He rests one arm on the other lifting his chin up with his hands and after thinking a moment says.
"Arrr it's funny you should ask that, You know I once asked Genghis Khan about warfare so I did. I says one Gen, I says, what the best things to have in a battle?. He says to me, three things Perpireen ya-wee-gob-speck, so he dose. Ya need A fast horse, A good bow and more bloody men on your-side than the bloody other feller has."
and he chuckles to himself, then adds
"You know thinking about it, That works very well for me too."
He chuckles some more and ziping into the air bows and says.
"and good idea about the tribal banner, we need a good symbol for our no-slavery state bot out on them, something that says who ya are. best get thinking about that"
before flying off still chuckling.
The desert lizard kings seem to be unfamiliar with a few of the concepts integral to Lord Perpireen’s proposal, being primitive savages accustomed to raiding and slaying to get what they want... Yet, the little lord’s phrasing and charm make it all sound very beneficial to the Dunecrawlers (which, in fact, it is)... So they agree to his terms, in spite of not fully comprehending their meaning...
Especially attractive to the lizard kings are the part about learning modern warfare tactics and being armed with better weapons... and the special garments!
Yesssss, little one! We sssay yesss! Hissss!
Seeing that a peaceful parley has been quickly arranged by the Fey Lord Perpireen, Achiko relaxes and appears out of the shadows, weapons sheathed, and a look of bemused curiosity in her lovely almond-shaped brown eyes...
The Fairy Daimyo never ceases to amaze me...and amuse me...with his antics!
The Dunecrawlers introduce the Desert Jackals to the rest of the tribe—some thirty adult lizard folk and another dozen young, including Chief Sslarr and Shaman Grrzz, who agree to Lord Perpireen’s proposal (after the six guards translate it into something a bit more glorious and advantageous to the Dunecrawlers than even Lord P intended)...
Marrrveloussss!! croaks Chief Sslarr!
Exccccccelent! hisses Shaman Grrzz!
They rub their scaly claws together and wag their lizard tales in excitement!
If you like this firewater, I can get you skne fine wine from my home....my family has vineyards throughout Italy....I can have a some sent, if you like. Just remember to take care of it... Vanna sats as she tells them how to rotate and care for wine.
When alone with his fellows he says to the,
"As the sage once said, We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors. Understand they think this will make them strong, because we are giving them weapons. But what is key is the the 4 troops that go to out keep be of the rule family. There goal is to be come strong as they are, ours is to change thire culture so they wish to stay in the allegiance. Educate the kind children, even give them your faith and they will be come loyal and want to stay strong by being part of a bigger group"
"It is fitting that we have such beings to join our cause. I see allowing them to learn from those around them they may grow wiser and learned." She says looking up from her book to catch the wink and she blushed a bit before going back to her book.
"Little Lord Africa is Black, Gold, Green, and Red! Black from the skin of a people who were changed to protect them from the sting of the Sun, Gold to represent the Golden Dunes of the Great Sands, and the fields of grain, Green to represent the lush Forests ample with fruit, wood and game, and red for the blood spilled in the name of survival. If these colors are woven together in whatever design then that would be satisfactory not only to we the indigenous but to MOther Africa herself"Mwikali states with her eyes looking out over the sands and her lips slightly smiling. When she ends her words she shifts blushing a bit before retreating back into her book, trying to obscure her face a bit more as she reads her ancient tome.
When they are alone, Wulfgar nods sagely, "You are wise Lord Perpireen, If we are going to declare a 'free state' it should be free for all races, not just us 'paleskins.'" He smiles using the lizards term, winking at Mwikali.
He nods, "That was my thinking as well, a safe place for all races, We fay as user to all manner of types. And the colors sound grand, I'm thing a flag that has Red and green stripes going horizontally, you know and something for the little states that make up the bigger free state. You know like the keep and the tribe here. Something to how many there are that have joined up to the bigger idea. Like stars on a night sky. I KNOW, say in the top left of the flag we have a wee night sky, a black flag with in a flag, with gold stars on it. We would have two to start with and add more as others join is. What ya think ta that"
He thinks a moment.
"A flag like that would stand for something, Freedom and.. and YE I got it, Freedom and the pursuit of happiness free from oppression. Now that's an idea many would follow."
In reply to Wulfgar’s query regarding ancient relics or unopened doors, Chief Sslarr nods and beckons for the Northman to follow, whereupon he leads him to a very ancient looking stone portal engraved with hieroglyphics at the back of a sandstone tunnel...
Sssleee grrraarr rrrxxxt! Nzzzz sssrrarrex!
Unseen, apparently, by the lizard king chief, Wulfgar is visited by his patron, the Archangel Raphael, right there in the tunnel before the door!
He translates the lizard King's words, and after, sings in Celestial with a painfully beautiful tenor voice to his servant: Henceforth, thou shalt know the tongue of dragons, and of devils, Wulfgar, for know that ye shall battle both in the service of the Lord God!
The angel vanishes!
I think now would be opportunistic....I mean...we're here....might add a little more to our legend. Vanquishers of the undead, breakers of chains, friends of the dragon kin...
"I would hate for our new Allies to have to look over there shoulder everytime they pass this door. Besides Like Vanna said this would add to not only our legend but solidify our strength to the Tribe. That way they have faith not only in our words but our actions"Mwikali says as she slips her book into her pack and readies herself for what must come next.
As the Desert Jackals stand near the ancient stone portal discussing the merit of taking on whatever lies beyond it, a faint, sepulchral howl comes from the other side, followed by a slow scraping sound...
Altin moves up to inspect the door, then hesitates as noises begin to emanate from the door. "That sounds cheerful..." he mutters as he begins examining the portal and its surrounds.
Noon, Wednesday the 17th of January, in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains of Morocco:
Lucrezia’s mining operation is under way, with losses from overworking and heat exhaustion remedied by animating the corpses to continue laboring as zombies. The mainly European laborers, essentially reduced to slaves, work fearfully under the whips of gnoll overseers recruited locally by the evil witch.
As her divinations promised, a large ore of diamond is unearthed, and eagerly harvested. The sparkling carts of ore hauled out of the mines are processed at a site on location in the rugged, arid hills.
Good! Soon, I will be able to resurrect my comrades, who will no doubt be in my debt, and far more malleable than they were prior to their time in Hell...
Inevitably, one who soars over the Atlas Mountains in frequent hunts for evil, and who has a particular interest in mineral wealth from the mountains, takes notice of the mining operation run by the witch...
Hmmmm... Gnolls and humans mining diamonds in my Mountains? I wonder what this is all about? I smell the stink of evil behind it! Best to have a closer look...
The sleek, reptilian guardian circles back on the thermals, the noon sun glinting off her ruddy copper scales... She dives over the mining camp, sowing fear and panic among the humanoids, much to her amusement!
RRRRAAAAAAARRRRR!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!
Startled but not panicked by the copper dragon’s sudden flyby, the witch gasps and readies her broom of flying in case she would need to flee or give chase...
She watched as the dragon looped skyward again, while her miners (except the fearless zombies) and gnoll foremen scattered, terrified, seeking cover...
It’s toying with us! Maybe just curious? Perhaps a bribe will send it on it’s way...
Lord Perpireen detects no traps, nor ethereal or invisible things so far...
Well I don't see any think bad in the doors, anyone seen if they are magic?
Circling back and diving to pass over the scattered, panicked mining camp again, the copper dragon spies the sparkling ore in several carts, and naturally feels covetous, as is the nature even of benign dragons regarding treasure...
Greedy bastards! Look at all that beautiful diamond they are stealing from MY Mountains!
She swoops down and seizes a cart laden with twinkling ore!
Damn it! Looks like she’s helping herself anyway...
That’s right! MY diamonds!
Transitis Exspacia! cries the Witch of Gulls, and leaps through a dimension door to a mountain ledge about thirty feet from the copper dragon...
Mwikali prepares herself for the coming fight. Her spells at the ready as well as her spear if need be. Kiku hides behind her head looking over it now and then to make sure all is well.
"Let them come, we shall see if they like fire!"
Mwikali prepares herself for the coming fight. Her spells at the ready as well as her spear if need be. Kiku hides behind her head looking over it now and then to make sure all is well.
"Let them come, we shall see if they like fire!"
Hahaha! *SQWAAAKK!!* The undead generally wither in flames, ‘Kali!
Seeing the witch appear before her on a nearby mountain ledge, the dragon chuckles...
In Draconic: Hahahaha!! So!! You really think you can steal MY diamonds from MY Mountains, you pathetic little ape!? CARAPACE ARCANUS!!
In Draconic: I’d rather we worked out a deal, lovely copper guardian of the mountains! What if we split the diamonds mined by my laborers... we take eighty of every hundred diamonds mined, and give you the other twenty?
Yeah... Yeah... Or... I could dissolve all of you apes and hyenas, and take all of the diamonds for myself... Can you offer a sweeter deal than that, Witch-ape?
Um... We get sixty, you get forty?
Beyond lies a dark landing, ten feet square, at the top of a stairway descending into darkness to the north... Whatever had been scratching at the door a moment ago must have quickly departed...
How ‘bout this deal, witch: I keep ALL MY DIAMONDS!!... ‘cause they’re MINE!!... and you get the hell out of here before I decide to turn you all into bloody, squealing monkey goop with my spittle, aye!!?
Lord Perpireen detects nothing invisible or ethereal on the long flight of stairs delving north...
Fifty-fifty?
If you’d been classy enough to start the offer at fifty-fifty, I could at least have enough respect for you to consider you more than target practice for my CORROSIVE SPITTLE, you cheap little b@&$+!
The stairway descends some sixty feet to a circular chamber with an open archway on the far wall. To the right of the archway stands upright an ornately graven and painted stone sarcophagus, it’s lid depicting a noble man wearing a colorful headdress, collar, kilt, and sandals, and holding a bronze spear.
You drive a hard bargain, as well you should, noble keeper of the diamonds... How about we get, um... forty, and you get sixty?
You ain’t getting s~*%, you beady-eyed whore, I’m going to murder you in your sleep and loot your hoard, you greedy, bossy, flying copper lizard-cat!
Gesturing at the Sarcophagus, Wulfgar asks, "So the sounds we heard, did the maker return to it's crypt? Altin, what secrets do you think it holds?" Wulfgar nears the crypt looking at it carfully.
[dice=knowledge: geography]1d20+7
[dice=perception: any traps?]1d20+9
Wulfgar feels certain the sarcophagus is Egyptian, and also trap-free.
cast light on a rock, so everyone can see. Then flies up into the roof, and hides there, waits to see what happons.
The archway opens into another area, filled with shadow...