"He wont be answering, and we don't need his answer as we already know it. There's nothing he could have added to what we know of the place, but what I do know is that we are just lucky we are fighting out here in the woods and didn't sneak on in, or it would now be us as bloody stumps. That was just a taste of their footsloggers, and we just got thumped, if the Magnimarians want their fort they can come get it themselves, I don't see the sense in going up against twenty more of those and then their leaders, and some Giant amongst them too"
"Feck this, I'm going to the pub. There's nothing to be gained for us in there, no bounty nor wealth either... I didn't come this far to end a peasant in an unmarked grave nor an ogres plate."
Harry gathers his things, after that fight he isn't interested in the fort one jot.
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[ooc]Ugggghhh too tired from work and pool wrangling the toddler to poooosssst.[ooc]
Marek opens one eye, working hard to discern his caretaker and his environment. For one second that feels like an eternity, he thinks he's been captured by the ogres, put to torture once again. Finally his metallic eyes focus on whoever awakens him.
Ooomph. Are the ogres... vanquished?
"No, just the ones we fought. They were like no Ogres I ever saw, and if there's a fort full of them its no wonder the Rangers fell"
To help Marek out, Ailetha casts CMW on him.
CMW:
That should help you a little.
___________
When Harry starts to discuss leaving, Ailetha raises an eyebrow.
Nothing in there? This is an ancient fort, and it has been take over by worshippers on an ancient evil. There is no doubt that they will have treasure and other valuables. Even their lesser minions like the ghoulish Aldern had treasure. As you said, these are no weaklings, but we did just take down a half dozen of them. Unless there are hundreds of ogres in that fort, I would doubt that we will meet that many again at one time.
Also, we chose to attack them on our ground, but this is in the open where their size and reach could be used to their advantage. That fort was build for humans, not ogres and giants. So, unless they have some very skilled craftsmen, I rather doubt that they will have retrofitted the doors and rooms to accommodate their large sizes. We can scout this silently and invisibly to see what is in there, you and I have done this before. If it is indeed filled with hordes of skilled ogres, then I agree that we should perhaps go back and tell Magnimar that it will require their army to wrest from the enemies hands. However, if it is lone guards and not a trained army of ogres, then I say we continue and attempt to recover the fort and eliminate this cult of Runelord worshippers once and for all.
"Take a look around, you couldn't be more wrong. We lured them into an ambush, they were packed in where they couldn't effectively spread out, they fell on OUR traps not us into theirs, they were hit with magic, surrounded on all sides, blinded, covered in grease, and hit from a concealed position and they just chewed us like copper piece lollies from the grocers. That fort is their ground, where they will be doing that to us... you really think we are going to 'sneak in'?" Harry pointedly looks at Celestra and Karlan "You have to be joking me, you lot make more noise than a pile of elephants in a pottery shop, I remind you of that bloody manticore incident, not convincing was it? carelessly kicked half an avalanche at it then decided on a nice chat. Do that in that keep and that is the death of us all - that was seven, inside that fort are twenty seven, and their bosses aside. They wont be sitting pretty with lone guards, they weren't doing that before a pile of em got necked so they sure wont be doing that now. Mr Ironblood over here got torn to tissue paper in about six seconds, but for a fluke I would have likewise joined him, Thumper got beaten within an inch of death and we blew a pile of our magic there with everything going for us. A fort full? No way, I don't give three fifths of a spit about ancient worshippers of evil, I care about surviving, with gold in my pocket, and so far this stupid fools errand has simply put us in peril over and over and with nothing to show for it. Last time we got to divide more than three pennies was in Magnimar - nothing since arriving on this little venture they cooked up and sent us on, and whats it gained us? A few shallow graves, a few less Rangers running around and almost the death of a few of us."
"We just got lucky, next time they will have that many and more, they will have reiforcements, they will have their leaders. They have a Giant too... frankly you don't have the goods for it."
"All risk, no pay. That's the worst deal I have ever seen, I'm foolhardy but not a mug"
HP:
"All risk. No pay. Sounds about right." Karlan says quietly looking back towards the fort. "But that's really at the heart of what I do isn't it?"
"It does indeed Sir Karlan, but the pay for you lot is honour, glory, promotion in the ranks, you do it for a greater good no doubt, but this is just reckless - their footmen aren't what they appear, and I wonder at the skills and might of their leaders. We just got lucky in the choice to fight out here rather than in there... they were far mightier than any Ogre I ever heard of."
"Remember also that the invisibility didn't help us in the Graul house, Mammy saw right through it, so lets not believe for a minute we can pull that stunt into the fort, or we'd be in for a sorry day"
Ding
Harry
Thumper
Ailetha continues to look toward the fort:
But there is so much of value. The Thassilonian civilization is so little known and each step we take reveals much more that even the most wizened sages in Magnimar do not know of. In addition, if we do not continue, who knows what these evil worshippers may do. They have sacrificed many already and we know that they had agents placed high in the Magnimar government. By the time we return the mayor may already be possessed, or dead. What do we do then? Flee to Riddleport? Korvosa? Osirian? Tian? They know who we are as you have said multiple times, Harry. The b*tch Xanesha recognizes us. Are you proposing that we return to Magnimar and head our own ways? So that she can organize assassins to take us down one by one?
She then turns back to Harry:
I would like to infiltrate the fort and at least see how many more are in there. I have a new trick up my sleeve which may help to weaken or kill some of the ogres. And, as I said, if we find that there is a trained and organized army in there, then we can always retreat. We all do not need to be the first to go forward. You and I can scout out the area. If we find nothing, or enemies we can take down in small numbers, then we return and bring the rest forward. If we find this giant and a covey of ogres at every door, then we retreat and decide on our next move, whether it be returning to Magnimar or something else.
Oh, and as far as treasure goes, at the very least, we know that whatever equipment the rangers had will be here, and I would be rather surprised if that was all that is in there. Giants rather like to horde treasure as do ogres. And lamia are not exactly the types to just throw things away.
I'm watching your every move...hrhr...I might hint at the fact that the ogres will be uber-watchful in the future now that one of their patrols got lost :)
"I didn't sign on to be some Osiriani tomb raider on the hunt for lost information of the Thasslionian Empire, and last I checked I wasn't a Sage either, I can't spend 'trivia' in a Riddleport tavern."
"Sure, they sacrificed a few people, the ogres ate most of 'em no doubt, and the Grauls are all carved up. Any leftover assassins have nothing to do with this fort, and if you reckon they are still alive and well doing business in Magnimar then what are we doing half way up a hill in the butt-end of nowhere fighting Ogres for some unwanted fort? Xanesha isn't here, we checked, so this doesn't do much about her either. I'm proposing that this fort is just a suicidal deathtrap, doesn't contain our actual enemies, and might not even contain a so much as a Thasslionian poem written on the back of a latrine door - did the Rangers say they'd seen any in all the time they were camped here?"
"Infiltrate the Fort? What, the two of us? One of those things is an even or better match to any of us, you and I alone would be killed quickly if caught. We'd straight up have no chance, none at all. Pure folly - find out if there's a trained Ogre army in there? Look at what a handful did you us, go ask Mr Ironblood how trained they were."
"You can't tell me there's so much as a wayward copper piece to be had in there either, where was all this Ranger gear at the Graul house? Three such Rangers and all we got was pocket change barely enough for a few rounds of watery ale. We ransacked the 'great Ogre treasure horde' and got a couple of measly wands... thats not exactly compelling. This place is a dump, these creatures are so poor I almost feel inclined to give them money so they don't have to be so skint, and yet they fight like demons"
"You've got no plan other than stick our necks out to learn what we already know - we know how many are there, where they are, and now we know who they are. Only a suicidal fool would go back there for more of a beating than we got. We are just blindly lucky we aren't selling our gear now to raise money to have poor Mr Ironblood raised from the dead."
"We know that the reason the Fort was taken was to blind the town below, the question you keep forgetting to bother with is 'why'? What is happening elsewhere they are trying to conceal"
"I'm not going in again, not against that, and I would be errant in my duty were I not to advise you strongly against it."
Thank you, sir Karlan and dame Ailetha for the healing, I feel better already.
Marek gets up with some help, and tries to find a spot to sit down and sift through his backpack. He tries exposing his views in the most logical way he can:
Harry is right. The risks are too high and the pay too low, and if you are a mercenary on the job that is a simple conclusion to arrive at. Although I had worked as such for a time, it was merely to generate capital and gather the means through which arrive here in this situation and put this ogre threat to rest, so for me that is in itself the reward. In light of that I personally consider the risks to be negligible. That does not mean we need to rush headlong into the enemy. Perhaps we could recruit some help down on Turtleback Ferry, or join the surviving rangers in our effort. Or we could use the small window of opportunity we have here since we defeated the main force in their walls and sneak inside.
Whatever is decided, know that I will accompany you, Sir Karlan and lady Aurcalam, in your efforts to invade the fort and destroy the ogres.
Harry watches on, arms firmly crossed and a frown at any mention of actually venturing into the fort. "This wasn't even half, this was just the gate guards and one leader, the main force is still alive and well."
Alana moves to stand next to Celestra as she watches the conversation volley. Little seems to upset the woman, in fact the most upset she's ever been seen to be was when the cat was found to have been tortured. She simply seems to be content to be doing anything, everything is exciting and adventurous to her. She will likely go along with whatever the rest of the group decides.
"Enough debate." Karlan says suddenly and severely but calmly. "We can't continue like this today so we have to back out of this for now anyway. But before any decisions are made on how this ends there's something all of you need to see."
Picking his heavy blade out of a dead ogre's neck he ventures out. Not towards Turtleback Ferry, nor towards the fort.
"Don't suppose it's a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow?" Harry enquires grudgingly.
Karlan leads you out of the forest again into the open area in front of the fort - hiding behind large boulders and tall bushes you quickly move closer to the fort...every now and then checking the walls for guards - but luckily there aren't any guards...
Finally you reach a small pond south-west of the fortress, what has once been a crystal-clear mountain lake is now an abattoir. Partially butchered and mutilated bodies - some human, some horse, some giant eagle - lie sprawled along the shore. A waterfall plummets from the cliffs to the west into the pool, which keeps much of the water clear save for the near shores where the dead lie thick.
The stench of putrefying flesh is even stronger than the last time when Marek and Karlan where here and as you take a closer look at the dead bodies, you can clearly make out signs of torture and gruesome games ogres call fun. You can only imagine the torment these people endured and in the end death must have been salvation for them.
"Welcome to Riddleport" Harry turns up his nose at the smell.
"That's us had we been caught inside, that's us had we made the mistake of fighting more of those things... that's us had we taken the secret way in and the inevitable dropped weapon or kicked rock happened"
"That's us, and for what?" Harry shakes his head as though the mere suggestion is mad.
"Friends, I know you do not want to go on, but maybe you are just feeling a little psyched out. I mean, we have fought a lot of evil creatures since I've joined you, and i haven't seen them slow us down yet. I just look at these poor folks and I cannot help but feel really bad for them. I'm not saying we make a frontal attack on the fort, but there must be something we can do for the good people of this land. I just hate the thought of going home and saying that I gave up because the ogres looked too big and tough. Come on, Karlan, you are a man of noble action, don't you think there is something we can do?!"
"And that's all you're thinking about HArry." KArlan says. "You."
KArlan's wide arm moves over the whole scene of death and rot. "This isn't going to stop just because you run off to Riddleport and drink the images away in a seedy tavern full of dirty women. This is going to keep happening. Next it will be Turtleback Ferry, then it'll be every town and village between here and Magnimar, then Sandpoint. It doesn't have to be ogres, it doesn't have to be giants, or lamias. Our enemy has proven it can draw from many resources man and monster. It came to us in the form of Aldren and his sickness, it infected Magnimar in the form of its murder cult and bloody sacrifices. It manifested here leaving murder and mayhem and this in its wake. So, yeah Harry, you're right. There's no pay or accolades in the world worth this. There never will be. I'm no martyr but I'd be damned to the hells before I'd stand by and let this keep happening. Think on that Harry. Think on it before you turn tail and run." His point made Karlan pushes past them and starts walking back towards Turtleback Ferry hefting his polearm over his shoulder and muttering. "I need a drink."
"I need a drink."
"Well, you've come to the right, priest! Karlan, my friend, you know that I above anyone else enjoys a good drink every now and then, but I still fail to understand what we are to do next. Going back to the pub! Is that what you are really suggesting?! We have come all this way to face these ogres and restore the fort. Now that we are here and trying to change the plan, I'm not sure how else to solve our problems. Do we have any other great ideas besides taking the fort?"
Ailetha looks at the rest.
I would still like to scout a little more. Only one or two of us. Then we can head back to Turtleback Ferry. Perhaps there are other people we can talk to who have more knowledge of the fort.
Harry sighs.
"We never 'came all this way to retake the fort', we came all this way to find out what happened to the fort. We found out what happened, and sent word back to Magnimar as we were supposed to. 'Retaking the fort' was something you lot decided upon afterwards, off your own reckoning."
"Scouting round a little more is a bit of a waste of time, we have just spent days scouting the place, we have used Auguries, divination, magical tracking of known enemies, we have peeked, scryed, eyeballed, slunk around... we know the whole show inside out"
"There is no one more knowledgeable about the fort down in Turtleback either, we checked before we came here. The only real information came from the Rangers, oh yes, the Rangers, like the Manticore we made best friends with we made best friends with the Rangers too... and how did that turn out eh? And where are those Manticores that we are good friends with? Seen many crop up attacking Ogres? No? Well you can guess why... because they are waiting for one side to do in the other so they can mop up the survivors."
"That's right, had things not been done my way you'd all be dead already, sold out by your Ranger friends the minute we were in the breeze, I never trusted them, and I was right. had we gone with this great 'we can sneak in' caper we'd all be sunk, as it were we did it my way and we have all lived, and mores the point we learned our enemy is far stronger than we are, by a long margin - and yet you keep ignoring that and thinking to go into the fort.
[b]"Sir Karlan, who said anything about running away to Riddleport? I'm keen on killing the enemies, and that means being smarter than them, you seem to be putting your desire for glory above the need for perseverance and thought. Forcing our way in is suicide, you are trying to play their game whilst steadfastly failing to see they are better than you at it, we almost failed against seven, what happens when there's significantly more? That's right, you die, and then all that heartwarming stuff you spoke of comes to pass anyway."
"if you are really all set on killing these things, then the only way is to slowly wear them down, crushingly and painfully over time. TO sit in the woods and snipe at them, keep them up all night, be a thorn in their side until they come out... then disappear into the woods. Kill one here, one there, would only take us a month or two. Meanwhile the real Evil we need to stop continues on with their plans unimpeded, but eventually forces from Magnimar might arrive and we can do a final push. Or we were wrong about that last Ranger and he's gone to get more Ogres...Rangers, who'd trust 'em"
"You do understand that the ambush, the clearing of the fort, and the brutal murder of that ranger were all ideas supported and at times even proposed by you right? Honestly, clearing the fort was just a means of getting to the heart of the matter and cutting it out with extreme prejudice. If I can't do it with a hammer I'll do it with a scalpel." Karlan says as he starts packing up their base camp. "But I'm not in the mood to talk about it right now. I need time to think, and plan, and ask the right questions, and not bicker and b*~*+ about gold, glory, and ancient history. I want the bastards who caused this brought to justice. Everything else is secondary."
After this KArlan broods as he finishes packing and starts heading back to the town all but ignoring the debate all but going on around him.
"Really? I had no interest in the fort, the reason we did this plan is because you lot insisted we go in whilst I was happy to give it a miss as I argued against it even being the real priority. I made the most of it and picked the safest route - which didn't involve allying with traitorous rangers and trying to 'sneak in'. The ambush I set is the only reason we now know what we know and aren't all dead. We do know it was taken to blind the village below, but over and over you lot refuse to ask the question 'to avoid the village knowing what?' The main leaders aren't here which means they are somewhere else carrying out the real plan, but nooooo we need to go in 'For glory' or a bunch of old scrolls."
"The plan was solid, but apparently each one of the Ogre Army is as mighty as the mightiest Ogre chieftains, they apparently don't have garden variety earth pounders, which changed things pretty dramatically. Not our fault, that's just how it is. We ain't got the chops to tackle that place, no shame in it, but an Ogre army equivalent to those fellows is out of our reach"
It goes back and forth :)
The verdict is back to Turtleback?
"Ok, Harry. When you put it that way, I'd certainly rather live to fight another day. So, lead us onward, gentlemen. Where are we off to next? Are we going to meet up with the lamias, or head back to Turtleback Ferry? I'm ok either way, I just like to know where."
Ailetha looks to Harry:
What are they hiding? That is the question. I am sure the answer is in the fort, but if not, then we need to ask in the village. We can talk to the mayor or any other people knowledgeable about the local geography or history. They were using a gambling boat to trap greedy souls, but that sunk. So, what is their next plan? Or the next step in their plan? Perhaps we should try to go down and search the boat. I do not know how we would get underwater, but that is an option. Perhaps there is something past the fort. What is farther up the river or farther in the mountains? Is there a place where some army is being assembled? Is there some great weapon of evil?
This is the problem, you agree that we need to defeat this evil, but right now all that we know about the evil leads to this fort. We do not know whether the lamias are in here or elsewhere. We do not know where this supposed giant came from. We do not know whether the Runelord has returned or whether some other power is using the tools left millennia ago when the Runelords fell.
So, if we are not running away, and if we are not attacking the fort, then what is your next proposed course of action? More scouting of the land? Stay out here and snipe at the ogres when they appear? Climb above the fort on the side of the mountain and have Alana drop fireballs on them when thy show their ugly heads? Return to Turtleback Ferry and ask more questions?
Alana goes deathly quiet as they approach the site of so much death and suffering. She begins to tremble outwardly as the rage she feels inside sweeps through her inwardly. She squats down next to a fallen eagle, gently she reaches out and lets her fingertips caress the feathers. Alana looks up at the group, with fire in her eyes and steel in her quiet voice she says only, "This must be stopped." She remains quiet after that, following the group but looking determined.
"My next course of action? I already gave you the game of sniping the fort, but there's nothing that says the fort is worth anything, in fact everything we have done so far shows the complete opposite. There's also nothing for us in Turtleback, we already asked that lot and frankly the way this group asks questions is one of our biggest faults, continually asking the enemy what is going on and then accepting their word on face value, and frankly those inbred Ferry people don't know spit and the lot of them will just relay anything we say back to their masters anyway, those tattoo's aren't for nothing. Even the Rangers were crooked, and I am just glad to all the gods I did what was needed in rooting out the true level of their complicity with the Ogres... that pile of dead bodies that you all find so horrible is what happens when you trust these Rangers, or listen to the good people of Turtleback Ferry. If I had it my way I'd set Turtleback to the torch."
"Giant came from the same spot as the Lamias no doubt, I'm more interested in where the Ogres came from, wonder if they marched far...?".
"There might be something on the boat, that's one choice, or we get up above the fort and check what it has a good view of, try guess at what they are hiding, indeed, could there be an army building, or something else being built or excavated"
"The boat then. We can head to Turtleback, have a few ales and a good meal, then see about this boat"
You spend the next tow days with the descent from the promontory of Hook Mountain back to Turtleback ferry. Somehow the woods seem darker this time and the lead-grey sky weighs heavy on your mood.
It's also getting colder every day and you realize that you have to hurry up with whatever plan you come up because soon the first snowfalls will make a retutn to the fort much harder.
As you reach the first houses of Turtleback Ferry you are surprised to see quite a crowd in front of the mayor's house. Trappers and lumberjacks, but most of them look worried or at least scared and everyone is shouting and cursing.
"That's encouraging" Harry picks up the pace, eager to see what calamity has upset the locals.
"It seems that wherever we go, there seems to be trouble not far behind, or should I say, not far up ahead. Let's go see what the trouble is this time."
Celestra approaches the mayor's house and asks somebody in the crowd, "What is going on here? Why is everybody yelling?"
"This can't be good." Karlan says and starts semi-politely pushing through the crowd torwards the front with the ease that very large men in spiked armor can.
Ailetha move to the side where she can gain the attention of the crowd should it be necessary.
Prepare to fascinate the crowd if necessary.
Celestra's voice is drowned out by the yelling of the men, but Karlan's and Harry's imposing figures quickly cause the people to calm down and wait in silent anticipation.
The crowd had assembled around the barkeep of the inn, the leader of the lumberjacks, the spokesman of the trappers and the mayor who seems relieved that you have arrived
Ah! See that, now they are here themselves and you can ask them wahtever you want!
the mayor says and looks at the barkeep, who seems nervous but then says hastily
'twas no good that you killed the Grauls! We heard that Jarad Kreeg has sworn revenge and that he will come and butches us like he butchered the Black Arrows!
Harry looks to Karlan, "You doing the explaining or shall I?"
Karlan sighs. "I'll do it. But you be ready to step in should things get uglier."
Karlan steps forward and stares over the crowd for a brief second before addressing all of them at once. "My name is Sir Karlan Bladetwist of the Knights of Ozem and Paladin to the goddess Iomedae! And aye we killed the Grauls! We stormed their home and slaughtered every undead abomination we found including Mammy herself! We rescued their captives and even killed several of the ogres from the fort! There's no doubt that those ogres will likely seek revenge!"
KArlan let's this seek in for a moment as the crowd gets more agitated before speaking again. "And there's more! This town was marked for death and torment long before we arrived here! That floating casino which you so thoroughly enjoyed was a trap set by an evil cult to prey upon your greed like a farmer butchers cattle! Those who gave you the casino and marked those tattoos on your bodies were allied with the ogres and used the fear of being in debt to cause some of the rangers to betray their own, to let their brethren be slaughtered and let you live in terror! Those men are dead now as well! Before we arrived these ogres were torturing, killing, and slaughtering you as slowly as they could stand for the sheer pleasure of seeing you cower in terror! They could only do this because you were betrayed! Because the rangers were betrayed! Because you betrayed yourselves! Make no mistake whether or not we killed the Grauls you'd still be living in fear of the hunters that come in the night, still in fear of the ogres!"
Karlan speaks more calmly giving the crowd a stern but not antagonistic gaze. "So the way I see it you have a choice. You can continue to do as you have, praying to the gods for salvation, huddling in your homes hoping something doesn't break down the door and do unspeakable things to you for hours at a time before possibly killing you. You can flee, and live, for a time but if you are marked you are marked for life. This evil has spread all the way to Magnimar and likely beyond. You can bet you will be hunted no matter how far you go. Or, you can stand and defend your homes. These forests are yours, these homes are yours, and you relied on the Rangers to provide you the safety to have them. Are you going to simply allow those ogres to treat you as sheep to devour at their leisure because the rangers are gone? So tell me. What are you going to do?"
Diplomacy
When karlan begins his speech, there is still quite alot of hubbub in the back but pretty soon the crowd becomes so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
After Karlan has finished, the men seem disheartened and disillusioned. One of the trappers, a sturdy man sporting a fiery red beard, shouts
I got me such a tattoo an' now I'm doomed? Is tha' wha' ye say?
Karlan looks down on him and gives a small sad smile. "Aye, but only if nothing is done about those who hunt you. The Grauls did it before, but they were just agents working for the same evil. Even the ogress who took the fort are part of something more subtle and sinister. Still, there's always a chance they can be defeated, that you can be free of their curse. Come on, let's go to the pub for a drink adn you can tell me about it."
"Yeah, the pub... wonder if that fine Ranger fellow came back and remembered the code word when he returned there for Shalelu. All that Ranger business, quite a mess really. Here's hoping they got the message and left, never to return" Harry looks morbidly curious.
Ailetha moves over next to Karlan:
Actually, those tattoos are a sign of an ancient and evil power that the leaders of these ogres seek to bring back. However, they do not mean that you are doomed. Rather, they mean that the evil followers have marked you as greedy bastards who are ripe for sacrifice. If you sit in your homes in fear, then they have won. They will track you down one by one and rip your souls out. However, if you band together, if you show that you are not the greedy mensch who made their way to the floating pit of decadence that was the casino, then you might stand a chance. Working together as one is the opposite of greed. It is not you or your souls they want, it is your greedy souls. They want those who would put personal gain above helping others. They want those who would betray their friends and family for a few erotic minutes with a beautiful woman or another round of drinks. They do not want people who band together. They do not want people who will sacrifice their lives to save those they love and their neighbors.
We can discuss this over a few drinks, but I would advice all you who are capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with your neighbors, those who are capable of wielding a sword, or a hammer, or a bow, or even a pitchfork, to do so to save yourselves and to have a chance of saving this town against the evil that is slowly amassing farther up in the hills.
Diplomacy(aid another):
Marek stands to the back of the group, hoping his appearance won't upset the audience and prevent the message from being passed.
"Let's try not get them too encouraged, they'll get full of piss and vinegar and their bravado will lead to a massacre, and then we will have to mop up that mess too. If a group of seasoned and well equipped adventurers found the Ogre footsoldiers a challenge, random groups wandering into the hills armed with implements would only have us running around trying to rescue them all afterwards, or fill Sir Karlans pit he showed us"
Ailetha's addendum hasn't much of an impact but the hardy men of the mountains still follow Karlan and the others to the inn...here quickly groups form where the men stand together and debate whether it is better to wait, to fight or to flee...over the course of the afternoon mostly everyone is in one of the three camps and to your relief, the fighting-camp is the largest.
A tall imposing man who looks like there was at least one orc in his ancestry is their leader and he joins your table with grim determination on his face
We go on warpath! Me is Omur Eyegouger and I will lead this men!