"I have heard of Worgs before, but until now I had never seen one. They are truly massive. If you were able to strike an alliance Hella, I could only see that as a boon for us."
Rodric, still astride his horse, strokes his hair back lackadaisically, and stows his lance for the time being.
"Vicious things, though I was prepared to give them a sound what-for!" She raises her fists in a mock brawling look. "Press on then? I don't know about you all, but I'm wanting to rest in a real bed at least once this week!"
Amused by the situation, Nedyr mimes writing a letter,"Dear Sponsors, we have currently found a way to strengthen a kobold tribe, and are trying to outfit them with Worgs to ride, but don't worry, this land is shaping up nicely. Hugs and kisses, Nedyr." H
Hella chuckled. "Oh, they would probably freeze like frightened deer and choke." Hella let her horse move with the others, the reins resting in her hands.
Smiling down at Mikmek she offers to let him take the reins if he wanted since he was in front.
"Well, Littlefang might want us to head directly back to the tribe Arilyth. Your bed will have to wait most likely."
"But the tribe's on tha way back ta Oleg's!" Aluxion grins encouragingly at the bard.
"I'll admit I'm not too keen on workin' with worgs. They seemed kinda unnat'ral ta me." Aluxion ponders the age old question 'What would Erastil do?'
The rest of the day is relatively uneventful, you do however smell something delicious in the air as you approached Littlefangs glade.
Hella urges Blue Moon to head to the camp and once out in the glade would give a yip of greeting.
"Littlefang, we have returned with Mikmek and what you asked for."
The shamans head snaps up as he turns from the whole deer he was roasting, Big Fang takes the opportunity to snatch a whole hindquarters at the distraction. "You have?!" He rushes over clearly ignoring Mikmeks presence. [b]"Please, let me have!"[b] His eyes flash with vindictive glee as his face clearly shows the emotion of someone whose revenge is close at hand.
Hella chuckles and would dismount and opens up her backpack. "Not even a word of greeting to the brave warrior that helped us retrieve it by distracting the mites? You should be praising him."
She holds out the statue for him chuckling as she spotted Big Fang stealing the meat.
Nedyr chimes in, "You should know, there doesn't seem to be any magic on the statue. If this is provided by the 'other shaman', I suspect your tribe may have been flimflammed, hoodwinked, suckered, played and plied."
Indeed this little brave fellow was the lone surviving kobold it would seem, and he was withstanding their torture where others fell Littlefang."
He added nodding to the survivror Mikmik. As Nedyr spoke of perhaps the Kobolds being well tricked by the statue he frowned. He hadnt really thought of that possibility.
What sort of shamen would trick his tribe like that? I must admit I dont know enough of Kobolds to know if thats... well normal or not. But it doesnt seem right.
"I could be mistaken, I admit it but as for it being done, well, it wouldn't be the first time religion had been wrongfully appropriated for selfish gain. That's why I worship Callistria, she starts out encouraging selfish gain... how are you going to corrupt that? Encourage charity?" He jests.
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Aluxion attempts to help the shaman in his own way. "Ah don't suppose y'all have been considerin' tha worship of Erastil? Besides huntin', he's all 'bout the community an' protectin' yer tribe from such 'opportunist wolves.' Ah would be happy ta discuss 'is teachings with y'all." He goes on to explain that he'd leave the spiritual well-being of the tribe in Littlefang's claws, and that the worship of Erastil wouldn't have to supplant, but could instead compliment, whatever worship they already partake in.
But with a country accent.
Shaking his head, "We's remove the fraud first, then we talks about changes." His little black scales seem to glitter all the brighter in the early evening as he dances around happily. "Come, come! You rest here, in the morning we go!"
"All right, then. Don't y'all run off 'fore us. Tartuk might not take too kindly to y'all showin' back up. Ah'd like ta be with ya when that happens." Aluxion eyes the roasting deer hungrily, "Ah'd be mighty obliged if ya shared some a' that 'fore we get some shut-eye."
Hella smiled as she commented. "And Hopefully before Big Fang eats it all." She joked and stretched and would motion for Mikmek to dismount so she could tend to the horse with a smile. Shifting she looked at Littlefang.
"I do not speak the language of your people but could you tell Mikmek what we are saying. When Nedyr isn't available?" She asked as she started tending to Blue Moon letting him rest.
Finally glancing at Mikmek he smiles a toothy grin, "Maybe I makes him learn your language, more exercise for his heads do him good. But yes I translates." He motions everyone over to the fire and begins slicing off generous portions for everyone.
"You're too kind" He says
Fine, peak all you want, cheater :P j/k
Over the course of the meal, Mikmek and Littlefang exchange words.
Mikmek: "What is your interest in the statue, you left the tribe long ago."
Littlefang: "I was run out by that traitor Tartuk, he lies and has mislead the clan. But until now I had not the strength to challenge him, nor the proof. Even with the dragonblood flowing in my veins."
Mikmek: "You can prove this? I have started to feel it. He takes the wealth and feasts while the tribe slowy dies, the younglings have dull scales from eating only barely enough. Can you trust these tallones? What is their agenda"
Littlefang: "So far they have kept their word, and they were sent to me by one of the yew tallones I can trust. I did not give them the tribes location until they brought back the statue so that I knew if they could be trusted. It has significant value but they brought it back anyway rather than trying to hunt our kind down and drive us out. I think they are not like the other tallones, they will keep their bargains. Even if they do have odd ideas about food and religion."
Littlefang winks at Nedyr and translates, "Mikmek asks why I trust tallones. I point out you bring statue back though it maybe worth lots of coin. Tomorrow we go to tribe and finish this. We win and maybe tribe owes you debt. We lose and die your souls maybe join with the great dragons as worthy." He doesn't seem remotely worried that you might actually lose. Showing great confidence in his own, and your abilities.
Nedyr whispers a translation to his allies even before Littlefang winks at him.
Then smiles when Littlefang does,
Hella smiles at Littlefang's words. "We are a pack and if we hunt together, with your pack. We both become stronger." She said feeding her wolf and taking bites of the meat herself.
"We should decide who is keeping watch tonight."
"if possible, someone besides me, I have to get spells back" The witch admits
The sunrise brought the smell of water, a heavy fog blanketing the kobolds home and garden in a dense mist that made it nigh impossible to see where one was going beyond their immediate area. However Littlefang did not seem the least bit perturbed, as he gathered his gear and readied to travel.
"We go!" the unbridled glee in his eye as he mounted big fang gave hint to just how excited he was to be on this little journey.
The fog lifted around noon and you are surprised to look around and realize just how much territory you have covered. As Littlefang guides his mount down into a small ravine you see the first signs of occupation. A cave entrance of worked stone with some old broken mining implements scattered about. He dismounts and nods in that direction. Waiting for your reactions.
Nedyr requests a bit of travel music as they go along through the fog.
When they find themselves at the ravine and the entrance, he raises a brow at the mining equipment, "A mine? How interesting."
He tries to recall if he's heard of any mining in the greenbelt.
Hella would offer Mikmek a ride with her if he wished and would have Nedyr help her start learning the basics of the draconic language. It would be good to know the languages of those close.
Once at the ravine and pulling up she would smile and starts gauging it as a den area. Looking to Littlefang she nods. "Looks good so far. Why leave the broken tools out here though?"
Tunnels under old trees, tunnels in the earth for metal... does everything have to be underground? He said lowly slightly complaining mostly to himself. He paused and took a glance again at their surroundings, He had a little trust that the kobold Littlefang wasnt a bad fellow... but the one MikMik, did mention they eat their dead. The ravine would be a good place for an ambush.
Littlefang shrugs, "Broken talloneses tools not usefulls to the clan.
Mikmek and Littlefang begin to head in, after a short bend you reach a place where the ceiling caved in, leaving the small chamber open to the sun above. A sinkhole fills the center. Off to the left a shallow side tunnel has been barred up with stout branches, imprisoning a lone mite. The creature wails pitifully and huddles as far away from the light as he can. off to the right, an odd contraption hangs suspended above a chasm that opens onto another tunnel deeper into the stone. It appears to be a sort of drawbridge made of three seprate hanging platforms that could be raised or lowered from the other side. A kobold appears to be napping just on the other side.
Nedyr mutters in elvish
As they go deeper in, he follows behind the sturdier of his own group.
"I did not realize those were tallone tools. The wood can be reused as could the metal. Melted down and made into weapons and armor. It is just an idle though."
Looking at the strange contraption she would look at Littlefang and Mikmek before looking at the Kobold napping on the far side.
"So do you wish to wake the sleeping one? I think If I did I would give him a fright."
The mite wailing off to one side made her look at it but she could only find the barest of empathy for it in her mind.
Aluxion murmurs to the kobolds with them, "I'll leave it to y'all to lead us through here." He does his best to not wake the sleeping sentry as the walk past.
Thinking as they go along, he continues, "It might be best if y'all do the talkin', too. I'm thinkin' your tribe wouldn't take kindly ta outsiders tellin' 'em what ta do."
"I will take the lead. But Hella, you seem to have some rapport with the Kobolds, perhaps you will manage the talks?"
Rodric stretches for a moment after dismounting Fortune, swinging his arms in circles to loosen up. Leaving his sword sheathed he unstraps the shield from it's place on the mount's saddle and hefts it easily. He then follows behind Mikmek and Littlefang, leading his companions.
Hella looked at him. "I think it is only with Littlefang I have a rapport with. I am sociable but Nedyr seems to be doing well translating for us and knows more. I go off of.... pack mentality and suggest things that way. Littlefang likes meat I figured so I offered some. I don't have much extra to offer here."
Smiles at him. "My rapport is better with you because you are all in my pack. A strange pack we are but my pack none the less."
"I'll be happy to keep translating, of course," Nedyr says with an easy smile, "And even give lessons in the language later. It's a beautiful tongue, though the kobold dialect does.. differ a bit from dragon speak as I learned it."
The kobolds appear to be waiting for you to cross, though Mikmek keeps throwing dagger glares at the sleeping kobold as if he has been offended somehow.
Hella would chuckle and motions Roderic to lead and she would follow. Wolf would sniff the air and follow's her
Well then, lets get this moving then." The young elf began following behind the well armored Rodric.
"Indeed," He follows
Aluxion follows the others in, unsure how he should be presenting himself. Hypothetically there shouldn't be any trouble, so he tries to look as nonthreatening as possible. He holsters () his bow over his shoulder and has a smile ready for any Kobolds they might run into.
Mikmek begins babbling angrily at the sleeping guard as he approaches, the guard wakes and responds, he is clearly intimdated.
guard: The mites didn't attack last night, and they never attack during the day...
Suddenly the guard realizes that those accompanying Mikmek are exiles and tallones, jumps back with a start and lets out a frightened meep.
Hella would look at the guard and nods figuring he wouldn't understand anything she said. Waiting for Nedyr to translate she would look around.
"We are here to see your Leader correct? Shall we go?"
Aluxion waves nervously at the kobolds, not understanding the exchange going on between them but wanting to look harmless. "Will he let us in?" he asks.
Littlefang gives a toothy grin, "After the scaling Mikmek threatened him with he would be dumb not to, Nakpik lazy but not dumb." The kobolds begin to lead you into the warren, the tunnels are entirely unlit and filled with offshoots barely big enough for a kobold to crawl through. Fortunately they guide you through the ones tall enough for a man to walk upright in. As you go a small following of curious onlookers beings to form up behind you, made up of kobolds of all apparent ages.
Hella would take note and doesn't seem bothered by the darkness. Her wolf sticks close to her using her scent to follow.
His owl nestling on his shoulder, Nedyr, normally chatty, grows quiet as they go deeper into the dark tunnel
As the tunnel gets dark, Aluxion clears his throat and says, "Some o' us aren't that good at seein' in tha dark. I hope y'all don't mind..." He trails off into a short chant that causes the holy symbol around his neck to glow, helping him not run into any more walls than strictly necessary.
You hear the water before you see it, as you come around a bend you find yourself in a more natural cave. To your right it slopes down and water trickles from the wall and collects in a depression before draining away in other small cracks. It smells as sweet as any other fresh spring. To your left the cave walls have been covered and obscured by a wooden framework made of branches and hides. They are painted crudely with mystic symbols and odd looking animals. There is a little light here, the product of the glowing coals under a large cauldron. A small area seems to be curtained off, and an odd looking sight reveals itself. From the curtained off area a kobold with purple scales emerges. He is dressed in all the finery one would expect of a primitive shaman... or a huckster pretending the same. Smallscale hisses in anger quietly, only your group is close enough to hear.