Laughing at something that Tikkle had just said, Gashka doesn't notice the pair of boys at first. Startled a bit by the greeting, and not paying attention to her surroundings she stumbles over a tree root. In an attempt not to fall on her face, she reaches out and grabs Tikkle's arm which helps steady her. Her mouth forms an "O" in surprise as she rights herself, a deep blush forming on her cheeks as she realizes she's still holding onto him.
Letting go of his arm, she looks at the other two and waves back. "Uh..hhello there. What brings yas all the way out here? Did your mothers send you to pick sumfin up? My mamas inside if ya need her." She tilts her head to the side as she looks them over, her expression somewhat curious. It's easy to tell that she's not used to having people just drop by.
"Well, we kind of have a situation here. Ya got a place we can hide?" Flynt asks.
"Big brother opened his big mouth and now we're on the run." Nathaniel clarifies which prompts an elbow to the rib. "Hey, it's true. Barney and his friends want to beat us up now." He continues rubbing his chest.
"Just a misunderstanding. But seriously, like an attic or something?" Off in the distance four large and visibly angry teenage boys can be seen scanning the area for the two boys.
A glower appears on her face as she sees the teens approach.
"Go on into the house and tell my ma what's goin on. Tikkle and I can take care of the goons." She looks over and smiles impishly at Tikkle, "Ain't that right? Now, they look like they can be some fun." Gashka chuckles as she shoos the brothers into her house quickly, keeping them out of sight of the older boys.
Picking up an axe, she walks over to a large tree stump and starts splitting some firewood.
"Cute and nice. Thanks!" Flynt replies before heading into the house alongside Nathaniel. The group of teens make their way over to Gash's farm. "Hey either of you two weirdos see two twerps come by here?" Barney asks Gashka. Said twerps watch the exchange through a window.
Gashka looks up at the boys after splitting a rather large piece of wood with very little effort. "You boys are an awful long way from home to be callin anyone names round here. Name callin denotes lack of maturity as well as intelligence. I think you boys better head on back home before my papa gets back from his hunt." She smirks at them as she splits another piece of wood.
"I call it like I see it." Barney replies before one of his cronies nudges him. "Isn't her dad the orc we heard about? I heard he killed a bunch of folk and that's why they moved here." He says trying to whisper but failing. "Yea, isn't he supposed to be crazy strong? Which means she's probably really strong too." Barney's eyes widen with much fear. "You know what, I think they went that way. Yea definitely that way." He says before nodding for his crew to take off as he does the same.
Gashka's smirk fades at the older boys comments about her family. Her little fist tightens around the handle of the axe as she starts to visibly shake, but she says nothing and lets them run away.
Once they are gone she throws the axe at the tree stump, it's blade sticking half an inch or so in as she walks back to the house with Tikkle and the firewood for her mama.
Flynt watches in awe as the bullies walk away. As Gashka walks through the door, the boys are ecstatic. "Oh my god, that was awesome. You made them run away..." Flynt's tone softens as he sees Gashka's distress. "Did they hurt you? I don't remember seeing them do anything to ya. What's wrong?"
Gashka sets the firewood down in a box next to their stove before turning around to the others. Her face is drawn and tight, the anger apparent on her face.
Seeing her daughter so upset, but knowing how hard it must have been to let them run away, Kealey goes to her and wraps her arms around her...as much as she can at least with her swollen belly.
"Gashka...what happened? What did they say to you?" Pulling a chair out from what appears to be a hand carved table, Gashka plops into the seat. She sits there for a moment, a scowl on her face. Finally, after taking a few deep breaths she looks at her mother.
"They didn't do anything to me...not that they could." With a warning glance from her mother, Gashka clears her throat and continues. "It's not what they said to me mama...it's what they said about us. One of those boys said that we had to move here because papa killed a bunch of people." Her face gets a pained and knowing expression on it, "Why mama? Why do they have to make things like that up? I guess I should just get used to it...."
Kealey goes and sits in front of her daughter. Taking her chin gently in her hands she has her look at her. "Ya know honey, when people say or do mean things it's usually because they are either afraid, or simply don't understand you or your papa. You know what they said isn't true, and that's all that really matters. Let them say whatever they want to, it doesn't change the truth." She takes Gashka into a loving hug before kissing her on the forehead. "I was very proud of the way you handled those boys. You are getting better at controlling your anger and that's a very good thing."
Gashka nods and wipes her face with her sleeve, not wanting the others to see just how upset the other kids had made her. "I know mama, it's just hard sometimes. Can we maybe have a sweet roll?"
Kealey looks at her for a moment and sighs, "You know how I feel about you having sweets before dinner, but I guess I can make an allowance for it this one time." She takes the baked rolls she had made earlier that day and hands one to each of them. "There, now take them outside so I can finish up in here. Your papa should be home soon."
I must, for I am the last of the Sootfingers and of the family, if I am to succeed in reforging that I must have achievements to draw other outcasts to my Cabal... Tell me Tehanna, how do you like the new home, this "lone spider" that juts into the ceiling above us?
note to I'll get the info sorted into Pharnox's profile eventually. At the moment the profile face will be his adult face...
Both Flynt and Nathaniel eagerly takes a sweet roll, their love of baked goods stemming from having bakers for parents made itself apparent. "Thanks, ma'am." They said in unison. But before engaging his treat in honorable combat, Flynt stops to address the sad half orc girl. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you mixed up in this. I just talk a lot which gets me in trouble. Those guys are goons, not even bright ones. Don't listen to anything they say. I've known you for a few minutes and I can tell you're amazing. You didn't have to help us. Pop always said to show gratitude to people who help you, because no one has to. So those that do are special." He then takes a bite from the sweet roll while his little brother has devoured his already. "When..nomnom..do you ever listen to..gulp..dad?" Nathan asks his elder sibling.
"Oh and I totally forgot. I'm Flynt and this is my kid brother Nathaniel. I just call him Nat." The older one says introducing himself to everyone else. "I'm like a year younger than you.." Nat retorts.
That...is just too cool. I've never played in a campaign where we played with any drow before, so this should be totally awesome.
At the farm: A rather large orc walks in with an arm load of fresh furs. Dumping them on a side table they had just for that purpose, he turned and saw the three little newcomers. "An interesting thing happened on my way home. There were four boys that came running from our property, saw me and ran like the wind. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you Gashka?"
Nibbling on her own sweet roll she looks at the two and smiles, her small tusks showing a bit while she blushes at his compliment. She finishes her treat before answering them. "It's good to meetcha. I've been so busy at home, I don't usually get out much, unless I'm running an errand for mama. Don't worry about draggin me into anything, I sorta volunteered. I was kinda hopin one of em' would be stupid enough to try something....I didn't think the rumors had started to spread yet. I guess I was hopin for too much huh? That's a small town for ya though, can't really help it. People don't seem to have much else ta do cept gossip bout others. Mama's right though, it don't matter what they say."
She gestures to her new kit friend, "This here's Tikkle, he's new here so I brought em' home with me. I was thinkin...when papa gets home me an' him could walk you guys back home. Just to make sure no one gets any funny ideas." She smiles then with a mischievous look in her eye.
@ Gashka - Yes you can.
"Yea, everyone knows everything and nothing in a small town." Flynt says back.
"My hero." He says mock-swooning after she offers to walk them home. Both of the brothers' eyes widen at the sight of the large orc. "Your dad is big."
She looks up at her father, "Yes, papa....but, I was only defending flynt and nate here." She gestures to the other two boys, "They were being mean and looked like they were gonna beat them up....so, I told them to go home. I just happened to be chopping some firewood at the time. Then one of them....he...he said you killed a bunch of people and that's why we had to move here....and then they ran away. That's all that happened, I swear."
She nods her head, "Yup"
"Yea, that's what happened honest. Your daughter saved our lives, sir. "
Pharnox looks up into the glaring sun and grimaces, then his face seems to turn into a mask of resolve...
This land is hostile to us, I feel it in my bones. Yet the Deeps were also hostile to us and we gained some measure of mastery over them... This land like the Deeps must be conquered, it's challenges surmounted and victory carved out of it's hide... Survival is all that matters, there are only those who are fit to live and those who are not fit to live... Soon we will learn which camp we fall into...
Terra follws her new friend to the training ground. My mom won't let me even learn to fight. Then she catches sight of the practice dummies. All the more reason to learn....come on, race ya terra says as she runs ahead to the training ground but she apparently didn't see the stone on the ground and ends up tumbling over landing face first into the dirt.
It is obvious to Anyka that Terra should have seen that it wasn't hidden. Terra has bad vision
At the farm: The picked up his girl and gave her a great big hug. "Good girl. And being's that I didn't see any bruises on them I take it you didn't beat on them. I'm so proud of you."
Gashka beams a smile at her father and wraps her arms around his big neck, "I didn't even hit them one time, and mama gave us all a sweet roll." She points at the Kit, "That's Tikkle papa, I met him in town earlier when I was dropping off some sewing for mama. There were some kids in town being mean, but I didn't hit them either. Then I ran into Tikkle and he was so nice I brought him home with me." She puts her hands on either side of his face and brings her big brown eyes really close to his.
"Mama said she would talk to you, but" She looks back at Tikkle before looking back at her papa and whispers in his ear, "He's all alone papa, and I just couldn't leave him all alone in town. No telling what mighta happened."
At the farm: He just smiles, "You have a big heart Gashka, did you know that?" Setting her down, the big Orc looks quizzically at Flynt and Nathaniel. Pointing at the both of them he asks, "Aren't you two the baker's son's?"
A grey haired younger boy approaches the toppled girl and helps her to her feet. "You sure fall alot" he says matter of factly. As though he'd seen her fall before. " Are you alright?" he asks.
Terra starts to get up but when Jin goes to help her up as he takes hold of her to assist. terra pulls away in slight pain.
She turns away a little embarrased, trying to hide something. but after a bit she turns back around I'm fine. can you show me what you were doing there? I wanna learn to fight too. she says trying to avoid any embarassing questions.
Oh yeah, I'm Valterra, but you can just call me Terra.
"Yep. Flynt and Nat. Nice to meet you sir. Our parents make the best bread in town. Though this is really good too."
Gashka goes and stands next to Tikkle while her father speaks with Flynt and Nate.
Walking in on the group, Kealey just smiles as she walks over to her husband. Putting a hand on his back she leans against him, "It would seem that our daughter has had quite a day today. How was your day my love?" She has him bend down so she can give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Everything is in the stove and should be ready in about another hour or two. I'm going to go put my feet up for a little while." She smiles at him before walking into another room to sit and relax while dinner is cooking.
"My Pa showed me how to fight if you want I can show you to?" He says with a big grin, drawing two wodden sticks from his belt.
Everything has some price, survival is no different. Whether one chooses to pay in gold, knowledge or blood in the end all that matters is survival. Broken legs can be healed, limbs can be restored through the exercise of science especially precursor science. But the dead cannot be revived, not without an expenditure of resources beyond most of us...
Pharnox sits down upon a pile of rocks and his voice becomes brutal, callous even. But then again all Drow are brutal and callous, one way or another.
We must survive for a simple reason, the dead are cold Tehanna. They cannot feel the scent of victory nor the glory of a life well lived, they cannot feel pride in achievement or accomplishment. It is that coldness that I fear, we have fought so hard to survive... To give up now would be to end our existence without meaning, to give up now would be a disgrace to all who died to make this possible. Surrender is never an option, death like any other foe must be fought with fury, intelligence and above all else the desire to conquer... Anything less and we are already corpses moldering in the ground, waiting for the beasts of the Deeps to feed on our corpses...
At the Farm: The Orc looks towards the pile of furs, "Does that answer your question?" Before Kealey got too far, he turned her around, knelt down, and said to her swollen belly, "And how are you little brawler? Are you ready to see the light of day?"
Kealey rubs her belly while smiling at her husband, "To me it feels like they should be here any time now. A few more weeks perhaps? I have to see Yasmina tomorrow for another check up, we'll know more after that I think." She puts her hands on his face, much in the way their daughter had and looks at him lovingly. She smiles at him, "Well, of course you had a good day. You don't know how to have any other kind of day." She laughs, but puts her hands to the small of her back massaging her sore muscles.
Kealey sighs, "I guess I should go rest for a bit before dinner is ready." She heads into the other room to relax for a little bit.
Gashka goes to her father, "Would it be okay if me and Tikkle walked Flynt and Nate home papa?"
"I suppose, but be back before supper. You know how your mother worries."
Pharnox examines the strange ceiling above him warily, he checks his Dragon Pistol to make sure it is ready for any problems that he might encounter... He also loads a dose of Drow poison onto his other weapon of choice, the hand crossbow.
As he does this he makes sure that his others tools are ready, the cycle under the pale sphere that rose into the ceiling would be challenging and dangerous... Yet all life was dangerous, survival was all that mattered in the end...
Drow are an amoral race to the bone, their mutated form of elven doesn't even have words for "good" and "evil". To a Drow helping a passerby you don't even know for no gain is foolish, at the same time however torturing another is generally a waste of time (do be warned however, some Drow can go on a "stealthy" Rampage of Revenge if angered sufficiently). The Drow do grasp the concepts of "order" and "chaos", even here however the drow only care about them as to how they increase the chances of survival. A Drow Captain for instance would be LN, he understands that survival often depends not only on his ability to lead but on the members of his squad acting as a cohesive, orderly unit. On the other hand Drow outcasts who wander the tunnels in search of just a means to survive from day to day will be loners by nature and thus CN. Alignments like NG and NE are fairly rare and the extreme alignments (CG, LG, LE, CE) are almost non existent.
The Drow military is starkly different from most other militaries especially of the surface world. Drow warriors and officers all go through a period of training at a War Academy, rather then an outright focus on obedience in everything and large scale army deployments Drow tacticians and trainers urge a different approach. Drow are trained to become members of highly cohesive "squads" averaging 6 to 12 members. Unlike a surface military the Drow military doesn't keep it's attack plans secret from the average grunt (to be fair the average grunt is generally quite intelligent) and lower ranks of officer. These plans are disseminated down the chain of command rapidly, the goal is to allow the Drow to be able to switch their plans on the fly.
The Drow are not fans of the setpiece battle (excepting the ambush) and favor not playing to a foe's rules or style of warfare. If facing duergar for instance the Drow won't bother to bring along poison, they will bother however to bring fuse grenades a plenty and will use cliffs, obscure tunnels and so forth to lob them at the compact, heavily armored formations of the duergar...
While Drow favor the use of hit and run warfare heavily they are not blind to the reality that sometimes you need a lot of force to win... Instead of gearing up cavalry like the surface races would to solve this problem the Drow use any number of special weapons to serve the role of "armored unit". Alchemical golems, Giant alchemically enhanced (and obedient) spiders and large, mindless oozes (directed by the use of sonic pulse thumbers, think like from Dune) are the most popular of these. When the Drow use these heavy weapons of war it almost always is in the larger context of massive, well coordinated blitzstrieg attack that leaves enemies reeling and in chaos...
On the defensive the Drow have pioneered highly innovative fortifications which protect their cannons (and the crews that operate them) them from most attacks. In addition to this they fortifications also use "tubes" (think of a medieval castle latrine, but with an even more "offensive" purpose in mind) which Drow use to make scaling the walls of their fortifications impossible, typically either liquid acid or alchemical glue is "flushed" down the tubes and onto the ground near the fortifications themselves... The effect as one can envision can be grizzly...
When defending a cavern or so far with no preplanned fortifications Drow typically setup hackbuts, hand bombards and perhaps a light cannon to defend the place. This firepower is generally enough to defend the place and if not Drow will also coat the entrances in alchemical glue (of a special, flammable variety) that slows down enemies and leaves them easy targets...
While the Drow language is elven it has diverged sufficiently that it might seem a bit alien to an elf who listened to it. Drow Elven tends to be far more "precise", "focused" and less "flowery" or "subtle" as normal elven. In the same vein while elven can quite easily explain the more esoteric aspects of the arcane via special words Drow Elven can explain highly technical concepts via the same method. These words would be mutually unintelligible if the two races were ever to speak, the elf could not grasp the words of Drow engineering or mechanical concepts while a drow could not grasp the elven words which describe high concepts of magic...
Also the Drow do not have words for "sky, moon, stars, sun, deer, elk etc..."
GM want me to add more lore to the Drow?
Actually, I think I've got a pretty good grasp on it. Most likely, it won't come into play until later. If I need anything else, I'll let you know.
Gashka goes to her father and wraps her arms around him, "I love you papa, I promise we'll be careful. Tell mama we'll be back in time to eat." She smiles up at him before letting go and looking at the others, "C'mon guys, let's go." They all walk out of the house and head off for Flynt and Nates home, laughing and talking without a care in the world as children usually do.