"The Elven nation seems to be a bit isolationist and not exactly friendly with other races"
Nettlespite XX hisses to his troops to shut the Hells up. He looks at the terrible little owl. Somewhere deep inside his ancient ground critter racial memory is biting him in the tail and telling him that he should be terrified.
Notch sighs. They couldn't have hobgoblins. Cutbacks, the memo from the head office had said. Cutbacks and that agents should try to locally source.
His cell had worked with the Leafcutters before. Tough and vaguely dependable, but still, they were kobolds. They would figure a way to mess stuff up.
It had been a a few months granted but Notch could swear that the one called Nettlespite had been taller and missing her left eye the last time they had worked together. And that she had been a woman. Notch shrugged as only owls can. What did he know when it came to telling one kobold from another. They all looked more or less crunchy and that was all he usually needed to know.
"Alright." Nettlespite said in it's yapping pidgin Draconic "Start over. What is it girl?"
Notch put a wingtip to his forehead and shook his head. Deep hoots, count to ten you can do this. Notch scratched out ten on his perch and made a couple of deep hoots. He held up a talon. He looked at the kobold with a look of pure hatred.
"Okay, okay." Nettlespite concentrated.
The Leafcutters had not gotten where they were by laying down. Where they were currently was without any home territory or even a mine to cave in. They had no resources, food nor shelter and being kobolds they were small enough that even this 4-pound bird was a credible threat--even without all the special training, magical powers and evil cunning that came with being the Aspis wizard's familiar. This bird though could kill them all and Nettlespite knew it. Still the Leafcutter tribe never gave up. In fact, they were too stupid for that. No they traded on the only commodity they had left to trade upon--themselves and a bunch of scrap bug parts from places they squatted in in the past and even then they had to gang up on the bugs to bring them down. They sold their services (such as they were) to evil cult leaders, petty dictators, vengeful shut-in wizards, giants and horrible hags as dependable cheap labor, mousers, guards and such. They'd fill out the back rows of your horde or clean out your privy just for a bit of shelter, some stale bread and whatever your dogs left for them under the banquet table. In short they were minions. They made their living as evil minions. Well mostly evil minions. There aren't very many nice vengeful shut-in wizards after all.
And the Leafcutters had gotten good at it too. They picked up a number of tricks over the years, many of them from one of their most lucrative clients, the Aspis Consortium. The most important was brand identity. Sure maybe lets say you are a client who wants some tough-looking orc guards. Well orcs are certainly very tough but they aren't all that dependable and rarely hang around together long enough to leave much of an impression let alone a brand identity. That and when contracting with them there might be a few hidden costs (theft of the client's possessions and murder of the client being two common ones). But who is afraid of kobolds really? They have chipper little yapping voices and better negotiating skills. The Leafcutters actually work at building brand identity. For instance they know that your typical vengeful shut-in wizard has better things to do than worry about filling out a load of tedious inhuman resource paperwork. The tribe's typical target client doesn't want to worry about the death or dismemberment of their lackeys--that's what they are there for after all--to be mangled by home invaders and act as speed bumps enough that you can buff yourself silly for the final encounter. And no one is a better speed bump or gets chopped up better in a dungeon setting than kobolds.
To lessen the amount of paperwork and to provide a better sense of continuity with their clients all members of the tribe take their names form a list of culturally impressive, focus-grouped names and when they die their name, equipment and current gig is passed on to one of the communally raised hatchlings who assumes the role of their namesake. Given that kobolds all look pretty much alike (even to other kobolds) no one is ever the wiser.
Among themselves to avoid confusion (and overmuch inbreeding) they make use of numerical suffixes and vast genealogical diagrams currently held by the tribe's witchdoctor/head of inhuman resources Woodtick V.
Nettlespite wanted a nice cushy job like that, maybe even make sub-chief of marketing. He wasn't going to get a corner cave if he lost the tribe's biggest contract though so he bent his concentration to the task at hand.
"Okay, okay. First word. Sounds like. Sounds like leaf. Leafcutter! No? Leaf. It's a wet leaf. Wet. Water. Drip. Dripping wet leaf? Wet? Moist? Moist leaf? ... Ground. Grass. Grass? Grass. The grass is wet. The grass is moist. Damp! The grass is damp! Damp? Sounds like damp. Er. Damp. Um lamp? Ramp? Stamp? Clamp? Camp? Camp! It's a camp? Camp.... Okay. Second word...."
Knowledge Nature Rain's Physiology =15
"The Elven nation seems to be a bit isolationist and not exactly friendly with other races"
"Who's the isolationistic racist here? I'm suggesting an exclave of my people to come here, which both the locals and us could benefit from, and you're telling me they should stay out of the region on account of not being human?"
"I'm neither fir or against elves coming here, except if we are to tame these lands and keep claim over them, best to establish that at the,start."
"I think he's saying, Alia, it sounds like a land grab to invite a whole new nation into a territory." Scarlet shrugs. "Honestly, no one owns anything. Zokon, she's just saying someone should help preserve the land, especially for species like Rain's, here." Scarlet remains as neutral as possible. Politics bore her.
"A stronger authority here would be fantastic. That's what we're working on, right?"
"No I said on account of them not being Brevic.. different nation and I was talking how their policy appears to be. An enclave would be interesting, but you'd probably find that Kyonin would interfere more and more as time passes.
Changing his stance Zokon walks to a tree and leans on it.
"I'd like to hear what people see as the solution and how to deal with the problems created by leaving them alive. This is a democracy after all."
"Well, as Numalar assured me, this exploration charter of yours is for the sake of trade, or mapping Brevoys backyard. He claimed he knew nothing of any further plans Brevoys had for this region. So if you have more knowledge of any future designs the Swordlords have that an enclave may interfere with, do enlighten me. The way I see it, they could well help to reduce banditry in the region, something your charter actually tells you to strive against, does it not? Further, it would give us another place to rest and resupply, solve the issue with the dappled wolves by placing their forest under the Elves protection, and they may well be willing to incarcerate any prisoners we deliver to them, being sufficiently staffed for doing so, if they bring along enough Deepwood Snipers and a Treesinger or two to ensure no poachers penetrate into Tamris's woods. I would say you'd stand to gain a lot there, and if you wish to match your cousins skill in archery, there's surely a lot you could learn from my kind if you train with them. Incidentally, it would also solve the question of what to do with our prisoners...if we bring them to the elfgate, they can be taken into custody by those who would come here and we have more freedom on what sentence to pass on them."
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"People, please, not in front of our guest."
Numalar encourages the others to keep their voices down and step away from Tor for a moment.
Numalar looks over the group. "As Alia has said, I told her the Swordlords have not shared with us their intentions for this land, or the reasons behind the charter they have given us. Anything beyond what the charter actually says is speculation. Perhaps the King-Regent likes maps and wants a nice tapestry depicting the Stolen Lands on his wall? Who knows? All I know is that they sent us rather than troops of soldiers, which is what I would have sent were I planning on annexing the region formally."
Numalar turns to Alia. "But we all know that Kyonin is... rather exclusive. There are precious few non-elves living there."
"It's the same among gnomes, actually. Gnome towns tend to be small, but it's pretty rare that you see anyone other than gnomes there. I lived among humans mostly but for a time my father would send me off to gnome villages in the hopes that I might find a bride. Heh."
"But humans are different. People of all races live in human realms. A Taldan may not want a Keleshite for a neighbor, but he is generally quite happy to live near elves, dwarves, and others. Greyhaven is full of dwarves, for example, and Lord Garess, though human, named a dwarf as his heir. Heck, halflings long ago gave up on having their own lands and live almost exclusively in human realms. There are plenty of elves living in Brevoy too."
"I would not care to be governed by elves. If Kyonin ruled here I doubt the non-elven settlers would be allowed to remain. And were I not a gnome I would not care to ruled by gnomes either. So don't be too surprised that non-elves are lukewarm about the idea of coming under the rule of Queen Telandia."
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"I'd like to hear what people see as the solution and how to deal with the problems created by leaving them alive. This is a democracy after all."
"I do not much like the sound of the plans this one has for the wolves or for this region generally. And should we turn them over to someone else, I fear that this Tor would whisper about the fortune to be made in wolf pelts, and the plan would go through despite our interference."
"But those plans of theirs are not crimes. The only wrongs they have actually done are their ambush of us and whatever they did to Tamris. And Tamris won't talk."
"Their ambush - was this attempted murder? Or just self defense? I am not sure. But I feel that they attacked without warning, not to protect themselves but to keep us from freeing Tamris, whom they held against his will. They were willing to kill to protect their future profits. Do you agree?"
Numalar looks around at the others.
"If they are to live, they would have to either be confined, or somehow made to forget about the wolves. Otherwise they will report back and we are right where we started."
Numalar turns to Alia.
"What are the chances that the elves at your elf-gate would be willing to magically remove the memories of the spotted wolves from these people?"
"The only thing I can think of is to somehow convince the wolves to leave and disperse amongst the wolf population, thus removing the lucrative target on their packs back"
if they do that, their quite precious bloodline will become diluted and disappear in time. .. better to hide the and keep the safe so they can repopulate the area."
"Oh, I was not suggesting for Kyonin to re-claim the whole of Telvurin. Nor place these people living here under anybody's rule. Merely an exclave covering the forest of the dappled wolves, with Tamris likely the only person directly affected. I told you about my mission...Kyonin has an interest in the ancient holds here. Elven ruins, of my people, our history, which should not be plundered by those who are only looking to gain profit. The grandfather of my grandfather was born in these lands, and probably lived here longer than the bloodline of the swordlords can be traced back. We are only looking to regain our history here, before it is stolen. The magics that protect and hide our strongholds start failing after all these years. It may well be that Tamris and his wolves took up refuge in such an ancient elven hold, using the places resident magic to keep them hidden, despite it weakening. As for my people's willingness to alter our prisoners memory...I cannot promise. Playing around in another person's head, altering what they know or who they are, that is serious business. But even if they won't do that, they could certainly hold them in custody, imprison them for their crimes, and by the time Aspis learns they are missing, already have established a hold over the forest...I doubt the Consortium would want to go up against the might of a whole nation...and one of our...isolationist properties would be that they are unlikely to find corruption within our ranks to take advantage of, which would be quite...likely, with human guards."
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if they do that, their quite precious bloodline will become diluted and disappear in time. .. better to hide the and keep the safe so they can repopulate the area."
"But are their spots precious to them? Or only to us? If painting all the wolves black would save them, I would be tempted to do that. Sadly there is no way to permanently paint a wolf, and even if there was, such an undertaking would be beyond us."
"they are unlikely to find corruption within our ranks to take advantage of, which would be quite...likely, with human guards."
Numalar's eyes narrow. "So humans like money but elves do not, eh? I think you have an exaggerated sense of the virtue of your countrymen. This Consortium can approach them peacefully, looking for business deals, and will not be turned away out of hand. They could disavow the actions of a few 'rogue agents.' Then it is a matter of finding the right person who can be bribed."
"Besides, how long would it take for such an enclave to be set up? For elves, 'soon' could be twenty years, or forty. Such a long lived race need not think of time as humans do. The wolves could all be 'harvested' by then."
"Alia, are you truly able to get legions of elves here quickly to sort things out?"
Zokon raises his eyesbrow at the last part of Alia's statement
"An enclave would be interesting indeed to deal with, provided they were not as racist as your last comment."
"Oh, but it's not racist...as the scholar Eledar has proven after 200 years of observation, the shorter-lived a race is, the more widespread is corruption among them. For a few years, it's easy to get away with it, but the longer one tries, the more likely are repercussions...I assure you, it was not meant racist...", turning to Numalar, she continues:"It may be that my people have a tendency to stay among ourselves, it's true. One consequence is that giving one's word, personal honor, may be a more important affair, same as for gnomes, dwarves or other long-lived races. Even the less...moralic elves think well before they betray others, because they will have few places to go without being outsiders, and long lives to contemplate turning their backs on those who trusted them. It's not that elves are beyond temptation, it's that a human with a small fortune can settle down for a good live in another part of the world, with other humans. An elf, on the other hand, will need to consider how long that fortune will last him, and if thats worth leaving everything behind. Our slow rate of aging makes for very intense family and community bonds...my childhood alone was as long as the lifespan of a human. It's...harder for us to leave things behind. So I am confident they would not deal with the consortium...these wolves are thought to be extinct - the druids will not stand for a pelt farm, neither the rangers."
Contemplating, and glancing over at Tamris, Alia continues: "I am, in fact, confident that I could get some of my people here on short notice. Me and my allies were supposed to find a specific elven hold, and attempt to retrieve what it holds. We had no idea if wild animals or bandits moved in, or if the guardians of the place would still be active. As such, a larger group was to be on standby and await word in case they were needed - once the shroud of the place would be pierced, we would have needed to act quickly...those would certainly be willing to set up an outpost in these woods, and provide support to us - . And I should let them know that the map was lost, and what happened to the others..."
"It sounds like we have a plan, then. Alia's allies can help protect Rain, we can get the bounty called off, and everyone can learn something about their neighbor. "
"Hey Tamris." Scarlet walks up to him. "Would you mind some more defenders around here? It was a coincidence that Fan was around town this time. But next time? I dunno."
Tamris and Fan palaver a bit among themselves while the group is in conference.
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"Oh, but it's not racist...as the scholar Eledar has proven after 200 years of observation,
Numalar's eyes narrow. "It's not racist if the stereotype has been proven to be true by an elven scholar? I don't think you are going to win any friends with that argument."
Numalar glowers for a moment. Then his eyes snap wide open. He snaps his fingers.
"That's it!"
He begins grinning madly. He leans in to the others, careful to not allow Tor to hear.
"We don't need to set guards around the wolves. Then you have the constant barrage of poachers coming in with the promise of gold. Even building a wall will require a constant vigil to keep them out, and the continued presence would prove that there is something worth guarding."
"We don't need to guard the wolves. We need to MOVE the wolves. If they can be coaxed into migrating to Kyonin through this elf-gate, not only will they be protected but the Consortium will not know where they have gone. The poachers will find nothing. The wolves become a secret once again. We could even sell the right to hunt them on this land, knowing there are none to hunt! Ha!"
"Alia, for this operation we may need some of your druids. Perhaps many of them."
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Numalar turns and walks over to Fan and Tamris. He turns them aside to keep their words from Tor.
"Listen to me, Tamris. I know you do not trust us yet, but we want to help you and do not wish that harm comes to these wolves. This Aspis Consortium is large, and if they have got the scent of money they will keep sending agents here to trap your wolves, even if we kill these three. We could set guards around the forest, but the forest is large and poachers will try to come through as long as they think they can earn money from their pelts."
"But I have a plan. The elves of Kyonin would be willing to protect a species like this, especially one thought to be extinct. Near here is an elf-gate, a device that allows instant transport to and from Kyonin. If you can convince the pack to travel through that gate, the Aspis Consortium will not know where they have gone. They will become a secret once again. Alia believes she can gain the help of a number of elven druids if that will be necessary. I think you would be welcome to accompany them."
"We risked our life to save you, but we cannot help you in this unless you trust us. I don't believe that you can protect them alone. Alia believes the wolves will be safe under the care of the elves and I believe her."
"What do you think?"
"You realise I had already stated that moving them was a good option? That's alot of resources your plan calls for from the elves"
"And dismissing research on the basis of race is not racist? If a human scholar came to that same conclusion, would you be more willing to accept the facts?", Alia responds to Numalar, before pondering his and Zokon's idea: "It's a lot of resources they would gladly spend to gain a foothold here in these lands, from which to scout out our old holds. I think they would also allow the wolves to migrate, if there is a place for them, but I believe they would prefer spending more resources to gain a base of operations here...but then, moving the wolves does not mean that can't happen, right? If nobody ever found out about the dappled wolves until now, then Tamris's forest must be plenty secluded and out of the way. Maybe even protected by my species magic...otherwise some random hunter would surely have stumbled upon some of them, proving them to be not extinct- and without the wolves, that forest will be vacated. Things may be complicated with Tamris, though...he's a halfbreed...which limits the places the wolves could go, if he means to come with them-"
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"You realise I had already stated that moving them was a good option? That's alot of resources your plan calls for from the elves"
"Yes, though if they disperse among the local wolf population, they can still be hunted - the spots will take generations to disappear. The Consortium likely doesn't know about the elf-gate, and thus wouldn't expect the wolves to teleport hundreds of miles, so this would make them at a loss as to what happened to the wolves."
"It also depends on how many dappled wolves there are out there. Let's hear what Tamris says."
Tamris looks to Rain and then back again. "For the wolves this is home. They are as much a part of this forest, as the trees and streams. I agree that this consortium poses a danger but, the forest itself provides protection, and I in turn, guard the forest. If war where to come for them they would make it a costly war."
"Ruff."
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Tamris looks to Rain and then back again. "For the wolves this is home...."
Numalar nods, rubbing his chin in thought. "Well, what would you suggest? You may fight them, but I am not sure you would win. And the struggle might just drive up the price of their 'product,' meaning that they still recover their costs."
"In that case, I implore you all the more to consider the elven exclave. That would allow you and the wolves to stay. And, no offense meant, but they managed to take you prisoner once before, and there is many things the wolves could not handle despite their bravery. Wizards only slightly more skilled than Tor could allow people to fly, raining down death from above. Or the consortiums lackeys could set the forest ablaze, to destroy the wolves hiding place. They have all kinds of options, while you have few. A colony of us here would turn the tables..."
"Ruff."
"You said it, buddy."
"Tamris, if you have a better way of protecting Rain, you'd better get it started."
"Had they killed me the wolves would still have been safe. The Narlmarches are large and ancient forest. With the right skills an army could hide beneath her boughs. We will not abandon it."
Tamris stands and turns to Fan.
"It seems I cannot go with you to the fair this year."
"You won't be very socialized, you know." Fan says.
"I know. But for now we should all be away. There are perhaps a dozen or more Leafcutter mercenaries in the area hunting for Rain. A would guess Grogan was selected to follow him into the farmlands as the most palatable to the people who live there. By the way what happened to his wolf? She was a poor stricken beast. I would take her with us."
"The wolf didn't survive the battle at the fair." Fan says.
"I see. This is goodbye then." Tamris turns to limp off.
Zokon turns from the departing Tamris
"So that seems to be answered, what do we do with the three amigos and if we let them go, do we take their stuff? How do we want them to view us in future if we let them live?
Scarlet watched Tamris and Rain return to the woods. "Let him go, Scarlet. Sometimes you need time to think. Alone. He'll come around."
Zokon wonders about the three Aspis agents. Scarlet concentrates and blood courses through her as she grows an additional 5 feet.
"Don't think I forgot what happened there. Be thankful Numalar's stronger than he looks. If I see you or your idiots again, I'll gut you and wear your intestines as a garter belt."
"We keep the spellbook. I'm sure Alia will find it useful. We take the poisons from Meg. We point their horses at the road and give them a day's headstart." She turns away from Tor to look at the treeline, seeing if she can notice the last traces of Tamris and Rain.
"Sorry this all turned out lousy, Fan. The town's gonna be mad at us..."
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"I see. This is goodbye then." Tamris turns to limp off.
Numalar is about to say goodbye when something occurs to him.
"WAIT! Tamris, before you go, I need to ask you something."
"This whole thing started for us because there was a report that a spotted wolf had attacked a young girl, and the local patrician put up a bounty on that wolf."
"Are you able to tell us what really happened? Or can you ask Rain? I ask because we prevented them from killing Rain at the fair, and are now answerable for that."
Tamris stops and turns with great effort. He is dirty, exhausted, poisoned and near collapse. "Firstly, I have been down in that hole for the last four days, so I wouldn't know. Perhaps you should speak to the girl." With that said he adds to all present. "What do your hearts tell you?"
"My heart says this was a nasty rumor drummed up by someone to cause a raiding frenzy."
"So what ideas are we going with? Elven exclave? I assume we are letting them go but with what a horse, food and what weapons... none would be a death sentence."
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"My heart says this was a nasty rumor drummed up by someone to cause a raiding frenzy."
Numalar nods. "I agree. But it was worth asking. I doubt the rumors we have heard, but an actual confirmation of some kind would have been helpful."
"Tamris, I wish you well. One thing though - try to make sure the spotted wolves stay out of the farmlands to the north. Perhaps we can make them see reason, but they are still farmers, concerned for their flocks. They would be alarmed by the presence of your wolves."
"So what ideas are we going with? Elven exclave? I assume we are letting them go but with what a horse, food and what weapons... none would be a death sentence."
"Tamris seems to think that he can protect the wolves adequately on his own if he is allowed to leave, so I see no reason to pursue that any further."
"And Zokon, I agree, if we let them go, we have to leave them their food and weapons. As a spellcaster Tor will need his spellbook to survive - it is his real weapon. They can walk so I don't see that they need their horses."
"But we have a legitimate grievance against them. I have in mind to offer a 'settlement' in which we confiscate all their other property to represent compensation for damages. If we offer this to them as one option, the other being a return to Brevoy for trial on charges of attempted murder of crown agents, I suspect that Tor will agree to those terms."
"What do you others think?"
"It would seem Tamris is not fond of my kind. We can't force him to accept help. So I think we should take our prisoners money, weapons and horses, including the spellbook, as compensation and to make them less efficient and dangerous for the time being, give Tamris a headstart. It also makes it more likely Tor attempts to ditch Grogan and Meg if he has no spells available. And we do not need to let them go right here. We can let Tor go near Renaults farm, Grogan and Meg near Olegs. We have to report back at the fair anyway and get Fan there, and it's hardly a death sentence if we get them to a settled area before releasing them. But without weaponry, horses, or money, they'll have to sit tight for a while, until they are either resupplied by their consortium, do honest work for the time being, or turn into criminals stealing things...which would mean turning to banditry, which very well is covered under your charter, meaning if they give us more trouble afterwards, they know how it ends for them- so yeah, I do agree with your suggestion, mostly. With the mentioned alterations to make them less likely to cause trouble for a while - without the custom crossbow or the spellbook, at least 2 out of 3 will be significantly less dangerous for a while - how's that sound?"
"I agree that Numelar's initial plan sounds good, but I have to say that Alia's alterations are quite sound. Tor will not be a threat to others without his spellbook and the other items and cash are an adequate penalty for their misdeeds here this day."
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"I don't like the idea of turning them loose around Renault and the other farmers. Knowing their type, they could try to further their mission by telling people that the spotted wolves are dangerous and we are in league with them, and how there is money to be made, and so on. This Tor could cause a lot of trouble with just his mouth."
"I was going to go tell them to get a hunting licence in New Stetven. Not because I especially care, but as a means of stalling them by sending them on a fool's errand. We could put them on the road north of Oleg's and say 'go that way.'"
"Even on the road to New Stetven though I would not want to travel unarmed. And I'd rather not give them motive to take up crime on their own. Yes, we punish bandits, but we should not make people into bandits just because we can punish them later. So in my mind leaving them with completely nothing poses a problem."
"Your call. I think if we leave them with their essential equipment, food and transportation, there's no reason for them to not pursue their previous mission. It's not like they would need to become criminals if we strand them someplace. I mean, most people here don't travel very far in their whole life and don't become criminals - and Tor's mouth will be dangerous no matter where we let them go...no matter what, I'd split him from the other two, he seems a likely candidate to ditch them and go his own way if given the chance-"
"Do we think they will come back? If so do we want to have them try and kill us out of vengeabnce etc. Or do we want to be able to engender respect in them that isn't blinded by anger at the harrowing journey we put them through? If we want to deal with them in future I say we drop em off at Olegs with weapons, spellbook, food and maybe transportation.
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"Tamris seemed confident that they would never find the wolf pack without his help, and if Tamris isn't worried about it then I will not fret on it either."
"Taking their mounts will help Tamris get a head start if they decide to follow. Once Tamris gets into the wood, I expect they will not be able to find him either."
"Tor's mouth may be dangerous wherever he is, but if he goes down to Mivon or up to New Stetven he can badmouth us as much as he likes, and it won't hurt us. But I'd rather not have him talking to people we need to deal with regularly. Even Oleg and Svetlana, for that matter. Oleg is a good man, but he trades in furs and is not likely to understand why we would stand in the way of Tor's business idea."
"That's why I would prefer to send him on his way beyond there."
"Is you trust his word to actually go that way, thats good enough for me."
"Even if they plan to retreat and regroup, they have to explain to their superiors how they lost to us when they ambushed and outnumbered us. If Aspis is this bloodthirsty, I don't think they'll be going back. These kinds of groups punish people for failure."