Ishak cackles as he moved onto his next pray, the prone guard no longer a threat as he chases after the knight. All that metal make electricity stronger!
"Human die now! Human will suffer! Humans no longer!" He reaches out to electrocute the knight on the mount as his hand crackled with small little bolts of electricity. Due to his small size he attempts to launch himself up with a jump to land a touch against the knights leg with a snarl.
He made the jump just in time to give a nice slap of his hand against the plate of the knights leg. Though with that very last moment he felt a sudden surge of power boost the spell and threw it into the knights body.
The surge of electricity fried the knight as the knight shook violently with its horse rearing in pain and shock. The body slumping and falling to the ground, its leg still attached to the saddle as the horse moved away, dragging the body with it towards the trees, away from combat.
"Fear us humans! Your leader dead! Surrender!" yelled Ishak mightily as he felt empowered from the kill he made.
Spotting one of the enemy fighters approaching his allies, Zorgg slings a ball of fire towards the human.
Just as soon as the fire is hurled from Zorgg's hand, another ball of fire appears in his hand.
Breewyn jumped when she saw the two men with spears make wild stabs at her. She backed up and then with a mischievous grin, she placed her hands together, fanning them as she spoke.
She watched as the colorful fine sand appeared into existence and blasted towards them, bathing them in a thick cloud of the rainbow dust. She waited as she watched for the dust to settle and what would happen with the guards, still on the defensive.
At first one of the guards screamed in pain as they felt their flesh burn and the armor grow increasingly hot before that scream was interrupted by a blast of color. The two guards were suddenly overwhelmed the multi-color spray as they took one step back and fell to their backs, unconscious, their spears clattering away from the now limp hands.
Hearing Ishak's cry gives Tsakua strength. Reaching deep within himself, he pulls himself up onto his feet. Standing tall, he gives a cry of fury and anger that can be heard across the battlefield.
"If ye don't lay down yer arms, ye slavers, we'll be stewin' yer guts fer supper!"
Standing, Tsakua felt himself grow dizzy, but he knew he had to hang on. He could feel the darkness trying to edge into his vision, and he fought it off as he stood there, blood running down his armor into the dirt below. He could feel himself get lightheaded, but still he stood down the guard in front of him.
Jietin roars loudly as the ground gives way, sliding down and tumbling over through the painful debris. Jietin stands up and shoves his way free of the debris, grabbing the halberd off his back. Put down the weapons boys, or this is going to get a lot uglier.
Octavian pulled his feet free and pushed his way through the mud to stand over the sleeping guards. He carefully placed his spear at the base of the skull of the first and pushed down as hard as he could. "For Saleesa." he said with gritted teeth.
The dwarf snarled as the halberd bit in deep but shrugged the hit off and lashed out with her enchanted weapon. She wondered about the blood absorbing into the blade and tried to think through the haze of battle as she continued to fight.
"Barz'gul!" she cursed in dwarven as the guard evaded her strike. The blade of the sword pulsed with it's own light and forced her attention to it for a moment.
Earth Singer, that is the name that immediately jumps to your mind as you recall what that sword might be. A true craft of dwarves from old. The full legend escapes you at this moment, but you remember the stories from your elders about how devastating the swords powers were. Of how it could split a mountain, a shift the ground with ease but required the blood of the users enemies to do such feats.
The guard's life who lay at Octavian's feet was snuffed away with one single action. The battle field was slowly calming down. One of the prone guards near Ishak threw his weapon down and began to cry mercy. The other prone soldier grappled by the kobold slave refused to give up, though it was ultimately a poor decision on his part as he was quickly restrained and the mob ended his life with a large boulder being slammed into his head.
The remaining standing guard who faced off with Luca was quick to throw his weapon down as soon as he realized he was the last one standing. He quickly dropped to his knees and placed his hands down onto the ground. The orc, tiefling and dwarf presence was all that was needed for him to give up the fight.
The slave mob looked like they were out for more blood. Looking to each other before their armed counterparts. They were all out of breath, some of then slumping to sit down in the mud, dazed slightly from the exhilaration of the combat.
Zorgg yells down to the others. Watch out for the horses, they are the most dangerous of our enemies. The hooves, watch out for the hooves.
Breewyn saw the different soldiers surrendering. She looked around for the others as she started walking towards the road.
She glances over and just makes out Tsakua's battered and bleeding form just beyond where Luca was standing. She tries to wade over through the difficult terrain until she made it to unhindered path of the road. She scampers over to where Tsakua was and she placed a hand upon him. She begins to chant in a fey tongue as she calls forth her power.
She looked up at him and asked softly, "Tsakua? Do you know where you stashed that sack of supplies?" She smiled satisfied with her work, but she knew that they might need some more of those bandages and thought about maybe having each person having at least one potion on their person. She realized how difficult it was for her to be all over the battlefield and she also realized that if they had the means to help mediate that urgency there was no reason that they should not take special precautions.
As the other's threw their weapons down Octavian finished his job by stepping to the other sleeping guard and stabbing down with his spear.
Jietin leans against one of the carts with a scowl. Stupid hill. Caused more harm than the arrows. He looks at the cowering guards, grim look on his face. Can't leave 'em alive. They'll just run off and tell people we're here. Can't imagine everybody is gonna see it that way though. Maybe just sneak 'em off and gut 'em in the woods...
Luca struggled with her impulse to strike out against the guard on his knees in front of her, begging for mercy. How many of her clan had been in the same situation? How many women had been raped before brutally murdered? How many children hoisted up on spikes to die slowly and painfully? How much blood had painted the walls of Dovan'Dur and filled those cursed halls with lost souls?
"Stand and strip. I don't want to see a single strip of clothing on you. One false move and I'll gut you like the dog you are." she said with a voice like granite. Ghostly runes began to float around her head glowing a fiery red color, pulsing with every word she spoke.
Breewyn feeling a little light-headed from the excitement of the battle earlier, heads over to the groups of former slaves. She climbs up slowly onto on of the wagons as she watches them and listens to their various grumblings.
"Friends." She begins, drawing attention from them to herself. "I wish for but a moment of your time. I know you all are tired, hungry, angry. Would you like revenge for the wrongs done to you? Would you like compensation for the pains inflicted upon you?"
She stands up and points into the distance. "Out there, are the ones responsible for your suffering, your loss. Orders handed down from a aged king with his mighty proclamations and his gilded crown sitting low upon his brow. He needs to be stopped, and we need to show him that only humans are not what make this world what it is.
She begins to build up steam as she feels herself becoming empowered by conviction as she speaks. "I am sure you all are no strangers to loss. We, the ones that have helped you win your freedom, also are no strangers to loss. All of us have had something precious taken from us. Our homes, our families, our loves, our clans, anyone and everyone we ever knew are gone. We are still here, and as long as we are then WE can make a difference!
Feeling herself become invigorated with this new-found passion, she continues to try and whip up the emotions of the slaves. "You are here too, and you can help in all the ways you can as well. Will you take up arms with us, and work to eliminating the threat of the human hatred? Help us make a new dawn for all non-humans? What say you fellow outcasts? Are you willing to let yourselves slip from mortality without so much as a struggle?
There was a fire in her eyes as she said these last words, followed by a brief silence to let them sink in. She awaited to hear what they had to say.
Octavian planted his spear in the mud and grabbed both of the dead guards by their collars and dragged them closer to the guard stripping at Luca's command. He quickly went about stripping everything from the guards and dumping it onto a pile near one of the wagons. He then went around the wagon and grabbed the reins of the dead knight and began to speak in a quiet tone and stroke the horses face. Once the great beast was calmed he reached up and yanked the dead knight down with a clatter of metal.
Curious as to any orders or maps the knight might have had the wizard begins an extensive search of his bags and body.
After standing and yelling, Tsakua had slumped to the ground, barely able to murmur thanks to Bree as she came by and healed him. Feeling stiff, out of breath, but gratefully alive, he stood up and looked around. Looking towards the remaining, mewling guard, he gave a dark grin. Suddenly, remembering Bree's request, Tsakua rushed into the bushes to find the sack of supplies he had set down. Coming back out to the main road, he pulled an apple out. He thought about trying one of the red potions, but decided that first aid and healing was best left to those who practiced it. Munching on an apple, he came up to where Bree was, speaking to the slaves. The crunching of his apple seemed unusually loud, and he realized that most of the former slaves were staring at it. Looking up at Bree, Tsakua shrugs. Pulling out the potions, bandages, and other healing items, he hands those to Bree, and begins walking through the slaves, handing out food what little food there is left.
Coming back to Bree, the two looked over their new "companions." Looking sideways at Bree, Tskaua says "My thanks fer bringin' me back from the brink. I'd be obliged if ye could tend to the rest of m'wounds, but first," he nods towards the former slaves, "ye should tend to this lot. They're as ragged a bunch as there ever was." Leaning back against the wagon, Tsakua looked thoughtfully over the group, trying to get an idea of who they now had with them.
Jietin raises a brow at Luca. What in the nine hells is that girl on about? With the situation under control, Jietin growls and goes out into the area. Part of that reason is to scout the area, part of it is to grab the backpack and remind himself of what kind of healing they have, but mostly he wants to find a good spot to kill and hide the guards' bodies without the rest of the group finding them.
The slaves looked up to Breewyn when she began to speak to them. As she continued they began to rise and pay more attention, becoming captured in the words. There were a few nodding of heads and murmurs, a general consensus that she spoke the truth of it all. The king had taken a lot from the lands they were in. Hope has died, the previous rebellion failed and all put to the sword. There was nothing left for the non-humans. There was nothing left to fight for in these lands. Most were slaves if they weren't hidden deep where humans do not stray. These slaves had no where else to go, they had no one who was free so it didn't take much to give them a new direction, a new hope. Breewyn had easily won them over without too much effort. One slave step forward, looking to her peers she approaches Breewyn. It was a female Assimar.
"My names Gwendala, thank you for saving us, I don't know what they were going to do with us but thank you. We haven't seen any one brave enough to attack the humans ever since the last group were all... put to the sword. We will help in what way we can, but where are we going to go? As soon as they find out what happened here..." She casted a glance to the prisoners, "Those two... we can't keep them...
With Octavians calming stroking of the horses face, it did not take long for the horse to calm down. When he began to look through the knights saddle packs he would find several scrolls, two finding it particularly interesting. One contained orders from the King himself, or more so a proxy in his place. And then another was sealed within a leather tube with a clasp. It didn't take long to unclasp and dig through it.
By this order of the gods above, I pass on to thee. You are ordered to travel north into the Brethan Mountains, guard a caravan leading to resupply the outpost. When you arrive at this outpost you are to take command and lead an expedition into the surrounding forests. There are ruins in these woodlands that must be explored and captured. There is an item I wish that the god's above have told me of. A gem that the gods had signed that I must have in my possession. This is of great importance that I can only trust in you Sir Nubric Longwood.
By the kings orders I have been assigned to search the ruins of what lore I could find reference it as the "Lithurgarian Temple". It would be that this... temple holds artifacts that have not be unearthed in ages, maybe centuries before the High Kings reign and crusade. I'm eager to see what lays in wait that not even tomb raiders have been able to get through. There have been records of some groups going into the temple only to never be seen again. Is this a tomb more then a temple now? I have recruited several dungeon raiding specialists that should help me get passed any traps that may lay in wait for us. They are suppose to meet us at the outpost shortly after I arrive. I may send some of these slaves in our company as cannon fodder for the traps that may be solved by just throwing some flesh at it.
The guards who surrendered slowly stood, eyes laced with shame and disgust. As they begin to disrobe, the one before Luca muttered something under his breath.
A scream rose up from the second group of slaves as the other soldier lunged at the elven male with a sharp yell as he sank a dagger into the unsuspecting mans chest. "For the King!" He cried as he moved to lunge at another slave.
Suddenly there was a flash of steel as the soldier stood before her lunged suddenly as he attempted to take her by surprise.
Luca heard the man's words and her eyes narrowed. A second later she saw his hand begin to dart for a hidden weapon and she instantly struck out with her own oath. "Die!"
The man's wild strike against her went wide as her sword pierced his chest and impaled straight through his heart. She pulled her weapon free as he slid to the ground and brought it to the ready position, looking for any other opponents. "Kill them all, the humans will never talk!"
Tsakua didn't hear the words spoken by the soldiers, but there was no mistaking the intent of the soldier attacking the newly freed slaves. Cursing under his breath, Tsakua rushed forward to prevent any more slaves from being hurt.
Bringing his fist down on the soldier, Tsakua let out a roar of fury, pummeling the human with every ounce of the rage that coursed through his body. "T'aint enough t'kill us when we c'n fight, ye've need to attack them as are hurt and weary!" Spittle flew as the half-orc bellowed. "Ye're nought but the worst type of scum t'walk this earth!"
As quickly as the guards attempted to snuff out a life or two along with their own, it ended. Both guards were slain immediately on the spot. The one who was downed by the orc looked up with fading eyes, his lips curling into a cruel and sick smile. "The world... will be cleansed..." he wheezed out before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body went limp.
The slaves rushed to the aid of the elven male. "Somebody please help him!"
Her ears picked up the curse that was muttered. "No! Stop!" She called out just as the one former guard stabbed the elf and was swinging for another. She jumped down quickly to try and see if she could help the elf who was just struck down.
As she lands on her feet, she quickly moves to where the elf was hurt. "Does anyone have the gift to help me aid this man?" She asked the other slaves. "Anyone?" She struggles to try and keep him from bleeding more, but without bandages she needed to quickly heal him. She called upon her own gift to try and keep him stabilized.
A hatred burned in Iraldia, not just for the wounds she bore but for those that the humans inflicted with such malice zealotry on everyone they met. She found an arrow in the dust and drew back her bow, aiming for the last remaining human. Her hatred had long since become a soothing feeling of righteousness and her hands held steady. She barely registered the commotion in the aftermath of the attack. She would finish this and there would be no human survivors. The bow twanged as it loosed the arrow forward toward the naked guard...
She watched in satisfaction as it buried itself in his chest. Watching him die would be a pleasure.
Ishak ignored the commotion as he went about with the keys he had taken from Octavian and now went about the task of unlocking the manacles that were suppressing everyone's capabilities in this situation. "Ishak busy! You kill them!" he snapped his teeth in annoyance as he was working as fast as he could as he went around unlocking the manacles.
"Stupid humans, stupid stupid. They all die. They no smart." He growled as he looked up to the slaves before checking back to the group he was with. They seemed to have gotten an handle on it all as he just busied himself with the current task.
The slaves were helpless when Breewyn asked if they could do anything. A dwarf cleared his throat as he approached the gnome, holding his wrists out.
"I can be of help. Cleric of Torag, but I can mend his wounds. Just need these stinkin' things offa' me." Though as soon as he said that Ishak seemed to have appeared out of no where and unlocked his chains with a bit chittering to himself before he was quick to scurry off to the next respond.
The dwarf settled on a knee and began his slow chant as he placed his hands on the elf as he began to spend his divine powers once more. Once that was done he slowly reclined and lifted his head to the sky.
"By all that is mighty, it feels good to use your powers again..." He looked to the gnome and smiled slightly, "Names Targen by the by."
Gwendala was gathering the unchained slaves and began giving them some direction in helping the group, gathering the horses and carriages while others beginning to grab the human bodies and began to drag them off to the side of the rode near the bushes. It was apparent Gwendala has some history of leading others as she was quickly addressing the slaves.
Tsakua was filled with rage, yet he felt it slowly ebb away from him as he stared at the man he had just beaten to death. Watching the newly freed slaves drag the bodies into the bushes, he mutters under his breath "Shouldn't tarnish the ground with slime like that." Trying to shake off the rage he felt, Tsakua wanders back through crowd. Feeling restless, he walks over to where Gwendala was speaking to the other slaves.
He waited for her to finish giving directions, then walked up and asked abruptly "What'll it be fer ye and yers? Are ye t'stay with us or are ye off fer other parts?"
"Hurry up with patching up the wounded and consolidating the stores on the three wagons." Octavian commanded while still reading the papers he had found. "There are more humans coming by within the next week, specialists in exploring forgotten areas. These humans were to resupply and then with the specialist go exploring the very ruins we are intending to relocate to. It's called the Lithurgarian Temple."
He focuses on that name and tries to dig up any information that he could remember.
Breewyn turned to Targen and had a big grin. "Breewyn. Friends call me Bree." She said as she took his hand and then kind of tugged him along. "Come, come. Tsakua has some bandages we can try and tend to the wounded with." She tried to pull him along, but they only moved as fast as he allowed. She called back to Gwendala and the others, "You are all going to come with us to the ruins right? It probably the best place to rest and defend around here for miles."
Zorgg Watches as this all plays out. Still up on the ledge. Just as he was about to throw a ball of fire at the attacking guard, the others already acted.
With that Zorgg makes his way down to the rest of the group.
We kill humans real good. With that Zorgg cuts an ear off of one of the guards. Human ears are delicacies of my people. We should go get the item that kings wants. Then we make him mad.
Gwendala looked at the orc after his abrupt question, though she only smiled with a soft nod, "We will be joining your party if it isn't too much to ask, and if you will have us. We are not all fighters, though everyone here has a skill that might prove useful to the group and this... new resistance if this is what it seems." She gestured to the rest of the slaves with a open hand, "We have no where to go, we are in the heart of the human empire and would not last long without your help."
The slaves, those who were free were already busy at work digging through the wagons and making an account of the items. One of them, a female dwarf had already found some parchment and a writing utensils and was already making an account of everything in the wagons, she already directing a smaller group of slaves. They have seemed to be a group that had been together for some time.
"We're known as a functioning labor force, we have been paired together and trained to work well with one another, so we have quite the history behind us. I believe we've been together for over ten years now..." Her face saddened slightly as she shook her head with a sigh, "I wont bother you much more, we will be sure to be out of your way when need be."
Targen smiled fondly at the gnome, "Then I shall call ye Bree. You may call me Tar if you so wish." He said that with a light jovial chuckle before following Breewyn and helping with whatever she had directed him to do so. Healing and bandaging those who were in need.
The female dwarf walked up to Octavian with a curt nod, "Here's a list of the supplies. You seem to be the one in charge here so..." she held out the paper to him.
First Wagon
Several Tons of Timber and Stone, mainly designated for repairs to an old fort. Could be repurposed to begin construction on a small encampment.
Second Wagon
This was military resupply wagon, containing plenty of weapons and armor for the outpost that requested the materials. There are enough weapons and armor here to fit a small company of soldiers. I think they were going to fortify these lands for some reason.
Weapons
4x Shortswords
4x Longswords
4x Daggers
2x Light Maces
3x Heavy Maces
8x Shortspears
2x Morning Stars
4x Longspears
2x Heavy Crossbows
2x Light Crossbows
10x Javelins
2x Greataxe
2x Greatswords
2x Warhammers
4x Longbows
4x Shortbows
200x Arrows
100x Bolts
Armor
4x Imperial Leather Armor
4x Imperial Studded Leather Armor
4x Imperial Chain Shirts
2x Scale Mail
2x Chainmail
1x Splint Mail
1x Half-Plate
8x Imperial Wooden Shields
Third Wagon
This seemed to carry most of the food and essentials. There is enough food in the carts to last several weeks without supplements, by my estimate there is about almost a month worth of food here for the present company. There is also plenty of tarps and cloths in this cart as well as well as some extra materials for bedding.
Knight:
1x Imperial Full Plate
1x Lance
1x Longsword
1x Wooden Shield
Knight Guard:
3x Banded Mail
3x Heavy Crossbow
30x Bolts
3x Longsword
3x Longspears
Caravan Guards:
2x Imperial Leather Armor
2x Halberds
2x Daggers
The prize had been won. Iraldia shifted through the wagons' contents one by one, pulling out things here and there: a dagger for her belt, a shortsword at her side, the longbow across her back with a full quiver of arrows, and she traded out her leather armor for a chain shirt. She stopped in thought for a moment as she eyed the wagon full of repair supplies. She padded over to Octavian and the dwarf who called herself Bree.
"Let them stay here," she motioned to the outpost, "If there are skilled craftsmen among them, they can repair the outpost and make it a suitable living space. Any defenders among them can utilize the armor and weapons for protection."
She thought about the surrounding area about any otherkin friendly villages or towns in the region.
"The forest is near by which will provide some natural resources and maybe we can find them a village or town friendly to otherkin who can trade supplies with them."
"No." Octavian countered. "They know that location. They know it's layout. We will vanish into the forest, make it all the harder for them to track us down. We can return to the fort to scavenge what we can fit onto the wagons but then we strike out deep into the wilderness. We will be hidden, the forest will be nearby and we have plenty of materials to build our own homes. The ruins are our best bet."
He turned and spoke to the refugees directly for the first time. "You are more then welcome to come with us. Help us build our community and you will be part of our new family. But that fort...when I have my chance I'm going to burn it to the ground."
He took the paper from the dwarf with a smile and scanned it quickly. He nodded with approval before rolling all the papers up and placing them back in the scroll containers. He then placed his spellbook and the bag he was carrying in the bags of the knight's horse and rubbed it's face again. "I shall name you Acteon."
"We'll be hunted by the king, and all that stand fer him," Tsakua comments. "I don't mean just us 'rebels', all of us here," he says, gesturing to their new companions. "How long will it be till more soldiers come, huntin' and killin'?"
Tsakua picks up a morningstar and swings it once or twice before planting it firmly in the ground. "Tis a great sight ye'll make on yer new steed, regal and proud," he says to Octavian. "I think ye should send yon knight's corpse home on that pony, so them as will follow will know what t'expect should they come after us. Or," he continued with a toothy grin, "do y'need a new perch to bark orders from?"
Zorgg wonders off the wagons and starts going through things. Specifically looking for anything that he can eat. Seeing only weapons, he starts looking through the pile for anything he can use.
After he finishes he wonders back over to the group. Eyeing Octavian on the horse. Octavian get down from there. You will be killed. Those things are dangerous.
When Breewyn managed to pull Targen over to where the supply sack was, she started to dig through it. After a minute or two she managed to find the bandages she was looking for. She thought about the potions for a moment, but decided to leave them for the moment. She turned back to face him and smiled a very large grin. "Well Tar, this should definitely help a couple people, and if we can find more bandages from the wagons that will help even more!" She then turned and called out to no one in particular, "Have we found more supplies for first aid? Perhaps second aid if need be?"
Zorgg grabs a dagger, and one of the leather armors. He then sits down right there in the wagon and starts adjusting the armor to fit him.
Gwendala frowned slightly, becoming a little worried that the group would just leave them to their own. She looked at Iraldia, addressing her first, "We will not survive on our own, especially not at an outpost that was formerly occupied by humans. They would only come back in time and wipe us out with a superior force. I promise we would not get in your way. Your group has already proved them capable worries, but you must need other needs that must be met, such as shelter, armor repairs, food preparation. Trail rations I know is not really that satisfying for active ones such as your group." She paused and gave a glance to her fellow slaves.
"We can make suitable a base for you so to speak. A safe haven where you can return, and just focus on the more important things on hand while you dedicate yourself to what ever it needs be. I assure you we'd rather have a purpose as a group then be let loose and fend on our own." She glanced to Octavian and smiled, though she was still unsure of her and her groups position with these strangers who had just rescued them. It seems like they are still trying to work our their own structure as well.
"If you are to strike back at the humans in any capacity, we will be more then happy to assist your group in such."
Tsakua rummages through the equipment. Finding the javelins, he hefts one experimentally. With a satisfied grunt, he slings the rest onto his back and picks up the morning star, almost hesitantly, then sets it back down. Maybe some other time, he thinks. Looking through the wagon with building materials, an idea begins to form in his mind. Sitting down, Tsakua pulls out a dagger and a piece of scrap wood and begins sketching out plans.
Glancing up at Iraldia, Tsakua comments, "We'll need what help we can get t'make use of these materials. When we get wherever we're goin', we'll need our new friends here." Standing up from his sketches, Tsakua decides to start talking to the newly freed slaves and get an idea of where their strengths and talents lie.
Dwarf Male: Targen - Cleric - Can provide free healing to the group and be taken on as an extra party member when the group heads out on excursions. Provides general healing for encampment.
Dwarf Female: Briatha - Lead Engineer - She is able to lead construction and attempt engineering feats. She use to be the head engineer of her clan before they were captured.
Aasimar Female: Gwendala - War Priestess - She is capable at leading the encampment in the groups absence. She is also an extra party member when the group heads out on excursions. When leading encampment productivity is increased.
Aasimar Female: Visiarra - Enchantress - She can preform enchantments at resource cost to the group. The enchantments she can preform depend on the materials provided to her. Can help improve a group of the encampment at their task by enchanting their equipment.
Kobold Male: Draahzin - Scouting/Hunting - Was a hunter for his clan, can do advanced scouting/tracking for the group. Can also hunt for food for the encampment.
Kobold Male: Zaheen - Miner - Can harvest minerals at known tunnels/mines.
Kobold Female: Quena - Miner - Can harvest minerals at known tunnels/mines.
Elf Female: Faunra - Fortifications Engineer - Can assist in building and constructing fortifications.
Elf Female: Gladeral - Smith - Can repair and craft weapons and armor at resource cost for the group. Can also produce weapons/armor for encampment.
Elf Male: Seldlon - Hunter - Can provide food for settlement, track enemies, and provide defense for the encampment.
"I was merely suggesting the convenience of having a walled fort at our disposal. Besides, we don't know much about the ruins. We will need to clear the area before we let these people settle there." Iraldia shrugs, "but everyone seems to be in agreement. In that case, I'm going to go a head and scout the area." She motions to the direction of the ruins, "you'll find them to the north. I'm going to climb through the mountains to get a better vantage before getting into the wood. My suggestion is to skirt around as it'll be safer. The ruins are about a mile into the wood, just off the southeast corner." She motions to Gommie, "Come boy"
She begins to pick her way through the crowd and the caravans, headed for a small trail up into the rocks on the northern side of the road.
You do not spot any nearby settlements, the mountains blocking quite a bit of your view, but northward lay a larger massive mountain range, where as the south felt more like a peninsular of rouge mountains.
You deduce that there is a source of water running near the ruins. With it being located in the valley it is snow runoff, which would produce drinkable clean water.
Tsakua wanders through the newly freed slaves, trying to organize his thoughts and remember names. Need to figure out something else to call ourselves. Don't plan on answerin' to 'slave' ever again in this life. He had picked up a few supplies from the wagons, the javelins and a dagger. The armor he was wearing seemed to be holding up, but he'd give anything to be able to change the crest on it. Mebbe I should call m'self a knight, Tsakua jokes with himself. Tsakua Chain-Breaker, Knight of the Blue Dragon. Chuckling to himself, he weaves through the new companions until he finds the one Gwendala had mentioned to him.
She gave a casual glance to the wagon loaded with all the timber and stone. Her lips twisted for a moment and then she sighed. "Lemme be honest with ye. That's a pile o'crap there. Plain and simple stuff. Nothing special, humans donna how to do anythin'. But it's workable. Can pass off'ya 'till better materials are gathered, but that's time there." she huffed and crossed her arms, looking to Tsakau with a straight face, "I know were we can get the good stuff, nice quality stuff ann'a more dwarves too. But that's if ya group here wanna rustle the jimmies of some humans down south. Fortified, but lotsa slaves there, lot of ex fighters and builders ta. Could start a good castle with what they got down there. They'd be real beholden to ya if ya group makes the hit."
She shook her head then, knowing that it was probably asking a lot though she thought it was better for them to know. "I'ma ready to get goin, get some good fortifications up for ye, butta I wanna come clean. Let ya know all that I know. Black Mines they call it, where their big operation of mining is. Lotsa dwarf slaves, some others strong ones too. But itsa one of the closet settlements around these parts. They were gonna build a bastion in this valley from what I heard."
Octavian ignored Tsakua while he took Acteon and tied his reins to the side of one of the wagons before kneeling down next to the dead knight. Over the next ten minutes he carefully peels piece after piece off of the armor and clothing until the corpse was naked. Next he scavenged a dagger from the equipment and began to grimly carve into the knight's chest, opening pink wounds that barely bled.
In draconic he writes "Thus do all tyrant's fall." Once he was finished he slammed the dagger into the knight's forehead, burying it to the hilt. He rolls the corpse to the side of the road until it tumbled away into the bushes. Cleaning his hands in the grass he stands up and moves back over to his new horse. He quickly mounts on top of the large beast and figures out how the reins work before riding over to look at the entire group.
"Let's get the wounded up on the wagons as well as any others that can fit! I'm sure some of you are hungry, feel free to grab a meal from the food stores as we go. Mount up!"