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As you walked around the tower, looking more closely at the layout and the walls, you notice there is a slight difference in the flooring near the back. The floor was a bit smooth and slightly grooved near a large section of the back most wall.
Octavians crafting drew a lot of eyes again, this time more then normal, with Ishak decided to perch himself in a nice view on the dismantled wall near him. He cocked his head and watch, curious and ever watchful.
When the final hour drew, some of the camp had already gone back to their work, not wanting to waste most of the day when the camp could be packed and ready to move out at the moments notice. Most of the carts were packed and organized neatly, weapons and armor being readily accessible as much as the food was. The horses tethered and cared for, and most of the debris from the camp has been cleared enough to make relocation easy. This was all done within respect of the crafting mage.
When the breastplate sat, glittering in the sunlight, and if one would pick it up, they would notice a significant weight difference. The solid metal breastplate being as light as leather was a bit surprising in its own right. With its careful creation and imbue of not only the wizards mythical power but the latent energies around the camp was sucked into its creation.
Breewyn sat in rapt amazement. She had watched the wizard diligently attend to his task at hand and it was like watching art being created. She wasn't particularly fond of metal-smithing, but watching Octavian slowly work and enchant the armor to accept the spells he had weaved into the enchantment was something else quite entirely. When he had finished, she was finally able to tear her eyes away, stand up, and stretch. She didn't know how long she sat there, slowly becoming stiff, but it was well worth it to her to watch the threads of magic being finely woven into a thing of beauty.
Upon feeling a rumbling from her stomach, she only just realized how hungry she was. She looked around, wandering around the camp in the hopes that the kobolds had prepared something delicious today for their meal.
"I think we've found somethin' o' value," Tsakua says, "Or at least, we're pretty close to it. This junk," he says, gesturing to the gears and wood, "was part o' some trap by someone what came afore us, but it ain't from those what built this place." Looking around, he adds "We're close to somethin'."
In the midst of the meal he waves over at the glittering breastplate and says "Your armor. It will make you more resistant to devastating blows and adapts itself to different foes. You will also find it much easier to move while wearing it and it should not impede your fighting style." the wizard says with pride. He finishes his meal with a satisfied expression and finished the water with a pleased grunt.
He was silent for a few minutes before speaking up with a slightly embarrassed expression. "I also felt the armor was extremely plain so there are a few... flourishes that aren't technically necessary. I find the salerdin knot done properly is quite beautiful."
He pointed at the tangle of lines that had converged in the center of the breastplate into a balled-knot with a eight-pointed star in the center. "And the Star of Eärendil, whose light will shine even the blackest night."
Pazeek burbles and warbles happily as he takes up the improved breastplate. It is but a few moments of skilled effort on his part before the armor is properly donned, and he spends some time flexing and bending through his entire range of motion before chirping in satisfaction. "Oh, this I like, very much so. No bound or pinched feathers, no chafing, and so much lighter and cooler than my old armor in the bargain." Glancing at the aforementioned chain shirt on its bench in the manor, he clicks his beak open and shut a few times. "Suppose I should see if anyone here needs an upgrade in their own armor. It's quality stuff, and should be usable by just about anyone with a modicum of training." He then resumes looking over his armor, claws running lightly across the decorative work. "And rest assured that I've no problem with a bit of fancywork. It makes me look that much more impressive to the ladies when I'm in search of a bit of companionship," Pazeek adds with an earnest laugh.
Returning his attention to Octavian, Pazeek runs a claw along his beak for several beats, trying to figure out a good way to ask what's on his mind. Eventually, he just shrugs mentally and plunges ahead with his question. "Those spells you used while you were working, are those private spells or something like that? You know, the sort of spells that only members of your people or a particular school of magical training are allowed to use? Because of they're not, then I'd like to talk to you about using them myself." The tengu takes a seat on the remains of the anvil as he speaks, his feathers unconsciously fluffing out a bit from the leftover magical charge in the area. "While I'm hardly an expert on the subject, I know enough about magic to recognize that the way you and I cast spells are far too different for me to learn them. However, if they can be added to a wand or something of that nature, that I can use."
Letting Octavian finish his meal and get some needed relaxation while he ponders the question asked of him, Pazeek takes the opportunity to pack his gear up for travel, easily making his way up the trunk of the tree to the boughs where his nest is located. It takes several minutes, but he eventually has everything packed away, and has even dismounted the scrap wood he made use of, sending the lumber dropping to the ground below after a shouted warning. Dropping down from the boughs, he glides easily to a smooth landing, enjoying how easy it is with his new armor. But he doesn't waste time admiring the breastplate. Instead, he hauls the wood into the manor to join a pile of ready firewood, while his loaded pack is set beside the waiting wagon. Only a dedicated observer would note the hitch in his step--accompanied by a momentary flattening of his feathers--as his eyes pass across the loaded sacks of hippogriff feed in one of the piles of supplies.
The momentary dampening of his spirits passes as quickly as it arrived, and Pazeek moves over to the workbenches to retrieve his weapons, which he stows after adjusting his equipment harness around the new armor. He then strides back to the anvil, where Octavian waits, to hear the mage's verdict on his question.
Before he could be caught up in melancholy over thoughts of home and family he stood up and began his own preparations to pack. His own supplies took no more then a few minutes to pack as they all fit on Acteon's back. The great black stallion still wasn't completely trustful of the wizard but seemed glad that it no longer had to carry a large, heavy human clad in full-plate.
Maybe I should ask Pazeek how to better handle the warbeast. Octavian thought to himself. He murmured quietly to the horse as he stroked it's neck and face, trying to ease it's temper.
After a few minutes Acteon stopped stomping his hooves and lowered his large head to make it easier for Octavian to continue. Octavian gave a big grin at this small victory, the first true and unguarded smile in a very, very long time. It felt strange at first, his muscles pulling and moving in unfamiliar ways as the corner of his mouth went up. Maybe he needed the horse more then Acteon needed him.
After seeing that the horse was watered and fed he returned to the convenient stone that he had been sitting on just as Pazeek finished his own work. Before he could doubt himself Octavian retrieved his most valuable possession and flipped it open to the spell that allowed him to increase the quality of items. Before he turned it around so that Pazeek could see it he leveled a serious expression at the avian.
"I will show you my secrets Pazeek but only if you accept the position as my apprentice. Wizard's guard their knowledge jealously and are particular who they choose to train. I will not force you to humiliate yourself or to alter your lifestyle in any way. Understand however that the magic I can show you is powerful and dangerous to the impulsive. I can not, in good conscience , teach you anything unless you swear to abide by my instructions into the arcane. How long you remain my apprentice is up to you but until such time as you decide you've had enough, you WILL be my apprentice. Do you agree to such stipulations?"
Hearing Octavian's stipulation, Pazeek blinks in silence for a few moments. "Well, I have no objection to the whole apprenticeship part of your bargain. But, as I already mentioned, the way in which you and I cast our spells is only remotely similar. So what, exactly, could I learn here?" Pazeek is clearly a bit surprised and confused by the requirement, but equally willing to hear Octavian out.
Octavian leaned back and closed his spellbook. He wasn't sure exactly what would result from training Pazeek but he knew the only way for the avian to learn the spells which would aid him with crafting would be to understand the way wizards shaped magic. He didn't want to scare Pazeek away but the speech was almost the same word for word that his own master had given him when the young Octavian had sought out Archmage Valera for instruction.
Pazeek chirps to himself for a time, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Alright, that seems reasonable enough as far as explanations go. Don't see how it matters if I'm getting the spells from a wand, since I've used those in the past with nothing worse than itchy feathers afterwards. But, your spells and so your rules and all." Now his expression turns a bit sour and he grumbles, his tone mostly amused. "Kind of annoying being an apprentice again though. I worked very hard to get past that point as a fledgeling, and here I am doing it once more."
"He doesn't try to bite or kick me anymore but there is nothing like trust between us. I'm from a desert people and we didn't have horses so I'm not sure how to work with him."
Pazeek glances over at Octavian's mount, an intent look in his eyes he carefully studies the large horse. "Nice horse you've got. Going by the markings on his gear, I'm going to go ahead and guess that one of the King's cavalry officers decided he was tired of riding--and living as well, most likely--and let you have him." Pazeek says this more in the way of statement than a question, his expression one of knowing amusement. "Well, let's see if the performance matches the looks, yes?"
With a cluck of his tongue, he leaves his rock and approaches Acteon carefully, chirping reassuringly. Allow the animal to get his scent first, Pazeek then runs his claws carefully over the large body, checking Acteon for any signs of injury or other problems. He then returns to his pack in the manor, digs through it briefly, and returns with a complex-looking set of straps, which he attaches to Acteon after a few more moments spent reassuring the warhorse.
Once the straps are place, Pazeek leads him into the cleared area near the anvil and begins a rather odd process of running Acteon in circles, or back and forth, to called commands. Other commands cause to the horse to act in different ways, though most produce no discernable result. After nearly half an hour, Pazeek finally stops, guiding the horse back to the manor, where he removes the straps and returns them to his pack before rejoining Octavian.
"Well, that was fun. Brings back memories of working that military stable back in Aklai. So, here's what I've learned about your warhorse," Pazeeks says with a joint-popping stretch.
Breewyn returned to where Pazeek and Octavian were having their exchange after finding something that satisfied her hunger. She was a bit surprised at Octavian taking Pazeek on as an apprentice and giggled softly when he started to handle the horse that Octavian managed to attain from one of the bands of humans that they dealt with. She shivered some at the thought before trying to think of other things instead.
After several long moments of searching you found a few relatively loose stones. Though they were spread out and pushing just one or all of them in does not seem to trigger an opening in the wall. It already appeared to be some sort of combination lock. The stones seemed to be slightly more worn the others around them, from many hands once pressing the stones to unlock what lies behind the walls.
There are five total stones that can be pressed, arrayed in the following way:
UP
---------------------
LEFT | CENTER | RIGHT
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DOWN
It took some handling to get the horse to obey your commands, but you apply your skill and deft hands and sharp commands to get it into its routine. It had been lacking some proper reinforcement training along the way since it was 'liberated'.
The horse is in general good health but is slightly needing to be exercised more regularly. After prodding and poking with some commands that humans would general use and putting the horse through its paces, you were able to identify quite a few tricks the horse knew.
"For a start, Acteon needs more exercise, and on a regular basis. He's a warhorse, and loafing about like he has been isn't good for him. It could mean both of your lives if you get into a situation where you need him to perform at his best, but his strength and endurance aren't what they should be." Pazeek clicks his beak thoughtfully as he briefly works out in his head a modest exercise regimen for both mount and rider, then continues his explanation.
"Very well trained, however, more so than usual. He was definitely not trained in some government-owned stable, not to that level. Even elite cavalry don't train their mounts to that degree. Whoever did it had a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of patience." Pazeek then counts off on his claws the various commands to Acteon reponded, and what those commands do. A few of the results were a bit surprising to the tengu, as he could think of no logical reason for a warhorse to ever be in a situation where those commands are needed.
"For a start, he's obviously got combat training, which is a set of responses that are pretty much universal regardless of where the mount is trained. 'Attack' is pretty self-explanatory, you point out a target and Acteon stomps it out like a fire with those great hooves of his. Though I'm pretty certain Acteon hasn't received the training to attack the really creepy or weird stuff, such as undead or constructs. Expect to be ignored in those cases. 'Come' is also self-explanatory, he comes to you on command. 'Defend', again, not much explantion required there, he stands ready to stomp, kick, and bite anything that approaches you, or someone you designate. 'Down' causes Acteon to break off from previously-given commands, and if in combat, move away from potential enemies. 'Guard' lets you point out a location or object, and he won't let anyone but you approach it, until commanded otherwise. Finally, 'Heel' will cause Acteon to follow you everywhere you go, even into places a horse would normally avoid."
Having gone through all of this, Pazeek pauses to take a drink from his canteen, tipping the spout against the side of his opened beak while guiding the water with quick flicks of his tongue. When he's had his fill, he replaces the canteen with a chuckle as he notes the glances his little unintentional performance has garnered. "You'd be amazed at how much stuff is made for species with lips and teeth. Not a lot of options available for the few that have neither." Stretching with a low sigh of relief as a few joints pop, the tengu gets back to enumerating Acteon's commands. "'Aid' will let you command Acteon to engage a specific target you point out in concert with an ally you point out as well. 'Break Out' is one of those odd commands, and using it while bound will cause Acteon to try to chew off whatever you're bound with. Obviously, don't give him that command if you're wrapped in chains, yeah? If you're in a cage or behind a wall, that command'll cause him to try his best to kick a hole through for you to get out by. Again, mind the material and its thickness before giving that command. 'Deliver' tells Acteon to take something given by yourself or an ally and drop it off at a designated point, or wait until a designated person takes it from him. Pretty useful."
"'Flee' is just what it sounds like, Acteon takes off and avoids attempts to catch or engage him until you command otherwise. If he's not with you when that command is used, he'll try to stick close but out of sight if possible. 'Manuever' is a specialist command, and it'll make Acteon try to a target you point out. 'Stay' is another one of self-explanatory commands, you point out a spot and Acteon will stick to it until commanded otherwise, or hunger and thirst finally drive him to leave. 'Throw Rider' is another specialist command, and what it does is obvious enough. You're lucky that he doesn't appear to have ever been trained to accept a single rider, or you'd never have gotten off of his back under your own power the first time you climbed on. Finally, 'Work' is the last command to which he showed some response. Almost didn't even try that one, but he has faint wear patterns in his coat from a draft harness, indicating that he's been used in the past to haul loads."
Pazeek claps his claws together as he comes to a finish of his evaluation. "And there you have it, Octavian, a detailed run-down of what your warhorse can do if needed, and what he needs to have done as well."
As Toyer pokes about the various rooms, he notices the combination stones on the wall. He leans in to look closely at them, tilts his head sideways to look at them from a different view, then turns his head up-side-down to look at it from a different angle. He touches the stone, but not hard enough to move anything.
As Toyer is inspecting the stones, something twinkles in another room and he looses all focus and wanders away from the combination lock.
Breewyn watches Pazeek as he continues to train Octavian's steed. She smiled some at his antics, but she also admired the time and care he took to work with the animal and how well the animal responded to Pazeek's training. She found it somewhat enthralling to sit and watch the two of them work back and forth together in their own kind of harmony. When she saw that he was finally satisfied, she listened to all the commands that he managed to work out with the steed. She looked back and forth between Pazeek and Octavian as he described in detail what each command could do. She yawned softly, and got up and stretched, feeling a pop in her back and her eyes widening as she felt the pressure and then the sudden release. She hadn't realized how long she was sitting there watching but she had become rather stiff. She carefully tried to stretch more, attempting to work out more kinks before moving again.
-Something's about to happen... I know, and I don't know if I'll be up to the situation. Last time, one of us died, and that poor girl's wolf... she hasn't been the same ever since.
Being unable to relax, he decides to have a look around the camp while the light still allows some visibility.
Tsakua starts rummaging through the room to find any clues to the combination.
He did notice stairs to even more new and fun unexplored territory, but this room held his attention for now.
Leaving Octavian to fully absorb what he's just learned, Pazeek wanders over to the camp fire with a curious expression. He intently watches the kobold's activities, wondering what is going on until Ishak points at a bit of debris and identifies it as the ruins. At that point, Pazeek finally recognizes that he's looking at a map, and he leans closer to examine it. He carefully notes the various features presented while listening as Ishak brings up what Pazeek is beginning to realize is a perennial topic of discussion in the camp; stay or go.
Though he has little investment in the decision himself, Pazeek decides to offer his opinion. "If we stay, we have some advantages here. We have a good idea of the terrain, defensible positions, access to food and water. And it puts an armed force in reach of King 's lightly-guarded hinterlands. Downside is, the area isn't as explored and mapped as it could, and should, be, and there are known enemies infesting it besides." Stroking his long beak in consideration of his next words, it takes a few moments before the tengu continues.
"Freeing the slaves is an idea worth further thought. Aside from being the stated goal of those here, or most here at least, it would add a number of warm bodies to our ranks who could act as guards, extra exploration teams, and needed workers in a number of tasks. On the other hand, those slaves will definitely put a dent in the supplies available, make it more likely that we'll be found by enemies due to occupying a larger area, and make it that much harder to pack up and leave in a hurry if we have to."
Pacing slowly around the fire, his eyes fixed on the map, Pazeek continues to offer his various thoughts on the matter. "And, of course, getting those slaves is contingent on successfully taking a camp that is sure to be guarded closely against just such an occurence, among others." Pointing at the designated north side of the crude map, Pazeek moves on to his final points. "Fleeing is an option, yes, but we need a destination first so we know what supplies will be needed, and in what quantities. That last is especially important if we strike that camp and free the slaves there. Then we must find a route that gets us past the front lines of King 's various forces, while also evading pursuit. Difficult road, that."
Ishak nodded to Pazeeks words, though he notices the gnome still silent as ever. He let off a breath of air. "Beating a dead horse with this topic almost, but I still am unhappy with our decision, feel like its not a permanent. I know we exploring potential spots for temporarily relocating camp. But, I think, we need to think long term here. If we stay, we will be discovered sooner or later. That means we have to liberate the mining camp. Granted there is plenty of room here, but it's apparent we have enemies within the city itself. But leaving, unless its in a small group, will get us noticed quickly. I know a way through the mountains, old kobold clan, ally of mine, has tunnel that goes through the range. Cut our travel over the mountain by days. Or recruit neighboring kobolds, help us here." He paused to catch his breath before looking down at the map with a frown. The kobolds would jump at the chance to stop the slaughtering of their kind from the humans hands.
"These ruins have many hidden secrets. Many hidden threats. We do not know what may lay here or out there. I think liberating the camp in any scenario will prove good and useful. Get an army going. We could still out move the kings army, as they can only react unless we strike larger targets."
Pazeek nods in thought, eyes still fixed on the map. Eventually, his gaze travels to Ishak. "What information is available on this mining camp and its defenses? That would help determine whether an attack against is feasible to begin with."
Thomen listens to what the rest is saying while negating in disapproval.
-I think you all miss one point. You're all thinking what is best for us, but we need to liberate the slaves because that's what's best for them. This is what sets the difference between Ledon and us.
"You raise a good point, Thomen," Pazeek says in response to the dwarf's words. "But how is it helping them if we have no food, shelter, or protection to provide them. Harsh as it is, freedom from the oppression of those humans also includes the freedom to die from starvation, exposure, and the attentions of anything lurking in the brush." The tengu frowns as he speaks. "I'm not in the mood to risk life and limb to free those slaves, only to help shovel most of them into a mass grave a month later after they die due to our failures. Don't need that kind of thing to explain away after I die."
-Well, there must be food enough for them in the camp they are just now because, if there's not, then we really must free them, don't you think?
After a moment, Thomen goes on.
-I'd rather take a 95% they die by my failed attempt to help than a 100% they die on the slave camp.
He doesn't even notice he's not stuttering anymore.