"Green one" Luemoth makes a waving gesture to one of the robed kobolds that were serving him "take this as a token of luck. It will guide you in your endeavour"
A meek looking blue kobold scurries up to Ipreek and bows at his feet holding up a black orb of what looks to be polished stone. It is about twenve inches in diameter, streaked with white and emits a faint glow. When Ipreek takes it he finds it to be lighter than one would expect (2lb)
Grigg slowly dashes his tail along the ground, his tail dashes across the ground. As the orb enters his sight a burning curiosity grows within him.turning to the dragon, he asks
"my lord, this is truly a work of art, but what is it?"
"It is a trinket to show your devotion to me"
Grigg flicks his tail against the floor,thinking hard.
Grigg taps the chin with his claws letting the holy symbol of zalinahat dangle hidden behind it he presses his palms together in a subtle act of prayer, trying to sense magical auras the orb might radiate.
Boom-Boom gasps at the sight of the orb and takes it reverently. "Thank you, my Lord! I will not fail you!"
Grigg detects a great deal of magical sources in the room, most of them including the orb in Ipreek's hand are relitivly weak, but there are some exceptional peaces in the horde.
With the amout of magic in the background it is very hard to determine the effects of the orb while in the room and while not holding the orb in your own hands.
Scram stays silent though his heart fills with envy however it is the way of Scram's world. He never gets anything nice. Espying the orb though his mind begins to dig deep into his own lore.
If he wasn't so darned red, Kax would be green with envy. That the Master had not yet ripped Ipreek's head from his shoulders concerned him a little. Maybe the Great One is simply toying with him. Yes! that must be it.
When the orb appears, Kax is spellbound It will be mine. he thinks.
"Well then be about your task. I await news of your success." the dragon's head turns slowly away and it's body follows, shifting into a hollow of gold coin in the far corner of the room, before curling up.
Zamoth stands and quickly shuffles from the room.
Boom-Boom follows Zamoth out with the same eager timidity. Upon exiting, Ipreek composes himself and turns to the rest of the group. "Alright! It's time we move! The Son of Chronepsis saw fit to bless me and I don't intend to disappoint him. You've had an hour to gather your things, and ye shouldn't need more now. If anything is urgent, get it done. If it is not, then meet me by the as quick as you can!"
Grigg moves to gather his belongings
"a plan with risks, a planner with pride, and a tale to twist all tails to be carried out"
Grigg chuckles to himself. He flips all his good onto his back, making a fast trek to his den and back.
Scram scrams to the appointed place, his pack and items already with him. He already knew what the orb did and he wondered if his brothers knew about it. Even if they did they wouldn't ask him or show their ignorance after all.
It seems that the Great one expected them to send updates.
Once back in the main chamber, Kax's eyes glow with draconic power for a moment as he inspects the bowling ball.
"I was ready before you hatched, green-scale." Kax retorts, pressing a scaly digit into Ipreek's chest. "And you think that was the Great One's blessing? Don't delude yourself. The master simply wants a front row seat to your inevitable failure."
Boom-Boom sniffs indignantly and slaps his tail against the ground. "If my lord gives a 'token of luck' then I trust his words, you seem to have difficulty doing that." Ipreek slaps away the finger from his chest. "How the faithless like you gain his favor is a mystery."
"You lack the insight to divine the Master's true meanings. You don't have the wiles to read between the lines. My faith is unshakable. How is yours?" Kax asks with a wicked grin. " But enough of your prattle. Come along," He snaps his fingers. "Let us go see what mess of handling the orcs you make."
Ipreek lets a sneer play out through the flicking of his tail as Kax talks more. At the obvious attempt to command, Boom-Boom holds his ground. "Yes, let us. Follow me." Boom-Boom doesn't budge as he waits for Kax to fall back in line before heading in the appropriate direction.
Grigg scurries behind the party's two leaders trying not to be left behind as they progress. He counts the figures in front of him.
"boom-boom,kax and scram..."
He pauses,counting again.
"by the scales! We're short a brother!"
Scram waits as he takes the last position.
"A brother will arrive, never you fear. For now move lest the great one grows displeased."
Outside the throne room sits a sizeable Direweasle clad in chainmail barding with a harness for caring equipment fixed to it. It's having it's ear scratched by a green kobold and seems to be enjoying it greatly, but the kobold stops when he sees the party and snaps to attention. The Weasel does the same.
The likeness of your Weasel
"Ah! May I introduce to you Soom, the trainer, Scratch your pack animal, and this you black kobold is my cousin Yraalik. Yraalik the eternally late"
Grigg lets out a chuckle as he greets the trainer and yraalik with a bow
"greetings brother! It is indeed nice to have you join us!"
Turning away from the kobolds, grigg directs his attention to the dire weasel.
"ah a magnificent beast. Trainer,your fine beast praises our lord in the most glorious of ways."
grigg leans in to stroke the pelt of the weasel.trying to seem as little a threat as possible.
The weasel sniffs the air around Grigg for a few moments, it's head bobbing up and down as it does so. When Grig starts to stroke him, he leans towards the kobold heavily.
Scram chuckles on that greeting.
"Ah there is the missing one. One of us thought that something ill has befallen you but I see that you are aptly named for being late."
Scram examines the beast before him.
"Such a magnificent beast, our great lord will be pleased to see that you,Chieftan Zamoth are so attentive to his needs and have produced such a fine beast. It'll be put to fine use I assure you and it'll be made known from whom it came from."
"By all means 'leader'." There is acid in Kax's tone. He does take position behind, but as Ipreek marches ahead, Kax moves to give him a sound kick on the backside to speed the green scale's pace.
The foot goes wide, and Kax nearly stumbles as a result. He gives Clashing a sidelong glance for a moment, then lets loose a chortle. He gives a slow nod in Ipreek's direction, the first begrudging sign of genuine respect, then falls into the second position in the line.
Clashing's eyes sense the movement in Kax's shadow and slips out of the way. Old reflexes die hard it seems, Boom-Boom was always on guard around the pirates for such tom-foolery. Looking back at Kax for a moment, Ipreek seems to think better of actually retaliating as Kax falls in line.
Or so he initially acted like as he turned around, then flicked at Kax's legs with his tail and knocks Kax just off balance enough to trip him. Then in an odd gesture, Clashing leans down and offers a hand to Kax, hoping that the more Ipreek shows a bit more of a thuggish brutality, the more Kax will fall in line willingly and less out of demand. Not letting his eyes stray from Kax, Ipreek speaks "Thank you for gift Soom, and greetings Yraalik, we move on orcs as soon as we're ready. Are you prepared?"
Ever proud, Kax bats away the offered hand and rolls to his feet on his own. He walks right past Ipreek, not even deigning to make eye contact.
He takes a look at Scratch. "A mighty beast," he concurs. "The pink skins will truly know awe when we arrive."
Grigg scratches the chin of the beast.
"tell me brother soom! What should we do to appease this fine creature. When should we feed it? What should we feed it? Is this a she or a he? Are there any peculiar things we should know about the fine creature?"
Grigg drills the beast's trainer.
Scram examines the beast before him.
Grigg scratches the chin of the beast.
"tell me brother soom! What should we do to appease this fine creature. When should we feed it? What should we feed it? Is this a she or a he? Are there any peculiar things we should know about the fine creature?"
Grigg drills the beast's trainer.
Soom takes a few steps away from the creature and responds to Grigg in a raspy voice
”I have packed one weeks worth of feed for him. It should be given to his twice a day. Once outside he will be able to hunt for himself. Don't be surprised if he brings back food for you too. He hunts best at night and in the forest. You can dry out strips of whatever he brings back and add it to his feed.“When you make camp at night take his pack from him and allow him to play and hunt. This will ensure that he doesn't get skittish while travelling. Don't worry he won't go far and he will always come when you call him. He is trained as a pack animal, not a mount. You can easily ride him by clinging to his fur, but if he gets surprised or excited he'll probably throw you!
“He understands simple commands such as 'Stop'” Scratch snaps to attention “'Quiet'” Scratch shuts his mouth “'Lie down'” Scratch hits the deck and shuffles in closer to scram, rubbing his nose against the Kobold's chest “'Come here'” The weasel's ears twitch “Scratch I said 'Come Here'!” Scratch slides across the ground to his master keeping his low profile.
“'Good weasel!'” Soom finishes pulling a dead rat from his belt-pouch and feeding it to Scratch. The weasel seems delighted with it's treat, though it does not give up it's stance.
"My cousin," Yraalik hisses, "seems to lack the eyes to see my scales are purple. If he got it right I might not be as late to his little meetings as I was today..
”Late and cantankerous. He has expressed interest in joining your party and frankly I can think of no better use of him” Zamoth says in response, a small smile in the corner of his mouth.
Grigg reaches into his healer's sack to note all that down,then realises he doesn't have any paper or a charcoal stick.dropping his gear,he dashes off into the nearest tunnel,returning swiftly with a journal and a few charcoal sticks.he scribbles the information down proudly and pockets it.
Finishing the records,he double checks his gear to see that everything is in place before putting his bedroll and iron pot on the beast.securing the items ,he strokes the beast's fur waiting for his party members to finish their own business before they proceed.
Scram pays close attention to the commands by Soom.
"What a clever fellow. Intelligent as well. I'm sure we'll get along nicely with together."
Scram promptly tries out the first command he can think off.
"Scratch come here." looking to see how well the weasel before him can understand instructions seeing his earlier reluctance to pay heed to his owner.
The dire weasel is hesitant at first but comes over to you none the less. Some of the fur on his neck and tail are a little raised. Sccratch looks at Scram as if to say 'what next'?
"good weasel! " grigg chirps.
He searches through his rations before producing a strip of dried meat, which he attempts to feed the weasel.
Scratch gobbles it up making a happy little chirp
Scram takes out his own dried bacon and gives it to Scratch.
"Good weasel." he croons as he strokes its fur, looking to see where Scratch likes to be scratched and if he finds it he does so.
|
Or so he initially acted like as he turned around, then flicked at Kax's legs with his tail and knocks Kax just off balance enough to trip him. Then in an odd gesture, Clashing leans down and offers a hand to Kax, hoping that the more Ipreek shows a bit more of a thuggish brutality, the more Kax will fall in line willingly and less out of demand. Not letting his eyes stray from Kax, Ipreek speaks "Thank you for gift Soom, and greetings Yraalik, we move on orcs as soon as we're ready. Are you prepared?"
"As ready as anyone can be to serve the Luminous One. I've prepared my spells and collected my scrolls. If we are lucky, we will not need either."
Seeing everyone is ready, grigg shoulders his gear and looks at kax and boom-boom.
"lead the way brothers! Let our quest be for the glory of our lord, whose power and influence knows no bounds."
he pulls his cloak over his head , making an attempt to hide his identity.
Scram takes out his own dried bacon and gives it to Scratch.
"Good weasel." he croons as he strokes its fur, looking to see where Scratch likes to be scratched and if he finds it he does so.
Scratch repeats his chirp as he retrieves more bacon. Allowing the blue Kobold to scratch under his chin and down towards his chest. He raises his front right paw as if he's about to roll to his back, but stops, thankfully before he makes a mess of his pack.
”Alright alright don't spoil him. I don't want him coming back a fat weasel” Soom says scornfully.The party sets off towards the closest known Orc territory. There are 2 such tribes rumoured to be to the north-east.
Soom gives the weasel a small push after you
”Go on Scratch, go with them” the creature gingerly follows you looking awkwardly back to his old master
Once you get beyond the borders of the town there is no lighting in the caves
Grigg attempts to consolidate information with the rest of his brothers
"brothers....Are we there yet?'
"I uh, getting close, yes... getting close."
"Show us the way to the orcs, Leader"
Scram chuckles at the beast trainer's obvious irritation. It means that the weasel as its own weakness that could be exploited then the time comes.[/ooc]
Coming to the caves though proves a slight problem.
Scram couldn't see a thing, his eyes bereft of the ability that gave his brothers their dark sight. He uses his innate ability to summon forth lights to dance around their weasel's pet feet in order to give him light to see.
Staying beside the weasel, Scram points out a few things to his brothers.
"Best I stay beside Scratch just in case, he can't see but I believe that I do know where we can find some orcs if all of you gives me permission to."