Tomorrow, you must depart this camp. It will never be truly safe for you here. Over the next week, more tribes will rally to my banner as I promise them blood and steel. Then, at last, I will be ready to march. A week after that - I will be poised to strike. I will move my horde to the valley just north of Balentyne, where we will wait for your signal."[/b] He hands you a single, carefully-wrapped signal rocket. "Fire this rocket into the air, and we will attack within the hour. Make sure the way is ready. A word of warning: idleness is not good for my horde's morale. Once we're in position, I expect to be able to hold them together for another two weeks before desertions and squabbling begin. Get your work done before then. You have one month to infiltrate and destroy Balentyne." Sakkarot suddenly looks very serious and stares directly into your eyes. "Can you do this? In one month, can you break the Watch Wall?"
Robin had intended to let Hecate sleep, and stand watch all night long. When Hecate insists to take over first watch, Robin gives in quickly. That was not something worth arguing over. She does, however, refuse to lay down on the fur inside the tent, which, honestly, provided little comfort, considering there was no matress or stuffing.
Instead, she doubles up the furs before placing Saranda on them, then returns outside the tent and lays down, placing her head over Hecate's lap, enjoying the girls fingers playing with her hair as she falls asleep.
Robin takes not that Hecate does not feel terribly well. Your average person may have felt bad about the amount of alcohol Robin tried to get her to imbibe. Not Robin, though. Guilt was not really something she did, and things had worked out. She did, however, decide to try and help Hecate, to make the morning easier for her, fetching some water to drink, and generally being there for her.
As such, she also takes it upon herself to communicate with Sakkarot, rather than leave it to Hecate alone.
'You got it all wrong. I am not a traitor to my kind. My kind is a traitor to me. I killed the man responsible for the death of my family, and those who stood with him. A simple matter of vengeance. But they branded ME a murderer and decided to kill me. They are sheep, blinded by titles, laws, sermons...let them all die, if they cling to their lies. I have no regrets because I have seen their true nature. The cardinal, instead, offered us truth. And there is no room for regrets for people who KNOW truth for what it is. Countless of your kind will die in a war against the Mitrans, even if you surprise them, yet you still march against them. Why? What is your reason for war? You are not so different from us, are you?'
After he gives them the signal rocket, Robin shortly looks into Hecate's eyes, then at Saranda, nodding vigoruously. 'I can't promise you'll find the wall already broken. But Balentyne will burn before the month is over.'
With her by my side, I can accomplish anything.
Sakkarot grunts and nods. "Thorn has faith in you. If you weren't his best, he wouldn't have sent you. Do this, and your names will be legend. Leave your companion with me. He'll be a valuable addition to my army, and I'll see that's he's well rewarded. Now go. Hail Asmodeus!"
As you exit Sakkarot's tent, you find Tiadora waiting for you. "Slight change of plans, my darlings. The two of you are going to need all the time you can get if you want to cripple the fortress in time. Let Saranda take care of the captain and his crew. Oh, and I've left you a present. Have fun, my pretties. Contact me when the job is done." With that, she teleports away. Shortly thereafter, Robin can feel something far off in the distance. It's warm and inviting.
Robin turns towards Hecate, holding her hands in her own: 'Dearest Hecate, do you trust me?'
With a nod, she continues:'Would you walk by my side, through the primal fires, the original flame?'
She then draws the slender girl close, pressing Hecate's body against her own:'Then hold on tight, and don't let go.'
Using her minds power, she then ignites some wood, fuel for a nearby fire, directly besides their feet. Focusing her will on it, she enlarges the flame, feeling the warm and inviting "something" grow closer. A single step to the side, right into the fire, is all it takes...
She is with me, she is mine...Burn her to cinders and I WILL quench you.
There's a burst of intense heat (but no pain), and you find yourselves stepping out of a campfire on the south shore of Lake Tarik. Standing nearby is a harmless-looking elf woman who promptly douses the fire before smiling at the two of you.
Hmmm.... They look harmless enough. Pyro can't hear for s!!%, so she'd be easy to ambush. Can't call for help, either. Bookworm's magic wears her out quick, and she's still unused to real combat. Still, best not to let my guard down, as Thorn wouldn't have assigned them to me if he didn't think they weren't capable. I'll play along until they f+** up - then I'll go underground again.
The elf gives Robin and Hecate an open, friendly smile. "Well, hello there! It's nice to meet the two of you in the flesh. Thorn thought you might need some assistance with your mission, so he sent me out here a few days ago. We're about a two-hour walk from Aldencross, and I've already reserved us a room in the inn. Are you hungry?" She makes sure to enunciate her words clearly for Robin's benefit.
Hecate nods at Robin's questions and holds her tight. She remembers what happened to the experimental slaves, but trusts that the flame-haired girl knows what she's doing. Still, it's a slightly nerve-wracking experience.
...
She smiles weakly at the newcomer. "Hello. Um, I think I left most of my stomach back there... give me a minute or two."
Not the best way to make a first impression.
First after arrival, Robin is content to feel the warm flesh of Hecate still pressed against her.
Then she casually scans her surroundings, trying to get a feeling for where she is, and finally focuses on the elf in front of her, watching disapprovingly as the woman puts out the fire.
A present, hu? Awfully friendly present, is she not?
When Hecate starts to reconsider breakfast, Robin supports her, holding her hair. Incidentally, that allowed her to stay in ocntact:'You ok? Think she is a spy for Thorne? And how did she get up here so fast?'
Realizing Hecate may need a few more moments before she feels ready to think straight, again, Robin returns her focus on the elf, and first shakes her head no to answer the question about hunger, expecting Hecate to not feel like it any time soon.
Testing, she then keeps one hand holding her friends hair, and signs a few gestures with the other...only one hand meant incomplete transmission, but she hoped the context would suffice:What did the Cardinal tell you? Who are you?
Heh. Maybe it's not the magic at all - she's just physically weak. Typical academic... Gods, that hand flapping's going to get annoying fast. I should probably try to learn at least a smattering, though, in case this mission doesn't get completely f%+#ed up.
The elf gives Robin an embarrassed smile and shrugs her shoulders. "I'm sorry; I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me. Maybe if you wrote it down?" She retrieves a journal and turns to a page not filled with diagrams and equations.
Hecate straightens up, cross with herself for being weak in front of a stranger. She looks at the elf curiously. She's seen half-elves by the score (most of House Barca is half-elven) but rarely got the chance to see a full elf in person. "She's asking what the Cardinal told you, and who you are. Also: how did you get here so fast? And how exactly can you help with our mission?" She doesn't say what the mission is.
Privately, she transmits to Robin Spy for Thorn, almost certainly, but we could use the help. Maybe Thorn teleported her?
'I won't incinerate her. Just yet. I believe Tiadora wouldn't like that. But typical that we get to play escort for a bunch of sailors on a cold boring ship, and this wench gets the VIP treatment. It is interesting though...I would have expected her to have learned Sign Language from the Cardinal if she is to work with us. Either Thorne had a reason not to teach her, or she's pretending so she can listen in when we communicate...'
Robin picks up the offered journal, then turns the pages back, taking a closer look at what ELSE was in there, quickly scanning through, not certain if the elf would accept this or try to take it back quickly.
Ah. They haven't been fully briefed. Typical.
The elf extends a hand in greeting. "Elven names are long and complicated for your tongue, so you can call me Sameen. I'm part of the First Knot, as you're from the Ninth. Thorn assigned me to the town last week to get a head-start on reconnaissance. Also, he thought it wise to have someone whose face wasn't displayed on Wanted posters."
@Book: The book is filled with detailed anatomical sketches of a whole host of creatures. There are also a number of mathematical equations and formulas. You can't quite determine their meaning, but they're not dissimilar from the magic Hecate studies.
@Sense Motive: The woman's apparent kindness is an act, but it doesn't appear to be malicious. More of a deliberate and formulaic approach to social niceties. Her eyes, on the other hand, are rather unnerving. She's giving the two of you the same look that Tiadora does. Playthings.
No need to set fire to her. I doubt she'd cope with a pair of Lemures getting up close and personal.
Hecate narrows her eyes slightly, before speaking in the language of their latest companion. Her accent is flawless: her tutor was a visitor from Kyonin, and she has adopted the dialect of the elven homeland. In part, this was a conscious decision to try and one-up the half-elves of House Barca, who speak a local bastardisation of the tongue.
"Oh, and I'd make sure you get that book back from Robin, assuming that you value it at all: she, um, has a habit of setting fire to other people's papers. You get used to it after a while."
Switching back to a language that Robin will understand, she continues more politely. "So, what has your reconnaissance discovered so far? Getting a head start would be useful, as we have a tight schedule here..." She fills the elf in on Sakkarot's timetable.
Sameen gives Hecate an appraising look before responding.
Turning to Robin, she politely asks, "Excuse me, but may I have that back, please? It contains some important notes."
"The fortress has a massive influence on the town. It seems that all 1,200 of the residents personally know at least one of the soldiers. Here's what I've found out so far."
Balentyne
- Commander: Lord Thomas Havelyn
- Guard Captains: Eddarly, Mott, Varning, Barhold
- Priest: Father Donnagin
- Magister: Titus
- Rookery Keeper: Mad Martin
- one hundred soldiers
- A dozen servants go to the fortress every day to cook and clean
- A six-man patrol led by Captain Varning scouts the coastline every week
- eleven dwarves are here to inspect the watchtower and refurbish the gatehouse
Aldencross
- Lord's Dalliance: local inn popular with off-duty soldiers
- Notable Shops: "The Illuminated Scroll," "Master Caldwin's Cauldron," "VonKraig Smithy," "General Store"
Robin offers the book back, with a friendly expression. When the Elf extends her hand to take it, Robin will with a quick movement, put her other hand on the elfs to link up, holding her:'I see through you. There is no call for false politeness, so drop the act. Asmodeus contracted us all, and he would not waste that effort on people unable to further his agenda. As such, let mutual respect be the basis of our work relationship, rather than stick with social norms of a society we aim to bring to ruin.', then letting go of both hand and book.
She then steps back and smiles at the elf, trying not to blink.
___________________________
When the surveillance is provided, Robin wonders about a few of the aspects, inquiring via writing, or Hecate.
- Do we know when the next patrol is due? That would be one captain and 6 soldiers missing, and if they send out search parties, we could either try and pick off more, or be satisfied that the towers defenses are weakened.
- How do they supply water to the keep/town? Are they using wells? If so, could either Hecate or our new friend mix something that would poison the well? Everybody there will die, anyway, when Sakkarot comes.
- In conjunction with the above: A wide-spread illness in the town could open new positions for serfs in the garrison. Someone in the kitchen poisoning the food could get a whole shift of soldiers incapacitated
- When we are ready to move openly, we should probably take out the Rookery, the Magister, and the Priest, in that order?
- Sabotage at the Dwarfs building site may leave the gate closed for extensive periods of time, or open for extensive periods of time, before we move openly, we may want to make sure whatever seems more beneficial to us is arranged.
"It's good that you've found a way to compensate for your disability. That's a handy trick. I maintain the facade in order to prevent making others uncomfortable, but if you prefer I drop it, I will do so and devote the mental effort to more productive things. As you say, mutual respect is all that is required."
Without the friendly act, your new partner is almost completely emotionless. Apparently elves don't process them the same way the shorter-lived races do.
-------------------------------
- There's currently a patrol gone. It should return in a day or two followed by a few days of rest before heading out again. That being said, with only a week of reconnaissance thus far, the prediction may not be completely accurate.
- Balentyne's on the banks of River Tyburn. As such, it has ready access to fresh water.
- That's certainly a possibility. More information-gathering would likely determine the effectiveness of such a plan.
- Eliminating magic-users is almost always necessary when attacking a fortress. And a Rookery is a great way to call for help.
- Trapping defenders inside is helpful for an extended siege. Keeping gates open makes it easy for an invading force to enter. Both options are useful in different circumstances.
-----------------------------------
Hecate nods. "OK, first things first: we need more information, and we need to, um, offload the tusks and furs that we acquired."
Pulling out some papers from her luggage, she hands them round. "These will identify us as traders - let's go in, sell what we want, spend a few days picking up more information, and then come in again with a different disguise, one that will let us stay there for a bit longer. Sorry, Robin, you're just going to have to, um, pretend you've got a sore throat or something for a few days - wrap a scarf round your neck and people will get the idea."
She looks pleased with her idea. "People talk to traders, and if we try and get some gossip that might lead us to other useful plans."
"The one thing we absolutely mustn't do is start eliminating people without a plan. Once they're on the alert, our job becomes much harder. What I'd really like would be something that let us hit lots of targets in one go... but we'll have to see what, um, comes up, I suppose."
She hefts her pack. "So. Into town?"
'Get me armor, and get me a blade. No need to pretend, even. With a sore throat, I would still hear people calling out to me, which I won't. Simply state that you two are the traders, and I'm your guard. Most traders have those. And I'm mute and deaf, so I can neither hear what deals are made, nor tell people anything I am not supposed to. A great type of bodyguard for a trader that has shady business going on.', Robin shrugs, with a smile.
She definitely was not BUILT like a guard, but armor easily could give that illusion, hiding her girlish figure and giving a more bulky, muscular impression. Especially with subtle effects added by the headband.
'I concur that we need to have a plan...once we start eliminating people inside...I still think we should intercept and murder the patrol as soon as it leaves the next time. They won't expect them back for a while, and it may actually be to our advantage. If they send out a small search party, we can ambush those too...if they search in several groups, they split up and we may be able to take out some, and if they search in force, that's troops missing from the garrison...and maybe one or two people could die as part of accidents. If the whole rookery burns down, together with the guy living there, that may have been an unfortunate accident. I doubt he's called "Mad" Martin for nothing. If he's stupid enough to light a candle on top of a barrel of lamp oil before going to sleep, there's nobody to blame but him...', Robin shrugs.
She was not very comfortable linking up with the Elf, too, but it was true, proper planning was necessary to have a chance here. But they could talk more on their way to town, as Hecate suggested. No use wasting the time the teleport had saved them by sitting in the wilderness and discussing. They could do that in the inn, as well, and in greater luxury.
Hecate has a think, and a bit of a read, before coming up with a plan.
"OK. I've, um, remembered a noble house that's involved in commerce; their factors go all over the place for them, so it won't be too unusual for us to be up here. I've got some papers that would be useful; Sameen, you can have Saranda's old papers, they'll work just as well for you."
She concentrates, and changes her appearance to someone slightly older: fair haired, pretty-ish but not terribly memorable, mid to late thirties. Oh yes, and..."This is what their house livery looks like: if we wear this, nobody should bother us too much. Robin, you'll, um, need to make sure that your armour has this crest on it for the disguise to work."
"I don't need additional papers at the moment. I performed my dark deeds under a cover identity with a distinctive costume. That individual 'died' when found out, and the body was never recovered. Without that cloak, mask, and moniker, I'm simply Sameen the Wanderer. I'm in town looking for work - although a pair of noble traders may just be the opportunity I'm looking for."
Robin gently touches her Headband, and stands glad in a Breastplate featuring the Crest Hecate had shown her. Shrugging her shoulds, she touches the Headband again, standing in her winter clothes again.
With one leg, she casually kicks against the tusks, furs, and other trade goods.
'We did arrive with luggage, to pose as traders. Any maybe generate some funds to be used to further our mission. Do we have a cart and pack animals, or will we need to aquire those from a nearby farm? It IS freezing out here, so the sooner we get going, the better. Also, Sameen, if Hecate says you use papers, you use papers. She can be quite insistent, because she loves papers, almost as much as elaborate plans. I tried to burn some paper, and she wrote it again. It's easiest for all involved, especially you, if you simply go along with her request. Her ideas are solid.'
The last part is delivered with an attached emotion rider that suggests friendly teasing and benevolent consideration.
----------------------------------------
Sameen goes on ahead to prepare things in town while the two of you go about gathering your equipment. The journey to Aldencross is quiet and peaceful. As promised, your new associate is waiting for you in the designated location.
Robin touches her Iron Circlet, and suddenly appears like a middle-aged man in heavy armor, with a Heavy Shield strapped to the back, and a Battleaxe affixed at the hips. An almost comically overdone beard hides much of the face...but gives a wild look that at the same time would make sure nobody in their right mind questions it's properness.
I will need to pick up some real armor. It won't do if I accidently brush against someone...the tactile sensation is not altered. Should have kept one of those.
Slowing down her signing a bit, to make it look more natural with the look of heavy armor covering her arms, she continues: Either way, lets go pick up a wagon, then, with some pack animals. We should be able to afford that, right?
Robin follows Hecate to a nearby farmstead, staying in the back and looking menacingly. The way a merchants guard IS supposed to look.
Hecate thinks. "Actually, let's just be travellers for this one - if we dress in House livery, people will wonder why we don't have a horse already. Once we get it, we can change back to our other disguise."
She will therefore approach the farmstead dressed as a traveller, explaining that the transport they had took ill and died and they are looking to buy a replacement.
Once they are on the road, as soon as nobody else is around, she changes back into her guise as a factor with the House crest.
You're able to purchase a Light Horse and a Cart for the low price of 90gp. Sympathetic to your plight, the farmer throws in all the necessary tack for no additional charge and even helps you load up your gear. Once that's done, getting to Aldencross is a simple matter.
As they drive in to Aldencross, Hecate looks around, trying to see how large the town is and what it has there.. "We'll need a place to stay; and then we unload our trade and pick up some gossip. People love to chat to traders..."
She looks at the elf. "Sameen, why don't you lead us to the inn you're staying at?"
"Of course."
The "Lord's Dalliance" inn is a rustic, two-story structure that's clean and well-maintained. "The food's not bad here, and they're usually pretty busy around mealtimes. I usually see a couple off-duty soldiers, and those dwarves I told you about come here every night to drink and gamble. They're loud and annoying."
In Sameen's room, there's a locked chest packed with alchemical gear - vials, ungents, and the like. Moving it aside, she reveals there's a false bottom filled with coins. "Our operations fund courtesy of the Cardinal."
'The Inn seems clean enough. Thats good. Know what else is good after all this time on the Frosthamar, with Gnolls and Wilderness? A hot bath in the evening. This place seems just fancy enough to offer that service to weary travellers. And it is a luxury expense quite reasonable...after all, people prefer to talk with others who have good personal hygiene...'
Having taken a look inside the inn, Robin grabs a bite to eat in the main room, depending on one of the others to place her order, instead taking a moment to observe if there's also people here during the day, or it only becomes busy at night.
City seems to be huge circle, the way the streets went. We could make a tour along the outer road, get aquainted with the location-then head on over to the market and see if we can't earn some more coin to bolster our funds.
Hecate readily finds the market and attends to selling their ivory and furs, while doing her best to pick up any information.
Rumors
- "Ye Merrie Men are coming to town, and the handsome William Marcus Marlow is coming with them! Can you believe it? The Bard of Barrington! Here! They are doing the 'Fall of Amberlyn.' Oh, I can't wait!"
- "Soldiers today! A worthless, shiftless lot! Balentyne is in total disarray. Soldiers today are too lazy - not like in my day."
- "Have you seen Kaitlyn Mott? She's the most beautiful woman in town! How did an ugly lump of a man like Captain Franz Mott bag a looker like her? And how does he keep her - that's what I want to know!"
- "Have you had any of Madam Guisseppe's beef stew? Delicious! I hear she goes up to the Watchtower and cooks a big batch of it for the men every Monday! What a nice old lady."
Two days complete
hours
hours
hours
Done 2, 6, 8, 12, 13, 15, 17
As the 'foreign trader' conducts her business, she hears a few things of possible interest. Her imposingly-silent bodyguard, however, just seems to make the townsfolk nervous. They give 'him' a wide berth.
New Rumors
- "Mad Martin is a strange one! He tends the rookery in the Watchtower. They say he never leaves except for necessities. He talks to the birds like people and has named every one!"
- "Lord Thomas Havelyn is the most honorable and capable commander that Balentyne has ever had. If he can't keep the Watch Wall working, then no one can!"
- "Here's to the soldiers of Balentyne! One hundred of the finest fighting men its ever been my privilege to serve with."
"I scoped out the Alchemist's place. This town has the occasional rat problem, so he has a large amount of arsenic. I also saw plenty of potions and handy items - although I can make the latter for cheaper if I can get my hands on the materials."
While the 'imposing bodyguard' made people nervous, which had the convenient side effect of people not trying to talk with Robin, she was still very much capable of reading lips...and even whispers not meant for others, then, were easy to read, if the angle was right.
____________________________________
In the evenings, after the market closes, Robin silently sits in the main room, in her guise(except with casual clothing, rather than armor), drinking very slowly, while keeping her eyes on the dwarfs. Did they all drink? Every day? When did they leave? To where? All together, or one after another?
If the Dwarves had a full plan of the tower they could copy or steal, that could help them plan how to proceed. And if the Dwarfs did not return home for sleeping all together, but in groups, it would be reasonably easy to ambush them...at least in theory.
As much as Dwarfs drink, I wonder if they burn better, with all that alcohol contained in their stumpy bodies...
____________________________________
In their own room, Robin enjoys her hot bath. Before entering the tub, she had shaved, and with hot soapy water available, she also washed her hair. Emerging from behind the paravent stark naked, with dripping hair and not even attempting to hide from Hecate, she signs: I know you use Prestidigitation to keep yourself cleaned...but a hot bath is for relaxing as much as it is for cleaning - and you seem very tense about our job here, sitting over your plans all night. Give it a try, Hecate, adding I'll even scrub your back a moment later, and, with an impish smile Just your back- -if you don't want more...
Done 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17
Rumors
- "There's a pack of dwarves in town led by a grumpy short fellow named Barnabus Eisenbauch. They're here to fix up the watchtower, or so I've heard. A hard working fellow - just don't challenge him to a drinking contest. He'll drink you under the table every time!"
- "Balentyne's magister, that creepy Tacitus, has been spending a lot of time working on something in his tower! I don't know what it is, but it's said that something unnatural was recovered from the north."
---------------------------------------------
Counting their leader, there are a total of eleven dwarves. Every morning at dawn, they wake, eat breakfast, and trudge up the hill to Watchtower Balentyne. They remain there until sunset, where they drink a truly impressive amount of ale and play cards before heading off to bed. They occupy several of the upstairs rooms in the "Lord's Dalliance." Sundays are the one exception to their routine. Instead of working, they just skip straight to drinking and gambling.
Five days complete
Hecate wakes up in some confusion - and alarm: why is there someone else- oh. Yes. Right.
Doing her best not to blush, she hastily wraps a sheet around her and crawls out of bed. Moving to the table, she does her best to act normal. "Um, right. Let me check my notes... OK. I think we need to know more about the alchemist - let's get Sameen to spy on him today, she strikes me as the stealthy sort. Robin, you should, um... keep an eye on that captain's wife, um... Yes. Here. Kaitlyn Mott. See what you can find. Keep switching guises and stay out of trouble- will you stop grinning at me like that?!" Turning her back, she breathes in, slowly.
"Right. I will spend the day getting more information - and then at dusk I think we should meet up outside town and ambush the dwarves, put them out of action. Let me see, I'm going to need some spells for that, which means I need to concentrate, Robin. No distractions!" It's hard to glare at someone when you can't meet their gaze without blushing; Hecate gives it a try.
Robin remains on the bed, grinning at Hecate, the sheet doing a reasonable job at covering Hecate up, but doing nothing to quell the memories of last night.
Removing her own blanket, Robin lets one leg dangle out of the bed, leaving her nude and spread eagled, as she signs: Whatever kind of distraction could you mean?
Hecate had instinctively tried to turn away while talking, but always remembered that she needs to face Robin so her lips remain readable...and Robin took full advantage of that to tease her lover, tracing from one of her inner thighs to the other with a finger before signing again:
All that talk. I liked the use you found for your tongue yesterday better.
Taking a few seconds to enjoy the moment, Robin then wraps up in the blanket herself and approaches Hecate, giving her a quick kiss:'Good morning, dearest...it pains my heart, but if you want me to go look at another woman, I'll do it...for you, flame of my heart. No distractions today, then, but once we are done with the dwarves I will want to spend time with you again...the prospect of burning them makes me - excited...'
Done 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17
Captain Mott (a gruff and dour man) isn't seen at all. He's busy at Watchtower Balentyne - as he is almost every hour of every day. Word has it that he's angling for a promotion. Around midafternoon, Captain Zack Eddarly (a young and gallant knight) arrives at the Mott residence and is quickly let in by Kaitlyn. Approximately 90min later, the Captain leaves and heads back toward the Watchtower. Based on your skill at reading affect and body language, this isn't an infrequent occurrence.
"Bellam Barhold is such a lush. He does enjoy his wine. He's always complaining about how he can't get any of the good stuff here in the borderlands."
"I kept an eye on the alchemist all day. Turns out, he's got some kind of secret workshop in the woods outside town. Want me to check it out?"
Hecate listens carefully to Sameen. "I think we should all check it out - but we can do that tomorrow morning, when he has opened up his shop. Right now we've got, um, some dwarves to burn. My spells are loaded for Lemure." She smiles slightly at her little joke.
She looks at them both. "My summoned devils are immune to fire, so you can use your bombs, Sameen, and your fire, Robin, without harming them. Once I run out of those spells, the other things I can summon will be harmed by fire - so please can you, um, try to remember that?" She's not optimistic.
"I'll prepare some concoctions that should be helpful. Please leave at least one of the dwarves unburnt, as I'll need his body for an experiment I've been wanting to try."
Don't burn this, don't burn that. Can't a girl have fun these days?
Robin shrugs, then continues to sign: I was not serious. Lets just go. I've been excited about this all day.
Bringing in her own ally, and taking position behind a tree, keeping herself out of sight, but also preventing Robin from seeing, she waits for Sameen or Robin to give a sign, ready to step out and burn beards. She is, very clearly, excited, and not at all happy about having to wait.
Hecate positions herself close to the road: most of her spells have a short range.