"Mikmek find you good quiet place for brave dwarf," agrees Chief Sootscale, at Sophiel's request. The kobold you rescued directs you to a spot that is out of the way--perhaps too much out of the way for Sophiel's liking as the kobolds might not ordinarily pass this way. More kobolds come and start using their shovels to prepare the site, not trusting the party to do it themselves.
When Chrysa discusses the terms of the bounty, the Chief's scales flare up, apparently in roused anger. His guards immediately become tense. It takes a moment, but the Chief replies impassionately in draconic.
"உங்கள் குறைகளைப் பற்றி நீங்கள் பேசுகிறீர்கள், ஆனால் இன்னும் பல உள்ளன. எங்கள் நிலங்களுக்கு வரும் மனிதர்கள் பயணிகள் அல்ல, அவர்கள் படையெடுப்பாளர்கள்! அவர்கள் எங்கள் பயிர்களைத் திருடுகிறார்கள், அவர்கள் எங்கள் விளையாட்டை வேட்டையாடுகிறார்கள், சிலர் எங்கள் வீட்டிற்குள் நுழைய முயற்சிக்கிறார்கள்! அவர்கள் ஸ்டாக் இறைவனுக்காக வேலை செய்கிறார்கள். டார்ட்டுக் மற்றும் அவரது உடைந்த கடவுள் அவரது போர்களால் எங்கள் கோத்திரத்தை கிட்டத்தட்ட அழித்தனர், ஆம். ஆனால் சூட்ஸ்கேல் பழங்குடியினரை ஊக்குவிப்பதில் அவர் வெற்றி பெற்றார், ஏனென்றால் நாங்கள் நீண்ட காலமாக மிகவும் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளோம்."
He concludes his remarks in common. "Sootscales let Warmblood travelers through, but only if Warmbloods respect Sootscale land. Deal?"
Chrysa listens to the little lizard's speech and nods. "Once the Stag Lord has been disposed, things should get better. How long it will stay that way, I don't know. No one knows. Bandit lords grow like unwanted fungus. And no one does much about it. Usually."
Reaching up to scratch her head behind her horn, which has grown an inch or so since this morning, she'll look at Sootscale and think.
"I can't promise unfortunately since no one is the leader of all the Warmbloods out there. But I think agreeing to try will satisfy the ones who commissioned the bounty."
"Oh!" Her eyes light up a bit at a thought that causes her to rumaging up a map from her pack "You should draw up the boundaries of your land on this. When we are back in Rostland, we can submit it in their registry. They are another country but the Stolen Lands themselves have no lawyers or courts to speak of at all so they are probably the best shot at keeping Warmbloods from trying to claim what's yours."
To pass the time, and cause she finds it all interesting, Chyrsa will spend the evening drawing up documents to protect the budding Kobold kingdom in the most obtuse langauge of all languages: 'Legalese'
Sophie gets dirty, cleaning up, excavating, and preparing Dunstan for internment, working to the point of exhaustion. She notices that Sootscale intended to separate the burial site off of the beaten path, but says nothing. When she is dusty, and bleeding from where the rock cut her, she appraises the situation, and nods, quietly, with sweat and tears streaking down her grime-covered face. She is almost unrecognizable in this state, but she does not clean herself as she gathers the others for the eulogy.
She listens as Orri says his words, and nods, "well, I only know so much about Dunstan's god, Abadar, but I am the closest thing we have to a priest, so I'll have to do." Briefly looking a bit bewildered, she wipes down her hands, and folds them in front of her, mouthing a few words and closing her eyes. After a moment, she opens them, taking a steady breathm "This evening, within the space we won for our new friends, we celebrate the life of our friend Dunstan Isengraef. We met him when we agreed to the daunting task of bringing civilization to these lands. The lands that have been stolen from the rightful inhabitants by the vicious and deadly Stag Lord. In the process, we made new friends," she gestures to Sootscale, "and cemented our shared bond. To this end, Dunstan succeeded. We have brought a measure of civilization to this chaotic place. When people can meet each other without fear of a dagger in the back, when arrangements are preciptated on assumed mutual trust and respect, and when people work together for the greater good, that to me is civilization. No matter where they came from. We return you to the earth Sir Dunstan, may you find paradise in the seven heavens, protecting others as you protected us." She sniffs, and takes another of the bricks, and places it in front of the ossuary, waiting for the others to do so as well.
"Good, then we make peace with warmbloods except Stag Lord," agrees the Chief.
As Chrysa proposes that he draw the kobold boundaries on a map, the Chief spends some time staring at it, uncertain of what he was supposed to do. If he just drew a giant circle, would that make all the lands belong to the Sootscales? Well, that probably wouldn't convince anyone.
Instead, he decides to do something a little more subtle. The lines drawn reach the area of the kobolds' natural foraging. Except when it came to territory once belonging to the mites. All such land is added onto the Chief's map. After all, the mites didn't need it anymore. "There, Sootscale lands," proclaims the Chief.
The impromptu service comes to a somber close, and the Sootscale kobolds set to finishing off sealing the dwarfs tomb. Several of them exchange confused looks with one another, wondering why they are going through this much effort for a dwarf, but they do not argue with their chief.
The sun rises to a new day in the Greenbelt, and the chartered group now faces the remainder of their journey with both loss and gain.
After celebrating the restoration of the old ways with his fellow kobolds, Ipmeek, aka Chief Sootscale, makes arrangements with Mikmek. Having made a promise to these warmbloods who helped restore his kingdom, Chief Sootscale was going to keep his end of the bargain and help them fight this Stag Lord. It was not the idea time to be leaving his people, but Chief Sootscale trusted Mikmek to handle things well while he was away. "If I do not send word or return in one moon, then you will be the next Chief Sootscale," he declares. After all, there was no telling what dangers lurked in his future.
Packing his things, Chief Sootscale joins his new companions. Though he seems to be quite a lot more skittish now that his fellow kobolds are not nearby. "So, where we go now?"
Chrysa will raise an eyebrow at the kobold chief coming with them. She thought help take down the Stag lord meant just staying out of their way, occasionally giving them information, so on... but... no matter.
"Well there is - " she'll go over the tasks before them.
Find and defeat the Stag Lord.
Kobolds: Something has riled up the Sootscale Kobolds in the south, and if they can be dealt with either with sword or words, Restov is offering a reward of 800 gold. - Claim 800 gold
Tuskgutter: A vicious boar claimed the life of Svetlana’s brother Vekkel, and the family is offering bow and magical arrows as a reward for the beasts head.
Oleg takes your group aside and informs you that if you can recover his wife’s ring, he’d be eternally grateful, and would offer you each 200 gold in credit at his outpost as a reward.
Svetlana also has a request for moon radishes, offering 250 gold if someone can bring back enough for her to create a stable garden of them here at the outpost.
Hermit named Bokken. He needs fangberries to continue his trade. He offers to give anyone who can bring him a sizable amount 25% off his wares for a whole month. Further, he mentions his younger brother—Bokken spits as he does so, bitterly holding up his right hand and indicating his missing pinky finger: “Bastard cut that offa me the last time he hit my mother, Desna rest her soul. But he took off right after to live in a hollow tree down south rather than face the guards, so I guess it all worked out well enough.”
As Chrysa discusses the tasks they have in mind, Chief Sootscale chimes in.
"I know where moon radishes be, and fangberries too! Sootscales use for food and potions. Like these ones!" The chief shows off a collection of potions with pride. "You try sometime, can make you strong and healthy like dragon."
When the chief notes that he knows where to find the moon radish and fangberries Orri smiles ”Great, let’s do that and return to Olegs with what we can gather. Then we can resupply before we set out again.”
Chrysa nods in agreement. A rest at Olegs means a bath. One comfort of her upbringing she has never put behind her.
As she gets her stuff loaded on her mule, she asks "Chief Sootscale, do you have a mount?" and then after that one "Also do you have a first name? Or should we keep referring to you as chief or by your tribe?"
Sophie stretches and sighs, "agreed, may as well forage down here before returning to Oleg's. Hopefully getting a bunch of plants will prove easier than saving a kobold tribe from a madman." She says to Sootscale, "if you'd like, you may ride with me. I don't weigh much, not sure if you'll enjoy it, but it'll be faster than walking." She smiles at him in a kindly way.
"You can calls me Chief, or Chief Sootscale. Is my name now, like Chief Sootscale before me and Chief Sootscale after me."
"Uh . . . " As Chrysa asks whether he has a mount, and Sophiel offers a ride, the Chief hesitates. He doesn't seem to like the idea of sharing a horse. Looking around, his face brightens and he points to one of the horses which holds a few supplies but does not appear to have a rider. The horse belonging to the late Dunstan Isengraef. "How about that one? Seems good sized, not too tall so Chief can get on."
When he approaches the horse, though, it clearly recoils in a panic at the unfamiliar sight of a kobold, kicking its hooves. "Eek!" cries the little kobold as he turns away and cowers. It takes a minute before he recovers his courage. HIs dignity is not so quickly repaired. "So . . . maybe you teaches me to ride horse?'
Orri smirks as the chief has difficulty with the horse, not out of malice, just out of amusement at their interaction. Dunstan didn't need the mount anymore so if the kobold could ride, then they may as well put it to use.
He pulls out an apple from his saddlebag and brings it over to Chief, handing it to him. "Here feed the horse this, let it smell you and rub it gently. Let it get used to you and it should help to make him a bit easier to control." While Orri was by no means an expert equestrian he at least knew his way around a horse a bit.
Looking to the others he asks "Alright, so sounds like the plan is to find the moon raddish and fangberries, then head back to Oleg. Check in, resupply and then head back out again."
Sophie also smiles at Sootscale's reaction to the horse, and she approaches it to help the Chief.
"Shhh, love, it's okay," She says some soothing, horse-pleasing noises, and it seems to calm the creature down. She approaches it from the front, and pets its nose, looking into it's eyes and speaking in a low voice.
"Approach from the front, or the side. Tell her she's a nice horse, and give her some apples as Orri said. Let her smell you a bit to get used to you, and when you're riding her, don't pull too hard on the bridle, or kick roughly with your feet. She may be a beast, but she's got a spirit, and a soul, and should be treated with respect and kindness. If you respect her, she will respect you... eventually." She offers to help lift Sootscale onto the horse, and to help him get positioned appropriately.
Dunstan's horse makes sense to Chyrsa, though horses in general still seem like a bad idea to her. Mules are so much better... unless you are being chased of course or doing the chasing or if you want... mules are still better. She tells herself as she pats her mounts head.
The Chief holds out an apple in his hand, though he seems a little worried that the horse will bite it off. "Be nice horsie. Nice ... nice .. EEP!" As the horse chomps the apple right out of his hand, Chief recoils! But it seems that the kobold has made a new friend. With some help from Sophiel, he gets into the saddle. "Okay, I shows you where it is. But we go slow, okay?" Chief Sootscale was clearly not ready to go into a full gallop.
A dense patch of rare raspberry-like berries known as fangberries grows in a long, thin valley between two low hills here. Much of the thorny thicket is draped in the white gossamer silk of spider webs. The best of the berries lie at the heart of the thicket, but harvesting must be done slowly to avoid being lacerated by the thousands of fangberry thorns.
A series of quick, yipping barks come from an open pit in a clearing here. The pit, once covered by a layer of branches, has claimed a brush thylacine, and the hungry creature paces the confines of the 10-foot-square, 20-foot-deep pit in a frenzy...
The group comes to a stamped out clearing littered with bones, the center of which rests a large fallen pine tree. As the party approaches, a series of grunts precede the appearance of a grizzled monster who’s vexed and avoided hunters for years. Identifiable by the distinctive gray bristles on his face, few hunters in the Greenbelt have not heard of this particular ill-tempered denizen. Tuskgutter. The boar charges, but between the assault of the group and it’s overwhelming numbers, the beast is eventually felled!
A large patch of delicious moon radishes grows in an arrowhead-shaped clearing here. The radishes are a particular delicacy among the kobolds of the region, and the group finds four moaning kobolds lying on their backs in the center of the patch, bellies full of the spicy roots and three overfilled baskets of the same lying nearby. The kobolds ate too many radishes as they gathered them and are now sickened, but not so sick that they don’t shriek and clamber to their feet if they see people approaching. However, they soon spot their Chief among the longshanks, and concern and confusion comes across their scaly faces...
Sophie takes her time to harvest the berries, helping Sootscale and defering to his knowledge. She works continuously, suffering all manner of scratches and indignities in the process. She will also watch the spiderwebs cautiously, keeping a wary eye out for giant spiders.
Sophie peers down at the marsupial, "an apex predator. We should feed it, and release it. These are pack animals, and their absence will be felt in the environment. It costs us nothing, and would likely help manage the population of smaller animals so that they don't strip the land of vegetation. Chief, these creatures are reclusive hunters, but they eat the rabbits and such which would otherwise eat your foraging supplies. This is your area afterall." Sophie smiles at Sootscale.
Sophie sets her teeth, and watches the creature warily, bow drawn, waiting for one of her more 'robust' companions to engage. She knows that such a raging beast cannot be tamed, or reasoned with. She quickly draws the plants surrounding the boar to entangle and trip the creature, slowing down it's ascent, and giving the others a few moments of respite before it came charging to their line. She failed to hit with her bow, but managed to assist with a grand speech about hunting being valorous and necessary to keep balance in all things.
Sophie lets Chief speak with the kobolds, watching quietly.
Green Dot
Chyrsa spends a bit of time looking around the outside of the thicket. "Overgrown thickets are great for ambushes. No one ever thinks anyone would hide in them." so she searches for any signs of recent entry... or she's just avoiding having to go in there herself.
Though the area lays in danger of potentially large and plentiful spiders, Isabella enjoys the time picking berries. She can do so alone and without having to talk to anyone. She uses this time to reflect back on her failures in the battle where they lost Dunstan. Though they picked up a new ally with Chief Sootscale, she still seems hung up on what she perceives to be her failure in battle.
Bella grows concerned with Sophie's plan "Release it how? There is no way that we are going to get close enough to it to release it without it attacking us. Are you so skilled with creatures that you intend to tame it somehow?"
When it's time to draw her blade again, Isabella does not hesitate to advance to the front line. Perhaps a little overzealous in this engagement, she takes a particularly harsh wound to her left bicep from where the boar gored her and knocked her to the ground. The beast was ferocious and extremely dangerous, but that didn't stop her from meeting it head on and repeatedly burying her blade in its body while laying on the ground underneath it. Once more she finds herself covered in blood after battle, quickly realizing she did not bring enough clothes with her and that she is going to need to resupply her garments soon or they will all be stained red.
Bella stands with her blade at the ready, but defers to the Chief to defuse the situation.
Orri keeps a watchful eye on the webs for any apparent threats while the others go to work retrieving the berries. He will help to heal any injuries the others obtain in their work but is much more concerned with the threat of spiders then retrieving the actual berries.
Orri shares his sister's concerns "While I have no issue with trying to free it, we had better have a good plan. I know I'm not that great with animals so unless someone else is we may be better off leaving it to its fate or put it out of its misery."
Orri is quick to pull out his whip and in a lavish display of skill with the weapon to intimidate the boar helping to decrease its resolve and causing it to think twice before attacking. That hesitation is enough to help give his companions an advantage as they manage to take down the beast. Orri goes to work patching up his sister once again and recommends they have a feast of the large boar to celebrate their victory.
As with the others Orri stands by and lets the Chief handle his people, he places his hand on his whip in case it is needed but does not move to draw it yet.
The Chief picks at the fangberries with a practiced hand, avoiding all the thorns. "I keep some for my own potions," he says, tucking some away into a ready-made pouch. Later in the day, you see the Chief extracting the juice from the berries to mix into odd concoctions, and drying the skins for later use.
"What? Animal is dangerous! Can eat rabbits AND kobolds! Lucky someone made trap here. Kill it! I can blow it up, but then fur will be damaged." Chief Sootscale does not seem sold on this concept of protecting apex predators.
He does check out the trap to see if he can understand more about its creator.
The chief seems comfortable lobbing bombs from a distance against the boar. Although he seems to be a very accurate thrower, he's somewhat reckless about it, and the bombs seem to come perilously close to the rest of the party, especially Isabella who can feel the heat from the blasts.
"No, no, no, put away weapons!" says the Chief, seeing the warmbloods in a state of tension. "These kobolds just not doing their job."
Facing the kobolds once more, the Chief addresses in their native tongue. "ஏய், சோம்பேறிகளே, நீங்கள் முள்ளங்கிகளை மீண்டும் பழங்குடியினருக்குக் கொண்டுவருவதற்கு முன்பு சாப்பிட வேண்டியதில்லை! நாங்கள் கொள்ளைக்காரர்களாக இருந்தால் என்ன செய்வது? உங்கள் கொழுப்பு வயிற்றில் நீங்கள் அனைவரும் இப்போது கைப்பற்றப்படுவீர்கள் அல்லது இறந்துவிடுவீர்கள்!"
The Chief looks at the kobolds, then back at his much taller human companions, then back at the kobolds.
"ஓ, அவர்களைப் பற்றி கவலைப்பட வேண்டாம், அவர்கள் இப்போது எங்களுக்காக வேலை செய்கிறார்கள்."
That was definitely an exaggeration, one the Chief does not seem interested in correcting.
”மன்னிக்கவும், தலைமை! நாங்கள் ... உம் ... நாங்கள் ...” one stammers.
One of the others slaps him and interjects. ”நாங்கள் நினைக்கவில்லை, முதல்வர். தயவுசெய்து எங்களை மன்னியுங்கள்!”
"Oh, those things. I remember one sneaking into camp once and biting a finger clean off. Served Four Fingered Phil right for sleeping at the edge of camp, in truth." the horned woman smiles in memory before nodding to a tall birch near the trap. "You could cut that down, slide it into the hole and the thing could probably climb out." though she does not offer to do it herself.
Isabella near suicidal charge at the angry and BIG boar makes Chrysa sure they would be burying another member of the party by day's end. But the noblewoman was made of steel it seemed. Dodging a bomb by their new found ally, she rolled behind the beast as it gored Isabella's arm and hacked it's hind legs into stumps.
As Sootscale talks, Chyrsa nearly chokes on the water she was drinking. "What was that about 'Working for you'?" she asks later, but with a sly smile more than angry heat.
Sophie nods at Orri, regarding the thylacine, and she nods again at Chrysa. "Good idea... chief, it looks like you've been outvoted. No need to help me, if you'd like to depart, but I'll be getting this creature out. No need for it to suffer. Besides, the pelt is all mottled with holes. Thylacines are known to fight amongst themselves frequently. Wouldn't be worth much to anyone.." She tosses all of her meat provisions to the creature, then works to cut down the nearby tree.
"If you'd like, you're all more than welcome to watch it from a distance. I do not credit myself for having any particular affinity for animals, but I know a bit about them. This one will leave us be when we feed it, I'm almost sure." Sophie says this confidently, but is a little unsure.
Sophie soothes the creature with some clicking and growling noises before lowering the birch log into the hole, (if nobody helps her it ends up being relatively difficult) and steps back to let the thylacine escape, moving back to the party once the log is in the pit, and wiping her hands on her thighs.
Sophie tends to Isabella's wounds, "listen, we can't lose you too - I know how you feel, just... take care of yourself." She wraps the injury in a makeshift bandage with an herb poultice, after applying some healing magic. "should heal right, but sometimes magic isn't enough to prevent a puckered scar, or an infection. We will have to wait and see," and she adds, "we aren't gods, Isabella. We don't get to know when our time is up - but we don't have to go looking for it either. The strands of the fates may be cut short early if that's what we seek." She squeezes Isabella on the shoulder.
Sophie agrees in the boar feast, but recommends that the skin and head be mounted or stuffed as a trophy for Isabella the Boarslayer to have as a memento.
"முட்டாள் போர்க்களங்கள், நிச்சயமாக நீங்கள் வாக்குகளை வெல்வீர்கள்" mutters the kobold grumpily.
Chief Sootscale looks on, secretly hoping the creature rewards her soothing with a bite in the rear!
"பரவாயில்லை, நானும் ஒரு முறை இளமையாக இருந்தேன். ஆனால் அதை மீண்டும் செய்ய வேண்டாம்," says the Chief.
He wags a disapproving finger at the kobolds, but his expression suggests he's not really that mad. Instead, he turns, claps his hands together, and then speaks in the common tongue. "We set up camp here and have lunch, yes? We can share stories and good radishes. Kobolds give you basket." He gestures toward one of the kobolds to give the overflowing basket as a gift to Orri. He then encourages a peaceful lunch between kobold and human. Another attempt to improve the relationship between him and the warmbloods.
Sitting over lunch with Chrysa, the Chief grins back. "Our little secret, yes? So tribe no run away and hide."
At the end, he tells the kobolds to report back to Mikmek and tell him that the Chief was doing well, and had even slain a mighty boar! The head of the boar proves a useful symbol of their great feat.
Isabella takes Sophie's advice while she patches her up. It's good advice and she agrees on principle with everything the half-elf is telling her. When she finishes, Bella responds. "I like to think that sometimes we can change our fate instead of just taking what is handed to us. Maybe I'm wrong and crazy. It's entirely possible."
She places hand over bandage and offers a small smile says "Thanks for the help, I'll sure I'll be fine."
She lies "It wasn't that bad anyway."
Sophie smiles at Isabella wryly, "I think you're right." She sits down quietly, legs crossed, next to Isabella. "At least it was for me... did you know, I'm not really from around here? At all?" She looks down at her boots, then looks up "I'll tell you about it sometime, but... I grabbed those strands I spoke about, and wove a new tapestry."
She gestures to the woods and muck where they're camping. "And look where it's gotten me!" she adds, chuckling.
Isabella suddenly forgets all about wounds and failures at combat, interested in Sophie's story. Here eyes widen with disbelief "You're not from around here? How did you find yourself mixed up in this campaign then? I can't imagine an outsider taking up this fool's errand we're on!"
Catching herself, she holds up her good hand and says "Wait. Wait. You said you're of House Medvyed? They are from around here."
Looking around at the place they've found themselves in she corrects "Well. Relatively around here, I suppose."
Sophie nods, slowly, "let me tell you what I can. These" and she points at the slight points to her ears, brushing back her hair, "are a big part of that. I'd prefer not to say too much, but because I prefer not to lie to people, I will say that I am unquestionably a member of house Medvyed, Gurev Medvyed's niece for that." She gestures again at her ears, "Brevoy isn't the most enlightened of countries... not sure if you've noticed... but these are something of a ceiling. Or at least as much of a ceiling as I am willing to inflict on my family. My cousins don't deserve me stepping on their toes, and they couldn't manage this stuff" she gestures at the marshy mess they find themselves in, "and I'm comfortable basically anywhere, so it made sense."
She looks shocked, in a playful way, "wait, you don't like sleeping in actual bogs?"
The instant that Sophie points to her ears, she understands. She looks to Orri and remarks "Say no more, I completely understand what you are talking about. My brother is in much the same situation as you it would seem. Our father was a lonely man afte rmother passed and quite he neveer remarried he was known for the occasional dalliance you see, Orri being the direct beneficiary of this."
She crosses her legs in the opposite direction and continues "Father loved his son, but after he disappeared life got much harder for Orri. Not all family members are respectful for bastard children it would seem. While I went away with my aunt, Orri was cast aside as an orphan and lived a much more difficult life."
Looking back to Sophiel she nods once "So yes, I think I understand what you say but perhaps not quite as well as my brother. And he is my true blood, I do not care what they naysayers say."
When Sophiel makes a joke about sleeping in a bog Isabella laughs and reaches forward and pushes her to the ground in a playful manner. "I'll show you what sleeping in a bog is like!"
After Sophiel's suggestion he will help her to fell the tree and place it for the beast to escape, after Sophiel has fed it. As soon as the tree is in place he promptly steps back allowing the wild animal space to flee, hoping it doesn't turn its attention on them.
Orri worked on skinning the boar and getting it ready to roast for dinner. He wasn't an amazing butcher, but he knew enough to clean the boar so they could eat it safely. Once the boar was roasting so they could have their celebretory meal he walked over toward his sister and Sophiel just in time to see her nudge Sophiel toward the ground. He quirks his brow and simply states "Shouldn't be more than a few hours before the boar is done, then we can enjoy a nice meal and move on."
After Cheif deals with the kobolds and the group gathers the raddishes they need Orri suggests to the others "Well we've achieved our short term objectives. With the berries and radishes and the added bonus of the boar, we should head back to the trading post, check on things and re-supply as needed so we can make plans for our next steps."
Eventually, given space and time, the thylacine climbs out of the pit and darts off into the underbrush.
The kobolds follow their chief’s orders, and eventually leave to return to their warren with a load of radishes in tow.
__________
The next day, the group arrives at the gates of Oleg’s Trading post to discover it is in a comparative bustle of activity. Hammerfalls can be heard as you approach. On top of the walls are two armed and armored men patrolling and keeping watch, and as you approach one calls out ”Riders approach, Kesten.”
A few tents are set up in the shadow of the palisade just south of the stables, flying the banner of the Swordlords of Restov. There is another guardsman who steps out from one of the tents as you enter the fort, looking a bit sleepy. At the table is another man wearing much nicer armor that has clearly seen better days. With him is an older, balding man in plain robes.
As the armored man at the table rises and turns to study your group, his eyes fall to the kobold on a horse of all things, and his hand drops to rest on the pommel of his longsword at his hip. Then, Oleg’s voice can be heard calling out from the roof of the stables ”Eh, Kesten! This ‘ere be the group I told ya about,” he says as he climbs down a ladder. As he gets closer, he too notices the change in the group and adds ”Well...mostly...where is yer dwarf friend and what’s with this...thing...?” he asks with a nod toward Chief Sootscale.
Orri takes in the sight of the new activity at the trading post with a questioning look. When Oleg calls out Orri replies "Sadly, we lost our friend in a fight to free the kobolds from the oppression of a mad priest. He helped us secure an alliance, this is their Chief. He has agreed to help us seek out the Stag Lord and rid these lands of his influence to secure his people's lands."
Nodding to Kesten then looking to Oleg he asks "Seems things got busy while we were away, what is all this?"
Chrysa hops down from her mule and approaches the two men. "Well met, sir." nodding in greeting before adding more details to Orri's comments.
"Dunstan Isengraef died with honor and dignity. His name should be remember as being key in the defeat of an evil shaman that was manipulating the kolbolds into acts unbecoming of their people. Please pass that on to Aldori."
"The Chief of the Sootscale clan is here to show their people want to work with the people of the Stolen lands and good Restov to make this land safe for all. But also to provide documentation to where his lands are to prevent future misunderstandings. Respect and expectations should go both ways, don't you agree?" she adds with a smile, as she fishes out copies of the map the chief outlined. "Oleg, if you would be so kind as to post this for travelers to see, and Kesten, one for your men as well. When next we are in Restov, we'll submit them properly."
Kesten steps forward and offers his hand to Orri. ”Kesten Garess. My men and I answered Oleg’s request of the Swordlords for aid,” he says as his tone turns somber. ”A shame to hear about Ser Isengraef. His family are good people.”
Oleg grumbles at the kobold’s presence. ”Well, don’t be thinkin’ my offer to ye ta house ya fer your efforts here extends to him!” he grumbles before turning and heading back to work.
”The Aldori also tasked me with safeguarding and stewarding the disbursement of them to those who can fulfill them, and it would seem apparent you have resolved the kobold situation...” Kesten says as he turns to the man who left the tent. ”The big chest,” he calls out.
The man nods and steps back into the tent and a moment later comes out with a decent sized chest. He sets it on the ground next to Kesten with a thud. Kesten kneels down and takes a key and works the lock, flipping the lid back. Inside are several gold trade bars stamped with the seal of the Dragonscale Throne.
”A well earned reward,” Kesten says bluntly, giving the chief a wary eye.
Chrysa files away the information for any potential use down the line.
Think as she might, Bella is unable to place Kesten anywhere in her lessons or acquaintances.
Isabella marvels at the reward, turning to her companions to see how they are reacting. Not bad.
When Kesten remarks on a well earned reward, Isabella nods and thinks about what was lost. "Should we take Dunstan's share aside and send it back to his family?"
Chief Sootscale grumbles at the lack of respect he's getting here. "I not just kobold, I Chief Sootscale!" Recognizing the characters from his discussions with the others, he speaks to Oleg directly, trying to be respectful and in the process misusing a title of royalty. "You Sir Oleg, right? Master of castle? I bring gifts from kobold people for you and your woman. Kobold delicacies." Chief Sootscale gestures toward the overflowing baskets of radishes. "But if you no want me here, I take radishes and go."
Isabella mumbles under her breath when Sootscale introduces himself "You mean Chief Turntale and run away."
A big, goofy looking smile on her face, Sophie appears to genuinely happy, perhaps for the first time, as she watches the creature lope off into the woods. She composes herself if she sees anyone watching her, and smiles wryly. "That worked out pretty well, thanks everyone for your help."
Laughing, Sophie falls on her rear end, the muddy ground getting all over her clothes. She affects the mocking accent of Lady Surtova, "good gracious, how I am to expect to look presentable. Nobody will let me be queen now!" She mock pouts a bit, splashing in the muck, and then giggles a bit. After she cleans up (a little), she enjoys the feast with everyone else.
Sophie also cannot identify Kesten, but smiles at him politely. "Thank you, Ser Garess. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Yes, we only knew Dunstan a few weeks, but we will miss him. He died doing what paladins do best: protecting the innocent, and serving a shield against cruelty. He is resting within the earth... it was, all that we could do. We believed it was appropriate, given his appreciation for such things."
When Bella mentions sending a share back to Dunsan's family, Sophie nods, "it is only fair."
Finally, when Oleg is unwelcoming to Chief Sootscale, Sophie begins to clench her fist, her small form seemingly starting to radiate palpable anger. She smiles a brittle smile, and waits to see how Oleg responds to the Chief's rejoinder.
While he is familiar with the Garess name he doesn't know of this man specifically. When Oleg grumbles about Chief, Orri frowns. He is about to say something but then Chief speaks up so he let's that play out.
As Kesten retrieves their reward and the others suggest sending off Dunstan's share he turns to them and asks "Does anyone even know where we would send it?"
Isabella just laughs when Sophie flings mud at her, not trying to get out of the way of the retaliation. When her brother walks over and stands above the women laying in the mud with a quizzical look on his face, she looks offended. "What? Can't a girl have some non-structured fun in the mud?"
"Alright, alright." she relents, looking forward to eating this boar that they brought down. "We'll be right there."
Turning back to Sophie, she offers her good hand to her to help pull her to her feet. "This boar is going to be the best meat I've ever eaten, I think. Something about almost dying for your meal is going to make it taste better, I just know it."
Isabella mumbles under her breath when Sootscale introduces himself "You mean Chief Turntale and run away."
"That just one time!" he hisses back irritably.
Isabella recognizes this is not the time or place or the argument and does not respond verbally. Her gaze is cold however, unforgiving on the facts that the Chief led them into an encounter with his enemy and then ran away, letting Dunstan die. Though the timing of her facts could be discussed to great length, the result was a dead companion who undertook a task at his request.
Chrysa winces a bit at the suggestion of giving away the extra share. Yes, she understands that is the 'right' thing to do, but that fact doesn't mitigate the fact it is Insane.
But she knows coming off as the greedy one, when it was already known she was once a bandit, is not a good thing. So she shuts it.
Honestly, and a little hopefully, she responds to Orri's question with a shake of her head. "None of us knew him well enough." though she secretly assumed that guard Restov would gladly pipe in with a We'll see it gets to the proper place, meaning filling his own pockets of course.
She does her best to keep this all hidden behind her eyes though. She may end up looking a bit fidgety.
Chyrsa is listening to the two women talking and play fighting, while taking time to grind down a horn or two since they have the time. She freezes though as Sophie puts on a tone close enough to her aunt, not from family pride, but knowing how her aunt's eyes would narrow at hearing that, imagining what revenge she'd take...
Gulping, she continues with her task, and later accepts a plate of pork with a smile and a "Thank you"
Sophie accepts Bella's hand, and offer, and pats her on the shoulder as they head to the food. "Aye, makes you appreciate small things, right?" and she chuckles, merrily.
”He don’t call all the shots around here!” Svetlana’s voice calls out from the house as she wipes her hands on her apron. She approaches and takes the basket of radishes, replying ”Thank you, Chief. I am very appreciative! OLEG! Give this fine chief the promised reward!” she says as she swats at him with a ladle.
He grumbles to himself as he begrudgingly heads inside and returns with a pouch that is quite full. He hands it up to the mounted kobold and says ”Here.”
Kesten replies to the offered gift to Dunstan’s family ”I can arrange for it to be sent to his family, if that is what you desire. Though they likely would be more appreciative of his remains. Dwarves are fond of their own particular rites.”
The balding man at the table had quietly approached during all this, and finally speaks up and says ”My Lord, My Ladies. Chief. Pardon my intrusion, but I wanted to introduce myself. Father Jhod Kavken at your service,” with a bow.