"How far away is their camp? Would it be easier for some of us to stay here and guard the prisoners?"
The enemy camp is not far away, considering how quicly they arrived after the hell hounds alerted them. You can get there in a few minutes.
Lotham handles the armor for a few minutes, then sets it down. "This would hinder me too much."
Lotham looks at Crest "if you can handle the prisoners I will go with Nathan to the other camp. Otherwise I will stay and guard them."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Certainly. Between Eleanor and myself I doubt that they would try anything, even if the Giant were to come to. Speaking of the prisoners, can one of you translate? I've been working the last few days on expanding some of my magics, and I've just about acquired means of casting a Tongues spell. Maybe we'll be able to learn something from him then."
Nathan nods to Lotham, "Let's go see their camp and what they have. I can interrogate them when I get back and we've had a chance to look through what they have."
Nathan and Lotham trudge off through the forest to find the other camp. It is somewhat of a challenge in the night, but the group made no attempt to conceal their progress.
Nathan says "Look here, these are their tracks."
After pointing out the tracks, the pair moves off through the woods and finds the other camp easily in short order. There are no other creatures there, although you find their gear, which includes backpacks, camping supplies, bedrolls, blankets, a lot of food and some water. You find nothing else of interest, and no information or clues or anything of use.
Lotham takes the good and other supplies and heads back to the others.
"Nothing of interest, he reports."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Lotham and Nathan return to the camp carrying the mundane gear and supplies of the enemy. The other group of which Crest (and now Mlinzi) were apart arrive as well from their camp, and decide to join you for the night, and you move the short disrtance to join their already set up camp, taking your prisoners along.
Vlizz the lizardfolk, Skrump the bugbear, and Cavi the goblin are among them.
Mlinzi is happy to see his brethren returning, having been successful in their mission. He had been keeping to himself a lot over the past few days, and had lost track of what was going on. He would often disappear into the forest for days at a time to meditate and train in secret.
However, when he had seen evidence of a large fire, he had decided to investigate. He soon joined up with Crest's group who seemed to be heading in the same direction and offered to act as a scout and navigator, using his speed and agility in the trees to the advantage of the group. He had seen the conflict from across the lake, but the battle was practically over by the time he got there, and his brothers had things well in hand.
He now looks over the prisoners. They certainly are an odd bunch... though considering his present company, that was a little like the pot calling the kettle black.
"What happened?" he asks when Lotham and Nathan arrive.
"We found this scouting party, followed them here and then lured them into a fight. In truth, Nathan's masterful archery felled most of them, but the rest of us played a part."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Mlinzi rubs his chin, looking over the prisoners. "A scouting party, huh? Does that mean there's more trouble likely then?"
"Just the fire giant army that is making its way to Cliffort."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"What do we do with our prisoners?" Eleanor asks once the group has gathered again.
[b]"Well, if it's only an army of fire giants, I'm sure we can handle it." Mlinzi replies, his voice deadpan.
He wracks his brain for ideas on how to deal with the prisoners, but, being so new to the situation, he can't really think of anything, so he stays silent, looking around to the others for suggestions.
"We'll have to interrogate them and then march them back to the fort I think. We don't have another option." Nathan says as he looks at what's left of the group they battled with.
Lotham slowly nods. "I think Nathan is right."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Do we have the time for that? If there's an army on the move, we should probably get to Cliffort as fast as we can to warn the people." Mlinzi points out, concerned as ever for the safety of those around him.
"Cliffort's people know they are coming. We are here as scouts for them." Lotham settles down to think for a while.
Then he stands. "Perhaps once we have interrogated them we should send them with the brothers and sisters that are taking the ogre baby. They could deliver a report and then we could continue scouting. We have discovered very little that is of tactical use so far."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Who should do the interrogating?" the Vanaran asks, looking around to the others. Mlinzi's own social skills were rather lackluster, and though he was powerful, he just wasn't intimidating enough to be of much use. He suspected that almost anyone would be better at the job than he would.
He tried to think of some way to be helpful, but nothing came to him.
"I will do the interrogating. I believe I have the best chance of getting anything out of them. Does anyone have any questions they want answered in particular?"
"We want to know where they were going and what they were planning to do."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"And the same, regarding the rest of their forces- if they know anything that is," Crest adds.
"So exactly how do plan to interrogate him Nathan? Shall I dismiss my Darkness spell, or not?" Crest gestures around him to the radius of darkness still surrounding him, as much as anyone can gesture to darkness.
"I don't think he could see in it. That might be helpful, or not. What do you think?"
"Either way, let me know if I can help at all. I'm quite persuasive when I need to be, and if nothing else, I can always cast you a spell or two to help your efforts."
Nathan appears thoughtful for a moment. "If you can charm him that might be the best way to go if you can speak to him. I can lend you some aid in that department as well."
"In that case, I'll try the spell while he's still unconscious. If it works, we can wake him up. If he resists, we can adapt our plan from there. Perhaps you could impart Modern Common on me Nathan? I've yet to master the language myself."
Crest takes some time to commune with his spirit, preparing Focused Scrutiny, Aspect of the Nightingale, and an extra Charm Person. After his preparation, he nods towards the others and moves towards the Giant.
"I don't know that the giant speaks modern common so sharing it with you may do no good. If he speaks it I can do that though. We need to find out if he speaks it first."
Nathan' hand glows and he touches Crest. "This should help some"
"Of course you're right, Nathan. If the spell works, maybe you can find out what he speaks?" Crest replies to Nathan, before thanking him for the assistance.
It takes a little bit, but after about an hour the giant comes around, groaning in pain from his wounds, but recovering from some of the nonlethal damage Crest had applied. By then, the group has already tied up the prisoners, scouted their camp and returned. Nathan and Crest stand over the giant with magic ready. Crest attempts a charm on the giant, hoping if it works, it can understand them. Nathan asks the giant, "Understand me?" The giant glares at Nathan, but grunts affirmatively. Crest activates his magic.
- success
The giant growls, as he easily shrugs off Crest's enchantment. He attempts again.
- fail
After the second casting, the giant seems a bit more compliant. His features soften a bit, but seems confused now as its mind attempts to determine why it is bound.
Crest wills his Arcane Mark out of existence after the Giant has been charmed, wanting it to get a good look at him, and appear less threatening.
I suppose this is the first he's seen of me. Probably in for quite the shock...
After casting Focused Scrutiny, Crest slides forward towards, coming up close to the Giant.
"Shall we unbind him? Might make this easier." Crest asks in Ancient Common, cautiously reaching for the ropes but not proceeding. "And the language, Nathan? Shall we?"
"We should ask about their leaders. Find out what we can about who's leading the army and what their plans are." Mlinzi chimes in in Ancient Common.
Nathan nods to Crest, "You can untie him. I doubt he can out run my arrows. And he does indeed seem to speak modern common. Here." Nathan reaches out and touches Crest and shares modern common with him.
Crest accepts the spell from Nathan, and reaches down to the Giant and begins to untie him.
"I'm sorry friend," he begins, testing out Modern Common for the first time, "but you were trying to fight us earlier. I can tell now though that we're past that. Please, try and get comfortable. My name is Crest, and yours?"
Crest begins casually conversing with the Giant, and eventually offers him some water and food from the stores they'd appropriated from their camp.
"Now friend, what I'd really been hoping you could help me with something. My family and I were hoping to learn about you and yours. Could you tell us who you're working with? A leader perhaps, and maybe where we could find this person? I'd certainly like to meet them. Might they be coming towards us, by chance?"
"Just how many of you are there anyway? Are they all as large and intimidating as you are?"
"Where were you all heading, by the way? Perhaps we could travel there together?"
"We're actually looking for someone we've lost, a great man named Goodwin. You haven't seen or heard of him, have you?"
"Rumor has it, there was an ancient temple out this way. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but maybe you've hear of it? Or of a man called Kao Lor?"
Nathan smiles at the giant. "It was necessary to tie you up for a while unfortunately but I think it is safe not to now."
As you untie the giant, and with the aid of Nathan's spell, you will speak in Modern Common to the giant. "Thanks fish-man...Crest. I am Shaggorak." He rubs at his wounds a bit and looks around at the group assembled somewhat.
He doesn't take any food or water, waving it away but seems fairly congenial attitude wise after about a minute of Crest and Nathan ministering to him
As you start asking your questions, sitting next to the giant, casually bringing up the questions, he mulls them over and replies, your charm magic influencing him.
"Shaggorak work for General Rambuchus and his friends. Don't know where General is. He stays with his friends in the fire lands sometimes they say. Don't think he's coming this way. Nope definitely not."
"The chosen were allowed to carry the scepters, get them close to dwarf fort. Then we will have more orders. Twenty chosen. We will lead the charge when Ragnarok comes."
"We were going to dwarf fort. You can come with us. The dwarves stole the Fellhammer. Everyone knows their treachery. We will take it back and the giants will return to glory."
"Lost man? Goodwin? Nope Crest, never heard that."
"Temple? Maybe. These lands have many old ruins from the past. They are all over so they say. I am from the north, Black Ice Clan."
"Never heard of a Cowlor man. Sorry fish buddy."
"Shaggorak my friend, do you know what the scepters do or where the others are that have them?"
"What is the Fellhammer? Can you tell us more about it?"
"It gets harder to know who to trust by the day. I think we may need to start checking up on everyone before taking sides in the next conflict we wander into," Greebins mutters testily.
"The chosen carry the scepters, we take them to the area by the dwarf fort and then we get special orders. They do some magical effect so the army can come. There are other chosen, each take their own path to the fort so that it is hard to capture of defeat us all. I am sad that I was captured, I have failed and now when Ragnarok comes, I will not be in the vanguard. "
"How have you not heard about Fellhammer? Even ogres should know the stories. Thousands of years ago the dwarfs and us giants stopped fighting to make a might artifact together in the Volkan Forge. They say the best smiths worked on it for many months, after which it was complete and its magic allowed it to be wielded by both giant and dwarf. Together they would fight the dragons, and each put into it special magic. But, since dwarfs are untrustworthy, they betrayed us giants, and took the Fellhammer for longer than they were supposed to. Kept it forever. Now we discovered where it is, and we will get it back. Once we have it then RAGNAROK!" The giant nearly shouts the last word, excitedly foaming at the mouth. "Everyone will get to experience the glory of the final battle!"
Greebins you watch the giant as he speaks. You get a good sense of him. You don't detect and subterfuge though it is hard to determine how much of what he says are his true feelings, and how much are the result of the magical charm and the coaxing of Crest and Nathan. His enthusiasm for Ragnarok seems genuine, and he is probably telling the true as far as you can tell regarding the Fellhammer, at least the version he believes to be true.
After the questions are done. Nathan pats the giant on the back. "Thank you friend Shaggorak. That information is good to have. Let me tell you about a friend of mine. Her name is Sarenrae and she is a great goddess. One of the things she teaches is about turning from your evil ways and becoming a new man. Let me tell you more about her..." Nathan will spend what time he can trying to convert Shaggorak.
As Nathan and Shaggorak discuss religion, Crest moves over toward the all of the others and collects his thoughts for a few moments before talking in a low tone and in Ancient Common.
"Well, this has gotten considerably more complicated, hasn't it? Perhaps the Dwarves aren't as noble as they'd have us believe. Whether they've truly earned the ire of these giants or not... I think we can all agree that any further fighting in the area won't help our cause. We're far less likely to find Goodwin if a war breaks out."
"If that's the case, then maybe we shouldn't let this scepter get any closer to Cliffort. What if Vlizz, Skrump, Cavi, and Prar head back with Shaggorak and the other prisoners- and the baby too. Someone needs to see that they're all treated fairly, but we also should update Tolheimia and the others. They might have run into the other scepters Shaggorak mentioned or learned something else about Goodwin's whereabouts. The rest of us could keep patrolling out here, and hold on to the scepter."
Shaggorak listens politely to Nathan, but shakes his head, "But Nathan, I like to fight, I was raised as a warrior. Only the strongest are deserving of rewards, the weak need to be culled out and the best lead. If everyone follows orders, success comes to everyone. Its necessary for survival. Shaggorak believes this, you can't be sentimental about life. Death is everywhere. I respect your goddess for her fiery ways, but she is not strong like Surtr!"
--
Crest discusses the prisoners' fate with the rest of the group, and the other group. The group arrives at the conclusion that the dwarves will simply execute the prisoners as enemies of war, perhaps after some rigorous interrogation.
Speaking in the groups ancient Common tongue Eleanor asks. "What are we going to do with them? These ones seem reasonable despite their barbaric ways, perhaps we can speak with their leader and resolve this conflict peacefully."