"So is there going to be any problem with you and our orcish allies, sir?" So says to Hadri, pointing to Tura and Cole, who have shown interest in their freedom.
"Step right up for your Mark of Justice! You can't have your freedom if you don't have a mark!" Lar says with a slight smile. He's already marked Tura and Shintaro at the locations of their choosing, and after each mark, informed the marked they will be going out shortly with So while he finishes marking the rest of the party.
Cole scowls and crosses he arms defensively. Heat shimmers seems to waft from his body.
"As long the mark is removed immediately once we return, I don't care how or when we do what. Get it over with so we can get on with it."
|
Hadri stretches and glances around at his new company.
"Eh. I think yer pushing yer luck by sayin' allies chump." He looks at Tura, then to Cole, and back to Tura and scowls. "I'll be honest with ye both. These two ain't pure orc-blood, ye can see it in their eyes. But I'll be watching 'em mark me words. One foot oot of line, and Torag will show ye his hammer. Understood the pair of yeh?"
He marches towards Sun with a grin on his face. "Oooh would ya look at that, a new tattoo! Yes please Mister, here on my bicep if you will.
Jus' below the Hammer one, nothing can go above it, the Fathers sign must always be up top"
Cole dismisses the dwarf and his speech, looking off in the distance with distain.
"Did the short furry one actually speak Taldane? I can't tell..."
"Lets be done with this."
As Rodan shows his forearm to receive the mark.
Lar marks Cole, Rodan, and Hadri, and So takes them out with Tura and Shintaro.
You all follow So through the prison, down the stairs from the mess hall, out the foyer, past the offices and into the entrance foyer, an area you didn't expect to see so soon, if ever again. The walk is surreal in not having to stand still while gates are opened and closed behind you and also in the polite and quiet guards allowing you to pass, though some look at So as if he's headed to his own execution.
As you are lead out to the rough, muddy yard of the prison, you see two wagons, one open and with guards loading in chests and a few larger, bulkier items of what appear to be your original property, while near the other, a covered wagon in the Varisian style, you see a pair of campfires with cooking pots being tended to by a small halfling woman with flame red hair. She turns to the guards, standing on her small stepladder that is almost half her height but is no larger than a stool for a medium sized creature, and says, "Thank you for all your help! I'll be in with your portion of the meal as soon as it's ready."
She turns to the lot of you, "A proper meal is being cooked and should be ready soon, and then there will be baths for all who wish it afterwards. I assume that neither Lar nor So told you of me so allow me to introduce myself. I am Penelope but everyone calls me Pan since my days at the college. What Lar wishes and So can't provide, I handle, be it getting your items, figuring out meals for us, or nearly anything that you can imagine and maybe even some things you can't."
"If you're hungry, grab a plate from the covered wagon and be seated on those logs." Pan gestures vaguely to a small gathering of five logs in a circle, "If you want to make sure the guards didn't break your favorite whatsits in handling, feel free to check the wagon over there for it. Would the tallest of you gentlemen help pass out items from the wagon while you" she points at Tura, "help me by setting up the bathtub on the far side of the wagons? So, you're going to deliver the pot to the prison once it's ready but please make sure to get it back this time. I may feel creative and need both pots again."
Tura snorts as she shakes her head."Like they treated me any better than a slave, wasn't til I killed one did I even earn me name and my place, still I was little more than a goblin in their eyes."
"Just you try it, and you'll be meeting yer god sooner rather then later" She says leaning down and smiling as she then looks around. She was noted the lack of women, but she was used to that in these non-orc societies, seemed alot of the women here were soft.
At the wagon, Tura smiles and goes over to pick up the Tub."Does that mean bathes are in order?" She giggles a bit before she continues.
"Do you have that stuff that makes bubbles and smells like flowers, My group got some off a caravan once and it was the best!!! I used like tons of it! Wait can I eat and drink int eh Tub too! Cause that was great, little bubbles frilly flowers, chunks of meat and strong drink! It makes for a great evening" She says smiling a genuinely happy smile.
Cole seems to take the halfing's woman's no nonsense speech to heart and goes to help pull chests and lrger items off the wagons for everyone. He then goes over his stuff, making sure everything is still there.
Once he's sure his personal items re untouched, he will sit without a word up to this point and grabs some food. Looking forward to eating something not burnt or containing 'unidentified' items floating in it.
"I never thought till I was sent here I would miss my home tribe's cooking. This is ambrosia in comparison!"
Rodan grabs a plate of food not knowing if this is going to be his last meal, or last meal for a long time. He takes a long sniff at it realizing that it is not the same slop that he has been eating for longer than he remembers. His mouth starts to water knowing that this food will have that missing ingredient, flavor.
"Thank you for the food, Penelope is it? Will you be traveling with us on this outing?"
Rodan has a seat on a log and digs into the food with gusto. when done he almost licks the plate.
He bring back the plate to Pan and thanks her again. Rodan walks over to get reacquainted with his gear. looking through his gear seeing how old and in disrepair his gear is in due to the fact that it has been in storage for so long, he gets a twinkle in his eye and a small smile forms on his lips.
"Hay, where is my stuff? My master work strength bow got replaced with this worn out old thing and my buckler, my mithiral buckler is replace with this piece of tin. And where is my sword, my magic sword it's just missing altogether. And my good picks there gone as well. My armor do they think I would not notice the switch. How the hell do they expect me to go out and do the job when most of my equipment is substandard or just missing! Who do I need to talk to about this? Everyone check your gear see if your stuff got replaced or is just missing."
Lets see if I can get a gear up grade on this outing, he, he Rodan thinks to himself.
Hadri makes a sudden movement towards the cart as soon as he is aware his weapons and armour are in there. There is a look of relief on his face as he lays eyes on a warhammer. "I'm glad all my stuff is in here, but don't spose you'd mind if I took some precautions Master So? I'd feel a lot more comforted with some metal on me skin and my hammer in my hand." he gestures indicating towards Tura and Cole as he talks. "It would allow me t'say a few words of thanks to Torag and all. A little prayer y'know"
"Say whats cooking Miss Pan? Got any brew to go wit' it?" He asks as he walks up with a plate towards the cook. He gratefully takes his food goes and sits on a log near Rodan. Nodding in acknowledgement as he approaches.
Pan looks at Tura with a smile, "I can make some with some almond oil, egg, and honey. And soap, of course. It will be easy enough to provide you with bubbly bath if you like. Would you like honey?"
Pan looks at Rodan skeptically and says, with a hint of sarcasm and the air of someone who has worked a carnival or festival or three, "I guess you''ll just have to make do with a masterwork composite longbow, a +1 breastplate, and a masterwork longsword and heavy steel shield. That equipment, normally worth almost twenty-five hundred gold is yours today for the low low price of risking your life."
"So It was mentioned we have a week's journey and a budget for each of you, Rodan. So if you have particular requests, please feel free to speak up if what was just offered is insufficient."
"So you can wear your armor and carry weapons and if you need help donning it, speak up. So it's clear, you need only avoid evil actions and make sure I can see you at least once an hour."
"Yes, go pee, take a path, go pick wildflowers if you like. Enjoy my bread soup. Just keep in mind that you have to be seen by So once an hour or you will start to suffer. Also, I believe we have an anvil, a smithing apron, and could provide you with heated steel if you wish to honor Torag in a more traditional manner tomorrow."
"The danger should be low. Highwall Keep is a week away by wagon or horse. The roads are well traveled and bandits are low in Ustalav. So will be on watch at night so ambush is unlikely. We will set out shortly to Anactoria, which is the closest village to Highwall Keep in the Albria Woods. We may pause to acquire any additional supplies from the merchants traveling between Caliphas and Chateau Douleurs. Tura can sleep in the wagon while the rest of us will have tents. I can go into further detail as to dimensions, fortifications, and history. Hadri may know some about it as it was dedicated to Torag when first built a millennia or more ago." Lar says.
Checking his gear, Cole starts speaking suddenly...
"Dedicated to Torag? Is it a dwarven made structure? Lots of lost ones lying around in the mountains of my homelands. Is it a classical variation on ancient dwarven structures? Or unique? How old is it? Such places are hard to burn. That's good! That means I don't have to hold back or worry the structure itself will catch on fire too easily. Human-built structures tend to have more wood in them. Makes them easier to build and fix. Dwarven structures are meant to last millennia..."
He suddenly starts as he realizes the others are staring at him going on about dwarven architecture.
"What is it? Do I have a bug on my face? Wait! Oh...you are surpized I'm educated in such things? I'm an arsonist. You have to know HOW something is built to be able to burn it down properly."
He then turns back to his the group and finishes repacking his bag silently.
"Ooo I could go for that, Thank you Pan!" She says hugging the halfling before she eats a lot of the food presented to her.
After food and a bath, she arms her self with some nice medium armor, a shield, some weapons both melee and ranged.
”So, in no particular order, if I die, the mark removes itself. So you can rest easy, Pan is our insurance policy. So if something happens to us, she will recover and avenge us. So the tunnels are all in bad shape when we were there. So the history and design is unique, with Druidic influences on the usual Dwarven style and it is about 1200 years old.”
Lar begins to draw in the dirt an outline of a keep, narrating as the layout starts to take shape. ”Highwall Keep has 25' walls, and is 240' by 250' with a garden patch (50' x 130') in the northeast corner.
It is surrounded by salamander shrubs or flamescrag shrubs - a rare botanical wonder that can burn for up to 24 hours and regenerates to full health over the next 6 days.
The northwest corner holds a stone entryway (10' by 10') with three portcullis - the middle one made of magically shaped flamescrag wood while the outer ones are metal. The middle portcullis is called 'Trollspear' as it was used like a siege weapon against trolls trying to break down the inner portcullis.
Between the entry and the garden is a grand temple of Torag (40' by 80'), converted to an interfaith shrine by the Shining Crusade. In the south west corner of the temple is a staircase up into a tower (20' diameter) and to the lower levels that haven't seen much use, especially as they appear to be partially collapsed, leaving the smithy beneath the temple isolated, much like the remaining lower levels from each other.
Two buildings lie along the western wall of the keep - a stables near the entryway (20' x 40') and the barracks (30' x 60'). The lower level of the barracks are reachable so with bunk beds, that allows ~80 soldiers in the keep's barracks very comfortably.
The command center for the keep is along the southern wall (80'' x 40') and it held the offices for the senior commanders and leaders of the keep, such as they were. The lower level is luxurious, by dwarven standards, chambers for up to three families.
Stairs climb the eastern edge of the temple and a 10' pathway to the garden sits to the east of the stairs. East of that stands an armory (30' by 20') that doubles as a tool shed for the garden, with racks of swords and axes towards the south. A door into the 60' eastern wall of the keep leads into a training room (30' x 30') that connects to the dining hall (40' x 110') that holds a raised dais (30' x 30') for the leadership for the keep and their very infrequent noble guests from Caliphas. Further south still is the kitchen (40' x 20') in the southeast corner, attached to the pantry, attached to the command center.
Dwarven runes are next to every door or tunnel entrance/exit. Newer signs in Common were hung by the Shining Crusade but are weathered and barely maintained after the last century of neglect.
A central well sits in the courtyard, 100' from the southern edge of the garden. Battlements with stairs (30' x 30') sit in the northeast, southwest, and southeast corners of the keep. Stairs down from the battlements connect the ground with these three key points, with the northwest corner access provided by stairs east of the temple.”
Shintaro gets his sword back along with some western style armor and a few odds and ends. He loudly slurps his food in appreciation, but stays otherwise quiet, not sure where a former lawman fit in with these other reprobates.
Hadri comes back around from the far side of the cart giving his warhammer a polish. He has spent the past 10 minutes hammering his Warhammer on the flatest stone he could find. Any passing would have heard his praises to Torag and asking him for his guidance over the next few days. As he comes around the cart he calls out "Did yer say we are going to a place built for Torag?"
"What exactly we expectin' to find there? You need me to translate the Dwarven? Or ye already read our secrets?"
"There's no need to translate the Dwarven runes. There are faded but legible signs in Common for each but as far as I understand, the runes are simple labels like 'Restrooms' and 'Kitchen'." Lar says.
"So there may be more of interest in the chapel, though, as the runes there are not translated nor signed in any way in Common."
"That's a good point. I usually had my nose buried in my prayer books in the chapel, and I didn't really pay attention to the walls."
"So you didn't get enough assignments to clean those walls, you're saying." So states in a dry and even tone.
She dons the armor and weapons as she looks fierce as she bares her teeth and looks about."So fire bushes and large huge stones, smash goblins, seems simple"
"Anactoria I have been to may times, farmers mostly."
"So, Pan how do we go about requesting gear? Do we just go to the wagon and see what there or are we able to make a list? And at the end of this mission do we get to keep the gear? Or do we need to turn it back in and pay for anything that was damaged?
The Items you offered is very generous and I am sure any sword swinger here would be happy to get those items. But I am a scout, being able to move quickly and quietly, then launching a stream of arrows at my enemy is more of my cup of tea."
After checking on his equipment and if anyone is watching, he grumbles about the "stolen" equipment. Rodan heads for his turn in the bath.
"So Lar and I have the most experience with equipping an army, and we happen to have some leftover Zyphus cultist items and spare armors to offer though we can likely straight up swap the armor for some items of equal value."
"Merchants hate carrying armor from smithy to shop so a wagon with working armor in good condition can be more valuable than the lighter items that every merchant is carrying. At least valuable enough to do a swap in straight market price if you can convince them of the futility of carrying a dozen of each weapon but only 1 of each armor. A vendor in town in their own shop gets an influx of all the lighter to carry items like weapons and gems from the passing adventurer but they rarely have someone come up with gear to armor the next generation of adventurers." Lar says.
"Or cultists!" Pan interjects.
"Or cultists, yes, but usually they don't wander to the general store to pick up a chain shirt, a scythe, and an unholy symbol. I almost think it's required to learn to craft to found a cult."
"Which is why I avoid learning to knit or crochet!" Pan again offers, with a wicked smile.
"So just let me know and we'll see what we have and what we need to acquire along the way."
"I was stationed at Highwall Keep. It's where I met So. We weren't 'forced back' as much as 'reassigned' but the bureaucracy of the various paladin orders have somewhat written off Highwall. Lastwall and Vigil consider Highwall an expendable resource unless it's found to be home to some new undead plague or unholy necromancer. The nobles in Caliphas don't care, either." Lar pauses, his eyes reflecting frustrations old but still cutting, and his voice tinged with anger.
"So flamescrag is key to the history of Highwall but It's not much use except in defending from trolls or other fire vulnerable creatures."
"Scaring goblins is an option. Does anyone have any other suggestions?" Pan says.
"The well in the court yard, where does that go to? Can we get in that way? Any secret ways in?"
”Secret entrances? None we know of... as to the well, it never ran dry. I think it is some underground lake.”
Cole will impart what he knows of wells.
"Wells rarely are magical in nature and a dry well is the most likely way to understand the structure of a well. Me personally? Not interested in water if I can help it."
A question also pops to his lips suddenly.
"Flamescrag is not just a fancy name then? What does the keep have to do with fire...specifically."
It seems Cole's VERY interested in the answer to this question, although he is obviously trying to hide that fact a little.
"The keep is mainly made of stone, but the surrounding shrubbery is flamescrag. You could chop a shrub in half, leaving you with a flamescrag torch, and light the end you leave behind to regrow it in a week or so. Flamescrag oil also creates cooler burning flames. Unless you plan to cook something with it, I don't know if that matters."
"I don't care as long as I get free and can fight to do it instead of waiting around then Tura will fight, kill and make sure to see you through it" She says strapping her weapons too her and santering over a determined look on her face ready to fight.
Cole nods.
"Never been much of a nature enthusiast before. Flamscrag sounds like excellent kindling!"
Cole now seems almost eager to leave.
"What exactly you wantin us to do?" he asks towards So and Lar. "I thought this was a diplomatic mission, yet yer taking a lot of muscle to do yer talkin'. With all due respect to yer both, you said this was dedicated to Torag, but its full o' filthy gobs? What kind o' disgrace is this?"
Hadri double checks his armour, and admires his warhammer. "Whatever ya did to this warhammer though, tis good work."
He finishes putting all his gear on and starts helping anyone else get their gear on if they need it.
"So imagine you have a group of... well intentioned but not very effective recruits and you wish them to learn and grow but not necessarily place them in the path of sharp objects and dazzling spells. So you have a very fortified keep in the middle of nowhere that's not very helpful for any high priority campaigns but is a good place for the recruits to get their feet wet, as it were." So says.
"The island of misfit paladins..." Lar says, softly.
"So the keep has a history of being forgotten and being ignored so when silence is heard from the keep, it's assumed that someone forgot the routine, and no alarms are raised. So time passes and eventually you find it's overrun with goblins, none of whom respond to your requests in common to parley."
"When I heard about it, given my dream..."
"So maybe they don't remember that?"
"How could they not? It's been an eventful few hours but the plan is to reenact my prophetic dream of my youth. You shall go with me to the goblin keep. I may go in chains or with my head held high, but I shall not use my sword against any who may yet find redemption in Sarenrae's mercy. So may be less bound by that but I trust in his restraint. You shall do your best to help us figure out what happened to the paladins who were there and how the keep came to be overtaken. Since none of us speaks goblin, you shall protect Borkandors and we will do our best to protect you. I know this is all confusing and unusual. Is that all clear?"
"So you forgot to talk about Torag."
"The keep was built by a cleric and druid of Torag, but Torag's shrine was converted to a shrine of the good pantheon a century or more in the past, with Aroden, Abadar, Torag, and of course Sarenrae being represented. Even Irori and Iomedae have some representation. Of course, it's all a thin veneer. You can't easily disguise that the shrine was built over a forge, even if it's not in heavy use. As to goblins taking it over, we don't know whether there's religious significance to that or simply goblin greed. No offense, Borkandor."
Cole nods at the explanation.
"The orc gods are cruel and angry. Forgiveness and hope are not usual things I'm used to dealing with when it comes to Faith. My own worship of Pharasma is new to me, and easy as far as I am concerned. Most undead burn pretty easily. Goblins can burn too. You can count on me here. I want free."
"Pharasmans have some of the best rituals! They're a little much for my tastes but they're not as challenging as approaching strangers, offering healing." Pan says.
"You can always stand in the sun with a scarf over your head." Lar offers.
Koike listens to all, nodding his head as he takes in information. The cause was just enough, and his skills wouldn't go to waste. Also, the food was already much better, though he longed for a proper noodle.
"Maybe the Paladins were cursed and turned into goblins."
Giving a small smile.
"Since I can't speak goblin, my only use to you will be as a scout. So will it be possible that when we are on the road that I am able to leave a sign that I was there and not have to come back every hour? I could also leave a sign that there is trouble up a head."
"Which reminds me, I would like to take your leave and check in with the blacksmith to see if he has any special metal arrows?