"Im going to keep you to that my Elfish friend. " Kippa keeps an eye out over the water and the shore while humming lowly to himself so that the elf will not hear or barely hear
Whistles in reaction "My friend, there is always a chance. You just need to plan it out properly. Like any good robb....dispossessing, you just need a good plan a head of time and three back up plans while in the middle of it. Here, we want the fort back I take it? So we can work out what we are facing and how to counter act them. Hell, we might even be able to turn some of their advantages into disadvantages. How long ago was that? And when you say rocks started falling, I assume you mean from catapults and not from magic? The big guys here may want to go through the front door. It may be better to go through the back door and sew a bit of chaos in their mix first." Kipa starts to peel an apple and take some bites of it after seeing every one else eating, not wanting to bring the wrath of the crew on himself once again.
"And here I was just gonna suggest we light a big fire at their front door, then nip in the back and stab 'em all in the kidneys and the dangly bits."
Looking at Molly with one eye brow raised "I like the way you think. See this lady gets it. And for where you stab, that is up to you. Me, well kidneys and dangly bits are kind of the easiest thing for me to target..."
"Yeah. T'be honest I prefer sending spiders up into the dangly bits while I hang back and put arrows in their eyes and ears, but you know how it is."
"Hmm... The Lord in Iron does not favor subterfuge." Dieter chews his food thoughtfully. "But dying in a battle means you cannot fight in more battles. What do you think, Storn?"
"May I ask you to consider how he feels about you getting to pick the battle field?" not looking for a response, Kipa just throws that out there for the pair to think over.
"Sivanah loves subterfuge, best I can tell," Molly says with a wolfish grin. "Illusions, reflections, shadows.... so much fun material to work with in battle - and outside it. Anytime you boys want to convert, well, I might be able to hook you up."
|
"How long ago was that? And when you say rocks started falling, I assume you mean from catapults and not from magic? The big guys here may want to go through the front door."
Quill's eyes bulge at the comment, trying to find purchase in clarity in two areas.
"Halfling, the piddlespotting giants where throwing the rocks. *GIANTS*," Quill emphasizes. "And those rocks weighed a lot more than you or me...yet they were being tossed far distances. Let that sink in. Them giants can toss stones." Quill shakes his head, hopefully adding more description to the near futility of the cause.
"Quiet? Being quiet is tough. Storn's idea of quiet is covering his ass with his hand when he farts," Quill mutters. "Sneaking and quiet really isn't his thing. Maybe we can talk him into...or get him so drunk he passes out, then we can carry him in. Or maybe you can convince him. We'll have to see what the Fort looks like though. Ain't no use making plans before we know what we're doing."
"Ok, so non-magic rocks. Good. That is something we can work with. See, information helps.Figured it was giants throwing the rocks, but wanted to avoid using the 'G' word for the moment. They basically act like living catapults that way. The more information we have, the better we can plan. The better we plan, the more we are prepared. Every plan is great... till you make first contact with the enemy. But if you do not have one, then chances are against you from the start.
Now, you never told me how long ago this all happened? Was it a month, a year, a decade?"
Looking over at Molly "That is ok. Cayden Cailean is a bit more my speed."
Storn grunts at Dieter's question.
"It is more pleasing to Gorum to see a soldier fight a score of battles rather than die in the first. Subterfuge, compromises, truces, and retreat are all valid and a part of war. Not the part of war I like, but our job here is to win, not to prove a point."
He listens for a bit and then grumbles at Quill.
"Quit whining! You brought up that same point when we were given this mission, and they said I'd be fine for it. Relatively stealthy. Forts are big and giants are bigger. We move as one, attack as one, and go with purpose. I can prepare my mist spell to deal with thrown rocks."
The big man then lets out a long sigh.
"What we need, and don't have is information. Where do we enter? Where is Grenseldek? What does this fort even look like?"
|
|
"Quit whining!"
Quill opens his mouth to defend himself, but instead shuts up and goes back to eating.
"I was just answering his piddlespotting questions," Quill mumbles to himself, then shoots an annoyed look at Kipa, the troublemaker that got him in trouble.
"I guess I can't answer your questions," Quill says petulantly, and goes back to silence.
Raising an eye brow at the elf " You can if you want. Just remember that we are all on the same side here. The big guy here" pointing with his thumb at Storn "hit it right on the head.Information is the key here. I take it you have been in the fort before Quill? If so that means you have information that will help us in this battle. The more we know the better we can all plan. We fight, as the man said, as one and we win as one. So what do you know... other then we are all doomed"
With a shrug. Kipa looks over at the other three in the group. "When was the last time any of you were in the fort and what info would you all have on it? And when for the love that is good, holy and " taking a gulp of his drink wishing it was ale " almost drinkable, did the take over happen?"
Storn looks over Quill a moment before regarding Kipa.
"None of us have been there. Maybe the crew have seen it from the outside. But we don't know anything about it aside from the fact that it's a fort, it has the remnants of the giants' forces in there, and we need to get in through some place that isn't the front door and kill their leader before she destroys our town."
Storn then nudges Quill.
"Sulking isn't any better for us than whining. What's wrong? We've been running headfirst into danger since Trunau, this isn't different. Your Elf Who Cuddles the World should have answers and guidance for you, no?"
Kipa thinks upon the reference, and is pretty sure he heard the phrase a long time ago to describe a purple elf who like to sing songs to small children. Surely that couldn't be what Storn was referring to...could it?
Mentally to himself 'I will have to look that one up later.'
Thinking upon what Storn said "Also, how far is the fort from 'your' town and would the town hold any information on the fort as well? The floor plan or anything of that nature."
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Sulking isn't any better for us than whining. What's wrong? We've been running headfirst into danger since Trunau, this isn't different. Your Elf Who Cuddles the World should have answers and guidance for you, no?"
"I'm not sulking or whining but you keep yelling at me, THAT'S THE DAMN PROBLEM!" Quill whines and sulks more loudly. "I'm trying to explain what we're doing to the halfling so he has a chance to run away before he dies like Mawj or disappears like Mariana, for elf's sake!"
Quill gets up to clean his plate.
"And it's the Elf that Hugs the World. Cuddling is what you do with your new sword, I've seen you do it."
Doing a spit take into his glass on the last one, Kipa leans back in his chair for a moment to enjoy the show that is sure to come from this little tiff.
Taking a breath and remembering how it was for him when he first started on the lifestyle of an adventure several years ago "Quill, some times those who prefer to be in the middle of battle mock those around them. It is a sign of respect or the fact that you react this way just eggs him on. Isn't that right tall, dark, and sharp as a hammer?" Standing up on the chair to smack Storn on the shoulder before sitting back down and returning his attention to Quill "Look lad. Im here as long as you all need me, willingly give me my cut of the loot, and stay alive. It is the life we lead out here in the world my friend. Embrace it & enjoy it. We all get one shot at life. Either hide from it or live it."
"Quill," Dieter said as he flicked bread crumbs at fish near the boat, "is it that time of the month?"
"One who hasn't heard about reincarnation, it seems," Molly points out, "or the notion that you have to keep coming back if you get it wrong. F'rinstance, by miring yourself too much in the material by chasing naught but wealth."
Looking at Dieter " For example Quill, we have this chunk of sword swinging mind set.A bit more blunt, but you know where he stands and what side of the pointy end you want to be at with him."
Looking over at Molly "Heard of it? Yes. Believe in it? Sure for some races. Counting on it for myself? Not so much. Most people on this plane do not have the means to get clergy to cast the required spells to come back for another round. And as far as the chasing wealth thing, honestly the only thing I chase is experiences. The wealth thing really is just to make sure I can do so with greater ease. It is easier for a person with gold to cross a river then someone with just copper to leave his home.
Of course dont get me wrong... I do like gaining wealth as well. " with a wink he takes a bit of the apple he has.
"I heard about it from a Tiefling in Korvosa*," Molly says, shrugging. "She thought it was for anyone, pretty much, who got sentenced to another go-round by the Queen of the Bones 'cause they hadn't been snapped up by one of the gods or one of the other places. Beats getting chucked right into the Lower Realms 'cause you didn't get being a person right on your first go, I guess."
"Sounds like as good a theory on the here after as any other to me, maybe a bit more positive then some out there. For me, I try to live a bit more to those of my Lord. I'd rather fight and do what I can to help those in the world be free to experience this life to the fullest because we do not know what happens after this one. They may be plucked up by a God for some reason or required to go through another life to try again. Some times the chains that hold us back are real ones of slavery" stealing a quick glance at Quill before returning to Molly "Some times they are only in our own mind."
"Youth always seem to take the world on their shoulders alone before they have to. Back to what we were talking about. Where can we get teh information we need about this fort?"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Storn continues to stare off in space for a while, having taken an incredibly long while to gather his thoughts. Finally having found his think, he turns to the empty seat Quill was sitting in and starts into a lecture.
"Anyone would cuddle my sword. It's great. But anyways, we are fighting and people die when we fight. We honour their memories and fight some mo-- wait, where did he go?!"
Shaking his head at all the foolishness in the world, he heaps up his plate and looks sulkily at it before answering Kipa's question.
"Good question. I think we're going to have to wait until we get there and see the lay of the land."
"Well if we have to wait, then we might as well enjoy ourselves!" He takes a chunk of food & looks for something to drink a bit stronger then water. What better way to celebrate the Lucky Drunk? ANd they better have them in Pints
Coming back to the table with a pint of ale and sitting back down with the group "Ok, fill me in on how this group started and what the mission was when you started & what it is now" after taking a long pull of his ale he sits back and waits for some more information to come his way
Storn blows out his cheeks and takes a bit to recall the events to this day.
"We're all from Trunau for one reason or another. Predominantly human town in the south of the Hold. A local poet was killed and we found ourselves investigating it, eventually uncovering that it was a setup for a large orc raid against the town. The raid was defeated and their leader killed, some half-orc killed."
He takes a bit of his food, speaking between mouthfuls.
"The point of the raid was to recover two things from beneath Trunau. The first is this hammer," Storn pats a primitive-looking hammer at his side. "Called Aggrimosh. It's sacred to giants. The second is this geode-thing. Anyways it's a sparkly rock with a map in it."
He points downriver.
"The one who organized this mess is a giant named Grenseldek of the Twisted Nail tribe. She's the one who called for the raid on Trunau, and the one who wants what we have. The decision was made for us to be a strike team and go kill her before she kills us. On the way to Red Lake Fort, we stopped by this ancient druid vault to find giant killing weapons. Only most of them have rotted away. So we're not as armed as we'd like, although I got this sword Gorum's Thorn."
Storn looks around the table.
"That all of it? During the time we have gained and lost a few people. We had some cranky mage whose name I forget. Sander joined us after he left - he's nicer. Molly has been with us from the start. A shapechanger named Mawj joined us but was killed by a giant, and our scout Marjoram wandered off for no reason right before we met up with you, Kipa."
"Mariana," Molly corrects Storn. "Her name was Mariana. She was a gifted archaeologist. Seeing the state of the vault really hit her hard. I just hope she's alright, wherever she is."
Taking a sip of his ale {b}"I'd put money on she is ok. I mean those history junkies usually get depressed when a find goes bad but turn around quick at the chance at another one. I bet she found another group soon after leaving you all and is out looking for the next big find now."[/b]
Looking at Aggimosh"For being important to giants, that hammer is a bit on the average size for those who are not gifted with the power of small size, is it not?"
|
|
Quill continues to sulk and whine alone and outside as Storn re-tells the story that Quill already told, but with different and more detail.
Quill spends a lot of the time mocking Storn's voice in an ogrish way.
"I'm storn and I talk to loud! And I like a big sword and yelling at people! That's because I don't have good things to say! Doy doy doy! Dee dee dee!"
"Fee Fi Toe Fungus! I smell like rotten humus!" Quill clumps and mocks Storn silently.
Haha. Good one. You nailed him.
Sander sighs as he hears Quill stomping around.
Just going to stay in my cabin for a little bit. Write a nice note to my wife, even if it will probably never get to her. Maybe if I keep quiet, they won't even notice I'm not with them.
Storn blinks at Molly.
"Mar-i-ana. Okay, well she's was a great whatchamacallit and taught me important lessons about traps and how they exist. And Aggrimosh changes size depending on who wields it."
He startles as Quill starts stomping around and mocking him. Storn lets out a long, low, grumble.
"rrrrQUILL COME IN HERE AND SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW."
The big priest clambers to his feet and stares sternly at Quill, either waiting until he sits down, or stalking outside to yell at him in the same way his shaman used to yell at him.
"You're starting to get bad for morale. Now listen. Mawj died. Mariana left. It happens and none of us like it. They were family and they are gone now. But what we are doing is too important to spend time moping. We're a family. And like a family we don't all get along and we didn't pick each other. I'm the big stinky cousin you never asked for. Molly is that spider-barfing sister I always wanted. And Sander is that uncle who always lectures you and it's annoying but he's probably right. Kipa and Dieter we're learning about, like meeting distant cousins or something. They're brothers of a sort."
Storn trails off, realizing he's completely gone on a tangent.
"Hvar var ég... Anyways they're gone and it happens. But you still have your family with us. We go on. We have a mission, a purpose, and something good to do. Grenseldek wants to kill everyone you know and love, especially that girl you like. Whatshername. My people - all of them - were killed by demons and I never had a chance to fight for them, and all I do is fight. Now I have that chance, and you have a chance to be great. You can be the kind of elf that your God is proud of and the bards will write songs about. You have that chance when nobody else gets it. But no bard wants to write a song about the legend of Whinin' Quill."
Storn's tone softens and he becomes almost pleading.
"Quill. Please. Have a beer with us. You chose to go on this mission, and this is what this mission is. Make the best of it."
"It is part of life." Dieter slowly thumbs the edge of his blade to test its sharpness. "We are born and we die. We love and we lose. We triumph and we are defeated. The wheel turns."
He sighs and shrugs. "We can only search for meaning. This mission gives us meaning." He returns to his blade.
Looking over at Dieter, with a jokingly mocking tone "Looks like your time with this group has raised your IQ a few points. That is good to see my friend"
Looking over to Storn "He is just a young lad who has already been through a lot in his short life. In time this will mellow and he will see the wisdom in your words. Elves are long lived so hopefully your words will reverberate with him for many years to come. For now we have to show him with example and a patience. Make sure he never has to stand alone in battle."
With a dead serious tone to his voice "Now, Storn. I have a really important question for you. This is an issue of life & death and may be the most important question you will get today."
lighting of his tone and a more joyous one at that "What are some drinking songs of your people?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Kipa said just the wrong thing, and the rest of the night was spent in a futile effort to get Storn to stop calling attention to the keelboat and its passengers through what could only in the most generous of senses be called "singing". Quill compared it more to the sounds made by a cacklehound being ravaged by an orc of dubious moral rectitude, but nobody heard him anyway. It wasn't until Halrex came in and threatened to dump the lot of you overboard that the noise finally settled down and everyone managed to get some sleep.
The next few days were hard going as the skies opened up and drenched the river and all on it with huge droplets of rain. The wind howled as well, and the conditions were so bad on deck that only the most foolhardy, or those unlucky enough to draw deck duties were out and about.
This went on for the full six days that it took to get you to the drop-off point. The extra day had to be added, despite Captain Bloodtusk's grumblings about time tables, due to the horrid weather. The boat grounded upon the southern bank of the river and you debarked, some looking longingly at the keelboat and the relative dryness of its cabins and below-deck areas.
According to the scrawled map that Bloodtusk had given you, Redlake Fort is about 10 miles up the small tributary that you landed near. If you follow that, it should take you straight to the Fort. It didn't seem like very far, but the rain and rough country meant it was going to be a two day hike.
Before the group disembarks, Molly spends a bit of time bickering and dickering with the quartermaster for an oilskin cloak, which she drapes over herself, the hood pulled down.
"Here, Elf-boy," Molly says while the group splashes along, "hold your hand out."
Provided Quill complies, Molly drops a pearl into his hand.
"Finished clamming this one together yesterday evening. That'll be five hundred in gold, if you don't mind; I had to buy stuff off the crew to make it. Use it in good health! If you like, I could put a stud on it, and you wear it for an earring."
Storn sighs as his tough love sends Quill running.
"He's an elf, he's like three hundred years old or something," complains Storn. "Somebody who kills things as well as he does shouldn't be as bothered by death."
----
Storn sighs as he suits up into his half-plate, straps on Gorum's Thorn, hooks Aggrimosh to his belt, straps on his shield, tucks his extra weapons into his pack, and pulls his cloak hood over his face. He shakes hands with the orcs who care to, and tromps onto the shore. Clasping his big wooden holy symbol, he mutters a prayer to Gorum under his breath.
"Someone with soft feet and good eyes should go up on ahead."
"Agreed." Dieter wraps a cloak around his armor and rests a hand on the pommel of his sword. "Though if ever there were weather to aid in subterfuge, it would be this."
"Well if it is ok with everyone, I will move up a bit and look out ahead. And Quill... I will be coming back so dont go selling my stuff or planning my eulogy or anything." With that Kipa moves up some and keeps an eye out for anything out of place
|
|
"Here, Elf-boy, hold your hand out."
Quill complies, holding out his hand. His face breaks out into a big and rare smile (the kind of smiles usually reserved for daydreams of Marigold Pottersmoot). He holds it up to examine it.
"Oh! It's so...round! I love it! And it will do that thing? Oh..." Quill looks really excited at the will be able to kill longer and more effectively now. "This is great! I can't wait to try it out!"
Quill smiles and almost hugs Molly in appreciation but stops short of contact with another humanoid being.
* * *
As the party begins the march to the Fort, Quill takes the rear as usual with his bow out and keeping an eye out for threats. He assumes the rest of the group is mostly marching as usual.
"When we get close, maybe I'll also go quietly closer to take a look. And remember we should be quiet if we can," Quill looks at Storn, "As the fort might have patrols and there will certainly might be some of them traveling to and fro."
As they get closer (say within 3000' or so), Quill will offer to go scout from a FAR distance and even circling around to get a higher ground view. He will go no more than 1000' close to the Fort.
"Hold up, tetchy," Molly says, as she jogs to keep up with Kipa, her crossbow out and already loaded. "I'll back you up. That, or give you a reason to play hero, heh."
"I welcome the company. Only so much a person gifted with shortness can do. Seeing over some stumps will give me some issues & I may need a boost over a log." Saying all of this with a wink. In a tone so only she can her "So if the two of use are moving this way, Quill that way.... really its because we just dont want to be slowed down by those two right? I kind of feel bad for Sander"