"Racist? You're the one that is always spouting of racist sayings and calling us by demeaning name based on our race. Would you like if I always called you squinty eyes the the way you keep calling us round eyes? I am tired of your continuous disparaging remarks. As far as I am concerned you can just go learn to heal yourself!"
"C'mon, don't you Northerners have any sense of 皮肉 ...what's the common word ...oh, yeah, 'irony'? I'm half-Chelaxian! Where I come from, I AM the round-eye!"
"Half Chelaxian? Really? I didn't know," Rutilux seems surprised.
"Relax, Dagmar. You felled a giant today. This one is below you." Ana tries to calm Dagmar.
"Barkeep: seven glasses, and a Mwangi nanny for the boy."
Then she takes Rutilux, Zethyris and Isham aside, and whispers to them "You are good with Julian. Make him shut up. Or at least make him go and insult somebody else."
"My mother was from Cheliax. My parents met fighting demons. When she got pregnant they moved to Tian-Min. Did you guys think I was seriously calling you that?"
"I ...I did not mean actual offense,Ragnasdottir-san," Julian bows deeply. "My mother and father sparred verbally as expression of affection. You are all my boon companions, and it has been an honor to serve with you. I am shamed by my behavior ...I thought it was understood ...but that is no excuse."
Ana stares at Julian, half surprised and half expecting an insulting punchline to follow.
How do we know that Julian is actually a man? You know the Tian look all alike. Time to yank those pants down to make sure!
Like Ana, Dagmar can only stare for a moment, not knowing whether to take him seriously or not?
He hears Ana's request and seems surprised. He never thought of himself as particularly patient compared to Isham, for example. Still he nods indicating he'll try.
"My mother was from Cheliax. My parents met fighting demons. When she got pregnant they moved to Tian-Min. Did you guys think I was seriously calling you that?"
"Then your parents, both of them, are to be honored. Many of the best of Cheliax went to fight the world wound. Some of my own kin included. Alas, those who dealt with devils took advantage of that opportunity to seize power," Then he adds, "And yes, Julian. Maybe you just have...amazing delivery, but it is very hard to tell when you are joking, and when you truly either mean insult or at least don't care when you give it."
"I ...I did not mean actual offense,Ragnasdottir-san," Julian bows deeply. "My mother and father sparred verbally as expression of affection. You are all my boon companions, and it has been an honor to serve with you. I am shamed by my behavior ...I thought it was understood ...but that is no excuse."
"It can be too late for a man to temper a sword, but it is almost never too late for him to temper himself once he knows. Or so my grandfather said to me once," Rutilux wonders if he's being played, but the man seems sincere.
Hoisting one of the foaming tankards of ale, "A toast - to all the round-eyed ghost people! And all of the voluptuous half-Chelaxian Mwangi women!"
"A toast - to all the round-eyed ghost people! And all of the voluptuous half-Chelaxian Mwangi women!"
Zethyris smiles and raises his mug of Caydenbrew. "May your ale never sour and your sword never falter!"
"Yes Julian. I thought you were continually insulting us and was completely confused about why you were even here if you held us all in such contempt. I cannot speak about how your parents behaved with each other, but I do not care for that sort of verbal sparring at all. And what does it say about me to others we meet if I allow you call me such things and disparage me so? It would be insulting to my honor and make others think I had no self-respect."
Dagmar takes up one of the tankards of ale, orders another and then drinks down the one in her hand in several gulps.
Jediah quaffs ale with Zethyris.
"I will ...leave you to your leisure." Julian bows again and leaves.
Thorvald grabs Julian by the arm as he gets ready to leave, "Hey! Almost everything you say is funny, well the menstral juice thing, yeah not so much, that was just gross. Making jests at the expense of tired, hungry and road soiled women can be dangerous business, we are all tired and coming down from a good fight, you and I are poisoned, it's all good, but you will be insulting us all if you walk away from a perfectly good drink. The girls are just trying to give you a taste of your own medicine. As you can see it can sting a bit. Please stay and share a drink, you deserve to sit here with us."
Rutilux , drink still in hand, is caught off guard by the cascade of events. Still, it looks like Thorvald is trying to help Julian in his way. Rutilux decides to try to help as well, "Julian, whatever we may make of your attempts at humor, you are one of us, and you pull your weight in every fight and every duty we are given. Dagmar is right to be honest so you understand where the boundaries are, but that is not meant to drive you off. Join us for a drink, please."
Julian beams. "I would be glad to." He grabs a glass. "コディアックの爪に、我々は鈍いないかもしれない！乾杯！
Rutilux clinks his drink against Julian's before taking a swig.
Dagmar will down her second mug of ale right after it arrives.
Upon hearing a strange language, Julian realizes his own tongue may have made people uncomfortable. "Ah, right, no one speaks any Tian. Sorry. I said 'To the claws of the Kodiak, may we never dullen!' and then that last word, 'Kampai' is how we say 'cheers.'"
"Very well then, may your wit never dull either."
"Kampai, then," Rutilux returns.
"Cheers."
Having finished her second mug of ale, Dagmar requests a room, a bath and if food and another mug of ale can be delivered to her room. If yes to all of the above, Dagmar will take her leave to get cleaned up, eat and sleep.
Jediah finishes his ale and heads up as well for a bath and sleep.
The bar tender seems more than happy to send round after round your way as you celebrate the days battles and victories as well as hopefully a new sense of companionship with each other.
The ale and spirits are quite strong, befitting a dwarven tavern which causes you all to slow down after the first two or three.
Late into the night your celebrations finally start to wind down as your exhaustion and the alcohol begin to catch up to you. Stumbling down the stairs to the rooms provided, and offered free to defenders of the city, and for some into steaming baths to soak away grime and aches and head off to your beds.
"Ahhhhhh, a nice hot bath . . . Heh think of all those hobgoblins outside the walls sitting in their leantos and hunched around fires of ox and swine dung. The Dwarves know how to fight in style." Thorvald muses before taking a more serious tone, [/b]"I thank you all for the good day, but I must bid you until the morrow for this ale is strong and I fear we must have our wits and arms about us. Having breeched the gate once they will try it again. I fear we might need to go beyond these wall ourselves if we are to keep them without our gates. My Thanes, lord Protector, and Lady, it was an honor, may there be more to come."[/b]
"Ana are you ready to retire to the bath as well or will you be another moment? I would stay but the spiders venom still saps my strength."
Rutilux cuts the drinks off after four, and heads up the steps as well. He too, takes a bath, for the grime of war followed by ale is not likely to smell pleasant in the morning. After it is done, he finds his bed, secures the room out of habit, and goes to sleep.
Having had some experience of late night grog-fueled celebrations, Isham moderates his consumption somewhat. He ensures that he's the last one to the bath, the first one out, and that everyone is settled into bed, before himself finding a bunk.
The next morning, after a hearty meal, you return to the fortress and the guards seem to have been warned to expect you because a runner heads off immediately and returns a few minutes after with Skylord Ruam in tow. "Good morning ladies and lads. I hope you've gotten some sleep and are ready for a battle. The generals have agreed to meet in a short while to talk with you and discuss preparations for Savol,s arrival. Come with me."
Ruam leads you through the fortress again, this time heading up much higher than before and into a large room with a large table in the centre dominated by a scaled down replica of the city, fortress and outer defences. Dozens of blue tokens and a few golden ones have been placed throughout the setup while far more red tokens sit positioned on the other side representing the outside territory. Along one wall is a detailed map of the outer territories showing all of the settlements and guard posts with metal placards of different runes adorning it as well.
You only have a few moments to look over the two displays before you head several other people walk in. Three obviously important dwarves are followed by several more aids as they enter the room and loom you each over. "So these are the ones that had to come and pull you fat arse outta the fire yesterday Ruam? They don't look like much to me. The girls are too skinny and the bus haven't got a decent beard among em. You sure these are Savol's champions?"
"Aye, they are much fiercer than they look. After all they were brave enough to face down a pair of ettin during the battle. Where were you and your lauded magics huh Nellens?
"Me and my order were doing what we were supposed to, we were reinforcing the barriers that you keep hiding behind instead of marching out and finishing this mess.
"Enough bickering you too, or do I have to cut off both your beards and put you in dresses. Bickering amongst yourselves like women in front of honoured guests. You should be ashamed.
"Whatever, lets get this over with so I can get back to actual work.
"You're right old friend. So how did we fare?
"It's good to meet you all, I am Forge Master Woad and this is Master Arcanist Nellens and Stonelord Yurnus. And you've already met Skylord Ruam. We're all glad you've come to help us. We've lost forty three good dwarves yesterday plus we've got at least twenty more that are still on the mend. Our priests are at their limit, a few more assaults of that magnitude and we won't have any truly fit beards left to hold the walls."
"I still have two hundred beards fresh and ready to fight. Why don't we rotate my boys onto the walls and give some of your men a chance to really rest and heal up. There's been no activity down in the tunnels for a while, aside from those damned spiders.
"Alright, they could use a break.
Turning to the group, "So when is your leader expecting to arrive and what can we expect for support?
"Good my Lords and Masters, well met. We bring greetings from Savol Kodiakborn. We were dispatched as soon as your message arrived, and have ridden hard through since then. We do not have recent or thorough information on the size or disposition of the relief force Savol has dispatched." Anticipating a grumbling response, Isham holds up his hands placatingly.
"We do have a way of exchanging messages with Savol and his Captains. Now that we have ceased headlong cross country and re-entered the sky, our messages can be exchanged reliably and rapidly. As a concrete piece of intelligence, I believe that Savol's main relief column is at least 2 days behind us."
"In the meanwhile, we place our services at your disposal. My name is Isham Tabouri, Thane of Savol Kodiakborn, and late of the Rahadoum marine forces. I have some skill in organizing and inspiring military forces, and greater expertise in repelling unwelcome boarders. My companions will introduce themselves." Isham gestures for his companions to introduce themselves and their capabilities, and contribute to making a positive impression with these local military leaders.
Maybe I should grow a beard, seems the Ulfen and Dwarves both are judgmental about the lack
Rutilux bows, "I am Rutilux Talonn, son of Rodus, of the Blood of Galus the Demonbreaker. I am a cavalier on the path of the sword, and while it may seem of limited use to you here, I am an excellent horseman. I have studied tactics, and am an excellent user of the shield. My liege has sent me to your aid, and so I offer my body and blood to the cause not just because it does my lord and myself honor, but because it is right to help the just when they fight the wicked."
Jediah Mountainstrong. I'm not much for fancy tactics and solve problems like the hobgoblins with my glaive and fists. I'm a fair mountaineer if the need comes for one.
"My name is Zethyris. I am quick with a blade and apt at striking where it hurts most. I am also fairly adept at working with mechanical devices."
Zethyris gives a small bow. "My skills are at your service, great generals of the dwarves,"
Dagmar curtseys. "My name is Dagmar Ragnasdottir. I may not look like I would be much use in a fight, but my healing abilities keep everyone else up and able to fight and are quite useful after a fight as well.'
Thorvald is impressed as hell with Rutilux's introduction. Wow! Demonbreaker, that is badass! That might be a good as dragonslayer, depends on what kind of demon I guess though. Anyways, he is getting how to drop his lineage the right way. I wish he had pulled that one out in Oakrun.
"I am Thorvald the Blackshield, Metalworker from Merroh, Birthsworn Speaker of Savol Kodiakborn and a follower of Torag the Great Forger. My the fires of his forge never go out."
"In interest of time and the danger at your gates my companions and I have not listed all of our titles and lineages."
"I am a craftsman turned warrior, imbued with the spirit of the Kodiak. I have come to defend all the people's of the North against incursion by the White Witches. The Clefthammers are allies of Savol Son of the Ursine, he bade us come to you and left you know he comes here with a force to lend what aid he can. If you can tell us what forces lay outside, we may be able to strike before his arrival."
"We held a breech in your walls by ourselves against three siege ladders. We slew the two Ettin that broke your outer gates, we held the gate with your warriors until it could be sealed again. We stand with you as Savol stands with you."
"In interest of time and the danger at your gates my companions and I have not listed all of our titles and lineages."
Zethyris's mouth twitches upward in an almost undetectable smile. Nice of him to imply that the rest of us are merely modest rather than lacking in fancy titles and noble ancestors.
"In my dreams, I am powerful. Very powerful. But I am always on the wrong side: I am leading armies of ice trolls and winter wolves. I kill and destroy everything that I should care for."
Ana looks Thorvald in the eyes when she continues:
"I dream of you, Thorvald. A lot. But in my dreams, we are always enemies. We always kill each other in the end."
"My name is Ana ..."
She hesitates briefly, before continuing:
"Anastasiya Elvanna. I am a Jadwiga by birth - a princess of Irrisen. I ran away from that place when I was very young - I ran away for too long - but now I found the courage to fight them. There will be a war soon. Much bigger than the hobgoblin siege you are facing today. But still Savol will send his forces to defend you. Because we have to: if we want to have a chance against our enemies, we need to face them together. As long as you oppose evil, you will have our support."
Julian bows and winks to his companions. "My name is Julian Itto. I am an adept of the Tian-Min discipline known as 多くの男を殺人の芸術. I can infiltrate, snipe, get recon, and impress human females."
Ughhh, is he ever serious?, impressing human females, really, at least he didn't implicate their women. That would have been awkward.
In an attempt to provide a united front, Dagmar barely manages to refrain from stating that she has yet to be impressed by Julian.
Rutilux actually fights a smile at Julian's words, and gives the slightest of nods. Julian is trying to still be himself while respecting our own sensibilities better. I'd commend him for the attempt if I could find a way not to patronize while doing it.
And he must also admire Dagmar's restraint.
Satisfied, or embarrassed about your introductions the dwarves mutter a bit to themselves before turning back to you,
"I think you all have the right of it, proper introductions are certainly merited now. I'm Skylord Ero Ruam, general of Hadnior's forced above the surface and our outer scouting forces. These men are, Stonelord Dorrin Yurnus current general of our 'under guard' responsible for defending Hadnior's from threats below the surface. Forge master Cikus Woad is responsible for arming both of our forces as well as building and maintaining the fortifications on both fronts. And the fiery one over there is my brother, Master Arcanist Ino Nellens."
"Half-brother. Me and my colleagues are responsible for safeguarding our clans history and during situations like these providing arcane assistance to our defences."
"How is it that you are able to send messages so accurately over long distances? Does Savol have a plan or is he planning on acting based on what we decide? Can you send him a message now?"
Thorvald tried to do the math in his head, how many days was it before Herald would be able to return to them?
Rutilux decides not to be enigmatic about their means, "I was gifted with a magical bird that flies as fast as an eagle. Herald, for so I have called him, always seems to know where to find me just as it knows where to find almost anyone it has been introduced to. I sent it off when we stabled the horses in the cave. It should return in a day or two, but with the shortage of horses they had, it may take our liege longer to catch up with it. Hopefully he will have left a message on Herald to know of the status of their approach."