paper that Carmard gave to her. "Hnn... dwarven? I can read dwarven. Lemme see 'dat. What's it say? What'd he say? I'm outta supplies - I gotta restock."

He glances around a little bit. "Oh... do you know anything about... er... inns? 'dat crazy Nega lady was askin' me about 'em earlier, but she's got some crazy accent 'dat's so hard to understand I thought she was speaking Gnome or Undercommon or some crap. And 'den she wanted me to see her at the temples or somethin' once I did. You're the only one I can talk to 'dat doesn't make me want to pull my hair out in bloody clumps sometimes, Sable. ..." He raises a hand to any objectors who might be nearby. "No offense. I'm sure dwarves say the same things about halflings and just about everybody else in the world 'dat isn't a dwarf."

thorgrim29

2010-11-28, 01:44 AM

Thordrek, healed and restocked (took 5 CMW and 20 CLW potions if that's ok), is heading back for a few beers when he passes Sable and Wyatt talking.

You should go to Mirabar sometime Wyatt, we have dwarves who speak barely accented common, and also humans who sound like Carmard, or rather like Princess Cati Brie of Mythral hall when she gets angry, like the time the Drow's panther wizzed on her bow, good times. But I do agree Nega can be hard to understand, even for me, sometimes I wish she'd just speak dwarven to me.

A thought strikes him

I'm about to bring a beer to a friend of mine who'll be leading an expedition to reclaim his family's Hold as soon as the patriarchate lends him a few troops, you should come, I'm sure when the time comes there'll be work for you two, and Tasster's not the type to renege if you manage to strike a deal with him.

He laughs under his breath

I'm sure my telling him how Nega and I took down a death knight and how I rode a minotaur will put him in a good mood, your monster bomb thing too, just be careful what you tell him, I'm not sure how secret our mission's details are.

Strangie

2010-11-28, 02:19 AM

"Hahaha! I know, right? You should listen to one of the last guys I worked with. Biggest, toughest, meanest mother-hubbard I ever worked with, I bet he'd give one of 'dose minotaurs a run for 'deir, uh... horns... but, he had an... interesting way of getting his thoughts across." He ahems, and puts on the best thick, deep Russian-like accent he can muster. "Hallo! Pleased to be drink with you tiny man, is always good times, yah?" He laughs a bit to himself, shaking his head. "Ah, 'dose were the days..."

"Oh I'm sure there will be some work for me. I always manage to find some way to occupy myself," Wyatt replies to Thordrek with a shrug. "Because you see, I can do it all. Need a trap disabled? Yeah I got 'dat. Need some back up in a fight? Here I come! Gotta scout a place out? I've got 'dat under control. Need someone to get from HQ to the village to warn the townspeoples before the incoming tsunami of enemy soldiers burns the village to a crisp? Yeah. I've done all 'dose things. Need something blown the crap up? Well..." He rubs his chin, with a grin. "You gimme enough alchemy stuff, maybe I can come up with somethin'. Anyway..."

He plays with the headband under his hair. "Yeah maybe I'll come. I gotta take care of some equipment business on my own 'dough. Our monster bomb pretty much wiped out my whole alchemy set!" he says, sweeping his hand in front of him. "Totally worth it, 'dough, and riding my way to the ground on 'dat metal catwalk and impressin' all the soldiers in the aftermath was pretty fun too. I'm a daredevil like 'dat. 'dat's how I roll."

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-28, 05:25 AM

After suddenly getting a notion that she must see Carmard and the others she raises from her prayer. She gives orders to her soldiers and returns to the Baracks. She goes looking for Carmard."O' ye soldier were can I find Master Carmard?"After getting direction she walks to the Barracks to check on the prisoners.

mshady

2010-11-29, 07:49 AM

The soldier nods to Nega and points to the tables by the portal they entered, where many are gathering for a meal the stewards hurriedly provide.

"Right where ye left em, ma'am" he says. Having answered the question, he moves on

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-29, 09:49 AM

"Kaladus and Regina I 'ope our accommodations are sufficient"Nega looks stern.You will be fed and watered if you wis' at dis moment. Any takers?Nega walks up to Kaladus and inspects him. And then on to Regina. ((ooc waiting for mike to make known what she sees))

mshady

2010-11-29, 02:22 PM

Note - Due to the amount of time it takes to walk to and from the temples, I need to allow plenty of time for Johannes to finish his scene, so I'm going to hold off. I'll be online tonight after 7 if you want to finish up the scene via MSN Instant Messenger. If anyone else wants to run a scene with me tonight, sign on and say hello.

mshady

2010-11-30, 12:32 PM

Johannes had already left the empty barracks room when Nega Silvermace came in. She found Kaladus sitting on the crystal floor across from Regina. Remarkably, the two are talking shop regarding magical theory. It was more of a verbal duel about finger wiggler stuff Nega knew or cared much about.

She immediately notices that Kaladus is clutching his left hand in his right and seems to be in pain. Seeing Nega, he immediately dismisses his conversation with Regina and holds up his hand. His pinky finger is set awkwardly and swollen.

"That dwarf came in here and broke my finger!" Kaladus yells at her. "Threatened to torture me, break all my fingers and cut off my feet. I see how your kind treats prisoners" he seethes. "He wanted information on how I'd do the work on your Artifact. Didn't even ask me a damn question, just walked in and broke my finger as an introduction. He was that dwarf who went around with that Sensate whore, Yennifer. I demand to speak to your commander about this!"

"Please do, dwarf. If only so I don't have to hear his outrage anymore. Really Kal, its unbecoming of you. Which truly is saying a lot" Regina interjects with a smile.

Chepe Nolon

2010-11-30, 01:15 PM

Stop yer winin. Let me look at it.Nega rights his finger with a pull and heals it, bandages it. You can cry All you want you probably did sometin to make 'im go off on ye. And I am da Commander 'ere. You seem to ferget yerself Kaladus. I'm not yer mot'er. Wat ever jo'annes does in 'ere is in 'olding wit' wat we allow. Ye want food and water or ye want to starve.NEGA opens the door and yells:Soldier get da prisoner som food and ask Carmard and Jo'annes and T'ordrek to join me 'ere Now pick up da pace lad!! Nega shuts the door and looks back at Kaladus and Regina. Now anytin else dat ails any of ye I can fix it now. If not I suggest we sit 'ere in silence as we wait.Nega sits down on a chair and looks at the two prisoners.

Melody

2010-12-01, 11:25 PM

Sable smiles and shakes her head as Wyatt and Thordrek go off to tell tall tales and takes herself off to a bathing pool. She leaves the note with Wyatt so that he can get whatever he needs and spends the remainder of the time getting clean.

Strangie

2010-12-02, 12:03 AM

Wyatt takes the note, hiding it away for the moment, as he walks with Thordrek. He makes a note to himself to make sure to cut anybody off who takes up too much of his time to get the things he needs, though.

(OOC: Which I hope to resolve in an IM chat sometime soon.)

mshady

2010-12-03, 07:43 AM

Sable in the Dwarven Bathes

Sable had been having a hard time of it lately. She didn't doubt she would be paid handsomely by the dwarves in the end, but her time with them had proven to be the bloodiest she had ever experienced. Between skulking through the Underdark, those terrible orcs, the devil, the cold of Icewind Dale, being used as a pawn for the Takers and an actual battle in the greatest city in all the Planes, it was certainly a different stroke for her. Through it all, she was about the only one relatively unscathed from it all physically. Grathalmor has almost died in her defense. Wyatt had been poisoned. The elven mage Arman had been poisoned and crippled. Thordek had been pummeled into the ground by orcs. Nalrak, Kelith and Magnum all almost killed by an elemental. Yes, she'd been lucky so far...

She couldn't escape the nagging feeling that the worst was yet to come. Worse than dealing with that damned dwarven bomb either. In the back of her mind, she kept hearing that tick-tick-ticking sound she had learned about last time in Faitholme. It made her skin crawl. As she walked towards the bathes, the scale and vacant majesty of the place, nevermind what else she had saw, impressed its power upon her.

At least a bath would make it all a little better.

She half expected to find the communal bathes full of other dwarves. Other nakes dwarves. Naked dwarves with beards. While at this point, even that may not have deterred her, but her good fortune continued and she found the pools empty.

Inside, she found grottos carved into the polished crystal full of steaming water. From the slight tinge of the smell, it was mineral water of some sort. The grotto bubbled gently, inviting her inside.

What was more impressive though, was that there was more than one steaming grotto. As she looked down the torch lit chamber, she saw dozens more, just like the first one. With the places natural beauty, the dwarves could do a brisk business with just these bathes.

Several minutes later, she found herself in the bathes. The warm water relaxed the tense muscles in her back and legs slowly, reinvigorating her weary body considerbly. If they ever let her come back here, spending more time in these bathes would be on the list of things to do....

mshady

2010-12-03, 08:07 AM

Thordek and Wyatt greet the Fiendslayer

Thordek and Wyatt, along with anyone else who wants to join, head over to where Prince Tasster the Fiendslayer is still encamped. Before going, Wyatt speaks with the quartermaster and gets most of what he needs. Except his payment. No doubt the dwarves would deduct all this from his pay too...

When they approach, both see a sullen looking dwarf sits at his fire with his retainers and watches the dwarves approach with interest, as he tears into a leg of pork with relish. Grease dribbles down his jet black beard with each bite of the steaming meat. He chases each bite down with a draught of what is presumably ale, while one of his retainers works on a stew. When he is close enough, Tasster offers a silent greeting and invites the dwarf and halfing to join him.

"Greetings, Thordek!" he announces with gusto. "I see ye returned, and not safely either! I'm glad for yer excitement and wish I been there! Tell me of it. You bring a tiny warrior as well. New friend?" Tasster asks with great interest borne of great boredom. Thordek didn't know how long the fellow had been stubbornly staying in Faitholme, waiting for his overdue audience with the Patriarch, but it had to be at least a week.

The "word" was that he had been told the Patriarch could not see him, and knowing what Thordek knew of the battle in Icewind Dale, that did not surprise him. Tasster really was a Prince as well. A Prince of the Tethyamar dwarves that had been kicked out of their homes over two centures ago by a an orcish and fiendish army. Their once great Halls were now a veritable zoo of greenbloods and the infernal, though quite a few less of the infernal. The name "Fiendslayer" had been well earned. So was Tasster's reputation as an unbalanced firebrand for his cause of liberating his old Halls, which was exactly what he wanted to ask the Patriarch about.

While he may not know much about the circumstances in the old Tethyamar Halls, he knew the military realities in the Patriarchate and how thinly stretched they were over too many holdings. It was hard to picture Tasster actually ruling anything, given his nature. He understood this son of the late King Ghellin had a more even tempered brother who ruled what was left of his people. Thordek couldn't help but wonder if that brother may have made a better emmisary, or if he had even sent Tasster to begin with. Nonetheless, his blood gave him rank and respect.

As Thordek muses for a moment, Tasster takes another bite out of his roast and looks over Wyatt. The dwarf is unlike the other dwarves he had met so far. He wears a thick mohawk that stands a foot over his head. Piercings and tattoos cover much of his body, as well as over a dozen scars that look serious enough to have felled any normal humanoid. They range from slashes, to bites and claw marks, along with the remains of at least two serious burns. No doubt the tattoos covered some of them, and his armor hid most of the rest. He seemed to have an explosive intensity. While he was calm enough now, if not a bit aggravated at his wait, he seemed to be an all together frightening character. He seemed like he had a constitutional need to kill something on a regular basis to keep his inner furnace in check. He looked at Wyatt like he was a curiousity, than focused on Thordek again.

"Har, so tell me of your tales. What battles did ye have on the Planes? Will ye be bringin' Tasster along fer the next? Me axes need a drink o'fresh blood. Ye hear them crying for a taste? All I can do to keep'em settled" he says, giving Thordek a predatory smile. His three retainers nod their heads in agreement with their Lord's sentiment.

Well, at least they all liked their work...

mshady

2010-12-03, 08:30 AM

Nega sits in an old wooden chair, watching the shackled prisoners to mage sure these treacherous finger wigglers didn't try anything shifty and mage her cave their heads in with her mace. She wasn't a mean dwarf by any stretch, but that was just the way it was going to be.

For their part, neither mage gave her any trouble, but Kaladus did ask her to mend his broken finger. She did so, using the last of her own healing reserves on him, and the finger was quickly mending. After admonishing him not to do anything else to cause someone to break his fingers again, she sat down in silence and laid the magnificent Silver Mace on her lap. Whatever else the bickering mages have to say, they keep their own counsel for now.

For his part, Johannes remains in his own chair and totally ignores what is going on. He is buried in his notes, reviewing what Kaladus had told him.

It doesn't take long for the soldier to return with Carmard and Buna. They are flanked by Nalrak and Grathalmor. Thordek, he says, went off to see another dwarf that was staying in Faitholme known as the Fiendslayer. The name makes the soldier cringe a bit. Apparently that dwarf had quite the reputation.

"This better be good" Buna growls, while Carmard remains silent. "We were eating"

"Oh, good. Do we get some food as well?" Regina asks. The scowl is Buna's reply to the question, but Carmard is more diplomatic.

"I'll have some hard tack sent to ye before ye go. Try not to chip a tooth" he says, with a slight smile. Both Regina and Kaladus look equally repulsed.

"So, yes... that dwarf, Johannes? He came in and broke my finger and demanded to know everything about how I'd rebind your Artifact"

"So?" Carmard asks. Not bothering to wait for an answering, or caring about his methods at the moment, he turns to Johannes. "Well, what did he tell you? Can he do it?"

Gorgondantess

2010-12-03, 11:44 AM

Joh looks up with a vaguely interested look on his face. "Actually, I'm of the opinion they should eat, and not just rations. They'll both be playing an important role in things to come- let them eat like people and not prisoners."
He looks back down to his notes, adjusts his spectacles, and clears his throat. "Anyways. Yes, I came here to get Kaladus to tell me everything he knew. I broke his finger because I didn't believe he'd take me seriously otherwise- he certainly didn't with a sword at his throat, and I wasn't in the mood to hear his remonstrations. Anyways, that's all in the past- let's talk about the future.
Yes, Kaladus can do it. But I won't trust him to...
At least, not alone. Binding the stoneburner will involve several layers of powerful spells. Kaladus has some of the means to do it alone: we could make a circle, and sacrifice some magical items or even glowstones off the stoneburner itself to help power these spells. It all works, in theory... but as I said, I won't trust him to.
We'll all bind the stoneburner. All together. You, me, Kaladus, Regina, and any other mages willing. If any part of the circle is contradictory to the rest, it won't work and the stoneburner will be free- and I believe these two value their own hides too greatly to risk that.
In return, I've promised them that at the end of the day both will receive lesser sentences for their actions. Certainly neither will die nor rot in prison for the rest of their lives.
Now, if you would explain the process one more time, Kaladus?"

thorgrim29

2010-12-03, 12:40 PM

This is Wyatt, the best scout I ever met, and a more then fair hand in a fight. He's a mercenary working for Carmard, we found him chained up after the battle with the fiendblooded orcs I told you about. I figured you'd be looking for good people eventually and tought I'd introduce you two.

Wyatt, this is Prince Tasster of Tethyamar Halls, known as the Fiendslayer, a good friend of mine, we fought together a bit before I joined Carmard's group.

He sits down, takes a long pull from his stein.

Thats better. Lets see... First we went to a weird little plane, looking for a Portal to Sigil. Of course, things didn't exactly go our way. The villagers there had hired a bunch of fiendbloods led by a great monster named Hextros and a Yuguloth to protect them from a family of draconic hydras, and, being idiots, didn't have enough money to settle. So the mercs took over. Things were getting pretty bad when we got there. We ended up hiring the mercs and fighting the villagers, if you can believe it! We eventually beat and talked some sense into them and we were on our way. Oh and I got breathed fire on by an Hydra, doesn't happen every day.

In Sigil we landed in a posh restaurant controlled by a bunch of madmen called the Takers, but we managed to get on our way after a couple of us managed to foil a power play. Then we got to our objective. We needed something the Godsmen had, and we were fully prepared to fight for it. So Carmard and Buna rallied a small army, and, allied with a faction of the bastards, we assaulted the place. They sent waves of undead first, and I ended up dueling a death knight, damned thing killed most of my unit with it's magics, and I wasn't doing so well myself but we were reinforced by the Valkiries, an order of female paladins, and with their leader's help we finally managed to kill the thing. After that we engaged their elites, and we were pulling ahead when the belderak bastard we'd allied with betrayed us. Fortunately the mercs took the brunt of that. Then things got interesting... I ended up riding a minotaur in battle, probably won't help my popularity with them, and after more fighting the enemy stopped and here we are. We,re headed for another battle, of course. Tell you what, I'll se with Carmard if he wants you to come along, but no promises.

Thordrek finished his drink, hoping Wyatt understood that he had, without misleading Tasster, not told him the full story, unsure of what amount of secrecy the stoneburner was under.

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-03, 02:41 PM

Nega raises from her chair holding the mace ready. She walks over to Johannes and plants it down on the table with some force.She speaks with a pleasant voice"I just want to inform ye jo'annes dat if ye come near any of dese prisoners again wit' out my specific permission or my presence I will tap you slitely to deat'. Carmard I 'onor your wisdom as da one w'o lead and of Buna I am always in admiration but I must again state dat dem 'ave be'aved as good prisoners and are derefor under my protection. I would like if ye kept dis ting(points at jo'annes) away from dem unless my conditions are met. I ask nicely since I am a dorfwoman of some standin. I 'ope I will not need to inform of dis again and dat my askings are met as I beg you Master Carmard. We are not in Sigil place now we are now in da dorf' territory. Dat is wat I wanted to say. And Buna ye don't need to eat more yer as fat as ye need" Nega laughs and looks at Carmard. Out of her eye she look at Thordrek and speaks:"I will invite ye to Sunder'elm w'en all is over Master T'ordrek and take da little one wit' ye. Ye will be treated in 'onor of mot'er. And ye can even take a long dat girl Sable. And we'll do our wrestlin amongst da civil"She then walks back to her chair and sits down.

thorgrim29

2010-12-03, 02:48 PM

OOC: Thordrek is not there yet, unless someone went to fetch him he's drinking with Tasster, and can I say once again: If our characters are speaking dwarven there's not need to write accents, and if they're speaking common could you please provide a translation Chepe Nolon? I'm having trouble understanding anything more the the general gist of your posts

mshady

2010-12-03, 03:21 PM

OOC: Understand'n Nega be an art hat I pect ye vill all find r'warding and she can spake 'ith an axcent if'n she likes. That'd being said, toning it down a wee bit wouldn't be a problem either. I don't mind, as I'm used to it over several years and it gives her a unique voice, but it can be a bit. It's supposed to be though, and if you're occasionally left saying "huh", that's ok, just ask :)

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-03, 05:06 PM

(OOCMy bad I got the idea Thordrek and Wyatt coming inn. I will repeat that when I see them again as for the rest it still goes just ass H in most cases and words like These That The are just translated into Dese Dat and Da. It's easy fix if anyone things she is hard to understand I can start typing with the H if that's something that will make it easier. She just doesn't use that letter at all as Mike tells. But anyone find something difficult to understand just send me an ooc note and I'll fix. I'll tak any advice you would like to ad. And Ye is you in Negan hehe.)

Melody

2010-12-03, 07:21 PM

Sable finishes her bath quickly, even though she would have loved to linger much longer than she allowed herself to. She cleans her armor and rubs it with a light oil to keep it supple, checking to make certain that everything is where it should be.

Dressed and clean she goes back to see how Johannes is doing with the prisoners, walking in just in time to hear the end of Nega's speech. "And Buna ye don't need to eat more yer as fat as ye need."

Smiling slightly she loiters in the background listening.

Gorgondantess

2010-12-03, 07:38 PM

Sable is likely in for quite a sight as she enters the room: as Nega finishes, he blinks a few times, and sets aside his notes, takes off his spectacles, stands up, and draws his sword. He plants it down on the table right next to Nega's mace, and begins to speak in a high, aristocratic dwarven dialect. At least, as high and aristocratic as dwarven can get. He speaks in a serious, menacing tone.
"In all my time of service, I've done all I can in every situation I was thrust into. For the most part, my only rewards have been being trampled by orcs, long marches, and one particular humiliating speech. In this most recent battle, I did as much as any other man or woman. I enchanted the fire elemental to attack the zombies. I summoned an illusion to chase off a whole battalion of Godsmen, and later, I summoned another illusion to distract the stoneburner. Now, when faced with the option of either trusting the stoneburner with a known traitor or sacrificing a good man's life, I'm doing all I can to find a third option... and in return, I receive a death threat."
He shrugs, and puts on a smirk. His next words are in common.
"Typical, really. I'll not take offense- after all, I've grown quite accustomed to your kind."

At the insinuations of Buna's fatness, he tsks. "Really, really now, the lady Buna isn't fat. Merely... festively plump!"

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-04, 07:41 AM

After sitting down Nega just looks at johannes for a while and says"Your battle prowess was not in question just your (h)andling of da prisoner Kaladus. Even if (h)e ain't trustwort(h)y I tink dat breakin (h)is finger was unnecessary. And as for my kind I find it quite nice to be. Since I still (h)ave some compassion left for justice and am not only a (h)augty man wit' no (h)onor. Nega pulls out a pipe fills it and lights it up. Puffing smoke in Johannes's direction.

Gorgondantess

2010-12-04, 03:09 PM

Johannes chuckles, taking on a mock patronizing tone.
"Oh, but your contributions are not in question either! And I find it quite nice to be a haughty man with no honor, since I'm free to do what is right and am not just a domineering woman with a stick up her ass."

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-04, 04:12 PM

Nega Looks slyly at Johannes and speaks in dwarven: Maybe my words were in (h)aste my dear jo(h)annes wit(h)out (h)onor was wrong. You are a simpleton dat likes violence against dose dat cannot retaliate. And I do prefer my stick to your tree. And don't pretend to be a noble yer notin but a simple magickser dat do books. But I can tolerate dat as long as you stay away from my prisoners. Now as ye pretend to gentledorf I suggest ye be(h)ave as one as well" In common she fills inn" "I've never seen a pompous dorf before but I do believe da perfect specimen sits over dere(points at Johannes). But as long as (h)e keeps (h)is (h)and off da prisoners I will be amicable as a soft wind in da mountains." She nods politely towards Johannes with a small smile.

Melody

2010-12-04, 05:16 PM

Sable looks from Johannes to Nega and back again with eyebrows that slowly creep up to their maximum height. She blinks a few times before her eyebrows resume their normal altitude.

Gorgondantess

2010-12-04, 05:22 PM

Johannes just laughs. "Well, I'd love to continue this dialogue with you, but I'm afraid we're pressed for time.
Carmard. What say you on the circle?"

mshady

2010-12-04, 11:33 PM

Thordek, Wyatt and Tasster have a drink to old times...

Tasster listens with rapt attention, only diverting his interest long enough to take a bite out of the pork rump he has been eating messily. He seems to find Thordek tale enthralling, almost twitching with interest. When Thordek finishes his tale, the Fiendslayer smiles lustily.

"Oi, had I been there!" he says, throwing his head back with laughter. "What a time ye had! Wish I'd been there! I would've helped ye with that nasty undeader, no need to trouble Lady Nega! Fine lass she is, I may add. You and me, together again! Har!" Tasster says joyously. He reaches out and gives Thordek an affirming shake with his massive hand. Thordek hadn't notices it before, but Tasster was missing his ring finger. From the glance he got of the stump, it looked like it had been bitten off by something. Thordek wondered if Tasster had bitten his foe in response, out of sheer spite. "Har, and I cannae believe ye went to that silly town to save it from the unpaid mercs and that ye hired'em. No fun not fightin' them, especially dat big beastie, but good thing ye did by da sounds of it. Wish ye brought'em back through Faitholme though, me axes and I would've painted the walls red with the lot of'em!" Tasster roars. He pounds his chest with his free hand, than grabs for a wicked looking axes and swings it around, much to the fear of all.

"I am the Fiendshredder! Run for yer infernal lives! I'll all of ye and use yer comman der's head as a piss pot!" he says in a combination mocking battle cry, and taunt. "No boast that. I actually have a chain devil's head for just dat purposes back home" Tasster smiles. "Too funny though, that ye hired'em to save the villagers and ended up fight'n the bloody villagers in reply. Dat don't even make sense, but magnificent!"

Suddenly, Tasster's face turns more serious, more sane.

"Me condolences on yer losses though in all that. Dwarven lives are hard to come by, and it takes a generation to replace a good warrior like all yer lads. Must've been some thing ye and yer lads were chasing for it to command so many of yer best troops" Tasster says, and pauses. For a moment, just a moment, he looks sad with a renewed sense of loss. "We've been ask'n for aide so long, and nary a beard has come to save the Halls yer Patriarch's ancestors helped condemn. A snap o'the fingers, and hundreds come runnin' for whatever the Godsmen 'ave."

He blows air through his lips, sending them flapping, before taking another draught of ale.

"Pardon me bitterness. Dwarf business be dwarf business and all. Ye have yers and I have me own. I've been sitt'n here for weeks, wait'n for yer Patriarch's precious schedule to be free, and I'll see no less than him himself. If yer off to another battle, and its back on real ground and up north near his throne, I'd be fix'n to join you. Earn me and my boys an audience. Time to sink me axes into something, been so long me furnance is boil'n over" he says, reflecting on his position as well as his need to sate his own righteous blood lust.

"Oh, and I mean it when I say me boys!" Tasster says proudly. "Introduce ye to my sons" he says, gesturing to his retainers who-are-not retainers. They look up from their meals, as their father makes a rare mention of them. It was not uncommon for dwarves to be coy about who their family was to those they did not trust, so this represented a significant offering of trust between the two.

"The first and oldest, he be called Bester" Tasster says, pointing to a black bearded dwarf wearing a helmet. He wears a breast plate, with two forward curving short swords on his belt. More swords and axes, all of various metals, lay next to his long boar spear. "Not surprising, he beat the best with blades next to me and leads his brothers. Say hello to Sir Thordek, lad."

Bester grunts in reply, but waves his hand at Thordek. He too is scared about the face and arms, and otherwise wears tattoos similar to his father. Part of where his beard was has been burned away by something, leaving an unusual bald patch along his chin and down his neck. A wicked looking scar runs across his neck as well, perhaps accounting for his near silence.

"The middle one's name be Borlin, after me dead brother, and other one's name be Ghellin, after me old king and father. They be twins! Always fightn' over who was first out, to this day!" Tasster says proudly. The two dwarves wear more traditional platemail that has seen better days. Gashes have been heat welded back together, and some of the chain is bent but well kept. Barvar wears a brace on his leg, the kind one might wear around a badly healed bone. It wouldn't impact his mobility if he could bear the discomfort, but clearly he was lucky to still have the leg. Both twins sport hair drawn back into long pony tails, both jet black like their father's hair. Jewelry and tattoos cover them, including parallel tattoos on their faces, etched in red.

"They be my spearmen. Learned da trick hunting boar, where you stab'em when they charge and hold'em, than someone slips in for da kill. One day, when I get killed, I be hoping Bester will take over fer me" Tasster says, his chest puffing with their pride. "Maybe their own sons and daughters will join'em one day, till all the fiends be put outta our Halls" he smiles. "One day, maybe our loins alone will spread far enough me family itself can claim our ancestral home again. Not till the last drop of blood is spilled o'the Iron House will our axes rest!" he says, referring the to deposed royal house he would have belong to, had not the Tethyamar mines fallen.

"Aye!" all three respond with gusto to the prospect of fulfill'n their father's legacy. Bester's voice is there, but quite raspy.

Clearly, the reconquest was not just Tasster's quest in life. It was apparently a family business. One that had obviously taken a toll on all four of them, and would continue to do so, generation after generation. One had to respect a good grudge.

"So when can ye talk to Arcanii Carmard 'bout leav'n? We've got work to do" Tasster smiles. His eyes sparkle with eagerness. The eyes of his three sons all gleam just as intently with bloody minded purpose. That it was not a look of insanity but absolute deadly purpose made the look a bit more unsettling than it was.

Strangie

2010-12-05, 12:10 AM

"Yeah, nice to meet'cha, sir Fiendslayer." Wyatt said with a little salute. "Just 'cause I normally do scout work don't mean I can't mix it up in combat with you dwarves. Everybody's got some chink in 'deir armor 'dat's just waitin' to be cracked open with a well placed bludgeoning." He says as he pats the sheathed mace at his side.

Wyatt sat and listened to Thordrek and Tasster go back and forth, content with whatever mug of light ale he could obtain. He wasn't a heavy drinker - being trashed didn't go well with his line of work. And he understood Thordrek's need for leaving out... particular details.

"If you come along with us, I'll be lookin' forward to it. Nothin' makes me more comfortable 'dan a buncha burly folks distractin' the enemy so I can land a good whack on 'em. Not that I fight dishonorably or anything, oh no - I'm very much willing to get in someone's face. I always stay on the move, makes it harder for 'dem to get me. I can't stand and plant my feet and fight like you folks can. I'll give you your credit for 'dat."

"Other 'dan 'dat, I usually pave the way for the rest to come, I scout ahead, make sure everything is clear... I had to do a very tricky scoutin' mission last time and find out what we were up against. Makes all the difference in the end when you've got all the know-how on your foe, lemme tell you. For me, and for everybody else. It's risky work, but someone's gotta do it. And I thrive in it! If you need a trap broken, 'dat's my job, too. Comes with bein' the man down in front." He takes a sip of his ale. "Most don't have a taste for 'dat sort of thing, 'dough. Not around here, at least. Probably a good thing, eh?"

(OOC: Oops! I somehow missed like, a bunch of relevant posts that I probably should have replied to. :C I haven't been around most of the day. Been out helping my mom pick out a new car for Christmas. ... no, I'm not buying it. I wish! Oh well. My bad, in any case. Also, I sent my wish list of items to you that I want to try and get from the quartermaster, Mike.)

thorgrim29

2010-12-05, 12:22 AM

Thordrek was surprised by the extent of the 3 dwarves' wounds... Also by the fact that they were probably older then him. He knew Carmard's response would depend on whether the Patriarchate actually intended to help reclaim Tethyamar Halls. If they did, he would probably accept Tasster's presence, or at least send him with Glorian's forces. If not, they would not want to create more obligations to them. A chilling tough occurred, a battle would be the perfect place to get the inconvenient Prince killed. But he could not believe an organization in favour of the Moradinsamman would resort to that. Some elements, such as Glorian, he had very little respect for, but he had to believe the organization as a whole, and by extension the Patriarch and most high ranking Arcanii, were honourable.

He stood up and motioned to Wyatt to follow his lead.

I told you, I'll see what I can do. Think I'll go right now, we're moving out soon. I'll let you know how it goes, or I'll send someone if I cant get back personally.

He heads out, asking random dwarves if they've seen Carmard of Buna.

mshady

2010-12-05, 01:16 AM

"I need a few meals less? Ye look like a keg, yer silvery highness!" Buna snaps back at Nega. Her eyes blaze with anger at that comment, until Carmard places a hand on her for restraint.

"Nothing wrong with hardtack" Carmard reflects. "Just had some myself. When all the forces that went to Sigil with us came through, I think they cleaned our the larders. That said, I'll dat they get a fair meal. Eaten under supervision. No sense expect'n them to fulfill der obligations on an empty stomach... though I pray to Moradin they nay have a fickle stomach. If its good enough for us, it be good enough for them too" Carmard says. He motions to one of the soldiers that accompanied them to make it happen, before returning to Johannes and the ongoing bickering between him and Nega.

"Ye two could nay possibly be more different and still be dwarves. Maybe ye two should wrestle each other and be done with it" Carmard observes dryly.

"Johannes, next time ye think of going to see a prisoner and break'n his finger, I'd appreciate it if ye let yer commander know first" says Carmard, his tone stiff and formal.

"Of course, I would have said no because of me agreement with Nega and mayhaps not got a straight answer out of Kaladus. Since I cannae decide if yer insubordinate or wiser on the matter, I'll let it drop fer now. If yer going to go breaking bones though, bring a priest with yer. Portable one or otherwise" he says, referring to a healing potion in lieu of a priest.

"Going forward, I'd ask the First Mace to take charge o'these prisoners until such time as they complete their role to avoid any other... incidents." Carmard says, trying to be diplomatic in regards to Nega's position.

"Now.. what to do" Carmard says, and pauses. He thinks for a long time, looking between the two rogue mages and says little as he mulls over Johannes' proposal.

"Yer proposal shows some wisdom" Carmard finally announces. "We'll attempt a circle. Buna and myself'll join it. Likely Arman and Arum, even Sable if she wishes. Fortunately Arcanii meta magic is designed to empower spells, but I cannae conjure many of these spells myself. So the power would have to be passed to Kaladus. Means were creating a circle within a circle, and that be tricky" Carmard says. "But nay impossible" he smiles slightly. "I'd prefer to hold on to our artifacts 's much as we can, reckon we'll be need'n them." Carmard says, and pauses.

"A glowstone should suffice, from inside the stoneburner. Kaladus, do ye have anything more than simple scrolls that'll cast the spells ye need?" Carmard asks.

"Yes, of course. I couldn't count on having the time to read a scroll each time" Kaladus grumbles. "My apprentices were going to use the scrolls to lay foundations. I'd use my own spells or the rods I created to do the hard work. Why, dwarf?"

Buna smiles as the two talk.

"I know why! I know" she says, and smiles.
"Well than please Buna... share with the class" Carmard instructs.
"Glowstones can be used to charge magic items. A full glowstone should be good for dozens of powerful spells. Just keeps charging yer items up when you cast. Just have to hold'em together. Oh, and not drop them. That's how the stoneburner does it anyways, so why can't we?"
"Because the spirit inside your artifact is a highly skilled mage as well. That's why" Kaladus remarks sarcastically. "He's like me, in that regard" Kaladus says.

Crossing his arms, he smiles a haughty smiles.

"We can do this" he agrees. "We have everything we need"

thorgrim29

2010-12-05, 01:46 AM

Thordrek enters at the dramatically appropriate moment of right now, as Carmard explains his plan.

Circle magic, looks fragile, especially if you're doing it in the middle of the invasion of a dragon's lair. Maybe we could use an extra four angry dwarves to watch your back, what do you say? Tasster Fiendslayer and his sons are doing nobody any good staying here, getting angrier and drunker every day, and they'd be happy to see some action. Oh and I've still got that iron wall rod, recharged it could help create a perimeter around the circle, preventing the enemy and battleragers with more ferocity then discipline from disrupting the casting.

mshady

2010-12-05, 02:13 AM

"Yeah, nice to meet'cha, sir Fiendshredder." Wyatt said with a little salute. "Just 'cause I normally do scout work don't mean I can't mix it up in combat with you dwarves. Everybody's got some chink in 'deir armor 'dat's just waitin' to be cracked open with a well placed bludgeoning." He says as he pats the sheathed mace at his side.

Wyatt sat and listened to Thordrek and Tasster go back and forth, content with whatever mug of light ale he could obtain. He wasn't a heavy drinker - being trashed didn't go well with his line of work. And he understood Thordrek's need for leaving out... particular details.

"If you come along with us, I'll be lookin' forward to it. Nothin' makes me more comfortable 'dan a buncha burly folks distractin' the enemy so I can land a good whack on 'em. Not that I fight dishonorably or anything, oh no - I'm very much willing to get in someone's face. I always stay on the move, makes it harder for 'dem to get me. I can't stand and plant my feet and fight like you folks can. I'll give you your credit for 'dat."

"Other 'dan 'dat, I usually pave the way for the rest to come, I scout ahead, make sure everything is clear... I had to do a very tricky scoutin' mission last time and find out what we were up against. Makes all the difference in the end when you've got all the know-how on your foe, lemme tell you. For me, and for everybody else. It's risky work, but someone's gotta do it. And I thrive in it! If you need a trap broken, 'dat's my job, too. Comes with bein' the man down in front." He takes a sip of his ale. "Most don't have a taste for 'dat sort of thing, 'dough. Not around here, at least. Probably a good thing, eh?"

(OOC: Oops! I somehow missed like, a bunch of relevant posts that I probably should have replied to. :C I haven't been around most of the day. Been out helping my mom pick out a new car for Christmas. ... no, I'm not buying it. I wish! Oh well. My bad, in any case. Also, I sent my wish list of items to you that I want to try and get from the quartermaster, Mike.)

"Pleased to meet ye as well, Wyatt the scout. If Thordek speaks highly of ye, than yer in my favor as well. The Iron House can always use good scouts, so if ye ever are short on coin and don't mind long odds, come and visit aye? Ye will be taken care of, have no doubt. Where I come from, our foes love a good trap and us dwarves have a hard time with the cowardly tricks they leave. A sneaky fellow with a mace can a danger, and one we'd be glad to hire on" Tasster says, almost... normally.

"Arr ye let me and my boys come with ye, I'll be glad to distract all manner o'foes for ye! Ye have to forgive me if I don't leave any for ye though. Me axes are crying fer blood, they be" Tasster grins maniacally. "Ye know if these new foes o'yers are fiends, or can summon fiends? Because I gots me a fever, and the cure be more fiendblood!"

Not so normally...

Strangie

2010-12-05, 02:25 AM

"Uh..." Wyatt only replies, rubbing his chin at the question. "Well, I've heard talk of fiends being involved, but I dunno the details. You'll have to talk to Arcanii Carmard about 'dat. 'dey kinda picked me up halfway through 'dis whole mess - I don't even know the full story myself. But I owe 'dem for saving my halfling butt, so I've been saving 'deir collective butts for the past... ...geez, I don't even know anymore. Oh well!"

He grins a bit at the offer of work. "Long odds? Hah! I've been facing long odds ever since I hooked up with 'dis group. Don't worry about not leavin' any for me - fightin' isn't supposed to be my main job, but, hey, I can do it. As long as I'm still alive at the end of the day, fine by me, I say."

He glances toward Thordrek, who is motioning for Wyatt to follow as he is taking his leave. He turns back to Tasster. "Looks like we gotta split. Follow me if you wanna talk to Carmard about linking up with us. And once I'm done workin' with 'dese folks, I'll definitely come to you about 'dat offer, 'cause it sounds good to me!"

With a thumbs up, he takes his leave as well with Thordrek. Once they caught up with Carmard... He doesn't seem particularly interested in this whole magic circle business, though, mostly because he didn't understand it nor cared to try. He did agree with Thordrek's statements about Tasster however. "Not 'dat my opinion probably matters much here, but Thordrek has a good point. The extra blades are always handy. More burly folks for me to duck behind for a second after clubbing someone over the head with a blunt object is always a good thing for me."

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-05, 06:33 PM

I bow to your wisdom Master Carmard and I apologize to Lady Buna and even to magicker jo(h)annes. I guess my mood got da best of me. I'll send for my Valkyries to watc(h) da prisoners.Nega smiles to Buna and whispers as she comes close in dwarven:Tank ye Buna dat ye noticed I've been working like mad on da Keg look.She laughs and exits the barrack yelling for a soldier to send for her troops.

mshady

2010-12-06, 09:57 PM

Carmard mulls over Thordek's request to have the Fiendshredder come along on the next, and hopefully last, leg of their journey. He pulls at his beard for a moment, thinking it over and just happy to not deal with Nega and Johannes bickering.

"Having four more angry dwarves could be a boon. And a bane" he says after a moment. "The bane being that he is an angry dwarf. Older than any of us, except perhaps Hjalmar. A prince as well. I'd not expect him to follow orders well, so I trust ye to keep a hand on him"

Carmard looks at Thordek hard, to make sure he understands that last point before continuing.

"Turning him loose in a place like Sigil, with a fiend on every corner, would've been catastrophic. This should be more straightforward" Carmard says, talking himself into agreement.

"Be careful of him" Carmard warns. "He's no personal threat, but he'll try to ensnare ye into an obligation to help him however he can. One day I hope he is victorious, and we can aide him, but we have many of our obligations. I think it's safe to say to expect your rank'll increase if we survive this, and... widen yer perspective" he says, almost apologetic on the last point. It seemed an odd response.

"Send someone to go get him. Make sure he behaves. We have to get this group moving again soon..." Carmard says, and than approaches Johanness..

mshady

2010-12-06, 10:15 PM

Johannes and Carmard

As Nega leaves, Carmard leans close to Johannes and places a hand on his shoulder.

"Good job" Carmard whispers to Johannes.

"Ye mind if I look at those notes when we get back to the table? I'd like a moment to review it before we head out"

Turning towards Kaladus, Carmard approaches him and sits down with a look of concern on his face.

"Sorry 'bout before" Carmard says to the mage.

"You should be. A bunch of savage berks, particularly that one" Kaladus grumbles, glaring daggers at Johannes.

"Again, me apologies" Carmard offers, with a trace of sympathy. 'Which finger did he break again?" he asks.

"This one. This one right here" Kaladus says, showing Carmard his healed, but still throbbing finger.

Faster than Kaladus can reach, Carmard's hand darts out and grabs the pinky finger in a vice like grip and twists it painfully, but not quite breaking it.

"Just so we understand" Carmard rasps, leaning in towards Kaladus' pained face. "I just want to make sure ye take me seriously, so there's no misunderstanding. Don't think I forgive or forget yer treachery. Do it again, I'll just kill you. No questions. No meddling paladins. I'll just kill you. Understood?"

"Ye-yes" Kaladus stammers.

"Good. I'm glad we talked" Carmard smiles slightly. He gets up and heads for the door, to get a last bite to eat before leaving.

thorgrim29

2010-12-06, 10:46 PM

Thank you sir, I'll go tell him myself if you don't mind. I'll do my best to keep him and his in line, but I was being serious about the iron wall.

He starts to go but stops.

I understand I need to be careful about him. I already swore that, my duties with the Patriarchate permitting, I'd help him when the time comes. It was before I joined your group, he came along for an underdark foray in Barakbar, and without him I don't think we'd have made it out alive. I won't commit to anything else, but I won't renege that obligation, in letter or in spirit.

He leaves the room and heads back to Tasster.

Gorgondantess

2010-12-06, 11:30 PM

Johannes nods at Carmard's actions. "Well... that was... interesting."

He kneels down by Kaladus to complete the good cop/bad cop routine. "He's paranoid, you see, and with good reason. So am I. But even though I may hate you, with every fibre of my being, hear me now: you stay on the straight and narrow with us through this, and I'll make sure it ends well for you. I've treated as you as my enemy until now, but trust me, I can do a lot worse. Why don't you see what it's like to be treated like an ally for once?"
He slaps Kaladus on the shoulder, and leaves with Carmard.
"Actually, I think we might have a use for some axe-happy dwarves. Keep 'em watching Kaladus and have them ready to kill him if he betrays us- that'll keep him in line, eh?"

mshady

2010-12-07, 12:17 AM

"Aye, I like that idea. I'll tell Tasster that Kaladus is part fiend. If he misbehaves, Tasster can sort out which half" Carmard says, and laughs darkly at that.

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-07, 12:49 PM

Nega goes into the camp area an yells for a soldier:"Soldier over (h)ere. I need you to go to da temple of Berronar and tell my da valkyries and to gat(h)er demselves and come at once here. Now run lad" Nega smells the air. Puts her mace back in her belt and heads to the mess for her meal." Me a keg!!"She laughs and smiles"Best ale in da nort(h)."

mshady

2010-12-07, 06:51 PM

Thordek approaches where Tasster and his three sons are encamped. Even where they are camping out is defiant, being that they are in the middle of the main chamber and running a cook fire on the magnificent marble floor. Clearly, he wanted everyone who came in to see him and him to see them.

By this time, Tasster is well finished with his meal. His sons are cleaning up as he empties a keg, provided willing or unwillingly from the larders of Faitholme. Bags are packed and set aside, as well as an arsenal of weapons that would be enough to arm a company of dwarves. Thordek can tell, just by looking at them, they are composed of various metals that would be required to harm various fiends. Many items are duplicated, exact copies edged in alchemical silver, emblazoned with runes, dark adamantine or the grey-blue of cold iron.

Clearly, he was a dwarf who knew his killing.

Seeing Thordek approach, he waves to him joyously.

"Thordek, me brother in arms returned at last! Tell me ye got some good news. Either we be going with your company, or we be goin' with you we figure, so got all packed up, we did! Har! Rather it be you, that Hruntgar fella wasn't so keen on me joining what's left o'his dwarves fer the next round. You always have the best stories, so rather it be ye! What's the good word? Me axes are thirsty!"

thorgrim29

2010-12-07, 07:32 PM

Slightly impressed at how fast they had packed up, Thordrek delivers the news.

The word is go. Provided you swear to follow the plan, we're happy to have you. We're going to infiltrate a dragon's lair and blow it up using circle magic, and accomplishing that, not to mention surviving, will require as much discipline as martial skill. And you are not to harm our prisoners. They will likely try to provoke you, but it's imperative they live, at least until the mission is over. That's pretty much it, Arcani Carmard is in charge, and I'll likely be in command when he and Arcani Buna are occupied with circle magics.

So if you four will swear to follow the plan and the chain of command during the mission, we'll seal it with a drink and be on our way.

mshady

2010-12-08, 11:59 AM

"Har! So say we all" Tasster says. "Let's pass the drinks and get gone from this old tomb" he grins. He motions for Bester to get some mugs. His son goes to the keg that his two brothers loft on their shoulders while the drinks are poured. Tasster claps with enthusiam as they pour the drinks and pass around the drinks.

"Today we drink to our friends! Tomorrow the blood of our foes!" Tasster proclaims loudly. The old dwarf seems invigorated and ready to go as he and his three sons down the sweet ale. With that done, he cheers again and gives Thordek a manly hug, than sets to getting their equipment together.

It takes them several minutes, as they have to gather every possession they have and they were prepared for a long march. It's an impressive array, and not a hint of Tasster's royal status. Of course, the word was that there was little left to the royal status in what remained.

"Let's be off, aye!" says Tasster.

Melody

2010-12-08, 07:18 PM

Sable walks out with Johannes and Carmard. Carmard, if you need me in the circle I'll be happy to help in any way you tell me to. But to be honest, I've never done any real wizardry. I suppose you'd know best whether I'd be of help or not.

She looks over at Johannes with a smile. You broke his finger huh? I didn't think I could like you any more than I already did. She walks a little further before talking again. I'd have tried my hand at interrogating him, but I'm not incredibly intimidating. She smiles again with a shrug.

To keep him in line I suggest slipping a garotte over his throat during the spell circle.. if he deviates from the spell just a quick pull and he's not going to be casting anthing.. ever. Figure that might be enough to keep him doing what he's supposed to be doing. Though we don't want him to feel so desperate he tries something just because he thinks he's going to die when we're done with him. That's my suggestion and I don't think it will upset the Paladin, since it won't technically be hurting him at all unless he does something bad. And if he did something bad we'd need to kill him anyway.

thorgrim29

2010-12-09, 06:08 PM

Did he swear or did he get out of it... Well, I hope they're not insulted

The younger dwarf takes a breath and, almost apologetically, presses the issue of the oath.

Tasster, Bester, Bohlin, Guellin, it's a tedious formality I'm aware, but I would prefer to have your four individual oaths on the matter before proceeding to the mission. For completeness' sake.

mshady

2010-12-10, 02:00 AM

Tasster & Thordek

"Borlin!" corrects one twin, indignantly.
"Ghellin!" corrects the other.

Tasster laughs at the incident, though.

"Tat's okay, friend" smiles Tasster. Thordek notices a couple missing teeth in there when he does. "I used to get'em confused when they be but babes. Between ye and I, we got'em mixed up once as babes and still not sure if we got that one straight" remarks Tasster quietly. It was impossible to tell if he was being serious, but the twins said nothing.

"I thought we did swear that oath?" Tasster replies to Thordek, with a look of confusion. He looks at the empty keg and licks his lips. "Tastes like we drank to it". His eyes narrow slightly as he looks at Thordek, trying to decide if there is some kind of miscommunication or his new friend did not trust him completely.

"I think we just drank to doing oath" croaks out Bester is his scratchy, wheezing voice. He rubs his throat, as if the words caused him some irritation.

"Huh?" Tasster says, running a hand along his bald scalp along the edges of his crest of hair. "Fine den. I been hit in the brain box enough I don't question it when someone says I forget someth'n"

He steps towards Thordek and places his hand over his manhood.
"Not sure what yer look'n for me to say, but I swear on me own balls to follow yer orders in this and not kill anyone I'm nay supposed to. Unless they step in front o'me axe, but that ain't my fault!" Tasster swears. He seems sincere enough. "Now can we go? They'll leave without us, lad!"

His three sons all swear similar, less colorful oaths to Thordek, and Thordek senses no sense of deception. There weren't many things you can count on, but the oath of a dwarf was usually one of them.

Unintended consequences were something else entirely.

mshady

2010-12-10, 02:05 AM

Carmard, Johannes and Sable

"I think hav'n a noose around his neck would nay inspire trust dat we wouldn't throttle him the moment his work 'as done either. Nay a bad idea though. If we have to, we will." Carmard says, than pauses.

"I believe a mutual friend'll see to that matter" he indicates to Sable. His face seems to be one of studied indifference. Almost like he practiced it. Knowing Carmard, he actually might have too.

thorgrim29

2010-12-10, 02:20 AM

Annnnd he's angry...

I intended no offence, I just wanted to hear it from their throats. Some of the people I've had dealings with tend to follow only the letter of agreements, if that. I've made it an habit to clear the air of any possible misunderstandings before proceeding, keeps things simpler. It might make me seem a bit paranoid to honest, honourable people like yourselves, but not everyone is. Now then, let's go.

Thordrek leads, hoping the subject is closed

mshady

2010-12-10, 02:53 AM

Once more into the breach, dear friends...

The stay lasted closer to two hours than one, by the time all things were settled. Thordek leads Tasster and his sons to the feast hall tables, which are now mostly bare. Most of the supplies had gone to all the dwarven forces that had joined them in Sigil, and now was going to provisioning them again. They were still in rough shape, with as many as half their numbers hurt. It would take several more hours before their priests were in any shape to heal the wounds of their soldiers enough to move on in any strength. The quartermaster for the troops works feverishly along with the few smiths in Faitholme to repair broken armor and shields as best as they could. Them joining Carmard's detachment is out of the question for now, but they might be able to reinforce Glorian and Prince Tolrin's forces in the battle along Icewind Pass. There, the bulk of the dwarven forces in the area were cut off from home and unable to go north along the pass due to an attack by the forces of an Aurilite cult lead by a monolithic white wyrm named Xurshin. Their presence meant that Citadel Barakbar, the home of the Arcanii, was largely unprotected.

While they were not expecting any threats, a drow or netherese shade attack could come at any time there. Either way, they would not be joining Carmard's detachment for their attack on what should be a largely undefended Aurilite base. The whole point of drawing the Aurilites out to the battle had been uncover that base and allow Carmard's group to destroy it, breaking the Aurilite power along that pass and demonstrate to the white wyrm that it would be best to leave the dwarves alone in the future. The mission was as much about a military objective as sending an important message: the next one could be under the dragon's lair itself.

As Carmard's group prepares to move on, Carmard confers with Nega about matters. When her Valkyries and auxiliary soldiers arrive from the magnificent Temple of Berronar, she orders the Valkyries and her own priests to join the dwarven battalion. They would help to heal the wounded and serve in their traditional role of reinforcing the battle line where there was the greatest need to save the other dwarven soldiers from a rout. This was not going to be a job for a large group. Especially if it involved running. Not that Nega was happy about it.

When Tasster, his three sons and Thordek finally arrive, it completes the group. Four minotaurs join them once again, two carrying the stoneburner and two to protect those that carried the stoneburner. Those two protectors remained Kerik Many-Skulls and Gore, and both wore battered and bloodied armor at this point.

"Oi, Kerik! Care to go 'nother round with me?" Tasster asks, looking up at the massively muscled Kerik. Looking up, and up and up. Kerik looks down at him and shakes his head, and he seems quite weary as he does so.

"Not now. Been long day" Kerik says. He reaches into his cavernous backpack and withdraws a stringer of fresh skulls, all taken in the battle against the Godsmen. The jaw of the hydra is there as well. There must be close to twenty heads. The display garners a look of shock from several in the group, particular Arman. Arum, known for taking his own trophies, looks on approvingly. Kerik and the bloody minded gnome were kindred spirits in that regard.

"Oi, ye been busy! Quite the head count for ye. Helluva week, eh? Bet yer arms are tired, swing'n that big, heavy axes o'yers. When ye feel up to it, we can have another go" says Tasster, on the edge of mocking the minotaur.

"Had my fun. Get more soon" is Kerik's only reply. He puts the gruesome stringer back in his pack and stands, waiting for Carmard.

Carmard stands in front of the group and holds his hands behind his back, like an educator before a lecture.

"First, I wanted to thank yer blood and sweat. This has nay gone.. as planned, but it has gone. We've lost some friends, including one of our own. Lets nay forget the manling Raltise, who stopped the stoneburner from killing us all. As far as I know, he died trying to save us, but shattered the bindings too. Our new... friends, Kaladus and Regina, along with anyone else with a measure of wizarding, will be needed to bind it again. Watch them, but keep them alive" Carmard says. He pauses to make sure that point is understood.

"In a moment, I'll be using a Gate spell to open a tear in the Planes and we will return to the Underdark near where we meet our allies. I remind ye, that they are indeed our allies and show them every respect when we meet them" he cautions, pausing them again. He holds a scroll up in his hand, unfurling it with a practiced snap of the wrist.

"This be the last one I have. Scribed personally by the Silver Rune herself, Glorian. That we have any be a sign of how important this mission be. That we will have none means using the spells to counter whatever we might find is nay impossible. We are attack'n a dragon's lair. While one o'the sons of Xurshin lairs there, we had hoped to attack while it was out. With our delays, I know not if the white will be there. Be prepared for that" he says, his voice turning grave.

"If that happens, remember our job be to detonate the stoneburner, not kill the wyrmling. Detonate it at any costs. Until it is set and activated, we cannot leave. New and shiny, that would nay take so long. Now is anyone's guess. We run for it if we can. We teleport out if it is possible. Or we die in place, safe in the knowledge we struck a blow fer the peace of this region and saved our comrades as we go to Moradin's Halls. If our souls survive the blast." Carmard adds.

As motivational speeches go, this clearly wasn't one. It was very dwarven though, long on the grim acceptance of death and the honor of duty.
"For those of ye who are not kin, I thank ye for yer service. Without ye, it would 'ave been that much harder. So ye and I are drink'n from the same keg on the matter, know I plan to survive this. All o'us. If not, it'll nay be for lack of trying" Carmard adds, sounding a little more upbeat.

"What about Regina and I?" Kaladus asks petulantly. "No words of wisdom for us, great bearded leader? Or should I just slit my wrists now for want of your acknowledgement?"

"I had nay forgot about ye two" Carmard adds.

"Don't give me an excuse to kill you, and you have a slight chance o'living through this, same as the rest of us. Ye understand?"

"Oh yes, the words of a bearded hedge wizard have filled my empty glass of optimism to overflowing with cheer. I can't wait..." sneers Kaladus.

Carmard gives him a very intent stare, daring him to say more. After a tense moment, he continues.

"Well, let's be about it" he rumbles. Turning his back to the group, he begins a resonate chant as he works to complete the scroll and active it's dormant magic.

A wild ball of hissing blue energy appears immediately in front of him, as his words continue, the sphere expands and circles at an increasing velocity as it tears open a connection between the Planes. The spell complete now, Carmard searches for where the other gate will open and there is little enough time for that. It quickly returns to the site of the battle with a fiendish tanaruk orcs that is now a molten pit caused by the escape of the stoneburner. The eye of the Gate spell quickly moves past it, zipping down the caves of the Underdark to a small open chamber. Anchoring it to where he wants it, there is a whoosh of energy. It leaves everyone in the area tingling from the energy, Arman the Elven wizard most of all.

"Now run!" Carmard yells over the roar of the swirling portal.

mshady

2010-12-10, 03:02 AM

Underdark of Icewind Dale - Prime Material Plane

On the other side, the group is ejected from the wild Gate spell with some force. It did not send anyone tumbling, but it certainly sent them stumbling out. Their ears rang and their heads pounded from the magic. It was almost nauseating. It had not felt like this before either, perhaps the effects of the travel?

Arman quickly clutches his nose, as blood dribbles from it. He seems staggered for a moment, and quickly holds a handkerchief to his nose.

"Not.. supposed to be like that" he remarks, his voice unnaturally high now. "I think Glorian had part of the formula wrong on that one. I feel like... I'm inside a bell someone just rang. She's mad to scribe so many of those spells"

"I think it's 'cuz yer an elf and a stick of one too!" growls Tasster, who calmly checks the area. No sympathy coming from him.

"I think the stoneburner itself had someth'n to do with that. Could've been worse" Carmard determines, than shrugs in regards to the matter.

The cave is dark, but further down it they can see the light of a distant fire.
"What do ye know? Carmard nailed the location at least" Buna says, her voice upbeat. "I cannae wait"

Strangie

2010-12-10, 03:30 AM

"Great. Back in this friggin' crappy craphole full of crap." Wyatt remarked, rubbing his head. "Feels like someone rang a gong right next to my head! I suppose it could be worse... at least I still have my head."

He sighs, shrugging, and holds his arms out, straightening out the sleeves of his undershirt, and tugs on his vest a little. Obviously he was a bit nervous coming back here, but nevertheless he reached behind him, grabbing his buckler shield and twirling it by the strap on his fingers before sliding it over his wrist, then grabbing his mace and flipping it forward once, bouncing it off the end of his hand back the other way before catching it by the handle.

"Awright... I suppose you want me on my usual duty in the front, eh?" If that was the case, he complied, taking to the front of the group and scouting ahead, being careful to stick to the shadows and keep his head down, crossing his mace and shield in front of him defensively.

Getting captured again was not on his agenda.

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-10, 11:36 AM

"Commander Carmard where do you want me? I'll take da position ye tink I can do da best use inn."Nega says after arriving.

thorgrim29

2010-12-10, 12:52 PM

Thordrek picks himself up a little unsteadily and checks everyone is alright.

Glorian made a mistake? Doesn't seem like her.

Melody

2010-12-10, 06:55 PM

Sable nods at Wyatt's comment about feeling like a gong had gone off beside his head. Her ears were also ringing. Moving quickly, she went to scout as he did spreading out to cover more area. She slipped into the shadows with ease born of long practice in dangerous circumstances.

mshady

2010-12-11, 02:37 AM

It takes several minutes for the disorienting feeling in their heads to clear up it does. After a short time, Arman's nose finally stops bleeding. It was an unusual enough occurrence that Kelith made a point of examining Arman. The elf still walked with a crippling limp, from when a poisoned bolt had broken his leg. Perhaps he was at the end of how much trauma he could take?

"No, Glorian doesn't make mistakes. You just ask her" Buna remarks wryly. Carmard gives her a look, but says nothing. He too dabs at his nose, but says nothing else on the matter.

Sable and Wyatt fan out ahead of the group, exploring the tunnel ahead. The others follow along shortly thereafter, trailing several hundred feet and trying to be quiet as they can. Which was hardly quiet at all really, considering things. There was hardly room to hide, so the two scouts skulked along in the darkness. It was not hard, in the pitch black darkness. The only illumination was the faintest glow of lichen and the looming camp fire down the tunnel. That was more than enough for Sable, who wore a set of enchanted goggles that allowed her to see at least as well as a dwarf in the dark.

Wisely, the rest of the dwarves held in place to let Sable and Wyatt work now. If there was any sign the racket had been heard, there was no activity to mark it so. While this was supposed to be close to where the dwarves would meet whomever their allies were going to be in the next attack. Carmard and Buna had been very tight lipped about that.

Creeping forward now, Sable finds an alcove in the rock to take cover behind. With great care, she reaches for her spy glass and puts it to her eye as she looks down the underdark tunnel. She couldn't help but check the area for any signs of spiders that lurked in the tunnels, but she didn't see any. Not that she had the last time either...

With her spyglass, Sable looks down the tunnel and into the light of the fire and examines what she sees with patience as Wyatt waits. It takes her longer than she expected to notice the square, squat shapes hovering at the end of the table. Parts of them she is able to see, others no, making it hard for her to recognize shapes that weren't even really hiding that much at all and Sable had no idea how they were doing it. Some sort of camouflage, maybe?

Now the question was how to safely make contact...

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-11, 03:32 PM

Commander Carmard is sometin wrong?Nega goes over too Buna and Carmard to confer and get an update on the situation.

mshady

2010-12-13, 02:22 AM

"Yes and no" Carmard replies after a moment. "It turns out we dwarves may've been right to mistrust magic" he says. Blood dribbles down his nose again in a thin trickle, that he dabs away once again.

When it was clear Carmard had no plans to elaborate on that point, Buna interjects.

"What he's saying is magic's been unreliable lately. Mostly it works. Sometimes spells just have not worked in some areas. We nay know why yet. A few mages have been hurt. Nothing o'significance though. The Weave's a fickle thing, aye. Just enjoy the headache and be glad that be the worst o'it" she says with reassurance.

Nega can tell she doesn't entirely believe that.

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-13, 12:40 PM

Nega frowns.Stuck in da underdark wit(h) magicks dat don't work is worse dan magicks itself.She curses under her beard.

Strangie

2010-12-13, 06:02 PM

Wyatt waits for Sable to make her analysis of the surroundings up ahead, watching her back while doing so. Being sneaky themselves, and even with the dwarven group behind them somewhat, he wanted to make sure nothing got the jump on them as well. Teleporting wasn't out of the question, of course.

mshady

2010-12-16, 12:23 PM

First Contact

Posting on Sable's behalf

Folding up her spyglass, Sable slowly leans back into the alcove and takes a deep breath as she thinks about what to approach here. She was not a military scout by training, but there were plenty of applicable lessons from her career. Making contact with someone was always tricky in the dark, anywhere really, especially when both parties were already on edge. She knew full well that people had been killed in just such a scenario. Whether it be a contact thinking she was someone else or taking advantage of a target who thought she someone else. Very real and deadly skirmishes had been fought when friendly units try to cross back across friendly lines, for want of knowing a password. When she had first met the dwarves, she had watched them first and nearly been shot as a spy upon introduction.
First impressions are always important, she remembers.

A fight now was not what anyone in her exhausted party was up for right now. Remembering the skirmish against a simple beholderkin in these narrow tunnels, the prospect of a full on tunnel fight against someone with magical ability was just plain frightening. That her dwarven employers seemed to relish tunnel fighting made her think they were all a bit mad. Apparently they had not bothered with a contact password either, to make all this less awkward.

Whatever it is these dwarves are paying me, I think it should be more for this...

Deciding on a course of action, she motions for Wyatt to stay down as she takes a deep breath. Making sure she was not exposed, she resolves herself to do the only thing she could. Just in case, she unlimbers her deadly bow and knocks an arrow, than lays it across her lap.

"You at the end of tunnel!" Sable yells as loudly, and clearly, as she can. Her voice rolls down the tunnel, echoing back to her. "Who are you?" she asks.

A gruff voice immediately rings back at her. She glances down the tunnel and swallows a stone at what she sees. Matches are struck and two tubes held by the squat figures come to life. There was no mistaking it. They were the terrible dwarven dragons, capable of throwing burning oil under pressure a long ways. Watching them had been one of the more horrifying things she saw at the battle with the Godsmen. It was encouraging that it was a familiar weapon, but who knows how many others had them too?

"Who be you? Step out and show yerselves, or we'll burn ye out!" comes the reply.

Oh frak...

Sable shrugs, committed now, and replies loudly once again.
"A scout for a dwarven company from the Patriarchate. We mean to pass through here and mean no harm. Now, who are you?" Sable replies.
This time, she hears something else entirely. It's laughter.

"Why didn't ye just say so? Saw a sneaky slip of something and the clatter o'armor down the way, figured ye for drow!" replies the voice.

"Still could be" says the other voice. "It be the Underdark, remember?"

"Aye, true. Ye hold on, have to ask da Boss. Stay where ye are!"

Sable thinks for a moment about the voice. It was certainly dwarven, but the accent was different.

There is a long pause of several minutes, as the presumed dwarves consult with their superiors.

"Ok, gots a question for ye!" bellows the voice back. "If ye are who ye say you are, what's the name o'the bloke in the box yer carrying for us?"
Well, maybe they do have a password after all. Easy enough, she hoped.
"Barauk! His name's Barauk!" Sable replies.

"Har! Moradin be praised! That be them. Come forward and say hello. We've been wait'n a bloody age for ye, figured ye for dead! Ye have noth'n to fear from us!"

A moment later, the flames go out and the dwarves move the barricade away from the tunnel to let them pass.

"I guess that went alright" Sable remarks to Wyatt. She turns to look back down the tunnel where the rest of dwarves are.

"We're in the right place, come on forward!" she yells.

There is a pause for a moment, than a reply.

"Moving up. Thank ye, lass" The voice was clearly Carmard. He sounded relieved.

mshady

2010-12-16, 12:50 PM

The dwarves and their allies make their way into the encampment, wary for any ambush. With the exception of Nega, none of them really had the energy for a vigorous defense. Carmard keeps his hand on a rod that sits on his belt, and looks around suspiciously.

With the exception of Nega, the party is fatigued. All attack and skill rolls are at -4, armor is at -4

Leading the way forward is Hjalmar, with Nega at his side. The massively built paladin holds his tower shield in front and the two paladins form a wall to block any surprise attack against the rest.

It was Hjalmar who spotted it first. His hand immediately dives for his warhammer.

"Duergar!" he yells. The warning and battle cry reverberate through the chamber. No less than a dozen armed and armored duergar are formed up near the entrance to the tunnel, and that was just what Hjalmar saw.

The sound of weapons being drawn in Carmard's company comes a moment later, in shock at the surprise.

Cries of "Oi!" and "What!" can be heard from the duergar, but none of them make a move for their own weapons. The gray faced dwarves make an effort not to react.

"Hold yer axes!" yells a dwarven voice, cutting through the growing clamor. "We be yer allies!"

The source of that voice approaches through the tunnel, wearing plain brown robes held together with a black rope. His skin is gray and beard black, with traces of gray in it.

"What nonsense be this?" says a wary Hjalmar. "Yer bloody duergar!"
"They are our allies. Sheath yer weapons" Carmard orders, before walking to the front of the group.

"Aye, yes we are" the duergar says. "Sent to meet ye by Prince Tolrin himself. Moradin's blessings be upon ye" is the duergar's surprising reply. He actually bows slightly towards Carmard, before continuing.

"I am Sonnlinor Thordek Stonebreaker, blood or Lorne and I am a priest of Moradin. These are my followers and protectors. Hjalmar, I'm surprised ye don't remember me from when ye fought the Aurilites when you and Tolrin visited the caves near Hundlestone. I recognize the elf, gnome, fire priest and Magnum too" smiles the duergar cleric.

Hjalmar stammers for a response, before putting his hammer back on his belt loop.

"Aye, I remember ye. Just nay ever expected ye. Tis a hard thing to get used to"

"Indeed it is. It is for me too" he says, and shrugs. "Ye can call me Sonnlinor Stonebreaker. Good to see ya" he says, offering his hand to Hjalmar.

The paladin looks at his hand, than the duergar's and shakes his head slightly.

"Not yet" Hjalmar finally says. Sonnlinor Stonebreaker nods slightly, a quick look of disappointment on his face.

"Very well than" Sonnlinor Stonebreaker finally says. "Now that yer here, time to plan this attack. We're eager to show ye what we can do. The others will be here shortly."

Strangie

2010-12-16, 05:59 PM

A half-hearted, "Yay," was all Wyatt could reply to Sable. He moved forward with the group, and once they all collected, took the first chance he could get to take a seat somewhere.

"I don't think I've ever marched so much in my life. And for a devotee to the travel god, 'dat's saying something right 'dere."

He glanced around at all the duergar, and then at the others, and frowned. "Awright, no orcs around to come and chain me down 'dis time... so far, so good, right? I suppose it'd be too much to ask if we're gonna actually get a chance to rest our feet here. If not, well... I came prepared."

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-17, 06:23 AM

Greys!!. W(h)at in da world.Nega's eyes flash with anger and go dark. She bears no love for the duergar. You can sense that she would kill them all if she could.Dis be a dark day fer dorf kind w(h)en we associate wit(h) dis scumHer hand stays firm around the handle of her mace as she scowls and mutters soothing words under her beard. She whispers to Hjalmar:Stay on your toes lad can't trust em dese fiends.

thorgrim29

2010-12-17, 02:25 PM

As they meet the Grey dwarves, Thordrek, who had been in contact with many reformed Duergar, is a bit surprised but not as stunned as the paladins. He checks to make sure Tasster is not about to charge before introducing himself with the respect dur to a cleric of moradin (not too clear on that one, shoul he kneel, bow, I don't know)

It's a pleasure to meet you Cleric Stonebreaker, I am Thordrek Torrun of the Forgemark Levtokuld.

I'm afraid you'll have to forgive our paladins, I've found that single minded devotion to the cause of the Moradinsham leaves little place for shades of grey in one's world view, no pun intended.

He looks to said paladins with a look of disapproval:

For shame, the both of you, Duergar who have returned to the worship of Moradin are our brothers in faith and in deed, and you should treat Cleric Stonebreaker with as much respect as you would any priest of Moradin.

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-17, 07:01 PM

I've been killin greys since I was but c(h)ild. And many of my friends fell at da (h)ands of dem. I cleared da c(h)amber of Berronar dorf mot(h)er of ems kind. So pardon me if I don't smile wit(h) joy over dem. I respect da Sonnlinor but w(h)en ye (h)ave foug(h)t and killed so many of greys ye tend to keep yer wits about ye. I mean no disrespect in my words. But suc(h) are tings. She inclines her head slightly against the Sonnlinor.
Nega Silver(h)ammer First Mace of Berronars Valkyries Protector of (h)er c(h)ambers and C(h)ampion of (h)er fait(h) she says in a stern tone. For the first time you can see that this Paladin has a darker side then previously seen.

Strangie

2010-12-17, 07:21 PM

"... huh. Bad history, huh... well, 'dat makes a little more sense, but... let's try not to kill each other before we get 'dis whole thing underway, eh?" Wyatt scratches his head a little, frowning. "We're all a bit too tired for 'dat right now. So... who are 'the others' 'dat we're waiting for?"

thorgrim29

2010-12-17, 08:36 PM

Nevertheless, there are such things as redemption and atonement, as well as basic practicality. But I agree with Wyatt, we're all battered and weary, not to mention out of spells, so if you could lead us to your camp Cleric Stonebreaker we would all be grateful for a good night's sleep before venturing into the dragon's lair, quite literally.

mshady

2010-12-18, 10:25 AM

Sonnlinor Stonebreaker smoothes out his heavy robes and looks smiles serenely in response to the quietly fierce statement of Nega Silverhammer, First Mace of Berronar's Valkyries, Protector of her Chambers of Faith. He stands unmoving as the other Thordek reprimands Nega and Hjalmar for their attitudes towards the duergar, even raising an eyebrow at when he says he has met other reformed duergar. He rubs his ash gray jaw and pulls at the short plaits of his beard looking at the group.

"Levtokuld? I'm nay familar with that rank, but I am just becoming familar with your Patriarchate. I look forward to working with ye, though I hope the price is nay too high. Every forge must be fed though" he says, and shrugs with acceptance.

"I appreciate yer tolerance. Few of my kin have turned back to our original faith. We are violent and bitter isolationists, and our faith is that a life of toil is our lot in life. We believed that Dumathion and the shield dwarves cheated Laduguer out of the honor of being patron of the dwarves, Laduguer being a brother to Moradin" he says, "that led to bitterness and warfare, the eventual fall of Deep Shanatar between your Crusaders and ours. The newest crusade, pitting the Army of Gold versus Steel to reclaim our mutual ancestral homes is history in repetition" he says. His eyes turn back to Nega.

"Yes, I do know who ye are" he says to her, with a sigh. "We all do. By our reckoning, ye have killed more than a hundred of my kin personally and commanded expeditions that killed more. We know ye as the Bloody Valkyrie and Berronar's Bane, among the more popular names. Your name is feared and reviled by my people all across the Underdark for the deaths you have caused and our holy places that you have conquered. There is a price on your head of over a hundred pounds of gold for the blood you have spilled in your years. The ambition of many of our great warriors is to defile your body and return with your head, with no preference to the order of that. Both Laduguer and Deep Duerra have named you to our clergy as Enemy" he pauses, letting his words set in.

Slowly, Sonnlinor Stonebreaker extends his hand to her.

"I offer you my hand, and hold no bitterness, for you and I are not enemies by coreligionists of the same faith" he smiles. "Remember First Mace Silverhammer, that despite the crimes of my kin, and crimes they were, that it was Berronar who spared Laduguer and the duergar race from Moradin's hammer. She showed mercy and spared our race, because she remembered that we are still her children too and would hopefully return one day. While Laduguer never will, some of my kin still might. Moradin spoke to me and showed me a sign leading to a different path. He never promised it would be an easy path. We don't deserve one. After all this time, I would like to think it was Berronar's prompting that led to that offering"

"Now tell me, Levtokuld Thordek Turron, what can we do to help? Our camp is nay far from here. Ye all look like several leagues o'bad road, so we can offer ye rest. Your former companions, Bundok and Duervar, have preceded you, along with a few others. We have food and warm bed rolls, as well as maps of yer objective. Our scout says it is nearly deserted as well, the forces there having left days ago. I'm nay sure how much time till they return, but I think there be little time to waste"

"Duergar's a duergar" Tasster says, standing in the back of crowd. "Never heard such nonsense in me life, and that be a long one. Good on the lass for kill'n so many of ye. I just thought her another pretty face in shiny plate. Keep yer faith and keep yer head, I say"

Sonnlinor Stonebreaker looks at Tasster with a look of surprise at the bloody minded statement, giving him a reproachful look that utterly fails to quiet the unruly Prince. Instead, he takes his axe and licks the blade and gives the duergar a wild look in reply.

Having stayed in the background with Buna for now, Carmard rubs his temples with quiet frustration.

"Nothings ever easy..." he can be heard muttering.

Strangie

2010-12-18, 10:59 AM

Wyatt simply stares straight-faced at this whole exchange. The only parts of his body that move are his eyes that switch back and forth between speakers as they speak. At the end, once everybody is finished, he seems to agree with Carmard by lowering his head, and then simply slapping the palm of his hand against his forehead, closing his eyes as he pulls his hand slowly down his face. When his hand reaches over his mouth, he opens his eyes again, looking at Sonnlinor Stonebreaker.

He drops his hand to his side again, straightening up. "... Sonnlinor Stonebreaker. Whatever your race or history is, I don't care. As long as Carmard says you're our ally, 'den I'll at least treat you as such. I'm Wyatt, our group's scout. Believe me when I say 'dat over the past day or two, we've only had about an hour's worth of rest, if even 'dat much. If you could lead us to where we can finally rest our legs, I think me and my companions would like 'dat very much."

He gestures vaguely at Nega and Tasster, waving his hand around a little. "Since... y'know, 'dis whole meeting isn't really going all 'dat well and all, and I don't want to be spending the time I could be resting instead watching my allies make mean faces at ya and each other all day. I know what it's like to be stereotyped, after all..."

He is, of course, referring to the general assumption that halflings are nothing more than conniving thieves, tricksters, and other shady varieties. The reminder of that thought makes him frown a bit, but nonetheless he waits for the duergar to respond. He didn't seem to care that the duergar was, well, a duergar - despite being well aware of how duergar are in general, he was smart or patient enough to hold judgement until this one had proven himself one way or another.

He glanced at Nega and Tasster for a moment as he waited, with a sort of "Do you REALLY have to be like that?" look on his face, raising an eyebrow and frowning a bit, disappointment apparent. Whatever their personal history with duergar, he'd have liked for them to hold judgement for someone who has only been so far friendly to them, regardless of his race's history.

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-18, 04:02 PM

Nega takes the Sonnlinors hand but she is still on her guard.Da dorfmot(h)er is wise and I trust in(h)eR wisdom she says calmly and releases his hand.

mshady

2010-12-18, 05:32 PM

To Wyatt:

Sonnlinor Stonebreaker nods to Wyatt, accepting his tolerance with some degree of relief. His ears perk a bit when Wyatt mentions that he is a scout, as well.

"Yes, it would be better if we were nay at each other's beards before we even get back to the camp" he acknowledges. "That you be a scout bodes well. I was nay told a halfling would be accompanying your group, that the human woman Sybil would. Sable was it? Our scouts could only get so far. If you and your companions have a way to infiltrate, I think it would be a good. But I nay want to get ahead of meself" the Sonnlinor says.

To Nega:

"Your hand be welcome. If not in friendship, than in peace" Sonnlinor Stonebreaker says. He smiles at Nega and the two shake. While the Sonnlinor may be a follower of Moradin now, it was clear Nega especially made him a bit nerveous. "Da dwarf mother be wise and one of peace. My wish be that ye know that our hearts can change, and that yers does as well" the Sonnlinor says with a serene smile directed at Nega.

"Now, I think we head towards the camp and rejoin ye with your friends. We have a hot stew of mushrooms and rothe meat ready. If any of ye would like to join me in prayer later with my kin, ye are welcome to attend. Now, come along..." the Sonnlinor says. He waves for the group to follow him, as they head down into another tunnel.

In the rear, Tasster watches the duergar. His hand stays on one of his axe hilts, not trusting the duergar whatsoever.

Strangie

2010-12-18, 11:22 PM

"Rothe? Er... make sure you don't mention 'dat to any of those of the 'bull' variety in our group, if you know what I mean... might get offended..." Wyatt says quietly, making sure Kerik or other minotaurs weren't in listening distance.

He nods a bit, following along. "Yeah, I'm a scout. I handle trap removal and I can fight, too. Nah, you couldn't have known I was comin' - 'dey actually rescued me from the underground some time back and in exchange for 'dat and some coin I've been workin' for 'dem since. I was in a previous mercenary unit before I hooked up with Carmard, but we got ambushed by raiders and pretty much got wiped out... From what I could tell, only two of us survived, myself included. Not pretty. Anyway... " He shrugs, gesturing to Sable, who should be nearby still. "Sable's still with us, too. We've been working together on our team's scouting duties, and I might say we handle the job exceptionally well - you can ask just about anybody in our group about 'dat. We'll talk more, and figure out what you want us to do, after we've had a nice sit-down and rested our worn feet a bit, eh...?"

Wyatt rubs his sore legs a bit, wincing. "Last thing I need are for my poor legs to collapse out from under me while I'm on the run, y'know...?"

Gorgondantess

2010-12-18, 11:35 PM

Johannes stumbles up the the Duergar, quite late in the conversation. Being of a lighter and leaner build than most other dwarves- in fact he'd been mistaken for an extremely burly gnome once or twice (and he always had wondered about his "uncle" Gimble), he fell quite behind the rest of the crowd. Sweating and exhausted, he still does his best to keep his composure, though.
He approaches, the Duergar, holding out his hand with a jovial grin. "Name's Johannes, good to see a friendly face down here. Don't mind these folks, they'll treat you like scum if you have a pimple that doesn't look normal. Me, well, if I can get along a baatezu I can get along with a gray skinned dwarf."
His ears perk up at the prospect of a good meal and a soft bed, and he slaps the man on the shoulder in a brotherly gesture. "Anyways, what are we doing wasting time standing around? We can talk as we walk to your camp."
All of the exhaustion fades from him with roasted beef on the spit dancing in his mind.

Melody

2010-12-19, 12:21 AM

Well that explains Yennifer.

Sable smiles and winks at Johannes as she walks along with Wyatt towards the camp and a most welcome rest.

mshady

2010-12-22, 02:04 AM

The entire group embarks on another hike through the Underdark, towards where they can rest and meet with any other allies. The area where they met the duergar and Sonnlinor Stonebreaker was in an area of rough tunnels, barely worked and winding. It was the wilderness of the Underdark, but the duergar seemed to know the winding tunnels well. At times, the Sonnlinor takes a moment to consult a map and discuss things with another duergar about their path.

The two groups generally stay separated during the march, but at one point the Sonnlinor approaches Thordek and the rest, explaining that they were taking a different path than the one they had came to avoid being followed. He did not mention who might be following, if anyone.

After four hours of more unwanted marching towards their refuge, they step out into a wide, open tunnel. It is a shocking contrast. This tunnel is old and crumbling, but it's wide and expertly made with supports and a flat roadway, when not obstructed by debris. Much of it had been cleared to the side, fairly recently even. The Sonnlinor calls for a break at this point, and he has his soldiers pass out some of their rations to the dwarves and water.

"Ye may have lost track o'time between jump'n through the Planes, but it's time for breakfast. Nay too much time. We have places to be. We should be at the encampment in a few hours. There be an old keep near on the outskirts of the area once controlled by the old clan hold. There was a ring of them, built around the hold. It was nay abandoned when we got there, but short work was made of the Aurilites there. This old clan hold be an important hub for these deep these roads, and they go throughout the Spine of the World mountains. From what we know, it's loss would mean the Aurilites would have to move their troops overland. While they may nay mind the cold, it's still an impossible march. The loss be a pity, but better this than see old ruins desecrated so." the Sonnlinor says. He sits down with the dwarven group and chews away at one of the biscuits, while nibbling at the meat with careful bites.

With a much needed break, the group eats from the rations of cold, canned beef and stale tasting flat bread the duergar seem to enjoy far more than anyone else. Kaladus motions for Nega to speak with him to express his protests.

"I thought ye said I was nay to be fed as a prisoner? I would nay feed this food to a dog! An orc, even!" he exclaims. "This... poor food, I will not have it. Find me something hot, that I'll nay chip a tooth on. My constitution be important if ye wish me to produce your devil's miracle"

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-22, 05:54 AM

Nega looks at him and smiles:Kaladus my dear friend. That food you got is w(h)at everybody else eats but I'll fix you some more enticement. Jo(h)annes!!! She calls.Now which finger do you want broken dis time my friend. Eat w(h)at you got and be glad you are fed at all. You eat like us and we survive Kaladus. She waits for Johannes to appear before speaking again. Jo(h)annes my friend Kaladus is not content wit(h) our food will you do me a favor of stimulating (h)im so (h)e does enjoy it more. She bows to Jo(h)annes and leaves whispering in dwarven to Johannes as she leaves: A finger will do I tink. :smallsmile::smallsmile:

Gorgondantess

2010-12-22, 07:32 PM

Johannes sighs. "Listen, lad, I'm getting the same crap you are, so just make good with it."
He takes his spellbook and pulls a page out of it, containing all of his cantrips, and hands it to Kaladus. "You're a mage. Figure it out."
Meanwhile, Johannes himself has cast a prestidigitation and warped the food into something resembling flavor, as well as supplementing the rations with a sack of cranium rat jerky he picked up while in Sigil. The stuff was stringy and full of gristle and practically oozed grease, but there was some addictive, savory quality to it that made him savor every last bite.
This done, he heads over to Sonnlinor and gives him some prestidigitation-enhanced food. "So tell me- you're a rarity among your kind. Just what brought you to Moradin's side, as opposed to your brethren?"

Melody

2010-12-23, 10:12 PM

Sable eats quickly and without any fuss for the taste, washing it down with copious amounts of water from a flask. Resting with her back against a cavern wall she closes her eyes for a moment and is supprised as she wakes up a few moments later as some sound or another snaps her out of the light doze. Blinking she relaxes her hold on her rapier hilt and looks around to see who might have noticed her lapse.

With a weary sigh she straightens and heaves herself to her feet, running her right hand through her hair. She pushes back a few strands that have escaped back into place and goes to look for Carmard and her orders.

Strangie

2010-12-24, 12:30 AM

"Heh, technically, we ARE feeding it to a dog..." Wyatt remarks off-handedly at Kaladus, letting the prisoner figure out that burn on his own.

He chewed down his food, not caring for taste as much as anybody else, as he followed Sable to obtain orders from Carmard. He hoped they were "go take a nap" but that would be pushing his luck, he figured.

thorgrim29

2010-12-24, 12:35 AM

Thordrek washes the trail rations down with a skin of ale he had taken from Faithholme, sharing it with anyone who wanted some. He is soon ready, if not exactly willing, to continue.

((I figure we took supplies with us, and ale is a supply right?))

Werewhale

2010-12-24, 07:26 AM

Nalrak Ironfist

Nalrak eats silently except to accept a swig of Thordek's ale, thanking him with an inarticulate grunt. He was still unusually gruff in manner, pale and had sunken eyes. He seemed to be spending his energy on staying upright so he had none to spare on pleasantries. The duergar did not improve his mood, but neither did the negative reaction of dwarves like Nega. But he was too tired to argue, so he stayed silent.

mshady

2010-12-26, 03:17 AM

Johannes and Kaladus, than Sonnlinor Stonebreaker

Barely able to continue, the time is used as much for cat naps as eating. The rations are different from what they had in Faitholme, but only in degrees of blandness. Buna passes around a tin of valuable sugar around to improve the taste, which helps significantly.

Johannes alone seems to enjoy a better meal. He chews away on a kind of jerky he picked up in Sigil, a rather spicy kind made from brain rats. That the dehydrated and smoked meat still remained greasy was a testament to just how greasy the meat really is. The complaints from Kaladus soon draw his attention, and he wearily makes his way over to the two prisoners. Wisely, Regina eats her food and says little while Kaladus continues to complain. Her hopes that she would draw a beating are answered when Nega invites Johannes to break his finger again. The news leaves her smiling, but she is quickly disappointed when Johannes arrives and sympathizes with him at the food. He tears out a page from his travel book and gives it to Kaladus, explaining he should just use a cantrip to improve the taste of the food.

"You're just full of surprises" Kaladus remarks, holding the scroll in his hand. "You threaten me with a sword, break my finger and now this? I shalt not complain; merely marvel at my providence of finding such a friend who provides me with such marvelous food on such a dreadful menu!"

Kaladus says no more after that display, and instead concentrates on working the basic spell through his shackles. Thankfully it was a simple spell, and he manages to turn his biscuits and tea into something more palatable. Regina glares daggers at him, as Kaladus makes a point of showing her his improved food while she worries about chipping a delicate elven tooth on what she had to eat. She mutters something vengeful under her breath and returns to her meal.

Meanwhile, Johannes takes some of his magically improved food and takes over to see Sonnlinor Stonebreaker. He was too unique an individual to pass up an opportunity to speak with.

He approaches the Duergar, holding out his hand with a jovial grin. "Name's Johannes, good to see a friendly face down here. Don't mind these folks, they'll treat you like scum if you have a pimple that doesn't look normal. Me, well, if I can get along a baatezu I can get along with a gray skinned dwarf."His ears perk up at the prospect of a good meal and a soft bed, and he slaps the man on the shoulder in a brotherly gesture. "Anyways, what are we doing wasting time standing around? We can talk as we walk to your camp."

The Sonnlinor smiles at Johannes and takes the food. He eats it carefully, enjoying each bite with respectfulness. Johannes can tell that the duergar was trying to be polite, however hungry he was. They probably had few rations of their own, and who knows how they got what they had to begin with.

"A marked improvement on a staple, I might say" the Sonnlinor allows. "Now if ye could only conjure a good ale or some spirits to wash it down, it make this a proper meal" he smiles slightly. He motions for Johannes to sit down on a broken boulder in the carved tunnel. They sit on the edge, where the tunnel ends and the ancient dwarven road begins. While dwarven roads are strongly constructed and last millennia, dwarves are not the only thing in the Underdark that digs. The way they are using was likely carved by an umberhulk, a great creature that looked like a massive crab that clawed through rock like it was dirt. Smoothly carved tunnels are generally only carved by beholders, and those such tunnels are best avoided.

"Walking while we talk is nay the best idea. Ye certainly seem to be a different kind of fellow, so I'll explain as best I can. We try to keep it as quiet as we can, but I'll answer yer question...

Why? That was a question I asked myself one day. I was a smith in the duergar city of Gracklstugh, far below your Silver Marches.

Some drow came to me shop one cycle, and complained bitterly about how quickly the dwarven population was increasing in Citadel Adbar and Feldbarr, never mind Mithril Hall, and how they would overrun the surface and Underdark in a few hundred years. They asked me if I knew about this, being a dwarf. I could only reply... no. What they described dumbfounded me. I walked back into my shop and thought about what they said. Thought hard. I nay even cared that they walked off with the swords I was to sell them" he pauses and laughs softly at that. "It was less funny at the time; good adamantine blades they were!"

The Sonnlinor takes a draught from his canteen before continuing.
"What troubled me was that, while the shield and presumably gold dwarves were bearing children by the cart full... the duergar were profoundly not. Our population held steady in a good decade, but the losses to war weighed that down greatly. That had been the case for other dwarves, but... something had changed. What was the point of us escaping the illithids, if we were to all die out? If the illithids' victory was inevitable, why had the duergar rebelled against them in the first place? What difference did it make if the gray dwarves lived free or as chattel if their ultimate end was the same?

In me bones, I always knew the doom of the dwarves would always be numbers in the end. We all did. We were bitter and in decline. Our shared history has been one of pride, but steady decline. Suddenly it was nay for the others, so why? That was when I figured I figured only a God could do such a thing, and when my prayers to Laduguer, the Gray Protector, when unanswered, I questioned that faith. Had the Gray Protector abandoned his children? I was a simple priest, no theologian or a Thuldor. I starved myself for weeks before I could do the next sensible thing. If he had abandoned us, than perhaps I should pray to Moradin instead!" he says, his voice quicker and his hands more animated now.

"The response was... profound. Moradin gave me knowledge of what ye know as the Thunder Blessing, the thing that cured the endemic sterility of the dwarven people for all but the duergar, who were no longer truly dwarves when Ladugeur left the Moradinsamman, the dwarven pantheon. If our people would return to his graces, they too would receive that blessing. To that end, he accepted a simple smith as one of his clerics, a Sonnlinor, and charged me with the mission of leading as many as I could to the true embrace of the dwarven family"Sonnlinor Stonebreaker pauses and rubs his jaw for a moment as he prepares to say what came next.

"Heady with this profound gift and revelation, I gone told the other smiths of my Clan. Men whom I considered me friends. Their response was... what ye'd expect" he says, sighing deeply with sadness.

"They accepted me as a Sonnlinor of Moradin, yes, but their views were... unmoved. The leader of my guild insisted if I wished to be a cleric, I had to endure the rites of such by duergar tradition. So they promptly tortured me, chained me and forced me to work until exhaustion, laid stone slabs on my back and left me for days, worked me some more when I survived that, and finally branded me with the hammer and anvil of Moradin on my forehead. My family disowned me and they exiled me into the Underdark alone. Something normally a death sentence. By Moradin's grace alone... I survived all that. I traveled and sought to know more of the Thunder Blessing and what sins caused the duergar to be bereft of it. None of those were comfortable answers... We deserve what we are, but there is still the fire of hope burning in our forge, dim though it be...

"Now, I work to convert what kin that I can among my people's exile and castaways. Living in Underdark ruins as I can. Sneaking back into Gracklstugh, at great risk but with Moradin's guidance, to find whom I might save. Having learned of your Patriarchate, and their willingness to accept all who believe regardless of what they've done before, I see that I may finally have a great ally in this. If I survive this task, mayhaps I shalt find out. Moradin willing" Sonnlinor Thordek concludes. He takes another drink and sughs, after providing the explanation.

"I trust that answered yer question to yer satisfaction?" he smiles at Johannes.

mshady

2010-12-26, 03:32 AM

Carmard and Sable

As Sable approaches Carmard, she sees that Buna and him are leaning over the map they were using before that showed the pathes in the Underdark. They were plotting their own course, with the extra time.

"We need to be moving out soon" Carmard grumbles. "We all need a rest, even if Johannes still has a spring in his step, but we need to complete our task even more"
"Aye? Ye and what legs Carmard?" Buna responds wryly, wrinkling her nose at him and shaking her head.

"I reckon... These duergar are making me nerveous. Two months ago, I was fighting them. Now I'm eat'n their rations... Bah" he mutters.

The two finally acknowledge Sable, who has been standing silently to avoid interrupting them.

"Where'd ye come from, ye stealthly waif? Ye got a bad habit" Buna demands, but she wears a smile on her face and winks at Sable. "I was expect'n Nega before ye, but she's probably working on her "keg" look thanks to an extra helping of these biscuits after slaying a duergar with sheer righteous indignation"
That draws a snort from the otherwise serious Carmard.

"What can we help ye with, Sable?" Carmard asks her, his face neutral.

When Sable explains her desire for orders, Buna shrugs her shoulders and has a drink. Carmard responds for her though.

"Our orders are to wait until they be ready to leave. When storytime with Johannes is over, we can get marching 'gain. Sooner the better. Once we get there, we rest and let Kaladus work" Carmard says, clearly perturbed at the mention of Kaladus. The edge in his voice softens when he continues.

"The lack o'rest has me irritable, forgive me" he says with a slight smile. "Welcome to a soldier's life, Sable. Mainly ye wait around a lot. Make the best of it that ye can"

Strangie

2010-12-26, 07:38 AM

"Hah, if she's got a bad habit," Wyatt says, gesturing to Sable, "'den I'm worse. Didn't even see me, did you? Or you were ignorin' me. Wouldn't be the first time, I suppose, hah."

He holds up his index finger, remembering something. "Oh yeah, right. I paid a trip to the quartermaster back in Faithholme, Carmard. Made real good use of 'dat trip. Thanks for 'dat." He shows Sable the abundance of alchemical gear in his haversack, before closing it up again. "Thunderstones, fire, buncha other stuff... Enough for one of our patented 'alchemy bombs' and 'den some. Next time we run into any incantation circles, we're doin' dat all over again. When brute force or mighty magic don't cut it, get creative. Am I right?" He asks with a grin.

mshady

2010-12-26, 09:59 AM

Looking at Wyatt, Carmard only nods slowly and returns back to his map, compass and a V shaped tool he is using. A note is scratched in his travel log with care.

Buna is a little more personable, and actually laughs in response to Wyatt.

"Well, I'm glad ye made good use of the quartermaster. I hope ye left some for the rest o'us though! Somewhere, a alchemist is pulling out his beard and cursing halflings now, I'm sure. Yer bomb was quite effective, although I daresay what a poor time for inspiration was!" she smirks.

Strangie

2010-12-26, 05:01 PM

"Yeah... I'd almost thought we had screwed up on 'dat one. Couldn't have been much better if we had let her finish the incantation. What would have happend then?" Wyatt replied, thinking about it for a moment.

Indeed. What WOULD have happened, had he not been in position with Sable to use the alchemy bomb?

Melody

2010-12-26, 06:54 PM

She smiles at Wyatt. All's well that ends well, or so my Da used to say. Figure we're only a few miles and a large explosion away from that happy ending. Provided Tymora smiles on us all just a little while longer.

And nothing to worry about Carmard. I'm not some flower that's going to wilt if you speak to her sharpy. We're all tired and you've got a lot on your mind. Let me know if there's something I can do to make it easier, hey? She pats Carmard on the arm before she turns to Wyatt.

Well come along half-a-sneak. Let's go see if those wild dwarves of Thordrek's are getting into mischief.

Strangie

2010-12-26, 10:39 PM

"When aren't 'dey? Awright, 'den, let's do it. I hope my legs don't fall out from under me on the way." Wyatt stretches, following with Sable.

Gorgondantess

2010-12-27, 03:02 AM

Johannes clucks his tongue at Kaladus. "I'm not your friend, lad. If that were the case, I'd cast the spell myself. Anything to shut you up, though. And give the lady the page when you're done. I expect it by the end of the hour."
Speaking of Regina, he offers her some jerky, winking. "Hive fare."
He's as beat as anyone else, but he's not showing it to the prisoners, nor to the new guests. He'd just have to collapse somewhere along the way, later.

Joh listens respectfully to Sonnlinor's story, nodding occasionally but letting him speak. He suppresses a small shudder at the mention of illithids- he'd met a few in his time, and the fondest feelings he'd ever felt towards them was respect, mixed with a healthy amount of fear.
"Of course. I certainly hope I wasn't prying- however, you're something of a unique case. I've met a handful of duergar who cast off the worship of Ladugeur and his practices, and I've even shared an ale with a duergar before, but I've never known one who came to Moradin."
Finished with his rations, he gets up and dusts himself off.
"It's been good talking to you, Sonnlinor Stonebreaker. When you're heralded as a good cleric of Moradin in the halls of the Patriarchate, we'll have to share an ale or twelve and really get to talking."
With that, he gives him a wink and heads off to a quiet corner to collapse for the mercilessly short time before he has to resume the march.
I'm going to request a sense motive check on Sonnlinor. While Joh may not treat him any differently because of the color of his skin, that doesn't mean he's going to let loose of all suspicion.

mshady

2010-12-27, 06:32 AM

Response to Sense Motive Check

Sense Motive result is at 21. He seems pretty open. While he has abandoned Ladugeur, he still takes pride in being a duergar and the fate of his people.

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-27, 09:44 AM

Nega sits in silence eating her food. She seems uncomfortable. She walks over to Thordrek and sits down beside him:Now lad ye seem to be a reasonable sort. Can ye explain to me yer easy takin(g) to da greys? If Feanor Bital ever found out I'd be on speakin terms wit(h) one s(h)e would strip me of my title. But ye seem to be born under ot(h)er circumstances lad. And as a c(h)osen of Berronar it interests me greatly about yer life and (ow ye came to be involved wit(h) dese albeit strange gat(h)erin(g) of sorts. Take da little one. Nimble as a c(h)ild and fast of mout(h). Wyatt be grand sort I'm sure. And Sable quite and graceful even da lad jo(h)annes bein(g) magicks sort is a riddle in (h)isself. But ye seem to be a young dorf wit(h) muc(h) about ye. So speak lad and teac(h) yer life fer me. Nega Sits back takes out her pipe and lights it and puffs slowly listening attentively.

thorgrim29

2010-12-27, 11:39 AM

Thordrek ponders this for a few seconds, then answers Nega

I'm afraid my life's story up to a few years ago would make a very poor tale, I lived in Mirabar, had a few jobs as a smith, a guard. a scribe, and I was generally bored out of my mind, but what else was there? When an honourable reason to get out presented itself I did.

I would say there are several reasons for my tolerance of Cleric Stonebreaker... As I said I'm from Mirabar, and as such I'm a bit more open minded about other races then most dwarves. I left Mirabar with Hammerstriker, when he and a good part of the dwarven population joined Mithral Hall, and in the battle of the Subrin the drow, Drizzt Do'Urden, saved my life, I talked to him a bit afterwards, and while I found him a bit self absorbed that proved to me members of the "evil" races could be different then the norm, just as there are evil dwarves and elves, there are Duergar and drow who are good.

When I joined the Patriarchate, I was trained in the Underdark citadel of Barakbar, and I've known of an allied group of Duergar for a while now, I've had time to get used to the idea. Finally, I recently had doubts about the Patriarchate's motives, when I learned of the item we're carrying and how that "curseword" Glorian built it, and while praying at the altar of Dumathoin I somehow knew that we had the favour of the Moradinsham, and allying with evil Duergar would likely take that away wouldn't you say? But I've always had the notion that paladins can unerringly tell who needs some smiting, couldn't you use that ability and find out for yourself?

(the curseword used is "crazy bitch" in ancient Netherese.)

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-27, 04:59 PM

I could probably do it but my upp bringin(g) and trainin(g) always suggested greys w(h)ere a foul race. I guess since I never met one dat wasn't a dark creature. And da use of a power from da dorfmot(h)er is not used in vain. And eve if I used it I could be wrong. Even paladins are not always on target, and good dat is. As for suc(h) sensing it takes time to work properly. As for Drizzt Do'Urden I met (h)im too. Toget(h)er wit(h) (H)ignar. Many years ago. I liked (h)im. Arrogant as all elves but c(h)arismatic like non ot(h)er. I used da gift from Berronar on (h)im. But dere is not always time fer suc(h). I do not draw my mace in vain. If we (h)ave time I'll bring ye to Cormyr. S(h)ow ye da c(h)amber of Berronar dere lad. But I'll tell ye one ting and dat is I never mistrusted any ot(h)er race even drow as greys. It's a force of (h)abit I guess. One took me to see Berronar once. After dat I sent dem to (h)er to repent. Now wat of yer meetin(g) wit(h) da rest of da group lad? Speak againNega continues to smoke as she again listens.

thorgrim29

2010-12-27, 06:59 PM

Nothing much to say, as I said I worked in Barakbar, that's where I met Tasster. Then one day Glorian commandeered me and took me and a few others to Prince Tolrin's camp, where I met most of the group. They gave us our mission and we were on our way when we came upon a cave full of fiendblood orcs. After a huge fight the shaman summoned an ice devil, but it got out of his control, and Carmard started releasing the stoneburner.

We made a deal with the devil, so to speak, it knew it couldn't survive the stoneburner going off, so it settled on taking either the shaman's or Carmard's soul depending on the result of a duel between Arman and me against the shaman. We won, it went away, we sent the noncombatant orcs on their way since they weren't feindblooded and said they wanted to join Obould and live in peace... It was a gamble, but I figure if the constant fighting is ever to stop someone has to start showing mercy.

That's where we found Wyatt, and he was grateful enough to follow us, once we saw what he can do Carmard hired him. Then we went to Wayward via Faithholme, where we ended up hiring the Blood company and fighting the villagers in an odd turn of events. After that we travelled to Sigil, got into trouble for 'porting an army in a posh restaurant, stopped a coup within the Takers, and you know the rest.

Now we're off to destroy a dragon's cave, hope we manage to save at least part of the hoard, destroying so much riches would seem almost a sacrilege.

How about you First Mace, why ae you working for the Patriarchate?

mshady

2010-12-28, 12:06 AM

Sable and Wyatt observe the Duergar

Sable and Wyatt head over to where the group of a dozen duergar are. They sit in a half circle around Sonnlinor Stonebreaker, and listen to him. He is finishing up a short sermon of some kind. Each duergar walks up to the Sonnlinor, bows as he places a hand on their heads and accepts his blessing before forming up. Each of them shoulders a heavy pack and gets ready to move out. It will be a few more minutes before they are done striking the camp. As they watch, each duergar carefully polices their part of the camp to make sure nothing of theirs is left behind.

The impression they both take from observing is that these duergar seem quite devout. Quietly, but very firmly. They also seem quite professional and disciplined, checking their camp carefully as well as checking each other's equipment. If it was not for the lantern, they would be difficult to see even this close. They seem to be splashed with some kind of camouflage. Stripes of grayish paint are splashed across the duergar, and it is plain enough to see with the naked eye. When they step away from the lantern though, Sable's darkvision has a far harder time than she should have. Where the camouflage, nothing could be seen beyond a hazy impression something might be there. If you didn't know to look, you'd miss it.

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-28, 06:29 PM

Nega smiles towards Thordrek and smiles:I don't work for da patriarc(h) son. I'm (h)ere for da dorfmot(h)er. S(h)e been watc(h)ing dis endeavor wit(h) curiosity. And I got message dat I needed to go to (h)elp out dorfs, so I went. As fer da patriarc(h) we go back long ways. (h)e was a personal friend of my trainer in all Feanor Bital. I consider (h)im a friend and w(h)en asked by dorfmot(h)er to lend (h)and I do as s(h)e commands. But if I'd known da odds I'd taken more soldiers. But dere was no time. I am content in my work but I cannae deny a call fer aid. Nega raises puts away her pipe and nods to Thordrek:Well we'll (h)ave more time later lad. Ye an interestin(g) lad. Young and bold but still a bit reckless.She walks over to Carmard and looks at Buna.Now is da magciks working again Buna or ye loosing it?

Strangie

2010-12-29, 04:49 AM

"Huh... 'dat is pretty neat. I'll have to get myself some of 'dat dark stuff. It looks like we're on the march again, 'dough... hooray." Wyatt finishes unenthusiastically, rubbing his knees with his hands. "I can't wait to collapse somewhere for a nice long nap. It'll be fantastic."

mshady

2010-12-30, 01:17 AM

As Sonnlinor Stonebreaker gets his followers ready to go, Carmard and Buna rouse their own weary warriors for the continued march to the duergar camp. Following their example, Carmard makes sure his own part of the camp is cleaned up well enough before leaving. The march itself is far easier than the last leg had been. The underground road is mostly clear with only a few obstacles along the way. The walk with the aid of lanterns now. The soft yellow light cuts just enough of a swath through the gloomy blackness of the tunnels.

At one time, these roads would have been illuminated by torches of everfire or glowing gems that had long been torn from the walls over the thousands of years since their construction. The road itself represented an enormous amount of work by highly skilled stone masons and miners, in numbers perhaps the entire dwarven people could no longer put together.

At various points along the way are the rusted remains of old wagons and an interesting array of skeletons from several kinds of races. Parts of the road branch off into other areas, and walls are marked with crude signs and symbols. The markings vary, ranging from orcs to goblins and kobolds to the more literate insults of hobgoblins. At one point, at least, the area was contested heavily by many of the underdark's denizens.

"Ye'd think with the Aurilites so close, that there'd be some o'their signs as well to claim the territory" Hjalmar remarks, as he looks at another goblinoid sign. "Nay that I haven't seen such despoilment before. Always gets me blood up" Hjalmar grumbles.

Nearby, Tasster hears him and catches up for a moment with an evil look on his face.

"How about you and me go even some old scores, heh? Be a good warm up! Har!" he says, brandishing his axe meaningfully. "You, me, my sons and the minotaurs. Let's go kill us a nest o'green skins"

Hjalmar looks at him and wrinkles his nose in response.

"We've a task ahead. No time for a distraction like that. Ye should know better, Prince" Hjalmar says with grave disdain.

"So? How long could it take?" he says and laughs.

He adjusts his eye patch and shakes his head. The gold dwarf paladin was an extremely disciplined soldier, with a lineage going back dozens of generations. He had proven himself in battle and had an extensive education. The ways of a chaotic barbarian were quite alien to him. The idea of stopping off to pick a random fight.

"Be that way" Tasster grumbles. "Yer beard's too long and gray to keep up. No harm, just some gobbos that need kill'n" he says, mocking Hjalmar as he walks alongside the massively armored paladin.

Stoically, Hjalmar continues his march and ignores Tasster with a little more than a growl. The reprieve only lasts a few minutes.

"Oi! Look, another goblin sign. Look here, long beard!" he says. "C'mon, let's go gut a few! They even left us a map! How 'bout we make a bunch of noise and get'em to come out? Huh? Ye won't have to walk so far!"
"This dwarf's intolerable..." Hjalmar mutters, grinding his teeth.

"Oi! What are ye, green bellied?" Tasster asks, laughing.

A hand whips out and grabs Tasster by his hair crest hard, before a hard yank pulls him off his feat and bounces him off the adjacent wall. He falls down with grunt and a trickle of blood runs from his nose. He rolls over and looks up at Hjalmar and the rest of the stunned party. Than he laughs wildly, as he gathers his things up. Hjalmar looms over him, glaring down at the dwarf with eyes of furious judgment.

"So ye do have a heart in ye!" he says and laughs. He pats Hjalmar on the shoulder and returns to his sons, cackling all the way.

The entire party stops, along with the duergar, to watch the incident. A moment later, Tasster's eldest son approaches Hjalmar and apologizes. His voice is rough and raspy as he shakes his head during the explanation.

"Sorry. He just gets bored" his son explains apologetically. He says nothing else, and walks back towards his father and the sound of maniacal laughter.

The miles roll on....

mshady

2010-12-31, 02:05 AM

The long march to the duergar camp takes longer than Sonnlinor Thordek said, due in large part to several breaks to accommodate the deathly exhausted members of the Patriarchate group. Each rest stop turns into a quick nap for anyone. Even Arum finally seems bothered, riding on his nasty badger, but only from saddle soreness. Eventually the dwarves strip down to just chain mail, passing their armor to the far fresher Tasster and his sons to carry for them. Nega also takes some of the load.

It was a dangerous choice. It meant they had to rely on the duergar for protection from any significant threat.

With his badly broken and badly repaired leg, the walk is particularly rough on Arman Madero, the group's elven mage who just happened to be traveling with Ambassador Tolrin. Carmard finally orders he be carried on a stretcher, over the elf's half hearted protests. He needed all the energy he could muster to help Kaladus. For their part, the prisoners march on towards the rear of the line. Tasster's sons alternate on who holds their chains, yanking them experimentally from time to time. To keep them motivated. Nobody had the energy to care about their occasional protest.

Finally, the soft glow of torch light looms at the end of the tunnel. They are almost at the duergar camp. As they draw near, a barricade of broken masonry and coiled wire is lain across the road, along with several menacing pikes jammed into the debris and pointing outwards. A pennant with the hammer and anvil of Moradin rests limply on a pole over the barricade. A repeating ballista sits in the center of it, manned by two dwarves. Four more are visible, armed with large arbalest crossbows.

There is a tense moment as Sonnlinor Stonebreaker identifies himself, and soon the cautious guards become overjoyed to see the return of their spiritual leader. They all exchange hugs, and he offers them blessings quietly. With that done, he waves the weary Patriarchate group forward.

They soon find themselves in a large underdark chamber, looking at a squat fortress carved from the rock itself in parts and expanded with magnificently solid masonry. It seems largely abandoned, with only a few torches evident in the windows or around the perimeter. The curtain that once surrounded it has been pulled down in places, likely long ago to ever prevent it from being too defensible. Judging by the Aurilite holy symbols and other markings around the area, its previous residents had wished they had repaired the walls. Parts of the keep itself are broken and worn, from battle or earth quakes. The whole area is in an ill state, with the walls being covered with fungus and moss. Several copses of mushrooms dot the landscape, growing haphazardly.
Several more duergar come out to greet the returning party with joy that their concerns had not been justified. Once again, they flock to Sonnlinor Stonebreaker to greet their returning leader.

"Get the feelin' they missed him?" Buna asks no one in particular. Carmard manages a week smile as they wait to be waved ahead.

The Sonnlinor motions them to join them and enter the courtyard of the dead and nameless fortress, and it is all they can do to continue to stumble forward to the Sonnlinor side.

"Welcome to our encampment. I fear the accommodations are little more than rough cots in an Aurilite barracks, but with your sleeping rolls ye should find some comfort. Just head straight through the main gate to the old guard quarters and lay yerself down" he says, and points to the inside of what was once the keep's main gate house.

"If any of ye wants food, there are several racks of rothe roasting to the left. They tell me a herd was in the area and some of the warriors took several of the beasts. We roast only what we can eat. The rest will be hung and preserved. None could bear to waste all of the sweet meat that way" the Sonnlinor says with a tired smile. "We invite ye to try some of our ale as well"

"Finally, some real food..." mutters Kaladus. "Thanks for the cantrips all the same, dwarf" he says, addressing Johannes.

Tasster looks back at the prisoner, glares at him evilly and grunts. It apparently communicated his intent well enough, as one of the twins yank his chain and bring him down to his knees. By this point, Kaladus doesn't even both to complain. These new dwarves simply do not care.

"Oh, and looks like yer friends are up now too. Came out to see ye, they did" the Sonnlinor smiles. He points to the broken gate as three dwarves emerge out of it. One carries a heavy mining pick. The other wears furs and hefts a thick, metal shod stave and waves it to them, as if his hand is not enough to convey the sentiment.

mshady

2010-12-31, 02:10 AM

"Well look-e here!" Buna says, and whistles. "Bundok and Duervar made it all the way here"

"Aye. The blasphemous half duergar miner and that strange mountain dwarf..." Hjalmar states, than groans. Duervar and Hjalmar had never got along. A dwarf who refused to acknowledge his own Gods would not get along well with a pious paladin. These two had proven no exception, although one would be strained to find another example of a faithless dwarf.

Carmard regards them with a typically bland expression, returning the wave only slightly. That represented general enthusiasm by his standards. His eyes are fixed on the third figure.

Walking just behind the other two dwarves is a thinner one, wearing an unusual scale armor, an embroidered pill hat and a short, braided beard. A sword is at his side, and a 9 string baliset slung over his shoulder.

Behind him walk several other figures. A dwarf is amongst them, but the rest appear to be humans.

He stands aside for a moment as Duervar and Bundok greet their friends. They had gone ahead while the rest of the party had left for Sigil to tell the duergar what had happened and to wait.

"Good to see ye two!" Buna says, walking up to them. She embraces them like lost and dear friends, than plants a kiss on each of their cheeks.

"Good to see ye too, sweet thing" Bundok remarks, looking her over and smiling. "Had to say, wasn't sure if we'd see ye again. Glad we did" he says, apologizing for his earlier doubt.

"Aye. We used our time well though, and scouted the areas. Bundok and I found some interestin' things 'round where we're going. But that be for later" Duervar adds. Upon closer examination, even his beard looks dirty and his face is smudged. Whatever it was they were doing, they must have just returned as well.

He breaks away from Buna and walks over to Carmard. He bows respectfully to the Arcanii, who watches him with a measure of surprise.

"Thank ye for savin' our lives, Arcanii Carmard Grindstaff, son of Falin. What ye did saved us all from that devil that the shaman called in the caves. Better what ye did than let it kill us and let it takes yer burden" he says, and bows again. For a dwarf typically angry at his lot in life and general dislike for the authority that Carmard represented, his words caught Carmard a bit back footed.

"Um.. thank ye, Duervar. You two makin' it here worth the sacrifice"

The oddly dressed dwarf strides forward and greets everyone. He takes a moment to wink at Sable as he passes her.

"Get my letter?" he asks, as he breezes by her.

He walks up to Carmard and looks at Duervar, than back at Carmard. His eyes dart quickly back and forth. A keen intellect is clearly inside.

"Are ye two done?" he asks politely. The intent is far from that.

"Yes" Carmard says stiffly. He looks at the newcomer and nods to confirm his words. Duervar gives them distance.

"Well old boy, glad ye made it" he says lightly. "Ye had us all worried for ye. Well, for ye and artifact ye bear" the dwarf remarks, glancing at the minotaurs holding the big trunk.

"Just got in really. Me name be Buelyir Granvil, so ye can put a face to the name and all" he says and smiles smoothly. "Was nay sure when you'd be gett'n here, so I hired some mercenaries I met in Sundabar a short while ago. Call themselve's Black Company. Name's a bit off putting, but it just be the name o'the fellow who runs it. Not bad for sellswords, and neither be the price. "He looks back at them and shrugs.

One of them, a man dressed in black leather armor and spiked blonde hair glares hard at Sable. Neither say a word.

"Terribly sorry, old boy. Glad ye made it, but orders be orders..." he says, apologizing for what he had said and was about to say. He produces a scroll marked with the silver book and rune, the personal seal of Magus Glorian Silvernail. He unfurls it and hands the scroll over to Carmard. Buna looks at him, than back to Buelyir with eyes promising violence and lots of fire.

As Carmard reads impassively, Buelyir waits until he is done before taking the scroll back and adding it back into the scroll tube.

"Arcanii Carmard Grindstaff, by order of Magus Glorian Silvernail, I relieve you of yer command and am appointed in yer place for the rest o'our mission. Subsequently, ye are summoned to a Circle of Inquiry to answer for yer actions on this mission and for the loss of the Stoneburner. The grounds are the unnecessary loss of lives and general destruction in Sigil caused by yer negligent failure to protect the stoneburner" Buelyir states, with a formal inflection in his voice.

"Sorry again. Orders" he says and shrugs. "For what it's worth, I'm on your side. For now, I need ye on mine. Work to be done, aye?" he says, watching Carmard's reaction.

Carmard's chest heaves with disappointment and he looks down at the ground before composing himself.

"Orders..." he finally says. "Ye have my support. T'ws to be expected, really..." Carmard pledges, before sighing again.

thorgrim29

2010-12-31, 02:38 AM

Thordrek, overjoyed at the prospect of sleep, was more then a bit annoyed at this turn of events, but he simply did not have the energy to speak more then a few sentences.

Arcani Grindstaff, you'll have my support, and I'm sure everyone else's, when you go to face the circle of inquiry.

He salutes the newcomer:

Sir, I am Levtokuld Thordrek Torrun. If you don't mind, I'll be a much better conversation in the morning, good night.

He leaves in the direction the Solinor gave, pausing only to grap a mug of water, undresses and packs his gear in his backpack, which he uses as a pillow.

Thordrek's uncharacteristic abruptness could be attributed to sleep deprivation or the situation, he himself could not tell.

Strangie

2010-12-31, 05:00 AM

"Pah!" Wyatt states in response to Carmard being relieved of command, throwing his hands up into the air in the animated way he usually does. "I might be kinda new myself but I know 'dat whole mess wasn't Carmard's fault. Any dope can see 'dat. I already don't like 'dis Glorian lady."

He frowns deeply, waving his hand dismissively. "Ah, whatever. Don't worry, Carmard. You've got my support at least and I'm sure the rest of us would say the same. Bah..." He turns to the newcomer. "Name is Wyatt, I'm one half of 'dis group's scoutin' party. And unfortunately, I am deathly tired, miserable, and cranky. I am gonna go grab a bite to eat and 'den faceplant in a cot somewhere. If anybody needs me... leave me alone! I want to sleep for more 'dan ten minutes. Unless it's really important. 'den... uh... whatever. Good night."

With that, he nonchalantly turns around and grabs himself some of the rothe meat that Sonnlinor mentioned, having himself a meal before finding a place to sleep and securely keeping a hold of his haversack, which contained his goods. Apparently, Wyatt was the paranoid type who tried to sleep with one eye open if he could...

Chepe Nolon

2010-12-31, 06:17 AM

Nega frowns when she hears the accusement of Carmard. Even if she didn't hold a large room in her heart for the Arcanii he had been a good leader in the time she had been with the group:I doubt it will mean mutc(h) but I will also back ye Carmard. She greets the newcomer somberly:First Mace Nega Silver(h)ammer protector of Berronars Chambers and Champion of (h)er fait(h) And that is all. She follows Thordrek to the appointed place. She lays out her bed roll and sets up a small alter by the side. She prays before turning inn to an unrestful sleep. She mutter curses on magic as she slowly meets the dreamworld.

Werewhale

2010-12-31, 08:47 AM

Nalrak Ironfist

"What kind of piss-poor reward is this?" Nalrak suddenly hisses at Buelyir, his face red, too tired to give a damn about proper protocol, and glares dangerously at the newcomer. "We trudge across the Planes to be met with this... this travesty? Have you any idea what we've been through? We would have all died long ago if it weren't for Carmard, and the Stoneburner lost to the enemy!" Nalrak quivered with rage and he would have been shouting Buelyir down if exhaustion had not prevented him, so he had to make to with a sort of hissing growl instead. Him losing control like this was extremely uncommon, but accusing his charge after all that they had been through felt like a betrayal of the worst sort.

mshady

2010-12-31, 10:32 AM

"Calm yerself, cleric" Buelyir says gently, and holds up his hand. "I know little o'what happened in the Planes, but by all accounts I'm sure he acquitted himself well. I think the point of the inquiry be regarding how it was lost to begin with. His actions in that battle may have been brave and inspired, but the decision to wage it all be the issue" he says and pauses.

"The belief is that the entire battle, than the loss, the trip to the Planes, the loss of life by our troops, destruction of the Foundry and serious delay were all avoidable"

Werewhale

2010-12-31, 07:27 PM

Nalrak Ironfist

"Carmard's decision saved us from a battle we could never have won. And led us into one we did." retorts Nalrak, only somewhat mollified by Buelyir's answer, but his hiss sounds a little bit less furious than before.

Melody

2010-12-31, 08:56 PM

Sable let's out a quiet breath as she looks over Black Company. Under her breath those closest to her can hear her mutter.

Of all the mercenary companies in all the Realms, it had to be Black Company... A drunk for a leader, a cleric of Tymora's evil sister, and his flock of stupid sycophants. Worst.. job.. ever.

Buelyir. She nods and smiles slightly as he speaks and walks past her. Of course I did, but you knew that didn't you? She watches Buelyir walk over to Carmard with a certain resigned amusement and then looks around again catching the spiky haired blonde's glare. The amusement leaves her face as she stares back without speaking for a long moment.

Turning she walks over to the group around Carmard in time to hear of Buelyir's appointment as head of their expedition and watch nearly everyone walk away.

She puts a hands on Nalrak's shoulder lightly, and shakes her head as the dwarf looks up at her at the light contact. We'll sort it out later Nalrak, Buelyir is just following orders here, same as Carmard and the rest of us. Let's get this done and we can straighten this mess out at the Inquiry. Now we need to focus on getting the Stoneburner into position and setting it off. It's the best and only way to help Carmard. To do that we need everyone working together, we need you.

Werewhale

2011-01-01, 07:25 PM

Nalrak Ironfist

Nalrak looks between Sable, Buelyir and Carmard, then looks down and mutters, "Ach, you're right." He then snaps into military attention, clears his throat and speaks stiffly to Buelyir "I apologize for the outburst, commander. It will not happen again."

mshady

2011-01-01, 09:15 PM

Buelyir folds his hands behind his back and nods.

"Apology accepted" he says with an easy smile. "I understand ye being upset, as Carmard was your commander and you and your cousin are his personal guards. While he is not the leader of this expedition now, he is still a senior Arcanii and you guard him, not I. He and Buna are crucial, and I need him to keep doing what he does best" Buelyir says, again with that same empathetic smile.

For anyone listening, and with a good sense motive (you decide), when Buelyir says that he needs Carmard to do what he does best, the implication is more of the fighting and less of the leading...

"Truth be told, I would have taken this over regardless. I know Sonnlinor Stonebreaker well enough, and I know our own forces well. It makes sense I be the bridge here. I would nay worry overly about the inquiry. While it will be called by Glorian, this kind of thing is always decided by the Patriarch and he's a wise old dwarf. Course... he is deciding it because penalties here could be exile, or worse so.." Buelyir shrugs. "We have enough to worry about. Carmard would tell ye he'd want to stay focused on the goal, and leave the rest for later. That's me word as well here" says Buelyir, tipping his head in Carmard's direction.

For his part, Carmard looks at Buelyir for a moment... than nods in agreement. He resumes his glum look and looks down at the ground with locked jaw and a crestfallen look on his face.

mshady

2011-01-01, 10:23 PM

Grathalmor Ironfist

Grathalmor Ironfist, Nalrak's cousin and Carmard's other guard, crosses his arms across his big barrel chest and juts out his chin as he glares at Buelyir. He had grown to like Carmard, and more importantly, the Arcanii had agreed to help in the liberation of the ancestral Ironfist Halls out of gratitude for service which they had been otherwise assigned to do. To Grathalmor, he was worthy of respect, as well as an important ally now.

"I don't like it..." Grathalmor finally says. "Tis not fair and this be a damn rough time for Glorian to do such a thing to the lad. This tail chase could nay wait? She could nay just order ye to take over without grinding her spurs into Carmard's back? Bah. Tis not the Ironfist way, I tell ye" he says with intensity.

He looks at Nalrak and shakes his head.

"Come on, cousin. Lets go get some rest in... a duergar's lair. Never thought I'd be say'n THAT, but there ye go. Lets get a slab o'that rothe and some bread on the way. I'm starving and I nay want to chip a tooth on some more hard tack if I can manage it" he says to his cousin, Nalrak.

As he turns to head towards the roasting meat, he looks over his shoulder at Buelyir.

"I know they be yer orders and ye seem alright, but this sh'aint over by half. Carmard's a fine dwarf who saved all our lives thrice and more. Tis a shame if I ever say one"

"I'd expect ye to say no less on Carmard's behalf" Buelyir says with that smile again.

"Damn right!" Grathalmor growls testily, as he walks off.

mshady

2011-01-01, 10:39 PM

Inside the Duergar Camp

After grabbing some food, Thordek and Wyatt head inside the crumbling old fortress. Likely any part of it that was going to fall down had done so already, but neither had much of a desire to go any deeper into it at the moment. Neither did the duergar, for that matter. As a fortress, it had potential, but the stoneburner was about to render it of far less strategic value as stronghold protecting a dwarven clan hold when it destroyed the Aurilite presence there.

Looking around, it felt like they were looking inside a skeleton. No doubt there had been a lot of death in this place. Recent bloodstains are splashed across the floor and wall. Bone fragments and other damage to the walls spoke to the rest. The entire place had a surprising chill to it. Thordek had been in enough ruins to know the spirits of the dead may yet linger here, and the slight chill was a common sign.

They quickly arrive in an area that was probably an armory once, to support the guards at the gates herem but is now a crude barracks. Cots are laid across the floor in a disorganized way and are little more than sacks filled with anything soft that was available, from old clothes, straw and who knows what else. They also had the benefit of smelling somewhat...

An inn this was profoundly not.

Still, they were exhausted and get to sleep as soon as they feel like doing so...

Kelith, Magnum, Arum, Buna, the minotaurs and their two prisoners file in slowly after that, trying to find a place to rest. The minotaurs can do no more than sprawl out on the floor in another room on their own crude bed rolls.

Melody

2011-01-01, 10:49 PM

mshady

2011-01-01, 10:58 PM

mshady

2011-01-01, 11:05 PM

Chin up Carmard. You've all of us behind you till this gets straightened out. Figure you might have been able to avoid what you did, but I doubt it. I figure they'll see that as soon as the full tale is out.

Sable pats Carmard on the shoulder and turns to follow Grathalmor and Nalrak. She keeps close to them both as she eats and then takes a bunk that puts the dwarves between her and whatever, or more importantly, whoever might want to mess with her while she sleeps.

Carmard looks at her and nods, appreciating her words. He turns to Nalrak and Grathalmor and nods to them in gratitude as well.

"I thank all of ye for yer support. This mission's nay gone to plan. Cannae say this was... unexpected, and a great shame to me" he says. He clenches his jaw and takes a deep breath.

"At least I'll be able to go home to my wife. I intend us to be victorious. Now mayhaps I can help more directly. Buelyir is a... fine choice, although I'd nay expect the Patriarch's spy master here at all"

He looks at Buelyir and shrugs. The other dwarf stands and listens respectfully, his hands folded behind his back.

Carmard takes the subtle hint and nods, knowing it was time to leave.

"I think it's time we all take our rest. We've earned it"

mshady

2011-01-02, 12:18 AM

The Minotaurs

Gore and Kerik walk ahead of the other two minotaurs, who have the unfortunate duty of lugging the enormous trunk holding that bizarre dwarf weapon that had given them all so much trouble. Their names were Three Horn, the immodest name of the two horned minotaur, and Taurun. The two were both calves of the same mother, but of an only average line of warriors.

So, they got to carry the dwarves damned trunk all over. Gore and Kerik were certainly not doing it. They had their own load to bear now too, and that hurt their backs as much as their pride.

Having no room, and certainly no desire, to share temporary quarters with the rest of the dwarves, they take a seperate room.

Kerik lowers his massive body to the ground and starts to clumsily pull off his thick armor so he can rest. No one assists him, nor would he have expected it. When the armor comes off, it reveals several bald patches that the hydra's fire had burned away. Old and new scars slash their patterns across his body. The minotaur's rough wire hair is tipped with gray.

Like a miser doing his daily counting, the minotaurs lays down a stringer of heads that he had been carrying with him. He could no longer carry all he had taken on this venture. He only kept the ones with the most interesting expression or terrible wounds, beyond the decapitation, of course. He only kept the ears of the rest. A few had gold fillings and rings. Those were in a bag, some with the fingers still attached. It always paid to carry a set of bolt cutters.

"Done well, we have" Kerik says, counting the heads once again. "Our head tanners will be busy with these. Those Godsmen were thick as fleas, but just as weak. The orcs were better foes. Many scars from them" he rumbles, curling back his lips with pride and points to the fresh marks on his chest.

"Impressive. Again" Taurun says, shaking his head in awe and jealousy.

"Once again, Kerik Many Skulls takes many heads and all the best cows" Three Horns says and grumbles. He raises his hand in a travesty of a dwarven salute they had tried to teach him.

"Many heads and biggest bulls. Their arms be strong and horns wide! Strong bulls I make!" he says as he stretches his massive arms, with obvious pride at his viritility.

"How many sons now? Do ye even know?" Three Horns asks, shaking his head. "One day, I hope for just one if Kerik Many Skulls allows us a glance at his cows?"

"When? When a daughter comes of age? Perhaps! Or when you challenge me!" Kerik says, before breaking into what passed as a laugh. The other minotaurs laugh their deep, rumbling laugh at those words. It seems a bit uneasy, which made Kerik laugh harder.

A warrior of near legend in his clan, Kerik had won the right to breed with more of the herd's cows than any other warrior. His prowess in battle was only matched by his prowess as a sire, and when he was home, other warriors would offer their daughters to him. For the rest of the warriors, it made them quite jealous. He had killed his share of other minotaurs who disputed his status.

"We earn no glory on this trip. Only Gore and you do, and you have no need of it. We be nothing more than donkeys for the dwarves. One of them climbed on my back and yelled and yelled at their weak, bearded soldiers" complains Three Horns.

Kerik leans back on his bed roll, a stringer of pungent heads laid out on one side and his ferocious axe on the other. He looks up at the uneven stone ceiling and shakes his head.

"Dwarves..." Kerik growls. He does not say anything for awhile. "If I had been our herd's champion, Lord Daramir's head would be on my wall. Instead, he wore our Dulagar Turrock's horns. Now we are mercenaries to whomever pays him, as he is our chieftain."

It was no boast. At that time, he was one of the herd's best warriors. Certainly the best that lived, and that made him the best. Their chieftain had given up a warriors life for ruling, as to be expected. At his age, he had no business fighting a challenge with a man knight. The consequeces had been significant.

"Awful" Taurun says in agreement.

"At least we have gold. And axes. And dwarf armor now. Turrock herd is strong and blessed by Tempus now. All bad it is not. They even give us land" Three Horn replies. He was actually trying to be optimistic. The minotaur loved his gold, certainly. He wore many gold piercings, rings and bracelets. He wore much of his wealth. Such as it was.

"Land away from our home. So that we may serve them better. A boon indeed. Had I known that dwarf would become their leader, I would have killed him instead of that elf. Grrr..." Kerik grumbles at the realty of his own words.

He had been at the battle near Candlekeep, where a band of adventurers lead by Lord Daramir Eveningstar and the than Sonnlinor Hignar Jilker had devestated their herd. They had attacked the library fortress at the behest of a wizard who offered Dulagar pretty things. Kerik had fought well at that battle, killing several guards at least one of the librarian's mercenaries when his minotaurs burst through the gates. Feathered by half a dozen arrows, stabbed and beaten with a warhammer, he still managed to fall back alive in the confusion following the death of their chieftain. Had he turned right instead of left, he might have killed the dwarf instead. Had he known...

"The dwarves want to kill themselves and take us too. The sooner this be done, the better. Back is ruined by their ugly box" snarls Taurun.

"What is your mind of this, Gore?" Three Horns asks the silent Gore. "How long do we fight for these dwarves?"

mshady

2011-01-02, 10:08 PM

[OOC: If the new player for Gore posts, anything he says will be before this post]

Eight or so hours later, the sound of a hallow bell ringing can be heard. It tolls several times, to wake everyone up. Looking through the open door, a duergar passes by with a small cylindrical chime. He rings it every few seconds. It goes on for over a minute before it stops, and he walks out. Not a dwarven custom, it seems a bit unusual. Perhaps it was a call to work?

The Patriarchate party rouse themselves, weary and sore from their battles and long marching without rest. The rest helps, but true recovery will take days. For most, getting out of bed felt like raising themselves from death itself. Like a promised afterlife, sleep calls them back to their rest. First one gets up, than another. Armor is donned and the different party members check each other, to make sure everything is in place properly. As often as not, things require adjustment. Particularly anyone wearing plate mail.

Outside the battered old fortress, cook pots are set up where more meat is roasted and a soup made with mushrooms are prepared. It is meager fare that could be supplemented by field rations if anyone so chose. The duergar prepare the meal, with the detail being lead by a particularly wide specimen stirring a pots stewing on a smoky coal fire.

Sitting together on the left is the entire compliment of Black's Company. They are running their own cook fire now, but with rations of bacon and fresh bread on several cast iron skillets. A skin of some kind of refreshment is passed around between the men. A rough looking man with a nasty looking knife and a scar down his face is the one doing the cooking. He wears leathers slashed with black and green. Most of them look at the Patriarchate forces as they come out of the camp. The massive minotaurs, titanic in their armor, get a wide eyed look from some of the members there.

By the duergar fires, Sonnlinor Stonebreaker sits with Buelyir and another duergar. The three seem to be going over some kind of map intently, and Buelyir is noting things in his journal. The Sonnlinor and Buelyir laugh about something and exchange draughts from a flask. They seem to be sitting on some sort of portable chair, and even have a portable desk set up that the map, the flask and the remains of their own breakfast sitting atop it.

The duergar cook invites them all to get some food, and their mess kits are quickly filled with meat, a kind of tasteless oatmeal leavened with salt and a slab of strongly flavored cheese. With the group sitting down, Buelyir and Sonnlinor Stonebreaker come over and greet them.

"Well, morning to all of ye. Hope the rest helped. Ye all looked half dead" he says with an easy smile and pull of the beard. "While ye were sleeping, we set up on an area to work on Stoneburner. One of the duergar used to be a stone mason, and he flattened out an area for ye to work. I had the lad carve the proper runes for a circle of protection, and had some silver melted down to inlay the runes. Right proper set up. When ye are ready after ye eat, we can begin on that."

"Aye, and our scouts prepared a map so we have a better idea on how to approach the base. There be a few ways to get in. Some ye may not like" Sonnlinor Stonebreaker adds. "We can go over that with ye. Buelyir and I would like to work with a few of ye to finalized the plan. We do know they left at least one Aurilite cleric in charge there that needs to go down quickly. No sign of a dragon there yet either. Despite everything, ye still have the element o'surprise"

thorgrim29

2011-01-02, 10:58 PM

I can work on the plan, my magical know-how is too combat oriented for me to be much help with the bindings.

Buelyir was it? I'm afraid I don't know much about you.

mshady

2011-01-02, 11:26 PM

"Ye don't know much about me? I would hope not!" Buelyir says with a laugh, even patting his knee. "Let's just say I'm a dwarf o'the world, my ear's always to the stone and I've been doing this kind o'thing for long, long time. I'm someone that the Patriarch and Magus send when someth'n needs a fixing. Otherwise I go where I think there be a problem, and I fix it. Either with my..." he taps his head, "or my..." he taps his long, slightly curved sword that sits in an jewel encrusted hilt that must be worth a few pounds of gold.

"Much beyond that, I like to keep to myself. Know that I accompanied your King and Patriarch out of the Underdark and was part o'the Forgemark Brotherhood. While we were out living by the axe to earn the gold for this kingdom, we left him behind in Glen to learn. I hear he became quite a gardener before he truly came into the power o'his faith" he says and smiles.

"Now I be a counselor to the Patriarch and like his cousin, Ambassador Tolrin, but less open about it" Buelyir says, looking at Thordek with keen, darting eyes that seem to examining his reaction.

"Anything else ye'd like to know that pertains?"

Strangie

2011-01-03, 02:30 AM

Wyatt walks out to where Thordrek and the others were meeting, after having what counted as breakfast. What it tasted like, he didn't care - he's had blander fare before. He stretches out, looking significantly less grumpy than before. He, however, seems to specifically avoid making contact or even walking near any minotaurs. Getting ridiculed for size difference wasn't very high on his priority list.

"Oh, thank Shaundakul for letting me rest my weary feet, finally." Wyatt mutters to himself as he joins the group. He replies to Buelyir. "Morning. Or evening? I don't even know anymore. Yeah, the rest helped immensely. Still a bit sore in some spots, but nothin' I ain't used to. It's appreciated." He salutes in his unique way with his index and middle finger to show his appreciation. "Anyway, in case I haven't mentioned already, I'm Wyatt, the, uh... well, I'm part of the scouting group in Carmard's company. Or, well, your company now, technically, Buelyir. Eh..."

Wyatt didn't seem very happy that Carmard's leadership role had been stripped away from him. He had a great amount of respect for him, despite knowing that Carmard, or any other dwarf in the group, probably didn't have much patience for his erratic and odd behavior.

"Right, anyway. 'dat is my role, so anything related to infiltrating the base and perhaps disabling trap-related security, I'll want to be in on it. I also can help out in combat, so I ain't entirely useless once I've done my scouting job." He says with a grin.

"I'm ready to go over things when you are, 'den. No time like the present, eh?"

ithildur

2011-01-03, 05:46 AM

Black's Company

Seeing Sable, the man in the center of the group can only wryly shake his head. He is a warrior past his prime, living as a sellsword as he did not have any other honest profession. He has long black hair that is bound in a pony tail behind him, but the crown of his head is quite bald, and scarred too. His armor bulges slightly, not fitting quite right, now that he was thicker in the middle than he was in his youth.

He also reeks of alcohol, like a drunk waking in the morning with the smell of booze covering him.

This is Marcus Black, leader of Black's Company. They were a third rate mercenary operation that was based out of whatever local tavern they ended up in. These days, they mainly "specialized" in guarding caravans or providing muscle for local toughs who had gold and needed a hand.

He eyes Sable with narrowed eyes and watches as she returns the look from the company's cleric, a Beshaban by the name of Barakas.

"I don't think she's glad to uh... see us" says a meek voice.

Black looks over his shoulder at the rail thin mage behind him and nods slowly, like one would at a dumb child who finally grasped something.

"Yes Werner, I don't think she is..." Marcus says, drawing out his words. The mage was talented, but he was shy and a coward. If he had had the money, he'd hire someone better.

"She's still pretty though..." Werner observes, with a weak smile.

"You would think that. It's pathetic really. Do continue! I enjoy it so" observes the acid tongued blonde haired cleric named Barakas. "Her luck will run out someday, Besheba willing..." he says under his breath.

A huge barbarian and a lantern jawed dwarf guffaw at the words, their reaction far out of proportion to the snide comments. It makes Barakas smile.

"Not enough meat on her to feed a dog, Werner. Same as ye, really" growls the dwarf, Kurg.

"Yar" adds the barbarian named Feldar. No one was ever really sure what the barbarian meant. Inflections of the word "Yar" covered alot. Wild eyed rage filled much of the rest of that void.

The mercenaries all look over at Sable, glaring or obseving, but all eyes were on her.

Sable glances around at them, and notices a few more faces than Black's Company had before.

One of the faces belonged to a cloaked figure who stood a full six feet tall, though his features are mostly concealed under a cowl by shadows cast in the dimly lit location. No armor seems apparent under the cloak and layers of outer garb, though a fine scabbard perhaps of a longsword can be seen at his side only partially concealed by the cloak. A number of pouches are attached to his belt, and a longbow is slung over his shoulder, though no quiver is visible. He wears a doublet that once might have been considered fashionable but seems to have become faded and worn from the elements, time, or perhaps neglect. A keen eyed attentive observer might note the occasional flicker of greenish hued eyes that peer intently from under the hood, while those with darkvision might have caught a glimpse of fine, almost delicately chiseled features.
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2052/elfwarrior.png
Those eyes too, were fixed on Sable for a long while, but eventually rove to the others present, as if observing each one with the thoroughness of a scholar combing through obscure text... or a hunter studying its quarry.

After a long while he seems to show signs of losing interest however, his head lowering slightly as if wearied or simply bored. Otherwise he remains completely motionless, save for the movement required to lift the goblet in his left hand to his lips for a single, long draught of the contents. There is something about that simple bit of movement however that might suggest a subtle grace and fluidity.

A single, barely audible dismissive snort escapes him as the leader of his company speaks, and his head tilts slightly when Werner stammers his observations. His eyes narrow momentarily at Barakas' remarks, but otherwise he remains completely silent and unresponsive to the entire group.

ithildur

2011-01-03, 06:18 AM

As the camp stirs from rest and the breaking of the night's fast begins, the tall figure emerges from a small tent with the same goblet (though empty this time) in hand, an odd sight perhaps considering their present location underground and away from the elements. A consideration of the makeup of the Company however, might lead to the conclusion that a more private sanctum might not be a bad idea from time to time in their midst.

His features are still concealed by the hood, possibly yet another oddity, as he glances around as if searching for something, or someone. If/when the elven mage Arman appears, he seems to regard him for a while with more than passing interest, though there is a hint of tension in his body language as he does so.

The minotaurs also draw his attention for a while, and he rubs his chin as if puzzling through silent questions as he regards them. Eventually he returns to his tent, and produces a handkeg from his belongings and refills his goblet with Firewine. He slowly drains the contents, reaching into a pouch to pop some pieces of dried fruit into his mouth, and refills the goblet once more.

If he should spot the mage Werner he hails him with a surprisingly clear, pleasant voice and waves him over.

"I trust you rested well enough in this strange place, Faern*?"

He pauses a moment, then nods towards the small group with the duergar and the dwarven leaders, shaking his head.

"Dwarves and duergar sharing mead and meal, fighting side by side. What next... elves and drow holding hands and frolicking under the sun naked?"

A small, short lived smile forms on his lips, followed by a soft snort and yet another long, slow sip from the goblet.

"What do you know about this 'Stoneburner' the dwarves were speaking of last eve?"

Not that he truly cared, as long as he was paid sufficiently... or did he? He didn't like where the train of thought was going, and quickly tossed out a bit of irony.

"And how long do you think before the clever dwarf realizes that it is not merely the name of the Black Company that is 'off putting'? I'll wager ten gold coins if you are game - no more than two days before he begins to publicly curse the day he made that fateful decision."

*mage/wizard