"Count me in."
"Had you said 'will you join me on a simple errand', I could have refused. But a dangerous mission doesn't really leave a choice, does it? I think we're all in."
Nar nods in agreement, "Those are the kind of missions none of us can pass on."
If this is what Rock is asking then there is no other recourse. That being said, I still want to know more about this asset that was met in the mountains. Who is it and what is his mission?
The druid speaks "Cryptic messages from the birds revealed Rock's spy talked with one of your group, Kragg. Thumper's dwarves were told only that you were in trouble, and only from a cloaked figure shouting from shadows. The agent didn't reveal himself to Thumper's dwarves."
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*Cough* "I was contacted by Rock's agent, I was unable to respond at the time," *cough* He, ah, risked his cover to buy us some time. I was unsure of of how deep his cover was and the loyalty or discretion of our mixed company. This was one reasons I desired to head back to the clan hall, the message I wanted to pass in person to Rock or one of his staff back at the hall. I remember his words to pass onto to Rock, but I don't recall any birds watching. Writing or discussing anything of merit didn't seem appropriate with Thumper's friends keeping me company. They seemed a bit uptight, sometimes resentful despite the offers to relax and enjoy my charming disposition. Kinda miss them now." He takes a moment to survey the group but does not divulge further. He starts to draw beer doodles on the table from the overflowing foam. "I'll continue to honor my contract with Rock. I'll follow and assist Kragg as long as it fulfills the original mission. Anyone recall what that is? Supplies and secure trade routes, honored agreements as per the Treaty."
After wiping off his beard of suds and foreign objects the bannerman belches loudly and interjects:
"I am definitely in. I was there the whole time. What did I miss with this agent thing? Or was my vision clouded by the human a$$ I had to carry the whole time with his three bandoliers of axes and hammers."
He looks at Magnum with a mock serious look.
"Well we have six if you count humans as a full dwarf."
Kragg, khazad, Bigmug, Nar, all count as one each. If humans count then Joan and Magnum are two more, that totals six right there. Hmm Hon and Kib must not count by his reckoning. Better not say anything at the moment though.
Well then, looks like we head out Inge morning to go to the ice caves and get ourselves some ships. Sleep well tonight everyone as we don't know when we are going to get lodging and amenities like this again.
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Hon sips his warm brew, watching no one in particular. "Out of concern for the agent, I'll pass on the words but not his identity. They made no sense to me, but if we are not to return to Clan Hold then perhaps you could send one of your birds to Rock with the message or three. The agent was a bit cryptic but he stated tell Rock his Duergar Ape is in the wind. He also mentioned our efforts were, um, lacking tactically and strategically."
Tipping his stein for the last dregs of the local brew, you could see the thought processing his face and quivering beard of whether or not to indulge in another. Shrugging with disdain he gives up the internal battle.
"I've a few other items, I'd like to pass on to Rock. Guess it would behoove me to share this with Thumper's Clan. In the interest of building bridges between both clans, I've a map that should prove useful for rebuilding, may even assist with the mining mission I've heard about if it is not too late. And a mention of a whose who of the movers and shakers."
OK. Just waiting for Joan. Will start tomorrow regardless.
Thumper's dwarven expedition prepares to depart to more temperate climates. Unfortunately Kragg's group finds themselves headed to the coast and back north somewhat. Cold weather soon leads to freezing rain which is followed by a light snow. Joan's familiarity with the area is invaluable as the dusted landscapes and bleak surroundings leave little landmarks to navigate by.
Reminiscing, the group remembers the stint guarding a human caravan with warm wagons to hunker down in the evening. Unfortunately this time the trail is quite cold and the wind can get biting cold. Joan informs you the trek to coast will only get worse as you approach your destination. Luckily Thumper's right hand gnome provided two large tents and blankets. The white snow suits from the first expedition are still available, and those wearing them seem to blend in with the arctic landscape better than others.
Kazad is troubled by visions of giant creatures after his bout with the alcohol laden brew known as Giant's Tears, or GT for short. In his dreams, he can envisage giants that have died and have returned to walk the earth due to the aid of black magic. Sadly, the word Giant in the brew's very name seems to be somewhat prophetic.
Khazad wakes up with a headache and asks if anyone has some pickle or sour cabbage juice by any accident.
"This Giant's Tears brew always gives visions of giants, regarding of what's actually going on", he complains. "But this time they were giant... zombies? Or skeletons? Gah, I can't remember what I was doing yesterday."
Resigned to the fact that they were leaving potential allies behind, Kragg grabs his pack and prepares for the trek through the weather further north. His Dwarven constitution and his own gear combined with the snow suits would be all the shelter he would need. When the offer was given of the tents though, Kragg accepted gladly. They would make the nights more comfortable rather than just bearable. Before he leaves, kragg stocks up on trail rations that are available. With a thanks to Mama Alpsbane again for the meal and shelter, Kragg heads out to the northern ice caves. Let's head out and find these $#^+ ice caves. The sooner we have the ships, the sooner we can travel faster to where we need to go. Then we can quicken Rock's agenda instead of traipsing through the snow on foot.
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"Just got to do a few things. Can't really splurge, most of my capital is, um, invested and other means of sponsorship comes with strings attached if nigh impossible after the mine incident. When we are succesful, ideally in the future we could draw from a clan account established just for this purpose. I'll be ready in the morning to play in the ice."
Stepping away, he heads to his room to make preparations.
Knowing their party's presence would be less-than-welcome in town at the moment, Kib begins inquiring around the hold on the possibility of asking, or hiring, one of the local dwarves to head into town to do their shopping for them.
Knowing that a quartermaster knows how to get supplies, he begins his inquiry with his new Gnomish pal.
The gnomish logistician responds to Kib's inquiries:
"We see to ways to get supplies: Our black market connections, and going through businesses connected to the Society. Thumper is practically at war with the Society from what he told me. You have voiced your objections to our dealings with stolen and black market items. Do you want to find a dwarf to wait for market day in days and shop there. Or do you want to find a dwarf to avoid the Secret Society and deal in black market goods?"
In the morning as the group is about to leave, a shout of "WAIT UP!" and the noise of someone causing a disturbance as they ran through the courtyard comes from behind. Joan appears into view sprinting as fast as her pumping legs can carry her. She skids to a stop red-faced and panting and looks at Kragg.
"Sorry. I know I haven't said I was comin' but I am, if ya'll have me. 'Sides, someone has to make sure Magnum doesn't do anything stupid."
She gives the taller man a lopsided grin and turns her attention back to Kragg.
Not having realized that the Society controls or is connected to every single business in town, Kib first speaks to correct the erroneous Gnome. "Ah, our objection wasn't to yer dealing with stolen or black market items friend, our objection was to yer havin' one o' our stolen items in yer possession. I'm sure ye woulda felt tha same were positions reversed. And we likely woulda been happy ta work out some sorta compromise. Cause after all, it's not really fair either that yer now out tha money ya paid fer tha shovel. But yer boss didn't give us now chance to make it right. Course, tha difference should be commin' outta tha damn thief's hide, but I get me the feelin ye might not be a' tellin who tha thief be, even if ye knowed."
Takin' a breath, Kib continues "Anyway, so are ye sayin' even the entire market be controlled by tha society as well? And the only other way ta purchase goods in this town be if they be stolen? Not much o' a choice between them two now is it?" Scratching his scraggly beard in thought for a moment Kib muses aloud "What's an honest Dwarf ta do...?"
Finally he finishes and answers "Well, I don't imagine a day will make much of a difference to our plans, but I'll have ta run it by Kragg and the boys. Oh, and Joan. I'll get back to ya in a little bit mate. Good packing fer ye."
He then finds Kragg and the rest, explains the situation, and waits for their opinions.
The gnome reminds Kib, "We encourage people to stick it to the Society at every turn. If goods are stolen from Society folks, and sold outside Society markets, we look on that as a good thing. I guess we didn't expect to find dwarves on the side of the Society. That sure threw us for a loop."
The trip to town is delayed. The group continues the trek to the coast.
The evenings are cold and clear, the quarter moon shines above. A fireless camp would test survival abilities. Thankfully three rangers easily find scrub pine to burn. The days are uneventful, but Joan and Kragg notice wolf, moose, and bear tracks. No active game has been sighted or heard.
Human and gnomes take watch during the first and last shifts ensuring that Kib gets a straight eight hours of sleep. The dwarves take the middle watch due to their darkvision. Thus it would be Joan/ Hon, Gallak/Bigmug, Kragg, Nar/ Khazad, Kib/Magnum. Everyone gets a two hour shift.
Joan fixes her eyes north after Gallack and Bigmug take over the watch on the first night. Her fingers trace the fine detail of the hair clasp that Kib had given her before their first excursion. The crunch of snow causes her eyes to focus on the shape slowly moving towards her.
A wolf as white as snow comes into the light and begins to circle around the now wary Joan. Once it comes around to her front it moves in close and stares into Joan's eyes with its own ice-blue orbs.
Then it licked her in the face.
"GAH!"
The first day of hiking, and the night are uneventful.
The second day, as you begin your trek, another column of about a dozen fur covered humanoids appears ready to intercept your path. Rather than continue, the other group stands still and waits for you to continue, seeming content to avoid contact.
Kragg and Joan point out that the humanoids have an animal-like gait and stance, but can see no definite features from a quarter of a mile away. Although the other group is not dressed in white, their light covering of furs seems to blend in quite well. The lack of features in the landscape made any surprise quite unlikely.
Joan was getting used to the wolf that padded along beside through the day. As the cold seeped into her limbs she mentally berated herself for not getting some warmer clothes when she had the chance.
She took first watch again, grateful for the warm bundle of fur walking close to her legs.
"Still need to give you a name. What do you think of Liulfr."
The wolf put its muzzle under her hand, and Joan obliged.
"Luilfr it is then."
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The morning sun comes and Hon, at first, resists noticing the veins highlighted by the scintilating snow and sun. He is, however, unable to ignore the calls and foot jabs to wake up,"Bah! I can take the hint! I'm up! I'm up!" With that he throws off the pelt and blanket looking for the second nearest snowbank. The first snowbank Kib spelled his name, his full name, in. As Hon streaks on by for his invigorating snow bath, your eyes are assaulted by a vision: an almost naked Hon wearing what appears to be chainmail undergarment. And you are thankful for that.
Despite a full day of getting used to a scampering wolf, Hon takes to the opposite side of the camp. He strings his crossbow for the first watch and unstrings it as he is releived before settling in once again under the pelt/winter blanket combo.
"GAH!"
Joan had seen things that she wish she hadn't. Things that gave her nightmares and woke her in a cold sweat.
What she had just witnessed made all that pale in comparison.
"HON! YOU HALF-BRAINED OGRE! HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF DECENCY!"
Liulfr lay in a clear spot close to the embers. He was completely silent, and looked at the mostly naked dwarf with slight amusement.
Kragg travels in somber silence saving his energy for when it will be needed later. Even when Hon and Kib contaminate the snow around the camp, Kragg does little other to avoid the colored snow. It seems as if the death and subsequent failure with the dwarves have caused him to be more surely than usual.
Never having been a big fan of the winter or cold, Kib trudges along with his near typical scowl, He travels almost last in the pack, allowing his bigger and wider cousins to tramp down the snow for him.
Mercurial as his fey nature, he does have a bit of sport his morning by non-magically changing the colour of a bank of snow. However his good mood , as well as his appetite, is utterly ruined by the sight of a nearly naked Hon. Grabbing a non-yellow bunch of snow he quickly makes a snowball and beans it at the rogue, yelling "This dang snow's not bad enough now yer trying ta make us blind! Put some clothes on ye gully dwarf!"
Snowball attack:
Non-lethal damage: ?+1
Later on in the day, when they spy the other group, Kib yells up towards Kragg "I say let's give 'em a hello! They may have some info 'bout tha trail or ahead, or tha giant's hear-abouts that we kin share!"
Kragg nods to Kb, If you want to talk to them go ahead. It seems like they are trying to avoid trouble. I will keep you covered from here while you talk so into too many of us appear to threaten them.
Kragg tries to carefully string his bow and be prepared if anything should happen.
Joan taps Kragg on the shoulder.
"Kragg, I'm not even sure I could hit them this far out. Might be better to go around and let them be. 'Sides, I can keep a better out for giants than they probably could."
I agree with you, but if Kib wants to talk qi am not going to keep him from contacting them. Best I can do at the moment then is try to protect him if something should happen. a couple hundred feet away should still give some protection and allow for them to still feel safe. Of course it is up to Kib.
Kib begins to walk about a couple hundred feet towards the fur-covered column. The group begins to disperse somewhat, increasing their spacing to about fifty feet between individuals.
"Looks like they don't want to talk."
I would agree, but perhaps he can still talk to one of them. Keep your bow ready Joan inches they turn from being cautious to being aggressive. if Kib gets a positive response great, if not then Kragg will motion for Kib to get back so we can continue on our journey.
Gallak joins Kib, merrily whistling under his breath.
Kibibblepep does a bit of a double take when Kragg suggests that the Gnome should go do the parleying, as that had not at all been his intention. However, not wanting to lose face in front of his dwarven brothers, the small sorcerer takes a deep breath, squares his shoulders, and starts trudging forward.
Despite himself, he is visibly relieved when Gallak joins him. As they get closer and he sees the reaction of the others, Kib slows, then stops, then calls out in a loud but friendly voice "Hullo! Don't mean tae alarm ye! Just wanting a friendly chat 'bout the trails and such we've each been past already!"
If there's no response, he begins walking slowly forward again to a point he can be sure they'll be able to hear him, stops once more, and tries with the same speech again.
Diplomacy:
The cloaked figures seem unimpressed with Kib's overtures.
They carefully step back and watch. They are not hostile, but seem careful to keep their distance.