"Oh... Interesting." Morganst looks over the bow and the fox armor. After several moments of hard thought he picks up the armor and tries it on.
"This seems to be a nice fit. Not sure about the helm though..."
Having second thoughts Faldor puts the bolts back and grabs one of the cloaks and drapes it across his small shoulders.
"Thank you clan friends for these gifts."
Only one item each I'm afraid.
Faldor adjusts his new cloak so he can better reach his equipment, then pulls his rapier and strikes a galant pose. "Kobolds beware, we come to slay." A few twirls of the blade and he is done and begins humming a new tune that he begins to write in his head.
Faldor adjusts his new cloak so he can better reach his equipment, then pulls his rapier and strikes a galant pose. "Kobolds beware, we come to slay." A few twirls of the blade and he is done and begins humming a new tune that he begins to write in his head.
"Heh heh heh..."
Keegan jams his battered mace into his pack, taking his new weapon gently, whispering to it as he rubs his cheek against the twisted metal.
After a few minutes' reverie, he drops it to his side, grinning.
"Needs tr bury somes s+*!e, like..."
"Oh... Interesting." Morganst looks over the bow and the fox armor. After several moments of hard thought he picks up the armor and tries it on.
"This seems to be a nice fit. Not sure about the helm though..." He tests the fit for a moment to work out some of the snugness of new leather. "What do you know... Fox skin is actually quite slimming."
"What do you know... Fox skin is actually quite slimming."
"Pfft..."
Effan tries the cloak on. It fits fine, but he looks slightly dissatisfied anyway. I'll take it in a little, there and there and it will be good. But he gives his benefactors a big smile, after all this isn't at all about looking good. "Thank you again."
Faldor does a once through his pack to make sure everything is well placed and then puts it on over his cloak. After a few more moments thought he removes it and the cloak then puts the cloak on over the pack.
"Again the heroes of the stories never told about problems of trying to figure how to carry their equipment in a fashionable way."
LOL!
Bear with me guys, see the discussion thread for details but I may not be able to post to the thread until early next week, but once we get rolling it is gonna be steady again.
Faldor does a once through his pack to make sure everything is well placed and then puts it on over his cloak. After a few more moments thought he removes it and the cloak then puts the cloak on over the pack.
"Again the heroes of the stories never told about problems of trying to figure how to carry their equipment in a fashionable way."
"Nnnh. Ain't no heroes nomore... special-like fancy swishy malchicks what be wearing cloaks, eh, droogy?"
Keegan picks his teeth with his hunting knife, dislodging what, upon closer inspection, appears to be a small clump of feathers. It probably wouldn't be prudent to ask...
Hozs looks at all the gifts trying to be gracious. He has a sad moment looking that the otter and fox hide. "Uhmmm... Yip a yap?"
His face lightens up a little however as he sees poetic justice in a tree blackened by lightning becoming a conduit for electricity.
"I shall you call you Miss... Uhmmm... Other Stick."
Morganst smiled over at Faldor. "I find that if you roll everything into a tight little bundle, it's both functional and not as bulky."
Morganst took another bowl of the mushroom wine and sipped. Turning back to the Lizard Folk he took a deep, long bow. "And many thanks to you, kind folk. May your gift be the difference in our succeeding."
Morganst smiled over at Faldor. "I find that if you roll everything into a tight little bundle, it's both functional and not as bulky."
"But if your gear is in a bundly you don' look dashing or heroic at all... You jus look like a pack mule on two legs. I don't even have the back for something like that."
Faldor finally figurs how to put his pack over his cloak while still letting it flow behind him and giving him easy access to the contents of the pack.
"Okay I'm ready to go." Faldor begins walking in a random direction then stops. "Um... Where are we going again?"
...
"... You jus look like a pack mule on two legs. ..."
"Uhmmm... Thanks I get that a lot." Hozs smiles at the misperceived compliment.
Hozs smiles again. "Uhmmm.... Bump?"
Catharine walks through the party then rubs against Hozs' leg to say, "I love you." Then she walks over to a tree and rubs against it. "I love you too."
Catharine walks through the party then rubs against Hozs' leg to say, "I love you." Then she walks over to a tree and rubs against it. "I love you too."
Hozs hugs the cat back. "I love you too." Hozs hugs the tree "I love you too."
A small squad of 10 lizardfolk join you after resting and re-equipping leading your party up into the trees and along the interwoven pathways that lie hidden in the mid-regions of the tall forest trees surrounding the river. Shops, dwellings and other sights typical of a normal town can be seen nestled amongst the branches and boughs of the giant trees, at one with the natural order around them.
After following a maze of "streets" for several minutes you notice below you the steadily moving Darkmoon River. It appears that you are to cross the river without boat.
One of the smaller Reptilian Humanoids in the squad notices Hozs looking at the Fox Armor with some amount of sorrow and speaks to him in a broken common using many hand gestures to help get the point across. "Foressstfriend, pleassse do not think that we have usssed the animalsss of the wood in a....rude....manner. We only take the onessss that are weak or ssssick and ussse all that their livesss offersss. What we hunt issss necesssssary to keep the creaturesss of the wood healthy and ssstrong. Before our kind came to the foressst, the animalssss had diseassse and sssicknesss taking many more of their numberssss than we do now. Our Foressstfriendsss ssspeak to the denizensss of the foresst sssometimesss and they underssstand the need to keep them ssstrong. Our way is not for malice but to be caretakerssss. Instead offer thanksss to thossse who provide for ussss within The Wood by giving up their livesss to make the ressst ssstronger."
Eventually the party is led back down to the forest floor, on the opposite side of the river, ready to continue on to the ruined dwarven monastery. Six of the lizardfolk melt into the surrounding woods, scouting about the group, while two take point positions to lead the party to it's destination and the remaining two take up the rear guard positions.
Your group is making excellent time towards their goal and by nightfall it is determined that you should probably reach the ruins by late tomorrow afternoon.....
Faldor seems to be giddy with excitment and tries not to skip as they walk on towards the their quests destination.
"We have two cities worth of warriors here. Tis truly an epic ballad of old." Faldor begins whistling a cheery tune then falters, "I just hope the kobolds ballad isn't better..."
...
One of the smaller Reptilian Humanoids in the squad notices Hozs looking at the Fox Armor with some amount of sorrow and speaks to him in a broken common using many hand gestures to help get the point across. "Foressstfriend, pleassse do not think that we have usssed the animalsss of the wood in a....rude....manner. We only take the onessss that are weak or ssssick and ussse all that their livesss offersss. What we hunt issss necesssssary to keep the creaturesss of the wood healthy and ssstrong. Before our kind came to the foressst, the animalssss had diseassse and sssicknesss taking many more of their numberssss than we do now. Our Foressstfriendsss ssspeak to the denizensss of the foresst sssometimesss and they underssstand the need to keep them ssstrong. Our way is not for malice but to be caretakerssss. Instead offer thanksss to thossse who provide for ussss within The Wood by giving up their livesss to make the ressst ssstronger."
Hozs hugs the little scalefriend "That's the law of the Wood," the big man nods sagely. "Thankssss Uhmmm... friend,". He hands her one of the nature secrets from his bag.
During the evening's dinner and afterward into the early evening, a couple of the lizardfolk take the opportunity to relate stories of the dwarves that used to dwell within Droskar's Crag, and the two cities of the dwarves that lived worked and eventually died on The Crag. Jernashall, a totally below ground city (except for it's massive gates)where the dwarves toiled and labored to draw precious ores from the mountainous volcano, confident that their engineering precautions would keep them protected if the mountain erupted, and the surface city of Raseri Kanton, the dwarves' merchant haven city that was the hub of trade for the dwarven wares created in Jernashall, allowing humans, elves, and other humanoids access to the well-crafted dwarven items.
Both cities fell into ruin after a series of massive eruptions, the dwarves in Jernashall reputedly were broiled alive, whilst the city of Raseri Kanton crashed dowm the side of the mountain, killing most of it's residents. Undead supposedly walk the cracked and broken streets of Raseri Kanton now- restless souls who perished with the rending of the mount.
The lizardfolk sometimes work with the Satyrs and other fey of the wood to drive back the undead when they begin to stray from the ruined city's broken shell, although they haven't had to do such for quite a few years now, which is odd.
The evening passes uneventfully and the party moves on with the dawn, drawing ever closer to it's destination.
For once during a story Faldor is quiet and happy just to take notes of the things the lizardfolk say. He then lies awake most of the night thinking of causes for undead to be declining but puts the thoughts out of his head and gets some rest.
A little slow to pack before leaving Faldor has to be brought out of thought quite a few times as they brake camp, still wondering the cause of the undead decline.
Effan is happy to stop the march and get his pack off his back. He pitches his tent, then pitches in on the camp chores. He's content to just listen to the lizardmen's tales.
Abe also listens to the stories with his sketchpad out, idly drawing pictures of the lizardfolk.
For once during a story Faldor is quiet and happy just to take notes of the things the lizardfolk say. He then lies awake most of the night thinking of causes for undead to be declining but puts the thoughts out of his head and gets some rest.
A little slow to pack before leaving Faldor has to be brought out of thought quite a few times as they brake camp, still wondering the cause of the undead decline.
The party approaches their destination by late afternoon and half of the lizardfolk warriors break off from the group to do some recon and look to take out any Kobold lookouts. They return after half an hour with news that they took out 2 pairs of kobold lookouts in the area and found fresh tracks from a recruiting squad of kobolds leading NorthWest from the ruins.
After giving their report their leader says, "We will follow the kobold tracksss and try to overtake the ssssquad sssso we can avoid being hit from behind by a fressssh group in a few daysss. The ressst of my kin here will asssssisssst in infiltrating the lair with you.....good hunting!". Then he takes off with four other warriors, leaving 5 behind with the party.
The remaining Folk turn their attention to Jaden, obviously waiting for some type of plan while preparing their javelins.....
"If we're going to be fighting, I'll need to stow a lot of this here. I can't move with this pack. Keegan, can you give me a hand caching this stuff so it won't be found by patrolling kobalds?"
Effan strips his pack down to fighting gear and a day or two of food.
After giving their report their leader says, "We will follow the kobold tracksss and try to overtake the ssssquad sssso we can avoid being hit from behind by a fressssh group in a few daysss. The ressst of my kin here will asssssisssst in infiltrating the lair with you.....good hunting!". Then he takes off with four other warriors, leaving 5 behind with the party.
The remaining Folk turn their attention to Jaden, obviously waiting for some type of plan while preparing their javelins.....
"Hurrmmmr... What's is all'em's looking for him now, eh?"
Keegan pulls a map of the area from his belt pouch, shaking his head.
"If we're going to be fighting, I'll need to stow a lot of this here. I can't move with this pack. Keegan, can you give me a hand caching this stuff so it won't be found by patrolling kobalds?"
Effan strips his pack down to fighting gear and a day or two of food.
"Pffft. Dig a mole-hole and shove it, droogy."
Contrary to the nature of Keegan's words, this seems to be more instructive than derogatory.
Faldor withdraws his crossbow and readies a bolt as the get ready. Then turns to Jahn and begins a small wilderness melody that Hoz has been known to hum, a few keys are off but Faldor ends it with a yip and a yap.
"The warg said the entrance was beneath his lair correct?"
"Pffft. Dig a mole-hole and shove it, droogy."Contrary to the nature of Keegan's words, this seems to be more instructive than derogatory.
Effan bristles at the tone of the reply, but then considers that's as pleasant as Keegan ever gets. "Thanks. I'll do that."
Alas there's not much to dig with. Effan settles for dropping the pack in a depression off the trail and covering it with his tent canvas, and then with brush.
Hozs tilts his head watching Effan dig. After the small man is done he drags a log over and balances the huge beam on one end. He sharpens a pair of sticks into stakes and connects them and the log with a small piece of rope or twine. Finally he scatters leaves and other 'dentrists' over twine, log trail and stakes.
The job completed he straitens and smiles. Shortly after he frowns. "Uhmmm... Effan? You do not have any food in there do you?"
Jaden takes in everything that has happened in the last few weeks, thinking mostly about the battle at the witch's hut and how that could have gone very badly if not for Horz's touch with nature, and Keegan's blood lust(and big mace). He does not want to lead anyone into an ambush, but know waiting will do little.
"For this to work, be need to make our enemy come to us. I think we should get a good view of what we are walking into, and pick our place of battle. Any other idea?"
"Pffft. Dig a mole-hole and shove it, droogy."Contrary to the nature of Keegan's words, this seems to be more instructive than derogatory.
Effan bristles at the tone of the reply, but then considers that's as pleasant as Keegan ever gets. "Thanks. I'll do that."
Alas there's not much to dig with. Effan settles for dropping the pack in a depression off the trail and covering it with his tent canvas, and then with brush.
Keegan senses that he may have offended Effan in some way, though he doesn't quite know why. He saunters over to where the gnome is working, and begins scooping dirt from a small depression in the ground, quickly creating a small pit.
"Nnh..."
Jaden takes in everything that has happened in the last few weeks, thinking mostly about the battle at the witch's hut and how that could have gone very badly if not for Horz's touch with nature, and Keegan's blood lust(and big mace). He does not want to lead anyone into an ambush, but know waiting will do little.
"For this to work, be need to make our enemy come to us. I think we should get a good view of what we are walking into, and pick our place of battle. Any other idea?"
"Hrmmm... Littlescales savvy gnomers be tasty-like. And we's got two o' them righ'ere, see? String 'em from a tree limb 'n watch 'em dangle. Littlescalefolk be comin' right soon, eh?"
Keegan senses that he may have offended Effan ... begins scooping dirt from a small depression in the ground, quickly creating a small pit."Nnh..."
Effan is nonplussed. That's unusually kind. "Uhh. Thanks, Keegan. Really, thanks a lot. That was great."
Hozs tilts his head watching Effan dig. After the small man is done he drags a log over ....
The job completed he straitens and smiles. Shortly after he frowns. "Uhmmm... Effan? You do not have any food in there do you?"
A few seconds later the dark-skinned gnome is watching Hozs incredulously. What in Desna's name is that boy doing? Eventually he sees the point of the deadfall. "Yes, Hozs. There is food in there."
"Hrmmm... Littlescales savvy gnomers be tasty-like. And we's got two o' them righ'ere, see? String 'em from a tree limb 'n watch 'em dangle. Littlescalefolk be comin' right soon, eh?"
Effan's back stiffens. That's more like the Keegan I know. He's probably just blowing smoke. Effan sidles to his right so that Abe is between Keegan and him.
Faldor's eyes narrow and begins to sing rather crudely about a tavern wench of multi-hued hair. When he finishes Keegan has a nice teal shade to his hair.
"But if I were a dumb kobold I'd think you were a much larger gnome snack."
Then with a smile, "But thank the gods we have a much better looking race then that."
When all is said and done he moves further away from Keegan.
"Um... Perhaps we should examine the entire ground floor. Maybe we can fortify ourselves up here. Give us a good place to retreat to and defend if needed. Right?"
"Hrmmm... Littlescales savvy gnomers be tasty-like. And we's got two o' them righ'ere, see? String 'em from a tree limb 'n watch 'em dangle. Littlescalefolk be comin' right soon, eh?"
"Three we have, no? Let them come for me, they will find little folk to be more than bait."
Morganst sits back watching the others stash excess gear. The good thing about being one step above dirt poor is, he had no excess gear.
"If you need someone to go ahead and look around, I happen to be pretty good at not being noticed. If not, tell me where you want me to hide and I'll get my bow ready."
Faldor's eyes narrow and begins to sing rather crudely about a tavern wench of multi-hued hair. When he finishes Keegan has a nice teal shade to his hair.
Keegan doesn't seem to notice.
"But if I were a dumb kobold I'd think you were a much larger gnome snack."Then with a smile, "But thank the gods we have a much better looking race then that."
When all is said and done he moves further away from Keegan.
"Yeah, 's called humans, right, droogy?"
He gets the joke, but he isn't smiling.
"Hrmmm... Littlescales savvy gnomers be tasty-like. And we's got two o' them righ'ere, see? String 'em from a tree limb 'n watch 'em dangle. Littlescalefolk be comin' right soon, eh?""Three we have, no? Let them come for me, they will find little folk to be more than bait."
"Hurrm... Littlescales be thinking halfings taste like dirt. Gnomers, though, see..."
"We do not taste like dirt, ask any ogre or troll. They are quite fond of us. Maybe a little tough to chew, but tasty nonetheless."