Gazul kept quiet, as the others did the talking. He hoped that none promised that the hobgoblin would go free, because he had no intention of letting that happen. Torag was quite clear about what was to be done with the enemies of his people.
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Sarya heard the hobgoblin talk and she stayed hidden for a few moments longer before deciding that they weren't in immediate danger. She approached the group and put her arrow back and looked away. They had been in a similar situation before. Executing an enemy who surrendered in cold blood...
It's not right..., she thought, but last time she had not been able to dissuade her companions from it, and she had little confidence she would able to this time. It seemed this time she was a little less keen on fighting on it. Did it mean that she was giving up on what she thought was right? Had war caught up to her? Or was it that sword? Sarya felt the sword was calling for that hobgoblin's blood.
The elf simply stated "I'll scout ahead. If the fort has been taken, we need to get a wind of the rangers. They'll want our help to get it back." She left the group to scout, pushing away the thought that indifference was as bad as the evil act itself, if not worse.
More details!, Orthos snapped. When did this happen, and how many of you did the attack? Did you take any prisoners?
The priest tries to assess his truthfulness...
His eyes narrow...
-ooc: Not sure if the others can post much given the language barrier without a DM bump.
-ooc: Not sure if the others can post much given the language barrier without a DM bump.
OOC: I am always assuming that you (or whoever speaks the language) is always translating unless you tell me otherwise.
Questions?
Game on!
BTW, Orthos thinks the hob scout is speaking the truth.
Gazul walked forward, getting within distance to strike. He didn't trust any information that the hobgoblin had. He didn't want to feel honor-bound to let the enemy go free. He didn't want to have any more of these discussions. He reflected that this was why Torag instruction his children to not allow the enemy to surrender, except when strategy dictated. He didn't trust the hobgoblin to tell the truth, or at least the entire truth.
"Enough." He said.
His axe flashed out, striking the unarmed hobgoblin. It didn't feel right, killing like this. He knew how much Sarya disliked it. Not for the first time he reflected on how much he hated war. He hated the dreams that would inevitably follow. He hated the quiet. But he knew, in his heart, that it was the only correct option. That letting the hobgoblin go would mean putting the refugees at risk. It would mean that it would be one more blade conquering the lands. It would mean more death. So he took it upon himself to do what he knew had to be done. He just wished that the hobgoblin would have had the decency of dying in the ambush, like they had planned. At least then he could have felt heroic.
Kasana prepared to ask Orthos to translate for her when she saw Gazul step forward and promptly end the man before she could question him further. Uncharacteristically growing a bit heated, she turned to Gazul and loudly remarked, "What in the Hells what that Gazul!?! He had information we needed to know!"
A bit of bubbles leave Cheshire's mouth. "I mean this is worse than the levitating. Wait. No bubbles." He looks to the others for confirmation, "No bubbles right."
Well... that was to the point. Not unapproved of on my part either. It just would have been nice to know what he was going to say. He was, likely, in my somewhat humble opinion going to reveal some sort of truth... but it is what it is. In any case. I didn't lie. We gave him, or rather Gazul, gave him an easy death rather than an arrow in the gut. Hmmm... those ponchos... they might be our way to disguise ourselves. How many are there?
Gazul cleaned his axe and said ”Wasn't going to give me word that he’d live. That was his deal and I turned it down.”
"Wasn't going to give me word that he’d live. That was his deal and I turned it down."
Kasana looked at the dwarf, seeing that talking to him would get her nowhere, and said, "You all can take care of the body then." And without another word left the group and headed into the forest after Sarya.
Gazul watched Kasana leave in silence. He understood her frustration. But such was the price of honor. Looking down at the body he reflected that it was only right that the burden of disposing it would fall on to him. He worried that the day would come when this would become easy.
Cheshire looks up a Gazul, "I will give you a hand."
Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust, the priest says making a lazy sign of Nethys over the body. There... he's ready to go.
Cheshire nods, "Burn well."
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Sarya looked at the burned trees with much sadness. Silently, she asked the forest for forgiveness for the actions of the sentient beings. She wasn't sure what had transpired here, but there was an invasion happening and...
Sarya distracted herself by going towards the oak tree and checking the bodies. She tried finding something useful that might give a clue about anything regarding this scenario.
OOC: Yes, you have three bloody gray-green ponchos that previously belonged to the Chernasardo Rangers.
Questions?
Game on!
Cheshire looks around trying to puzzle together what happened here.
Orthos dons one of the ponchos.
These might be useful one way or the other for deception... I recommend that the human or hobgoblin sized among us use them.
Kasana, who was still fuming at Gazul, stayed relatively quiet for the rest of the day. When the clearing was found, she grew instantly suspicious and quietly drifted behind the others to a spot she thought was both out of sight that allowed a good vantage point of the clearing in front of her. And then... she waited...
Psssst... this doesn't look good, he said quietly. He then stepped to one side, still in the brush outside the clearing and worked his way around as stealthily as possible.
But he finds a brambles bush the hard way and ends up cursing loudly.
Cheshire jumped back he threw his hands up in front of him. "Whoa whoa whoa. It wasn't us we just walked up? Trying to see what happened here. Seriously if you were just standing there pretending to be a tree you wouldn't have seen us set any fires. It was probably hobgoblins. They have been killing and burning everything else."
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Look! We don't burn people! See those up there - the dead people? Why would we do this? We did not burn these trees!
Kasana stayed very very still as the one of the scorched trees lumbered angrily towards the rest of the party. Unsure if she was seen, she readied herself to strike fast and hard should it decide to follow through on its threat.
With the others speaking eloquently in their defense, Gazul stood still with his hand off his axe and in the air where it could be seen.
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Sarya tried complementing their defense saying "We didn't do this. I am just as saddened by it as you. But we will find those responsible. And punish them." Sarya is sad for the giant. She understand the pain of the forest when it hurts like this. She looks at him, trying to identify what sort of creature it is.
Speaking in Sylvan, Gazul said "That is a mighty fair offer ye've got there. But if I may? The ones who did this damage are out there, aye? They be our enemies too. If we be stuck here, then they'll be spreading more fires. More fires which will cause far more damage than we can ever hope to fix. Would it not be better for the forest all around if we continue hunting down the perpetrators of this mess?"
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Sarya knew she wasn't the best diplomat in the group, but she wanted to get out of the situation, and she understood the giant's pain. She said "I agree that we can bury the bodies. Not because we did this, but because it's a decent thing to do. I also want to reseed this portion, but we can't right now, especially since we need to find the ones who actually did this. And you must understand that there is an army entering the forest from the south. I understand if you don't want to take part in the war, but we must find allies who will help us survive and protect the forest. We are looking for the Chernasardo rangers."
"We are sad to see so beautiful a grove burned. The forest has been a refuge for us these past weeks when our homes were destroyed and burned much like these trees. We as already said will be happy to bury the dead. But we did not burn these trees or these people. Our mission is pressing and lives of our kin hang in the balance."
Kasana continued to wait in hiding, wary, seeing how all of this would play out. As she did, she scanned the surrounding area for for living tress or other enemies that may be lurking while the rest of the group was distracted.
OOC: I'll hold off for other input because the wood giant is not convinced.
Answers below:
You can and should always get creative with your RPing. At the very least, I will give you a bonus to whatever you roll.
His anger is not an act.
He seemed to be a tree and then he wasn't, some sort of magical ability.
Try and show proof of someone other than yourselves that started the fire.
Questions?
Game on!
Hey big fellow, I am happy to help where I can but we have a tight schedule and we mean to make it. What can we do to prove our innocence? For I declare again, as a priest of Nethys, we did not do this.
I am happy however to look over any injuries you may have and do what I can for them.
OOC: I'll hold off for other input because the wood giant is not convinced.
Answers below:
You can and should always get creative with your RPing. At the very least, I will give you a bonus to whatever you roll.
His anger is not an act.
He seemed to be a tree and then he wasn't, some sort of magical ability.
Try and show proof of someone other than yourselves that started the fire.
Questions?
Game on!
OOC: I'll hold off for other input because the wood giant is not convinced.
Answers below:
You can and should always get creative with your RPing. At the very least, I will give you a bonus to whatever you roll.
His anger is not an act.
He seemed to be a tree and then he wasn't, some sort of magical ability.
Try and show proof of someone other than yourselves that started the fire.
Questions?
Game on!
Though still incredible wary, Kasana was also growing impatient waiting the giant to either calm down or attack. Deciding to take a chance, Kasana left the safety of her hiding spot to enter the burned clearing with the others. "My friends speak the truth. We had nothing to do with this destruction and I suspect our enemies are one and the same." Pausing a moment as she dug for something out of her pack, "That being said, we cannot stay here for long. We have too many people counting on us to complete our work quickly and quietly. So here's my proposal:..." Kasana continued as she found what she was looking for and knelt to the ground. "...Let us go now and in return,..." she paused as closed her eyes and concentrated; a moment later the items she had found - a handful seeds - began to sprout and bloom in her hand . Once they had transformed into a small bouquet of flowers, she dug a shallow hole in the ground and planted them into the ground. "I promise I will return at some point to help you rebuild this grove into what it once was. Does that work for you... actually never caught name. I am Kasana Windfoot, and you are?"
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