Ugh. So much for easy. Woke up a little early for watch, feeling something off...I put it down to the stew until I looked around. The camp was crawling with giant ants. I couldn't spot Allyson at first - she and Lyra were lying a bit off, where they'd been patrolling and both asleep. We figured out later they'd been drugged. The ants were busily picking up the gold and trundling it down into the hill. JUST the gold, very odd. They had a few warrior types, but they seemed content to let us be so long as we let them have the gold....or until Max got tired of not seeing what was going on and used a lovely bolt of divine light. Lit up the area nicely and maybe Aprilane appreciated it, since she couldn't really see either, but it certainly pissed the ants off but good. We fought off the warrior types while the drones scurried off underground. Then we checked out the damage - 2/3 of the gold down the hill and some sweet-smelling stuff all over the gold - just the gold, not the iron, not the wagons. Which likely explains the drugging - give whoever time to coat the stuff. There were footprints too, so we know it's some person, not some monster at least.
While we stood there scratching our...heads trying to decide what to do, the ants launched flying warriors. THOSE were nasty, had some kind of acidic spit or something. Still, in the end, they're only bugs. That decided us to head on down into the anthill. A steep slope, but people made it down mostly ok - mind you, the ants showed up to fight before everyone DID get down, but no worries. (Those came later) We quietly snuck through the twisty passages, things going smoothly - which, thinking back, should've warned us - we walked, more or less, into an ambush,
Nice big room at the end of the corridor, with a branching right there to worry about - a bunch of bandits - though their leader seemed to have some extra skills beyond your usual roadside bandit - and Daval. Well, we know who did the drugging and figured we knew who killed the other guard. Naturally Allyson and Ugrun charged right on in, as did Gnf - I always thought wizard types fought from the back - and I moved forward so I was close enough to help and SOMETHING dropped right on top of me, wrapped long, hellishly-strong fingers around my neck and started squeezing. Gnf thought he had a nice handle on the guy and launched one of his explosion specials, but DAMN the fellow could move fast. Spun around so fast I'dve gotten dizzy if I hadn't been already from the damned choking and let ME take the thunder. Oh joy.
Good idea on Gnf's part - there was no way of knowing the guy could do that - but he has GOT to learn to stop randomly firing things off figuring we can take it. Ugrun is getting kinda sore about it and figuring it's all "he's a big nasty orc, he can take it".
Anyway, we dealt with them and peeked around the corner and there was the queen indead. I snuck over close and didn't see any gold tucked around her and the gold so Aprilane figured that the gold, smelling all sweet and food-like was probably in the ant version of the pantry and if we covered ourselves in ant scent - which Daval and his bandits must have done - we could pretty much waltz around the anthill as we chose. Which we did - found the gold, I helped Gnf cast up a Tenser's Disk and we chugged it all out of there.
We did pick up some nice things off the bandits too - namely Daval's ritual book - and a scroll of "control insect" or somesuch - won't last very long, so likely only used to get the ant scent? Anyway, Gnf and I are sharing out the book - he copies a ritual, I copy one and so on. It's gonna take forever anyway. Now at last we can get some proper sleep.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Saturday, October 24, 2009
21 Kythorn 1479
Ugh. Too bloody damned early. Dunstan was in FINE form, I thought he'd shake himself apart from worrying. Not that I blame him, the vault where the gold is (this shipment anyway) is at the very end of a narrow lane with only the one way in or out. A fine place to hold up under a siege, a lousy place to try and move something through. We loaded up the gold, well covered by the iron and Max made several good suggestions about hiding things and fixing the wagons - apparently the boy's a merchant's son. Gnf had several good ideas too - but while he was worrying about the possibility of visible gold dust, he'd never thought of just wiping everything down with a damp cloth. It's like he'd never tried to cover his tracks or ...ahem. ANYWAY.
There are 4 wagons - drivers Glimber, Sinvlarin, Lethoval and Ernst. Fine guys and they at least know how to use a crossbow, but as far as guards and martial strength, it's just us. Good cover that. No one could possibly believe that anyone would ship a big load of gold with just so few guards. We headed from the vault to the gate, feeling the back of the neck prickling the whole way. I don't know if there was anything to worry, or if Dunstan was just contagious. Gnf did say he'd seen a dark cloaked figure on a roof top that darted back when it noticed him looking. Dunno, I think we're all just edgy - but then, there's reason to be.
We picked up our non-city goers out of town and headed out. Turned out to be a good thing I did get that residuum since we are doing more than 8 speeded up - one song for the oxen, one song for us. We could see the big bridge when we noticed a pushcart half overturned on the muddy bank and a small figure worriedly working at it. It was one of the bird-like creatures I'd seen in the shanty town yesterday - the ones that didn't much like being looked at. He was VERY alarmed when Ugrun and Allyson swung down to help him, but he calmed down reasonably when I reassured him that we weren't gonna to hurt him, just help. He said his name was Flutter and that he was a kenku. Allyson and Ugrun heaved the cart upright in no time and Flutter, having overheard them talking to one another mentioned - seemingly out of nowhere - that kenkus make good assassins. He'd heard that one had been paid to kill Ugrun. Flutter didn't want that to happen since we're good people. We reassured him that we wouldn't let it happen and continued on.
We've reached one of the caravan camp sites and set up watches to keep Ugrun well guarded. I can't believe I could get so tired just WALKING. It's not like I haven't walked this far before...maybe it's just the boredom.
HEY, when we helped Flutter, we put the cart before the bird. That old guy is really helpful...except that you don't figure out his help until it's too late. Still wonder what we're supposed to do to take care of Queenie.
There are 4 wagons - drivers Glimber, Sinvlarin, Lethoval and Ernst. Fine guys and they at least know how to use a crossbow, but as far as guards and martial strength, it's just us. Good cover that. No one could possibly believe that anyone would ship a big load of gold with just so few guards. We headed from the vault to the gate, feeling the back of the neck prickling the whole way. I don't know if there was anything to worry, or if Dunstan was just contagious. Gnf did say he'd seen a dark cloaked figure on a roof top that darted back when it noticed him looking. Dunno, I think we're all just edgy - but then, there's reason to be.
We picked up our non-city goers out of town and headed out. Turned out to be a good thing I did get that residuum since we are doing more than 8 speeded up - one song for the oxen, one song for us. We could see the big bridge when we noticed a pushcart half overturned on the muddy bank and a small figure worriedly working at it. It was one of the bird-like creatures I'd seen in the shanty town yesterday - the ones that didn't much like being looked at. He was VERY alarmed when Ugrun and Allyson swung down to help him, but he calmed down reasonably when I reassured him that we weren't gonna to hurt him, just help. He said his name was Flutter and that he was a kenku. Allyson and Ugrun heaved the cart upright in no time and Flutter, having overheard them talking to one another mentioned - seemingly out of nowhere - that kenkus make good assassins. He'd heard that one had been paid to kill Ugrun. Flutter didn't want that to happen since we're good people. We reassured him that we wouldn't let it happen and continued on.
We've reached one of the caravan camp sites and set up watches to keep Ugrun well guarded. I can't believe I could get so tired just WALKING. It's not like I haven't walked this far before...maybe it's just the boredom.
HEY, when we helped Flutter, we put the cart before the bird. That old guy is really helpful...except that you don't figure out his help until it's too late. Still wonder what we're supposed to do to take care of Queenie.
20 Kythorn 1479
Ok, a little hurting never hurt anyone who realized it's just FLIRTING. I was as outrageous as I could be - the bigger, the better, right? Just like tales. Only I kinda think maybe Aprilane doesn't realize it's a game. How could you NOT, though? Would anyone say things so overblown and actually seriously mean them?
Ah well, we reached Silverymoon today and WOW. All I'd imagined - and a bit more. You could see the spires from a ways off and the pegasuses swooping in to land and even catch glimpses of the royal knights in their shiny armor. Then you got closer and there was a shanty town out front a bit. All the poor and unwashed that apparently aren't good enough to go inside. Lovely. Even as fabled a city as Silverymoon - built by elves and dwarves and humans together - runs the same bullshit as every other bloody kingdom. Ugrun was naturally a bit...ah, hesitant to enter the city, as was Aprilane, cities just don't agree with her much, so we sent the two of them and Lyra to wait outside the walls and meet up later. Then we headed in to make a quick stop. Max and Gnf headed to the mage's guild to let them know about the world overlap thing - why Max went, I don't know. Allyson and I headed over to Turlough's to make contact. Not, of course, before having a wee stare-down with the gate guard over my SISTER - make something out of the half-orc, I dare you, honestly.
Dunstan, the agent at Turlough's obviously wasn't in on the smuggling orcs to Waterdeep part of the plan and was a bit iffy on us having an orc in the group. I told him Ugrun had saved my life twice and he seemed satisfied...mostly. He's a worrier is Dunstan and this huge gold shipment has him ready to piss himself. Plus one of his guards was murdered the other day - strangled I guess by somebody (something?) with long narrow fingers. We arranged to meet up at the vault at 4 tomorrow morning to load up and head out early. Then we left Dunstan biting his nails and took a short trip to Mielikki's temple to share some news about Queenie.
The priestess there is well aware of her, but things are a bit overstretched. Everyone is worried about the kingdom of Many Arrows and is arming for war. After all, the orcs are arming, so we have to - and what do you want to bet over in Many Arrows they're all saying, well they're arming over in Silverymoon, we have to? Anyway, turned out she was an old friend of Mom's - they trained here together. I never knew Mom trained this far north. She wondered why Mom would have gone all the way to the Southwood when she could have stayed right here. Makes me wonder - Mom never said when or where she met Besk, what if he was from Many Arrows? Well, or what is NOW Many Arrows. Heh, funny old world.
We walked back to Turlough's to find Max and Gnf. Glorious city to walk through. As pretty with delicate spires and green spaces (one thing Waterdeep sadly lacks) as any elf city, but with solid streets like a human one. And an inn on every corner I swear, everyone laughing and singing. A FUN place, I'll have to come back. Dunstan is sufficiently paranoid, he'd refused to acknowledge to Gnf and Max that we'd even been by and we had to crowbar out of him the information that they were in a tavern across the street. What with half the day gone already and getting up at way-too-damned-early in the morning (hell, at 4 am even the roosters have the sense to lie in a bit), the others headed straight to rooms to catch a nap. I stayed up a bit myself, the music was so very good and I had to join in a bit.
But they're right, I'll need sleep. I hate it when Allyson's right, but at least I don't have to tell her.
Ah well, we reached Silverymoon today and WOW. All I'd imagined - and a bit more. You could see the spires from a ways off and the pegasuses swooping in to land and even catch glimpses of the royal knights in their shiny armor. Then you got closer and there was a shanty town out front a bit. All the poor and unwashed that apparently aren't good enough to go inside. Lovely. Even as fabled a city as Silverymoon - built by elves and dwarves and humans together - runs the same bullshit as every other bloody kingdom. Ugrun was naturally a bit...ah, hesitant to enter the city, as was Aprilane, cities just don't agree with her much, so we sent the two of them and Lyra to wait outside the walls and meet up later. Then we headed in to make a quick stop. Max and Gnf headed to the mage's guild to let them know about the world overlap thing - why Max went, I don't know. Allyson and I headed over to Turlough's to make contact. Not, of course, before having a wee stare-down with the gate guard over my SISTER - make something out of the half-orc, I dare you, honestly.
Dunstan, the agent at Turlough's obviously wasn't in on the smuggling orcs to Waterdeep part of the plan and was a bit iffy on us having an orc in the group. I told him Ugrun had saved my life twice and he seemed satisfied...mostly. He's a worrier is Dunstan and this huge gold shipment has him ready to piss himself. Plus one of his guards was murdered the other day - strangled I guess by somebody (something?) with long narrow fingers. We arranged to meet up at the vault at 4 tomorrow morning to load up and head out early. Then we left Dunstan biting his nails and took a short trip to Mielikki's temple to share some news about Queenie.
The priestess there is well aware of her, but things are a bit overstretched. Everyone is worried about the kingdom of Many Arrows and is arming for war. After all, the orcs are arming, so we have to - and what do you want to bet over in Many Arrows they're all saying, well they're arming over in Silverymoon, we have to? Anyway, turned out she was an old friend of Mom's - they trained here together. I never knew Mom trained this far north. She wondered why Mom would have gone all the way to the Southwood when she could have stayed right here. Makes me wonder - Mom never said when or where she met Besk, what if he was from Many Arrows? Well, or what is NOW Many Arrows. Heh, funny old world.
We walked back to Turlough's to find Max and Gnf. Glorious city to walk through. As pretty with delicate spires and green spaces (one thing Waterdeep sadly lacks) as any elf city, but with solid streets like a human one. And an inn on every corner I swear, everyone laughing and singing. A FUN place, I'll have to come back. Dunstan is sufficiently paranoid, he'd refused to acknowledge to Gnf and Max that we'd even been by and we had to crowbar out of him the information that they were in a tavern across the street. What with half the day gone already and getting up at way-too-damned-early in the morning (hell, at 4 am even the roosters have the sense to lie in a bit), the others headed straight to rooms to catch a nap. I stayed up a bit myself, the music was so very good and I had to join in a bit.
But they're right, I'll need sleep. I hate it when Allyson's right, but at least I don't have to tell her.
19 Kythorn 1479
Oh my head. Honestly even after a day's travel it still hurts. That clear whatever-it-was the orcs had - I think someone said it was made from corn? - has a kick like a mule - but not until morning. It's worse than Lannen's shit - what IS it about clear-colored spirits? Make a note - if it looks like water, but smells like alcohol - RUN.
Max, the wretch, apparently doesn't drink and spent the morning being all cheerful and perky and generally cruel. Good instincts, I just wish I was too sick to fully appreciate it. Of course, oddest thing happened to him - a little bit creepy - as we were breaking camp, this old orc showed up - long greying hair, wild-eyed prophet-y look... He told Max to take care of the queen and the gold will be easy. Max asked which queen and how and since the old man had no invisible dog, he told Max to ask the invisible monkey. He did say that you can't put the cart before the horse, but you can put it before the bird. We'll have to wait and see what that's gonna turn out to mean. I wonder how many times this fellow's gonna show - and how many different faces he's gonna wear.
We left with the orcs warning about the "evil elves" ringing in our ears - savages, they said, backstab you if they get the chance, yadda yadda - all the usual things to say about the other guy. Hard to tell what to believe of it - I mean, they ARE elves, after all. Not exactly the fiercest race ever, right?
Wrong. In this world, they do fierce and savage pretty damn well. Nice little ambush that I'm ashamed to admit caught me totally flat-footed. They went straight for the orcs - ooh, big surprise - and Aprilane - apparently with that "how dare someone non-elvish pretend to be good with a bow" crap. First with some trained birds, then the archers popped up on the hill - very nice set-up. I TRIED to talk things down, I mean, if I can convince a couple hundred orcs not to kill ME, I should be able to kill half a dozen elves not to kill the rest of us, right? Wrong again. They did pause a bit, but then decided I was a traitor and the carnage continued as planned. Unfortunately for them, the tall grass that had covered them well enough crouched was well high enough to cover a gnome simply striding forward and they never saw Gnf until his spells hit them. Mind you, that meant they could see ME and as a traitor I was a prime target. Bad, very bad. Fortunately, human blood is good for just that extra bit of toughness - well, compared to elves anyway and he fell down and I didn't. I remember now why I stay out of fights where they can reach me. But Max covers ground like nothing I've seen and once the hawks left off on Aprilane, she could just start tagging them. A few of 'em ran, but we captured a few. Lyra decided to retrain one of the birds - best of luck to her, but I doubt it'll work. We stripped the prisoners down to loincloths, took their weapons and the bone charms that marked their kills and I leaned in and told them their kills belonged to US now and they owed us life debt. I made a big impression, no doubt, and they rabitted right off. I'm not sure I'm ok with being...scary. Aprilane picked up the leader's bow and has been all but drooling over it ever since. It IS a very nice bow, I grant, but she's worse than Allyson with a new sword.
We continued trudging down along the road and suddenly noticed that the animals and everything had gone really quiet. That's always bad news. Ahead in the road we saw what looked like a heat shimmer - but it wasn't really that hot and heat shimmers don't move towards you. Lurtma had mentioned that their legends about the twin worlds did mention folks just popping back, so we advanced cautiously, hoping this was our ticket back home. Lyra did say that the spirits said this was a transition zone, so that seemed promising... as we got closer we could hear a crackling sound, sorta like when you've rubbed the wool blankets together too much bringing 'em in off the line and then they give that ZING. We could start to make out shapes in the shimmer - sorta purply swirlies and what looked like...well, like canned storms? Once we got closer enough I could see they were chaos shards. Wow, who'dve thought I'd ever see one? Or several? Or fight several? They're nasty, blow up when you kill 'em too. Makes it important to stay at range. Good thing Allyson's sergeant convinced her to learn to use a crossbow. Since they were out of range of my spells, Aprilane lent me her old bow - still chortling over her new one, the more so after she saw how powerful it is. Anyway, we downed 'em, no one hurt, all good. AND Gnf and I picked up a bunch of residuum where they'd fallen. He uses it alot and I can always stand to have a bit more - if I need to speed up more than 8 folks, I guess.
We look to arrive at Silverymoon tomorrow. Frodi is going to get up a group to go after the Queen. It's definitely personal with him now - if it wasn't before. He and Gnf set up a way for him to contact us if he needs.
Odd, when we set up watches for tonight, Allyson let me and Aprilane stand watch without supervision. She's been awfully trusting and it's starting to really worry me. Still, Aprilane's a pretty girl under the dirt and a little flirting never hurt anyone.
Max, the wretch, apparently doesn't drink and spent the morning being all cheerful and perky and generally cruel. Good instincts, I just wish I was too sick to fully appreciate it. Of course, oddest thing happened to him - a little bit creepy - as we were breaking camp, this old orc showed up - long greying hair, wild-eyed prophet-y look... He told Max to take care of the queen and the gold will be easy. Max asked which queen and how and since the old man had no invisible dog, he told Max to ask the invisible monkey. He did say that you can't put the cart before the horse, but you can put it before the bird. We'll have to wait and see what that's gonna turn out to mean. I wonder how many times this fellow's gonna show - and how many different faces he's gonna wear.
We left with the orcs warning about the "evil elves" ringing in our ears - savages, they said, backstab you if they get the chance, yadda yadda - all the usual things to say about the other guy. Hard to tell what to believe of it - I mean, they ARE elves, after all. Not exactly the fiercest race ever, right?
Wrong. In this world, they do fierce and savage pretty damn well. Nice little ambush that I'm ashamed to admit caught me totally flat-footed. They went straight for the orcs - ooh, big surprise - and Aprilane - apparently with that "how dare someone non-elvish pretend to be good with a bow" crap. First with some trained birds, then the archers popped up on the hill - very nice set-up. I TRIED to talk things down, I mean, if I can convince a couple hundred orcs not to kill ME, I should be able to kill half a dozen elves not to kill the rest of us, right? Wrong again. They did pause a bit, but then decided I was a traitor and the carnage continued as planned. Unfortunately for them, the tall grass that had covered them well enough crouched was well high enough to cover a gnome simply striding forward and they never saw Gnf until his spells hit them. Mind you, that meant they could see ME and as a traitor I was a prime target. Bad, very bad. Fortunately, human blood is good for just that extra bit of toughness - well, compared to elves anyway and he fell down and I didn't. I remember now why I stay out of fights where they can reach me. But Max covers ground like nothing I've seen and once the hawks left off on Aprilane, she could just start tagging them. A few of 'em ran, but we captured a few. Lyra decided to retrain one of the birds - best of luck to her, but I doubt it'll work. We stripped the prisoners down to loincloths, took their weapons and the bone charms that marked their kills and I leaned in and told them their kills belonged to US now and they owed us life debt. I made a big impression, no doubt, and they rabitted right off. I'm not sure I'm ok with being...scary. Aprilane picked up the leader's bow and has been all but drooling over it ever since. It IS a very nice bow, I grant, but she's worse than Allyson with a new sword.
We continued trudging down along the road and suddenly noticed that the animals and everything had gone really quiet. That's always bad news. Ahead in the road we saw what looked like a heat shimmer - but it wasn't really that hot and heat shimmers don't move towards you. Lurtma had mentioned that their legends about the twin worlds did mention folks just popping back, so we advanced cautiously, hoping this was our ticket back home. Lyra did say that the spirits said this was a transition zone, so that seemed promising... as we got closer we could hear a crackling sound, sorta like when you've rubbed the wool blankets together too much bringing 'em in off the line and then they give that ZING. We could start to make out shapes in the shimmer - sorta purply swirlies and what looked like...well, like canned storms? Once we got closer enough I could see they were chaos shards. Wow, who'dve thought I'd ever see one? Or several? Or fight several? They're nasty, blow up when you kill 'em too. Makes it important to stay at range. Good thing Allyson's sergeant convinced her to learn to use a crossbow. Since they were out of range of my spells, Aprilane lent me her old bow - still chortling over her new one, the more so after she saw how powerful it is. Anyway, we downed 'em, no one hurt, all good. AND Gnf and I picked up a bunch of residuum where they'd fallen. He uses it alot and I can always stand to have a bit more - if I need to speed up more than 8 folks, I guess.
We look to arrive at Silverymoon tomorrow. Frodi is going to get up a group to go after the Queen. It's definitely personal with him now - if it wasn't before. He and Gnf set up a way for him to contact us if he needs.
Odd, when we set up watches for tonight, Allyson let me and Aprilane stand watch without supervision. She's been awfully trusting and it's starting to really worry me. Still, Aprilane's a pretty girl under the dirt and a little flirting never hurt anyone.
Monday, September 28, 2009
18 Kythorn 1479
It's over, we win.
So, we're up nice and early since part of the victory is that it has to occur by sundown. The orcs showed up not too late dragging sledges with cages - our stags, provided for, as promised. Oogrik took some time fiddling with cages and such, dragging out time to try and rattle us until I called out if he need more time or some help? Evil and I figured it would cost me, but so much FUN. He released the stags pretty much immediately. Aprilane can, at a guess, track a ghost over running water, so she took off along their trail. Of course the stags split up - well and it'd be too easy else - but we went with the larger group and managed them fairly easily. They ARE nasty, but the real trick is not letting them run away. Since Gnf's Tenser's was still running we decided to make nice use of it and took the heads instead of stopping to check antlers and Aprilane dressed each deer lightning quick and took the best meats, so as not to waste the entire creature (again, look at us, Bak Nur and Bak Fa in one, HA). We then ran after the other 2 - but knowing that Oogrik's bully-boys would have had plenty of time we kept an eye open for traps. They'd time for the obvious pit and the snare... and that stupid spiked log thing that I really should have seen coming. Ah well, Allyson's hurt me worse than that and I managed to nail myself with it the first time I tried that trap myself, so... We caught up to the other 2 stags and just as we were cautiously approaching, trying not to scare them off, there was a loud noise from off to one side - but it drove the stags TO us. I love it when THEIR plans work for US. Short work of those stags and a "thanks" to our assistants and we settled to decorate. Aprilane has some very VERY strange ideas on antler headdresses, but hey, it's her head. Lyra went more traditional and Allyson and Ugrun naturally went minimalist. I figured I needed to put that elf thing to rest so I went for the full flashy, gaudy, "I AM the big guy chief" get-up. Looked damned impressive, but kinda heavy and with a tendency to slide down into my eyes. We added to the effect with some nice face - and other obvious accessible body parts - painting in blood. That with that meats and the absolute filth we were covered in was more than enough proof and we got back to the starting point just at highsun or so - much to Oogrik's chagrin, he was genuinely not ready. And very much distressed at having to stump up 100gp as weirgild - that might buy us some mercy if we drop - well, everyone but me. I'm guessing he's still willing to gut me for a 100gp. We had a reasonable lunch - not a lingering one, given the time limit on the test, Oogrik can't delay too long or it'll be obvious he's cheating (though as Lurtma pointed out, rules are...fluid in this. She seemed amused at my approval of that, but hey, that means I'm not actually cheating and Allyson can't tell Mom, so there)
Anyway, we were pointed at a hill some 5 miles off with a standard on it. We had to run there, pick up a banner - each - and come on back. Easier said than done. Aprilane covered our tracks to make it harder for them to follow us and I managed to spot a couple of traps and one ambush - but 5 miles is a long damn run, especially at full speed and wearing the damned headdress falling into my eyes and... ok, I fell into a pit and it was some work to get me out. I slowed us down, no question - more even than the gnome with his little short legs I think. But we still managed to get close enough quietly enough to get the drop on Oogrik and his war party.
Oogrik stood up on the wooden platform with the 7 banners arrayed behind him. In front, on the ground, were 5 bodyguards or honor guards or whatever - burlier than average. And then scattered through the obstacle course of angled spike-walls, a few smaller, lesser orcs. But we opened up on them with a shot out of the heavens. Aprilane just let loose an arrow straight into Oogrik - and in deep, too. They hadn't stopped goggling over that when Gnf sent that fireball of his into a bunch of those lesser orcs and BAM. That's when the rest of us charged in.
It was a massacre - I mean, not REALLY, no one died, but.... Oogrik had clearly made a careful strategy that just didn't hold up. Not necessarily a BAD plan, but druid magic or no, not good enough. Holding his bodyguard to stay at the platform and not advance meant we could just pick 'em off at our choosing - and concentrate on HIM from a distance. He seems to have spent much of his druidical training in touching the beast within - and that's not much use against folks who won't get close. He decided to focus on Allyson and called her "an affront to orcs" and managed to land a couple of good shots at her. I stopped to heal her, but Gnf was able to bring his ass down anyway. Heh, and then disappear. Poor orcs had never fought gnomes before. Then Ugrun changed into that half-ram thing and just charged the nearest bodyguard - they pretty much came out the other side of the platform. Gnf thought that was so cool he threw a thunderball (still invisible, of course) at the 2 guards near him, knocking THEM under the platform and then jumped high overhead and onto the platform - coming visible mid-leap. They pretty much all surrendered at that point. (Gotta admit, that gnome is a bit reckless sometimes, but he sure has a good sense of the dramatic)
We grabbed our banners with flash and all and I checked over Oogrik to make sure he was all right - but mostly for a chance to give him a good hard pinch where no one could see it. So, we won and came back to a party. YEY. For which we were daubed with proper warpaint and no washing. Boo. But the food is good and the ale (or whatever) is strong and what the hell. Lungrik has made us honorary members of the Blackspear Tribe - with full travel rights, thank the gods who I hope are here in Abeir too - and gave each of us a black spear - magical and of great significance to the tribe, clearly. Trying to work one out for Gnf must've been a helluva challenge.
Several of the warriors were apparently impressed that a runty elf could pass Bak Nur (never mind that I couldn't have done it solo, like I would have had to normally - if they can't figure it out, I aint saying) and declared I was a "real orc" - naturally this came with the traditional slap your spine through your nose trick. What IS it with orcs anyway? But after all, years with Allyson have taught me how to brace for that so I don't fall over - mind you, my back still goes numb and I'm gonna be in serious pain tomorrow....
I did manage to capture Oogrik in a quiet corner and tell him that if he EVER insulted my sister like that again, I'd cut 'em off and feed 'em to him and then walk off smiling. Nearly as satisfying as Gaston. Tired as I am, I may stay up all night, gloating.
So, we're up nice and early since part of the victory is that it has to occur by sundown. The orcs showed up not too late dragging sledges with cages - our stags, provided for, as promised. Oogrik took some time fiddling with cages and such, dragging out time to try and rattle us until I called out if he need more time or some help? Evil and I figured it would cost me, but so much FUN. He released the stags pretty much immediately. Aprilane can, at a guess, track a ghost over running water, so she took off along their trail. Of course the stags split up - well and it'd be too easy else - but we went with the larger group and managed them fairly easily. They ARE nasty, but the real trick is not letting them run away. Since Gnf's Tenser's was still running we decided to make nice use of it and took the heads instead of stopping to check antlers and Aprilane dressed each deer lightning quick and took the best meats, so as not to waste the entire creature (again, look at us, Bak Nur and Bak Fa in one, HA). We then ran after the other 2 - but knowing that Oogrik's bully-boys would have had plenty of time we kept an eye open for traps. They'd time for the obvious pit and the snare... and that stupid spiked log thing that I really should have seen coming. Ah well, Allyson's hurt me worse than that and I managed to nail myself with it the first time I tried that trap myself, so... We caught up to the other 2 stags and just as we were cautiously approaching, trying not to scare them off, there was a loud noise from off to one side - but it drove the stags TO us. I love it when THEIR plans work for US. Short work of those stags and a "thanks" to our assistants and we settled to decorate. Aprilane has some very VERY strange ideas on antler headdresses, but hey, it's her head. Lyra went more traditional and Allyson and Ugrun naturally went minimalist. I figured I needed to put that elf thing to rest so I went for the full flashy, gaudy, "I AM the big guy chief" get-up. Looked damned impressive, but kinda heavy and with a tendency to slide down into my eyes. We added to the effect with some nice face - and other obvious accessible body parts - painting in blood. That with that meats and the absolute filth we were covered in was more than enough proof and we got back to the starting point just at highsun or so - much to Oogrik's chagrin, he was genuinely not ready. And very much distressed at having to stump up 100gp as weirgild - that might buy us some mercy if we drop - well, everyone but me. I'm guessing he's still willing to gut me for a 100gp. We had a reasonable lunch - not a lingering one, given the time limit on the test, Oogrik can't delay too long or it'll be obvious he's cheating (though as Lurtma pointed out, rules are...fluid in this. She seemed amused at my approval of that, but hey, that means I'm not actually cheating and Allyson can't tell Mom, so there)
Anyway, we were pointed at a hill some 5 miles off with a standard on it. We had to run there, pick up a banner - each - and come on back. Easier said than done. Aprilane covered our tracks to make it harder for them to follow us and I managed to spot a couple of traps and one ambush - but 5 miles is a long damn run, especially at full speed and wearing the damned headdress falling into my eyes and... ok, I fell into a pit and it was some work to get me out. I slowed us down, no question - more even than the gnome with his little short legs I think. But we still managed to get close enough quietly enough to get the drop on Oogrik and his war party.
Oogrik stood up on the wooden platform with the 7 banners arrayed behind him. In front, on the ground, were 5 bodyguards or honor guards or whatever - burlier than average. And then scattered through the obstacle course of angled spike-walls, a few smaller, lesser orcs. But we opened up on them with a shot out of the heavens. Aprilane just let loose an arrow straight into Oogrik - and in deep, too. They hadn't stopped goggling over that when Gnf sent that fireball of his into a bunch of those lesser orcs and BAM. That's when the rest of us charged in.
It was a massacre - I mean, not REALLY, no one died, but.... Oogrik had clearly made a careful strategy that just didn't hold up. Not necessarily a BAD plan, but druid magic or no, not good enough. Holding his bodyguard to stay at the platform and not advance meant we could just pick 'em off at our choosing - and concentrate on HIM from a distance. He seems to have spent much of his druidical training in touching the beast within - and that's not much use against folks who won't get close. He decided to focus on Allyson and called her "an affront to orcs" and managed to land a couple of good shots at her. I stopped to heal her, but Gnf was able to bring his ass down anyway. Heh, and then disappear. Poor orcs had never fought gnomes before. Then Ugrun changed into that half-ram thing and just charged the nearest bodyguard - they pretty much came out the other side of the platform. Gnf thought that was so cool he threw a thunderball (still invisible, of course) at the 2 guards near him, knocking THEM under the platform and then jumped high overhead and onto the platform - coming visible mid-leap. They pretty much all surrendered at that point. (Gotta admit, that gnome is a bit reckless sometimes, but he sure has a good sense of the dramatic)
We grabbed our banners with flash and all and I checked over Oogrik to make sure he was all right - but mostly for a chance to give him a good hard pinch where no one could see it. So, we won and came back to a party. YEY. For which we were daubed with proper warpaint and no washing. Boo. But the food is good and the ale (or whatever) is strong and what the hell. Lungrik has made us honorary members of the Blackspear Tribe - with full travel rights, thank the gods who I hope are here in Abeir too - and gave each of us a black spear - magical and of great significance to the tribe, clearly. Trying to work one out for Gnf must've been a helluva challenge.
Several of the warriors were apparently impressed that a runty elf could pass Bak Nur (never mind that I couldn't have done it solo, like I would have had to normally - if they can't figure it out, I aint saying) and declared I was a "real orc" - naturally this came with the traditional slap your spine through your nose trick. What IS it with orcs anyway? But after all, years with Allyson have taught me how to brace for that so I don't fall over - mind you, my back still goes numb and I'm gonna be in serious pain tomorrow....
I did manage to capture Oogrik in a quiet corner and tell him that if he EVER insulted my sister like that again, I'd cut 'em off and feed 'em to him and then walk off smiling. Nearly as satisfying as Gaston. Tired as I am, I may stay up all night, gloating.
17 Kythorn 1479
From weird to worse - in other words, here in the frying pan it's damned hot. We reached the ford in the river mid-morning, nice and plenty of time to get across. However, there were these watchers on horseback sitting up on a bluff about a mile off from the ford - and they'd sent off a runner when we approached - but they did nothing else, so we continued on. I went over with the first wagon, so if need be someone who could keep things diplomatic was the first to approach. All in all the fording went well, a few wagons had to be tugged, but nothing disastrous - until wagon number 7. Too heavily weighted it got stuck beyond even the oxen's ability. Gnf spun out a Tenser's disk (maybe I was too hasty in blowing of rituals as a waste of time...) and we loaded some stuff onto the disk - along, naturally, with a few kids who couldn't resist - and lightened things enough to get it across. We were just prepping to do the same again when a dust cloud began down the road - a BIG cloud, with accompanying hoofbeats.
Orcs. Hundreds of them. Very primitive and tribal looking, although...somewhat more... organized for all that? Anyway, I opened the discussion by introducing myself to "Lungrik, chief of the Blackspear Tribe" as "Alfred, chief of the Sweetvine Tribe" and by virtue of a foot atop Allyson's no one queered my pitch. Naturally they were upset with someone crossing their lands and where were we going? I boggled a bit and muttered something about the city ahead, they wanted to know the name, was I going to the elf city? Sometimes there just isn't enough bluff in the world so I finally mentioned that we thought that the legends of twin worlds had landed us in this one - Abeir - which IS the name they consider this world and we hoped someone in the city could put us back. After the usual dismissal of elves Lungrik and his shaman were willing at least to concede that elves being bookish - clearly a ridiculous way to be - might know something. We were going to move on to negotiations for passage through or whatever when an orc strode forward from the back - a nice burly one with muscles for brains and demanded that the elf be shot on sight. Allyson of course came back with the usual "leave my brother alone" - although to give her credit, she did at least leave out the "baby" part of that. There followed then the usual explanation of how can a half-orc and a half-elf be related. Nine hells, why always such confusion? It's not that difficult. HALF, people, HALF. Anyway, this idiot - Oogrik - said that just because some orc had spilt his seed in some human woman didn't make her get an orc and Allyson pulled that whole "you only THOUGHT I was standing to full height" thing and snarled that she had passed Bak Fa - which sent a nice appreciative rumor - and Ugrun chimed in that he had passed Bak Nur and HE was full blood and stood with us, so there. (Ok, so he didn't say so there, but it's the same thing, really). Oogrik was unimpressed, saying the elf hadn't, couldn't and we should all be killed right now. Lungrik said the Oogrik wasn't chief yet - oh joy, it's the crown prince doesn't like us - and we would be given the chance to prove ourselves in Bak Nur. Oogrik was not pleased - Bak Nur, after all, gets you so much more prestige than Bak Fa - but the shaman soothed him by pointing out that he would be in charge of running the trials. Yippee.
By agreement, we would finish getting the wagons across and camp right here and the trials will be tomorrow. Ugrun says that the rite varies from tribe to tribe but is almost certain to involve fighting (duh, it is orcs) - in his case it was arena matches, but here.... ? 7 of us have to make it and if Allyson and Ugrun go to help us - though they do not need to, being "real" orcs already - they will have to go through as though they had never passed. We were still trying to figure out what MIGHT happen when the shaman showed up. Lurtma is apparently something of an intellectual - she reads books - and had some interest in the entire Abeir-Toril thing. She also wanted to know if it was true that Besk had wooed and won Mom and was impressed in him that he'd done so. Allyson pointed out that Mom had done Bak Fa and we kinda digressed for a bit to sort out when that might have been, completely boggling poor Lurtma so we pulled ourselves back together to explain what our legends said of the twin worlds. Once we'd done what we could to satisfy her on that, she gave us some information on the rites for tomorrow. Two parts - the first is the trial of the hunter - we go out kill some stags and bring back their antlers in obvious headdress-type fashion. The stags will be provided and they are apparently not your usual stag, but seriously nasty. On the other hand, I'm thinking, Gnf isn't going to need a whole lot of antlers to cover and Allyson and Ugrun can likely go minimalist... BUT - Second part is where things could really get dicey. Trial of the hunted - yeah, liking the sound of that already. We have to get somewhere/do something while they chase us. It's bad form to kill a man when he's down, but then, accidents do happen.... Therefore weirgild is put up ahead of time - she suggests 100gp as our contribution. She did warn - not that I needed the warning - that Oogrik would really go for me, the icky elf. Y'know, all the fables and such and half the folk in cities and such think of elves as exotic and even sexy so why the hell am I always taking grief over having elf blood???
Ahem, I did ask her if it was a loss of honor for the orc who'd fallen to be healed where he could be killed and she just stared at me. Even rephrasing the question didn't help - I gotta figure this means that as need be I can heal THEM without costing them any. Heh, Bak Nur and Bak Fa at once. 'Cause let's face it, I may be of service to the tribe, but a warrior? To sleep then, tomorrow will be.... Well, it will be, enough said.
Orcs. Hundreds of them. Very primitive and tribal looking, although...somewhat more... organized for all that? Anyway, I opened the discussion by introducing myself to "Lungrik, chief of the Blackspear Tribe" as "Alfred, chief of the Sweetvine Tribe" and by virtue of a foot atop Allyson's no one queered my pitch. Naturally they were upset with someone crossing their lands and where were we going? I boggled a bit and muttered something about the city ahead, they wanted to know the name, was I going to the elf city? Sometimes there just isn't enough bluff in the world so I finally mentioned that we thought that the legends of twin worlds had landed us in this one - Abeir - which IS the name they consider this world and we hoped someone in the city could put us back. After the usual dismissal of elves Lungrik and his shaman were willing at least to concede that elves being bookish - clearly a ridiculous way to be - might know something. We were going to move on to negotiations for passage through or whatever when an orc strode forward from the back - a nice burly one with muscles for brains and demanded that the elf be shot on sight. Allyson of course came back with the usual "leave my brother alone" - although to give her credit, she did at least leave out the "baby" part of that. There followed then the usual explanation of how can a half-orc and a half-elf be related. Nine hells, why always such confusion? It's not that difficult. HALF, people, HALF. Anyway, this idiot - Oogrik - said that just because some orc had spilt his seed in some human woman didn't make her get an orc and Allyson pulled that whole "you only THOUGHT I was standing to full height" thing and snarled that she had passed Bak Fa - which sent a nice appreciative rumor - and Ugrun chimed in that he had passed Bak Nur and HE was full blood and stood with us, so there. (Ok, so he didn't say so there, but it's the same thing, really). Oogrik was unimpressed, saying the elf hadn't, couldn't and we should all be killed right now. Lungrik said the Oogrik wasn't chief yet - oh joy, it's the crown prince doesn't like us - and we would be given the chance to prove ourselves in Bak Nur. Oogrik was not pleased - Bak Nur, after all, gets you so much more prestige than Bak Fa - but the shaman soothed him by pointing out that he would be in charge of running the trials. Yippee.
By agreement, we would finish getting the wagons across and camp right here and the trials will be tomorrow. Ugrun says that the rite varies from tribe to tribe but is almost certain to involve fighting (duh, it is orcs) - in his case it was arena matches, but here.... ? 7 of us have to make it and if Allyson and Ugrun go to help us - though they do not need to, being "real" orcs already - they will have to go through as though they had never passed. We were still trying to figure out what MIGHT happen when the shaman showed up. Lurtma is apparently something of an intellectual - she reads books - and had some interest in the entire Abeir-Toril thing. She also wanted to know if it was true that Besk had wooed and won Mom and was impressed in him that he'd done so. Allyson pointed out that Mom had done Bak Fa and we kinda digressed for a bit to sort out when that might have been, completely boggling poor Lurtma so we pulled ourselves back together to explain what our legends said of the twin worlds. Once we'd done what we could to satisfy her on that, she gave us some information on the rites for tomorrow. Two parts - the first is the trial of the hunter - we go out kill some stags and bring back their antlers in obvious headdress-type fashion. The stags will be provided and they are apparently not your usual stag, but seriously nasty. On the other hand, I'm thinking, Gnf isn't going to need a whole lot of antlers to cover and Allyson and Ugrun can likely go minimalist... BUT - Second part is where things could really get dicey. Trial of the hunted - yeah, liking the sound of that already. We have to get somewhere/do something while they chase us. It's bad form to kill a man when he's down, but then, accidents do happen.... Therefore weirgild is put up ahead of time - she suggests 100gp as our contribution. She did warn - not that I needed the warning - that Oogrik would really go for me, the icky elf. Y'know, all the fables and such and half the folk in cities and such think of elves as exotic and even sexy so why the hell am I always taking grief over having elf blood???
Ahem, I did ask her if it was a loss of honor for the orc who'd fallen to be healed where he could be killed and she just stared at me. Even rephrasing the question didn't help - I gotta figure this means that as need be I can heal THEM without costing them any. Heh, Bak Nur and Bak Fa at once. 'Cause let's face it, I may be of service to the tribe, but a warrior? To sleep then, tomorrow will be.... Well, it will be, enough said.
16 Kythorn 1479
Well, things have taken a definite turn for the weird. This morning I thought I'd check in with May and her bone-headed swain and see if he could shed any light on what Queenie might do. (I do note with glee that May has passed beyond worry and moved into fury.) Anyway, bone-headed doesn't do him credit - there must be something thicker and duller than bone... He said he'd only really just started in with this nonsense, only been hearing about it for the past couple weeks maybe? She laid claim to all the forest on behalf on the "old ways", but he thought maybe she had something personal against Frodi. He mentioned that all he really knew is she had these... meetings, with a big bonfire and what he thought were herbs tossed on the fire after she was done speaking. He'd taken May - good thing, since what when on after those "herbs" started burning... well, she'd kill him if it'd been another girl. He did also mention that Queenie was very charismatic - not that he'd know THAT word or that his understanding of her charms doesn't seem to have risen to eye level. What little he did describe - the parts without hand gestures anyway - suggests she does know how to work a crowd... and certainly play off those particular charms. We were still trying to decide if all this meant she was going to send more after us or not when the question seemed to be settled by the arrival of a few dire wolves - except that these were odd - well, extra odd. No blue flickers or the sideways mouth-open trick or that, but green flickers (which caused some unfounded worry over disease) and they were more aggressive.
The weirdness continued through the day, but it took us a while to realize it. First Aprilane began to notice that the birdsong was...different. And then Lyra thought the spirits were different and Gnf that the magic was different and others who traveled this road before began to notice differences in the terrain. Nothing major, but...off. Even my pipes sounded different - the notes were the same, but the echoes weren't. We couldn't find a pattern to the changes and tossed about a bunch of theories. On watch that night Aprilane and I noticed (Allyson couldn't notice, she was too busy moving around to keep between us, as if she could keep up with me, silly girl) that the stars were in the right places, but the moon wasn't. It was shifted just slightly - like a shirt slipping off one shoulder. We talked to Max and Frodi and while Frodi was a bit upset, Max just yawned and said it was nothing, so we let it rest. Discussing it in the morning, Gnf gave it as his opinion that we had perhaps shifted into Abeir. Talk about weird. Ok, granted you can slip into the Feywild and (ew) the Shadowfell and this wasn't either case, but Abeir? That entire Abeir-Toril twin worlds thing is REAL? I'm not sure, but how can we tell? Anyway, we've decided the only way out really is forward, we'll push on and hope some..what do you call it anyway? reflection? twin? well, whatever of Silverymoon is there and someone there can shift us back.
I really hope we can get back.
The weirdness continued through the day, but it took us a while to realize it. First Aprilane began to notice that the birdsong was...different. And then Lyra thought the spirits were different and Gnf that the magic was different and others who traveled this road before began to notice differences in the terrain. Nothing major, but...off. Even my pipes sounded different - the notes were the same, but the echoes weren't. We couldn't find a pattern to the changes and tossed about a bunch of theories. On watch that night Aprilane and I noticed (Allyson couldn't notice, she was too busy moving around to keep between us, as if she could keep up with me, silly girl) that the stars were in the right places, but the moon wasn't. It was shifted just slightly - like a shirt slipping off one shoulder. We talked to Max and Frodi and while Frodi was a bit upset, Max just yawned and said it was nothing, so we let it rest. Discussing it in the morning, Gnf gave it as his opinion that we had perhaps shifted into Abeir. Talk about weird. Ok, granted you can slip into the Feywild and (ew) the Shadowfell and this wasn't either case, but Abeir? That entire Abeir-Toril twin worlds thing is REAL? I'm not sure, but how can we tell? Anyway, we've decided the only way out really is forward, we'll push on and hope some..what do you call it anyway? reflection? twin? well, whatever of Silverymoon is there and someone there can shift us back.
I really hope we can get back.
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