At that answer, he smiles a toothy grin.
“Then you are welcome here.” He turns to the somewhat stunned throng of bugbears.
“These humans are my guests. I will deal with anyone who harms them. They are our allies!”
He walks over to the boat and rips open one of the crates revealing finely made axes with in. He tosses one to a nearby bugbear warrior who until this time only had a crude club to wield. “Behold, they bring us steel!” This earns the you a terrifying chorus of growls and cheers from the monstrous assembly.
The boat is unloaded. Sakkarot’s lieutenants see that each case is distributed and soon you can see a visible transformation in the camp. Where once there were a thousand bugbear savages, now there are a thousand bugbear soldiers each with new weapons and shields adorned with the emblem of the fire axe. What a terror you have helped to create.
==//==
Sakkarot holds a feast in honor of the weapons shipment and their allies. The feast is a brutal, savage affair with bugbears fighting each other and all manner of monsters in attendance. The highlight of the party is when a great shaggy dire boar recently captured from the northern woods is brought in shackles. One ton of angry pig is led in by a dozen bugbears who drag the beast before Sakkarot. Sakkarot beheads the already wounded animal in one mighty stroke with his fire axe. The beast is then spitted and roasted in a great open pit. You sit at the Fire-Axe’s table – a front row seat at this spectacle of savagery.
Eventually as the raucous bestial festivities of the bugbear tribes die down, Sakkarot summons you into his private chambers and dismiss his many followers with a deep growl.
“You are traitors to your own kind. You must know that. When Balentyne falls and my horde pours through its shattered gates, we will slaughter the Talireans by the thousands. Yet I see no regret in your eyes. Tell me, how can this be?” he asks genuinely curious.
Sakkarot is not an ordinary bugbear. Well-spoken and intelligent, he is anything but the typical brute.
Ha! Take the north for all I care. It's no concern of mine... Hells, you can manage the women before I buy them as slaves, he says with a laugh.
Besides, the Cardinal is calling this tune - he wants something done, it'll get done!, Eldred says with a small shudder, echos of his 'experience' with failure lending a strange colour to his words. Its do or die.
He drinks and collects himself.
But what of yourself Chief? You seem like the best war chieftain I've ever heard of - tell me about your rise and of your thoughts on this campaign.
Once in his private chambers, Malgrim let his magical disguise fall.
I am no traitor, Lord Fire-Axe. My allegiance has always been with the Savage North he said quietly.
”That is yet to be tested.” he says to Eldred comment.
”Serving the Cardinal can be difficult at times, he do takes failures poorly. But he does give great rewards when you succeed.”
”It was my desire to unite the savage north for a long time now. Even before I meet Thorn in the frozen north. I knew The Dark Prince was guiding my steps into something greater. And meeting him in the desolate lands in the north only confirmed that. The last High Priest of Asmodeus, a mad, crazy genius.” he laughs ”There is more to this campaign than at first seems. But tell me, how you came into the Cardinal service?”
He look with surprise to Malgrim
”Ahh, one of the Ironskin clan!” says Sakkarot ”They are yet to decide if they will join me. But it’s good to know one capable as you is working to further glory of Asmodeus.” he stops a bit then says ”Tell me how you were enlisted into this campaign.”
Johan spends most of the feast withdrawn and taciturn. It wasn't their monstrous hosts, or even the brutal nature of the festivities that made him uncomfortable but rather the frivolity and . . .happiness of it all.
Johan speaks up in answer to Sakkarot's questions once they are alone in his pavilion.Oh, we have learned of the Cardinal's cruelty. He is both our salvation and our scourge. He saved us from death only to watch us die and then reforge us into a weapon worthy of being wielded in service to the Dark Prince
He takes out his Asmodean holy symbol from beneath his tunic and plays his fingers across its surface idly and he continues. You name me traitor to my own kind, but you are wrong. My kind are not weak willed sheep who mewl and cower and put their faith in a god that will not save them. Yes thousands will die when we throw open the gates of that fortress and fly the head of its commander from the rooftop. But not all. The strong-armed will rise up. The strong-willed will see the light. Like me and my companions, a new order will rise from the ashes. I know not what it will look like yet, but those who come through this reforged and singing praise to the Dark Price are my own kind Fire-Axe.
Sakkarot turns to Johan ”Well said. There’ll be opportunities aplenty for those who can see then. But tell me about what you did before you joined the cardinal. Were you always one of the Asmodeus faith?”
Then he turns to Damien ”And you, what about yourself? What made you what you are today?”
Damien laughs at the mention of "his own kind".
"Luck. Luck's what got me here. I'm just betting where I think there are gains to be made, and right now, this is where I'm betting. Back in Talinguarde, they don't care much for the kind of games I like to play. I've got no ties there, so it really doesn't matter to me what happens to it. I'm just along for the ride." he explains.
"As for Thorn... He's certainly given us some great opportunities." Damien answers, not expanding further.
The Gray Master certainly didn't bandy his name around with such as these, and Eldred wouldn't bandy it around with them either. All this talk of Asmodeus made him nervous.
We were all foes of the Kingdom, in our own ways, and their insipid ways of life - The Cardinal sort us out and made us his own. For your own part though, you are no ordinary war chief. Tell us your story of your rise.
Not eager to discuss his meager beginnings, Johan jumps on Eldred's change of subject. Yes, Fire-Axe, tell us how you came to know the Cardinal and command such a vast horde.
”I see you all are reluctant to share your past, but you still press me to share mine.” he stops thinking for some moments then he continues ”That is tremendous impolite of you. If you want hear from me, let’s share histories. ” then without waiting for your agreement he began ”I meet the Cardinal on the Frozen North. Our meeting was not one of coincidence. The Fallen One had guided my steps and the Cardinal. Myself, I was hoping for means to unite the north, the Cardinal, looking for a way to avenge himself against the Mitran Faith. It was only logical we would form an allegiance.” you clearly knows his history is not finished, but he turns then to you waiting your share of history.
”I see you all are reluctant to share your past, but you still press me to share mine.” he stops thinking for some moments then he continues ”That is tremendous impolite of you. If you want hear from me, let’s share histories. ”
Keen to keep the powerful bugbear pleased, Malgrim held nothing back.
The Ironskins counsel caution and patience. I was young and impetuous; keen to show the elders that the Talingardians were not as strong as they believed; that the land was ripe for the taking. Having passed the trials to take the moniker Ironskin, I thought I was ready. I took a small band of like-minded young warriors over the wall in the dead of night; intent on capturing some slaves, earning some kills and slaughtering our way past one of the smaller watch towers along the wall.
Of course, we were caught after slaving by a powerful force. My group was slain to a man in a fighting retreat. I was spared only because I humiliated a young noble from House Barcas and beat him in single combat. He wished to see me suffer. He took my eye. He wanted to leave me one to see the headman's axe fall.
Malgrim grinned. It was not a pretty sight.
His hubris will be Talingarde's downfall; and my redemption from my own. We escaped their infamous prison and became the Butchers of Branderscar. We left none alive.
Malgrim considered Fire-Axe's words about the Ironskin.
You are welcome to state that I have joined the cause, but I have little weight in the clan's dealings. Less so now that I am presumed dead.
”The Cardinal is a Mad man, but a genius nonetheless. I know not what he is planning other than this invasion, I have my suspicions, but that, will have to wait until our friends here share their part.” he says with a smile looking at Johan, Eldred and Damien.
I was a murderer, said Eldred carefully, skirting the truth but not departing from it by far. Conman probably wouldn't go down well in the rough North here but some street cred would help...
Some rich but stupid men had servants who were smarter and poorer than them, and just needed some prodding from someone smarter and greedier than them all... which is me. One of those servants betrayed me - and I don't take too kindly to that. Not at all.
He smiles widely.
The servant who thought he had beaten me just kept screaming, the more I stabbed him but he didn't die, he just passed out - so I framed him for the murder I did of two of the rich but stupid mans guards and for the stabbing of that fat twit.
He laughs uproariously.
F#!%er thought he had beaten me right up until I stepped out of the shadows and got him round the throat and got my blade into his gizzard. When he woke from the attentions of the healer, he probably thought he beat me again... until he would have noticed the manacles chaining him to the bed and some one telling him he'd be on trial for murder.
He laughs cruelly again.
The rest is something the others can weave to their story. The long and the short of us, is that the Cardinal must've heard about us and arranged to give us what we needed to bust out. Now THATS a great tale which ends with this big madman here making every last guard that we hadn't killed yet piss themselves and had them open the very gate of the Prison for us!, he points his tankard at Johan.
”I’ve been serving the Dark Prince long before Thorn was called Thorn. I wanted a means to unite the north and bring war to Talingard, Thorn wanted revenge. This axe” he says showing his flame axe ” was made to seal this pact.” he looks now to Johan and Damien
”I will not tell you anything about my past, you can be curious if you want that. About joining? Well, put a maniac with a knife in your neck. Even a gambler knows when he as to give in.” Damien chuckles petting Ace.
==//==
”I see” says the bugbear ”Do you want to share you history?” he says looking to Johan ”Rotgut may have made me a bit push in my desires.”
Johan could see there was no wiggling out of this, so he shifted uncomfortable in his seat and began. My family worked the land on one of the numberless small farms north of the great cities - selling what we grew to the privileged for a pittance and keeping just enough for ourselves to avoid starvation. It is not an easy life. Here he glanced sidelong at the scar covered Malgrim, and amended, Perhaps not as harsh as others, but hard in its own right.
The priests teach us to fear and love Mitra - that all our hard work and suffering is for him, and will be rewarded, if not in this life, then in the next. For many years I believed this with all my being, but the Cardinal has shown me that is but a tool used by the priests and nobles to keep the masses in line, lest the sheep grow too lean and become wolves. Here Johan paused to take a long draught of Sakkarot's rotgut, and the others could see that lean wolf of which he spoke alive in his eyes.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and continued. I think my father knew this truth. Though he was too fearful to play anything other than the lamb to his noble lords, he played the tyrant all too well within his own domain. But you can only whip even the dumbest beast so much before it eventually bites back. The devout of Mitra cannot tolerate those who harm innocent and defenceless, and I made sure that the inquisitors of the area knew how my father treated my mother and I. I find it ironic that he was carried away in chains by the very people who enforce the system that made him what he was.
Another swig of liquor. Looking back, I think that was the first time the Dark Prince graced me, giving a mere boy the strength to stand up to his tormentor. Of course the inquisitors told me it was Mitra's hand, and took me under their wing. It was from them that I learned the ways of killing. He paused to chuckle at this, more irony. My life's course seemed set: An inquisitor of Mitra, devoted to punishing the wicked and persecuting the enemies of the Lightbringer. But it was not to be.
As it turned out, my zeal out-weighed my reach. unbeknownst to a mere acolyte like myself, the same system of nobility that kept my father and his ilk yoked all his life also protects itself from Mitra's divine wrath. I was stripped of my title and sentenced to death simply for doing the job I was trained to do. So, Like father like son: I was torn down and cast aside by the very system that created me, by the god whose rule I had sworn to uphold.
Johan finishes off his drink and relates the story of their burning of Branderscar, finishing off with the groups initial meeting with the Cardinal. [b]And so, I have found a patron worthy of my devotion. A deity who is not so impotent as to allow fat nobles to flaunt his own holy laws, and a high priest with the power and drive to deliver his vision to Talingard, unflinchingly - The wolves gather. The shepherds sleep.
”Very well said” laughs Sakkarot ”And what a bite it will be!” he then look at you ”I am an outcast myself. Was it not for the Fallen One, Long ago I would have been burned down by my kin. I can see what they cannot. And I know that our future lies not in the savage gods of the North, but with Asmodeus.” as he finishes, you hear it as if it was a bitter truth.
”I meet Thorn after escaping one of those hunts, my paces were guided in that frozen land, and there, I found a mad priest, consumed by hatred and anger. We Fought…” he stops as if lost in thought ”I’ve always been proud of my strength, but even then I was not match for him. But in his rage, he thought of a plan to bring revenge to the same land that had him marked as forsaken, that had him burned for his sin.” he lift his axe again ”Thus this weapon was forget, to seal our alliance.” and then he laughs ”The funnies thing it is” he says looking to Johan ”Thorn was once a Cardinal of Mitra, the very one system that created him, you and everyone else here. He knows then, and that is why even when his plans seems madness, I believe in our success.” he take a deep and long drink ”After that, I helped him build his fortress here in the north, Agathium as he calls it. Then I set upon this savage land, challenging and dominating the tribes. It took several years to accomplish it, but now finally we are ready.”
”I hear you Ironskin, when the time is right I may require your aid, if you would honor me with such, to travel to your people and challenge their leadership! Subjugate then to your strength and then decide if you want to join me or not!” he says with divine purpose.
”And you” Sakkarot says looking to Eldred ”You knowledge will be the key to your triumph in your next mission. Balentyne will not fall to strength of arms, if that were possible, I would have already done that long ago. However, chaos, trickery, deception and betrayal… But I think that ‘Timeon of Balentyne’ knows that better than me!” he says laughing.
”The Cardinal can be a really ruthless master, but even then he always let us free to pursuit our own agenda. What your plans are? What do you hope to accomplish besides of vengeance?” asks the bugbear.
Johan blinks in surprise at Sakkarot's question. Plans? He had never give much thought to what happens next. Go where the Cardinal sends me. Serve him, my earthly master, by punishing the weak until someone stronger puts a spear in my gut, then serve the Dark Prince, the master of my soul, in the next life.
To Sakkarot he says, Don't know really. The Cardinal promised to make us princes in his new regime, but can't say I'd know what to do with that. Continue to cull the weak? Build a cadre of like minded folk to keep the new Talingard strong? Spread Asmodeus' teachings beyond the shores off this islands someday?
Eldred smiles.
SHORT term?, I am figuring on disrupting the leadership by uncovering an affair... and will likely set up a murder to make it worse. I also figure some poison in the guards food, setting up some guards as thieves against their own kind and so on. And thats BEFORE we start hunting them in small groups - you'll have next to no one to fight and the gates will be open to you.
Malgrim was hesitant for a moment to express his goal, but recognised the need for allies; and keeping this particular one close.
I would be the Warrior-General of Talingarde; or whatever new name this nation will bear once it returns to Asmodeus. I would be the Moloch to Cardinal Thorn's Asmodeus. Subjugating my former masters of the Ironskin would be merely a stepping stone on the road to this realisation.
“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. I will promise them blood and give them 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. There we will wait for your signal. Fire this rocket into the air. Within the hour, we will attack. Make sure that the way is ready.”
“After we gather, my horde will be idle and start to grow anxious. I can hold them together for another two weeks. After that, I expect desertions and squabbling. Get your work done before then. You have one month to infiltrate and destroy Balentyne.”
Sakkarot hands you a single carefully wrapped signal rocket. Suddenly the bugbear warlord gets very serious and stern. He stares straight into your eyes.
“Can you do this? In one month, can you break the Watch Wall? ”
Yes, he says simply.
He 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. Now go. Hail Asmodeus!”
Sakkarot then leaves the tent, leaving you to plan your assault. Tell me what you’ll do in the night, before you depart in the morning.
Well, that was interesting, Johan says to the others after Sakkarot has left the tent. Much more...well spoken... than I was expecting. Malgrim, is that typical of bugbear leaders? All the stories I've grown up with paint them with a considerably more brutish brush- like the ones we dispatched at the pier.
Johan doesn't think there is much preplanning to be done until they actually get closer to Balentyne and see the lay of the land, but is open to anything his companions want to discuss. After that he heads into the camp to see if he can barter away the loot they picked up during their voyage for fair coin. It would be easier to carry and less conspicuous than trying to fence seashell holy symbols in a human town. And some 'walking around' money would be a good thing.
Yeah, not what I expected
The thinks some.
I've plans for that gold we are meant to pay the Captain with. Should come in handy. In fact, there are some, who for 100 gold coin would sell their own mother. Loyalty should be easy enough to buy. I figure we need a good week to work quietly around town and gather up all the information we can on the guard rotations, the who's who - especially the corrupt and the incorruptible and get a few new faces we can use.
Poor bastards won't know what hit them, he sniggers.
Once unloaded, Captain Odenkirk is more than anxious to leave the bugbear camp. Already bugbear warriors have been eyeing his ship and though they have not yet built up courage enough to attack, the Captain knows it is only a matter of time. He does not trust Sakkarot and is not shying about saying so. “Look in that one’s eyes. He’s smart -- always plotting. Bugbears should not be smart.”
”I’m not getting paid enough for this kind of thing! Imma gonna leave you behind if we do not depart now! he threatens.
He speaks partially true. He wants to leave you behind, but he is afraid of something, and you are sure it’s not you.
Don't want us telling our mutual employer about this little incident do you? So wait until we are ready to come aboard.
You see the captain scowling, but he says nothing more.
Well, that was interesting, Johan says to the others after Sakkarot has left the tent. Much more...well spoken... than I was expecting. Malgrim, is that typical of bugbear leaders? All the stories I've grown up with paint them with a considerably more brutish brush- like the ones we dispatched at the pier.
He is a rare one of his breed; you surmise correctly Johan. Normally, only Hobgoblins show the presence of mind and the discipline to lead by anything other that pure brute force. The fact he has gathered many tribes to his banner speaks of strength of will and character.
Johan listens to Eldred. The man seems to be in his element, so he defers to his quick wits.
At daybreak after the feast, the knot boards the Frosthamar again and sets off to Aldencross.
The night goes in a comfortable manner. It has been weeks since you last slept in something that was not wet and moving. And even the bugbear smell and the noise did not brother you at all.
In the morning, before the sun raise, Damien offer himself to do the whiskey plan
”I’m the most friendly and welcoming in this bunch!” and he walks over to the captain, they chat and laugh. Odenkirk cross the mist-shrouded Lake Tarik under cover of darkness and deposit the you upon the southern shore no closer than a couple of hours walk from the Tower Balentyne and the small town of Aldencross. He then means to sail east.
”Ye have been delivered, the contract is done. Me, I’m getting meself off this cursed island. Nice traveling with ya.” he laughs then Damien says "Let’s celebrate drinking a good whiskey!"
He pour one cup to the captain and the flask seems empty, then he get another one and pour a cup for himself, Eldred, Johan and Malgrim, then he propose a toast
”For that mad man that has a deck stacked against us!” and he and the captain drink.
Damien did not drank, he faked it. What will you do?
Early on Johan learned things worked out better for him if he didn't things through and just trusted his gut, and right now his gut was screaming TRAP! BETRAYAL! Kargeld's cup was empty. Damien had only pretended to drink.
Why is this deck always full of BIRDS! Hoping that Eldred and Malgrim will remember the password for attack from earlier (and forgetting that Damien and Kargeld knew it too). With a roar he drops his cup and lunges out with his spear. His first instinct is to skewer the soft traitorous Damien where he stands, but he remembers the contract they all signed and fears to be the first to break it, so instead aims for Kargeld's heart.
Round 1-
Ordered Initiative-
Damien = 22
Eldred = 20
Kargeld ⇒ 20
Johan = 16
Malgrim = 12
Thug1 ⇒ 11
Thug2 ⇒ 10
Thug3 ⇒ 3
Thug4 ⇒ 8
Active Effects-
Map-
Notes-
Action-
Sensing the deception, Malgrim snapped into action just after Johan did. His trusty whip, never far from his grasp, snapped into motion. The brute Kargeld's impressive strength did little to stop the agile Ironskin from lashing it around his leg and toppling the man where he stood.
With Kargeld down, Malgrim stepped in closer. Should the big man try and get back to his feet, Malgrim will savagely kick him in the face...
It seems Kargeld and Damien were sure the Whisky plan was going to work and did not said anything to the crew, they got their shortbow, did not shot anyone, still waiting to understand what is going on.
Round 2-
Ordered Initiative-
Damien = 22
Eldred = 20
Kargeld ⇒ 20
Johan = 16
Malgrim = 12
Thug1 ⇒ 11
Thug2 ⇒ 10
Thug3 ⇒ 3
Thug4 ⇒ 8
Active Effects-
Map-
Notes-
Action-
”Do you think I’ll allow that self-serving priest command me?” then he laughs
Misfortune Hex DC 16 on Malgrim then he takes a single step back (5ft) and cackle!
Piercied by a spear and triped by a half-orc, the captain get to his feet, Malgrim kick did not even had any effect on him, his eyes blood red he takes a step forward and in the same movement he takes his long sword and bring it down with all this fury on the one that almost put his gut out with the spear.
He bring his sword in a horizontal slash, hitting Johan cleaving in his chest an awful cut, while yelling “You want my ship, do ye? I killed my brother to take her and I’ll kill all of you to keep her!”
x Johan
(+9 str +6 power attak +2 powerful blow)
Malgrim's disciplined mind resisted Damien's magical trickery, but seeing the damage that the brute captain could potentially deal, the Half-Orc somersaulted away from the melee- only to send his whip back into the fray, this time catching it on the hilt of Kargeld's sword and pulling it from his grasp onto the floor.
AoO
Johan aims a hasty stab at Kargeld's face, but the large man rolls out of the way, and Johan's spear gets lodged momentarily in the dirt.
On hearing 'birds' he draws his sword and attacks the captain with a powerful two handed swing.
Attack vs flatfoot AC for first round.
DMG
If there is an AoO on the Captain getting up after trip.
Attack
DMG
Attack
DMG
Eldred close in while the captain is still on the ground and attack, using this to help him strick the pirate. When Kargeld get's up, using this oportunity Johan and Eldred attack again, but only Eldred hit for a lot more damage.
The captain, raging attack Johan for a lot of damage.
AoO on Malgrim Move.
As Johan pulls his weapon from the soft earth of the beach, Kargeld rolls to his feet and sweeps his blade around, cutting deeply into Johan's thigh. Johan cries out in pain, staggering backwards, and flicking his spear point up, again aiming for the sea captain's face.
Round 2
Eldred tries to put the Captain down once and for all with a two handed chop.
After getting up and being attacked by Eldred, Kargeld cut Johan with a horrible blow but falls pierced by Johan spear.
Malgrim using the opportunity steps closer to the Traitor and using his whip make him fall with his huge belly in the ground.
The thugs even before they could enter the fray thrown their weapon in the ground and beg for mercy.
Round 3-
Ordered Initiative-
Damien = 22
Eldred = 20
Johan = 16
Malgrim = 12
Thug1 ⇒ 11
Thug2 ⇒ 10
Thug3 ⇒ 3
Thug4 ⇒ 8
Active Effects-
Map-
Notes-
Action-
Damien get up and cast a spell
”You fool! Do you think they will let you live?” he screams to the crew.