Svalk stands and takes a place in the second rank of the group, ready to head to the Citadel with their 'escorts'. Having seen Karl's not so subtle eye rolling, Svalk quietly says to him and Ragnar, The way she keeps calling her bear 'son', I don't think Caelin realizes that he's not her type.
I can't decide if it would be safer for him if he was, or if he wasn't...
Upon seeing Ragnar's look, Karl is unable to contain his amusement any longer and gives a hearty chuckle.
Hah hah hah hah hah!
He manages to get himself back under control as Svalk speaks with Wulfric.
Velkirth watches warily as he and his companions are gathered up. It seems they were off the hook for the dead Ravens but that didn't sound like they had improved their lot all that much.
Captain Wulfric, its a glad thing to hear that you finally believe our innocence. Do you have any thoughts as to who would want your men dead or as you said, what they were doing this far afield?
That is the real question Velkirth as I raise my voice a bit to be heard by Wulfric.
Karl calms down and decides to let the others do the talking, not trusting his own tongue when his pride is still wounded from the ambush, but still stays within earshot not wanting to miss any of the conversation.
"Are we to be considered as guests during our stay at the Citadel Captain Wulfric?" Or are we prisoners until you figure out what to do with us?
Kari does not so much bat a pale eyelash at the laughter ahead. While the others begin questioning the captain, she is content only to listen.
The doe considers our position now? she muses, and then shakes her head. The trap has already been sprung. All we can do now is observe the behavior of the hunting party. This huntsman may appear as a friend to us, but do his kin hunger?
Kari looks up at the black walls of the Citadel with a fine amount of trepidation. Men became... perverted within the supposed safety of walls. Separate from the elements, they put aside the laws of nature, and erected their own rule to sate their limitless greed.
Thorolf doesn't say much as they trudge along, content at the moment to listen and to watch carefully the captan as he answers the companions.
In a lull in the conversation, he asks simply "Captain, is there perchance a shrine of Gorum kept at the citadel? Also, these unfortunates we found... You mentioned they are usually stationed in other parts. Do they receive orders from the citadel directly, or would their direct commanders also be stationed elsewhere?"
Shou Zhen walks with the rest of the group listening to the conversation, once the others questions have been answered, he will consider asking one of his own.
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Svalk asks, Wulfric, now that we're on friendlier terms than being targets on the other end of your crossbows, can you tell us more about these Ravens we found? If they weren't supposed to be nearby, can you tell us where they were supposed to be? Perhaps that will give some hint about how they came to meet their fate?
[dice=Charisma check]1d20+4
"It is hard to talk about this. All of them were long-time members of the Ravens. I can not talk about their missions. For that, you will have to wait until we arrive."
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Velkirth watches warily as he and his companions are gathered up. It seems they were off the hook for the dead Ravens but that didn't sound like they had improved their lot all that much.
Captain Wulfric, its a glad thing to hear that you finally believe our innocence. Do you have any thoughts as to who would want your men dead or as you said, what they were doing this far afield?
"I am not convinced of anything yet - and your innocence or guilt will be determined by those above me. What thoughts I do have, I choose to keep them for myself, at least for now."
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Thorolf doesn't say much as they trudge along, content at the moment to listen and to watch carefully the captan as he answers the companions.
In a lull in the conversation, he asks simply "Captain, is there perchance a shrine of Gorum kept at the citadel? Also, these unfortunates we found... You mentioned they are usually stationed in other parts. Do they receive orders from the citadel directly, or would their direct commanders also be stationed elsewhere?"
"Yes, there is a shrine."
Having listened to the questions his companions have asked and having heard the ones Captain Wulfric has answered, Shou asks this question.
Captain Wulfric, who are you taking us to see at the Citadel?
Charisma
Any were out of this cold for now is fine and preferably with some mead, to pass this sour taste of events
Ragnar's former mirth fades into a scowl- first at Thorolf's inquiry about the shrine, deepening at the noncommittal nature of Wulfric's responses.
"Muhd? Fuh uhll wuh nuh, wuh huhduhd fuh duh duhnjnnn uh wuhzz uhn yuh thuhnguhn uhbuht muhd?", he grunts/mumbles. "Kuhpuhn' yuh pruhrrtuhz struht, uh?"
Translation:
"The walls of men are a prison," Kari warns in a low voice, looks to Caelin and taps her cheek beneath her right eye with a gloved fingertip. "Perspective."
Karl looks from Ragnar to Caelin, then shrugs. Well, at least they haven't asked for our weapons. As for the mead, we'll see what kind of hospitality the Black Ravens offer when we reach their citadel, and not a moment before is my guess.
He then turns to Kari. Walls can be prisons or shelters. As you said, it's a matter of perspective.
The good captain seems a bit taciturn, though given the circumstances I can't say I really blame him... Thorolf shrugs and continues on silently, figuring that fate will reveal more of its hand once they reached the citadel.
Svalk decides that the captain won't be forthcoming with anything more useful to say, and awaits their arrival at the citadel. After thinking about it, he smiles, at least I'm going somewhere interesting finally, rather than merely hearing stories of places more interesting than home. Hopefully, this will be a good thing, and not one I regret for the rest of my life.
Karl looks from Ragnar to Caelin, then shrugs. Well, at least they haven't asked for our weapons. As for the mead, we'll see what kind of hospitality the Black Ravens offer when we reach their citadel, and not a moment before is my guess.
That's why I asked for it first, to see our host response Karl... as I look at Ragnar with slit eyes and then keep walking.
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You approach the strange building, built of black marble. It looks like a series of giant steps, reaching towards the sky, each level of steps smaller than the one beneath it. On the last level a huge castle stands. Also built of black marble, it is obviously much younger than the strange building that serves as its foundation. The castle has square walls with four towers at the places where the walls meet and one central tower, much taller than the rest. It is hard to judge from the distance, but the walls seem to be about 300 feet high, towers above the walls at least 100 feet taller, and the central tower must be at least 500 feet tall.
Shou Zhen raises his eyebrows at his first sight of the citadel, Big place, he says.
Ragnar takes a long look at the giant structure, so foreign from the rest of the Land of the Linnorm Kings.
Knowledge- untrained:
Svlak examines the structure and citadel upon it, a gleam of excitement in his eye at seeing something new to him, rather than described in whispers and dreams.
So that's a pyramid. I never thought they were so massive. Wulfric, does the citadel extend into the pyramid it's built upon?
Svalk quickens his pace slightly, eager to examine the structure up close.
Kari pales as she looks up the length of the tallest of the towers, calls Bjorn to her in Sylvan and allows him to climb up her leg and onto her back for warmth and comfort. The bear cub groans and pulls the cap from her head, revealing a complex system of plaits and knots keeping her silken hair close to her head, and tucks his muzzle into the nape of her neck.
"From that vantage, one would not be able to distinguish a witch from an aurochs," Kari observes, and a faint smile tugs at her lips, "but the fall is like to prove one innocent, or incompetent."
Karl gasps, I've never seen anything like it. His steps pick up a bit, and his eyes take on an eager glint.
Dagmar stares at the building as they continue walking up the road to it. "I've never seen anything so massive before."
Fit for a Jarl... as I gaze upon such a great building before me and how small I am next to it Testament to the glory of the Blackraves I suppose as I look at the rest Well it is a fine place to drink mead if their cellar is on the scale of the keep giving a hearty laugh.
And Happy Holidays to you and all the others as well Nightflier! I look forward to gaming with you all in the new year.
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Slowly, you approach the great fortress. Huge blocks of black stone seem even more imposing from close. After two hours of walking, you have finally reached the steps that lead to the black citadel at the top of man-made mountain, but your captors lead you away from them and to the small gate carved into black wall and closed with a cast-iron door.
Before you manage to reach them, the doors start to rise into stone, which is followed by clanking sounds and rattling of chains. One by one, you enter darkness beyond them...
As you enter, you realize that you are in a tight corridor, with arrow slits in the walls and holes for boiling oil and led in the ceiling. The corridor is so narrow that two of you can not stand abreast. Every twenty yards or so, there is a niche in the wall in which large stone statue of strangely dressed warrior stands. As you pass beyond them, you can not shake the feeling that you are followed by their stone eyes.
Finally, you arrive at the entrance of a small guard room at the end of the corridor. There more Blackraven await. One of them, a bear of a man, with close-cropped beard and hair - which is very unusual for the North - stops you with a raised hand. "Come in one at the time, and drop all of your weapons in gear in the stone chest to the left of you!", he commands with a strong voice.
I suppose it is to be expected as I remove all the weapon I carry and place them in the chest, looking at him with a tired look Now about having something to eat and drink if you don't mind after all this is over?
Dagmar enters with her little fox following on her heels and will quietly place her weapons and gear into the stone chest. Wish I knew if this was how they normally treated strangers.