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Before she knows it, the invaders fall left and right of her. Yasamina looks at the tussle happening near Lisi and Alak. "You got this. I'll check on them."
She rolls past froggy standing in the corridor, and stops near Voz.
"Don't kill her, Lisi. Unless she actually attacks someone. She might have useful information."
"See Voz, I keep my word. Stay put, don't fight!", she points her blade at Voz just for good measure, and gets ready to strike in case the librarian does something aggressive.
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Oren splatters the cult leader's brains all over the cavern wall, and Dario kills the last of the ape men, leaving only the boggards behind. Seeing their leader slain, the boggards release their tonguey grips on Oren and Cev, and plunge ceremonial daggers into themselves in a display of zealotry, croaking the name of Dahak with their final breaths.
Yasami reaches Voz's side in time to see she was in the midst of casting a spell -- an action that dies as soon as Yasami's rapier comes to rest, inches from her still-prone face. Voz glares with a hateful expression, but doesn't put up a fight as Alak clambers to his feet and hauls her up to hers, holding her arms behind her back.
The Hellknight grins at Yasami, eyes sparkling. "Did you miss me? Because I certainly missed you. All of you, I mean," he adds the last words just a bit belatedly.
After about 10 seconds, Sulee says to Renali, "Well, I don't hear Dario's pistol going off any more. So either he has fallen or all of the enemies have. I'm going to go find out which." She flies down the hole and over to Caiten.
She surveys the scene of carnage. "Well, that went pretty well from the look of it."
Caiten holds out his arm to give Sulee a better place to land, then settles her on his shoulder.
"Yes, we have gotten a bit more skilled at fighting as well as working as a team since the last time we fought these creatures."
Caiten walks over to Lisi and Yasami to assist with dealing with Voz and helping Alak. He says to Yasami, "Since you have given your word to not kill her, I suppose you would be upset if I did it for you."
And to Lisi he says, "Once things settle down and you have some time to rest, I would appreciate one of those healing berries you have."
"Wait, you were injured?" Sulee looks over Caiten again, rather concerned and slightly confused.
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"Not by the enemies. I fell off the rope I was climbing down."
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Sulee shakes her head and sighs, "Oh, Caiten..."
"Well, that went well." Dario said to no one in particular, reloading his pistol as Sulee fluttered down into the room. The gunslinger would give the poppet a nod as she went to deal with her wonderful master. Turning deeper towards the cave, Dario would move up to where Alak and Voz now were and would peer deeper into the cavern's structure.
"Any more of these would-be cultists, Voz? Now's a great time to make your case so you don't get hung." Dario says, looking at her with a sideye for a moment under his wide-brimmed hat before looking back down the way.
Making his way over to the traitor, Joran places a friendly hand on her shoulder, squeezing somewhat tightly as he leans in close, and whispers, "I told you that you couldn't win," before leaning back out. Never taking his eyes off of her, he continues, "And we are not killing Voz," the barbarian states emphatically. "Well, as long as she cooperates and doesn't try to throw that acid crap at us again." He gives her a wink, clapping her on the shoulder rather roughly. "Voz will eventually be taken back to Breachill where she will pay for her crimes."
He then looks to Dario before looking back to the prisoner. "That's a good question Pops just asked. You got any more of these monkey creatures waiting for us? Or anything else for that matter?"
Voz's upper lip curls into a bit of a snarl. "They aren't my monkey creatures. I didn't even know they were down here until I stumbled into them. Fortunately they were fools and believed me when I parroted their insane dogma back at them. And no. There are no more of them. There was, but they ate one of their own to stave off starvation."
Alak frowned at the memory. "Yeah, I was nearly lunch myself. Suppose I would have been if I wasn't such a swell hostage, eh Voz? I don't suppose any of you have any spare rations, on that note?"
Joran pulls out some rations from his pack and hands them over. "Here, take these. I'll take her." Joran swaps places with the Hellknight, taking hold of her hands behind her back and restraining her. "Good to have you back, buddy." He tells him smiling, giving a wink. "Okay, who's got rope? Mine was left behind. Let's tie our little friend here up properly."
Caiten looks on with a bit of concern at the idea of leaving Voz alive and only tied up.
"Remember, spellcasters are difficult to fully constrain. Best to make sure we have at least two people guarding her as well."
"Mine is up there." Dario said, moving on next to Voz and giving her a lookover before he crouched down.
"You gave up. That's good. Now, no more magic. You try and I'll have to break your fingers. You try again, I'll have to cut off the end of your tongue. I don't have much experience with spellcasters but I sure do know that those are important. Don't make me do something unpleasant." The gunslinger finished with his calm threat, keeping his eyes focused on the elf. Mentally, it was a bit of a shame, the bookkeeper was kind of pretty for a murderous woman. Not his type at all.
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Alak grinned his thanks and tore a chunk of jerky off with his teeth, taking a second piece and putting it in Voz's mouth. "Can't incant while you're chewing." He glanced at Joran with a shrug. "In a completely selfish way she did stop them from eating me. And she hasn't had a bite all week either."
Voz, arms held in place behind her by Joran, looked absolutely ridiculous while glaring and trying to gnaw on a piece of jerky hands-free at the same time, trying really hard not to look eager about the food.
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"Well, lets go look at these portals shall we?" Dario says, turning as he starts making his way down the cavern trail and further inside. He stops for just a moment, whistling for Renali. "Looks safe, Renali. Come on down."
Renali ignored the rope, climbing easily down the side of the cavern to join the rest of you. She bows low before Alak. "I am pleased you are not dead. The keledi mourned your presumed loss, greatly."
Alak grinned. "They did, did they?"
Dario strode forward to peer into the room he knew, beyond doubt, was the famed Alseta's Ring.
The walls and domed ceiling of this large circular chamber are elegantly carved in spiraling designs. To the north, a double door stands in the side of a squared-off column protruding from the wall, while to the south an open archway leads to a stairwell leading up that’s been blocked by rubble. In the center of the room stand six statues of elves, all facing outward and arrayed around a dry fountain. Empty benches sit in four alcoves to the east and west, nestled between six stone archways built into the wall. Each of these archways bears a different type of decor, but with the exception of the northeastern archway, where you now stand. Each archway leads nowhere—they are filled with plain, featureless walls of polished stone.
Lisi busies himself with a berry and hands it to Caiten.
"Is there another way down for the wargs?"
He moves behind Voz and binds her hands together swiftly and methodically, with the practiced hands of someone accustomed to bushcraft knots in the wild. He leaves her pinkies free and binds them separately with some twine.
"If she tries anything, break the little fingers," he says to Dario conversationally.
Remembering something, "Here, somebody hold onto her while she feeds her face. There's something I need to check." Assuming somebody does, Joran moves over to the monkey leader that blasted him in the chest with its fist. He checks his arm and finds the gauntlet, quickly removing it. This thing smarted. I wonder if it's got some kind of magic to it.
Looking up, he sees the one team member that goes above and beyond all. The one that seems to plan everything to a tee, the one who directs the team brilliantly in battle, the one that equips them with weapons that can defeat foes they couldn't even come close to defeating initially, the one who has no fear of percentages, and the one who has the most adorable poppet of all time.
Grinning, Caiten. He'll know.
Joran heads over to him. "Hey, Caiten, can you tell me what this gauntlet does? The monkey leader hit me with it and it really felt like it had some power behind it."
Lisi busies himself with a berry and hands it to Caiten.
"Thank you."
Caiten follows Dario into the room. "So where is the golem made of doors?"
He takes a look around and notices the room to the north. "Question, Alak: where did Voz sleep down here? Or more importantly, where did she keep her belongings? In this room perhaps?"
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Alak, who'd been distracted by food and Renali, speaks up quickly "Oh, careful! The doors to that room to the north are a golem." He said this almost casually.
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Grinning, Caiten. He'll know.
Joran heads over to him. "Hey, Caiten, can you tell me what this gauntlet does? The monkey leader hit me with it and it really felt like it had some power behind it."
Caiten accepts the gauntlet and takes a look at it. "I can certainly check into it. Though he was shouting the name of Dahak a lot. I expect he was some sort of Cleric or maybe Champion - they like to shout the names of their patrons regularly. Cevendyll may have more information on the abilities of the devout than I do."
"Did you miss me? Because I certainly missed you. All of you, I mean," he adds the last words just a bit belatedly.
"I must admit - this week certainly was more melancholic than usual." Yasamina keeps her blade aimed at Voz until someone restrains the necromancer, but gives Alak a brief glance. "You yourself seem like you've seen better days. I'm happy to see you're still alive and kickin' - partially, at least."
Once Voz is tied up, Yasami offers her waterskin and rations to both her and Alak. She pats the man on the shoulder as she gives him his share, and leans in for a whisper. "Good to see you, friend." Talks of plans for the near future start, and while it seems most are eager to immediately carry on into the depths, Yasamina frowns at the idea.
"I don't think we should be getting ourselves into another fight with Voz behind us. Restrained or not." She gives the librarian a quick look, as if making sure she actually is tied up, and sees her struggling with water. Yasamina comes closer and helps her pour some water into her mouth. "Whatever that noggin of yours contains is of no use to us if you die of dehydration. I'll help you. No fancy tricks."
When that is done, she corks the waterskin and pats Voz down "Now strip. I don't want you holding sharp objects or sharper incantations. If you don't feel like doing that in front of company, we go find a corner. Someone from the boys here will be watching me and Renali for funny stuff, and we ladies will be watching you directly. Right, gentlemen?"
"No worries, we will dress you properly for the journey, I just want to check whatever pockets you might have."
"Is there another way down for the wargs?"
Renali speaks up. "I should be able to carry them, if you'd like me to bring them and the leshy down."
-----
As Joran removes the gauntlet from the cult leader, he notes the chain shirt that figure wears looks pretty well-made, too. Caiten is able to determine both items are magical, though the gauntlet stumps him a bit as to its nature. The thing has iron talons at the end, and seems to be at least partially constructed of dragon scales.
-----
"I must admit - this week certainly was more melancholic than usual." Yasamina keeps her blade aimed at Voz until someone restrains the necromancer, but gives Alak a brief glance. "You yourself seem like you've seen better days. I'm happy to see you're still alive and kickin' - partially, at least."
Once Voz is tied up, Yasami offers her waterskin and rations to both her and Alak. She pats the man on the shoulder as she gives him his share, and leans in for a whisper. "Good to see you, friend."
"I might eat everything the Grace has to offer. But thanks to all of you, I'll live." Alak turns to the rest of you. "I would say it took you all long enough, but I'm just glad you came. I worried that the thing up there -- barghest, you said?--turned back too quickly when I fell, and caught up with you."
"I've tried to listen when my wonderful hosts discussed their plans. They didn't have the key to open the portal, and the cultists refused to even enter the room without it -- they said they'd lost several of their number to the guardian there already. Voz went in carefully, and I didn't see the thing myself, but apparently those doors are just the shield of some golem, right, Voz? She had to back down. The stairs are apparently collapsed, anyway, so without the key it was a dead end. As for the cult, she wasn't lying. Malarunk, that big dead one, was really stupid and she just lied a lot to get him to listen to her. "
"Am I leaving anything out?" he asked the captive Voz. She just glared.
It was at that point Yasami approached her. At Yasami's order to strip, she just turned and showed off her bound hands with a sarcastic expression that said 'How?' Assuming Yasami temporarily unbound her, Voz had no compunctions about complying and did not bother finding a corner. Yasami had already retrieved her dagger -- which was almost certainly magical -- but she discovered two scrolls and a potion of healing, as well as the necromancer's spellbook. Voz redressed and held her hands out to be retied, seething with hatred all the while.
Speaking to Joran about the gauntlet, Caiten mentions, "Well, the gauntlet and the armor both have some magic to them. I would have to check them out again later to determine what they do."
~~~~~
"Oh, careful! The doors to that room to the north are a golem." He said this almost casually.
Caiten quickly backs away from the doors that he was about to approach.
"Yes, Yasami. I don't think we should be exploring this area too much while also trying to keep a prisoner contained. Since the threat regarding the gate has been removed, we are not under as much time constraints. Perhaps we should get everyone back to Breachill and back to good health before we find a more permanent long-term solution for the Portal"
~~~~~
Caiten watches impassionately as Voz is strip searched. When the spellbook is found and removed, he goes over and picks it up. He flips through it to see what spells it contains.
Noticing the armor too, he pulls that off as well and carries it with him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Caiten accepts the gauntlet and takes a look at it. "I can certainly check into it. Though he was shouting the name of Dahak a lot. I expect he was some sort of Cleric or maybe Champion - they like to shout the names of their patrons regularly. Cevendyll may have more information on the abilities of the devout than I do."
"Oh I see. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. It's a pretty interesting looking gauntlet though. Seems a shame to just toss it. What about the armor?"
Joran then notices Voz start to remove all of her clothes and raises an eyebrow at the spectacle. "Seriously? We're doing this right here?" Shaking his head, the barbarian cuts his attention back to Caiten, really not wanting to deal with a naked Voz.
Speaking to Joran about the gauntlet, Caiten mentions, "Well, the gauntlet and the armor both have some magic to them. I would have to check them out again later to determine what they do."
"Oh really? So it doesn't have anything to do with him being a cleric then. Wow. Wow wow wow. Well okay then. I'll just hold on to them both until you're able to do so. Thanks, buddy!"
There was an eagerness that Dario had to suppress when the others spoke of returning back to town, depositing Voz, and then taking on the golem that was the last threat to their securement of the portals. The gunslinger's eyes flicker towards Renali, the real stranger in the strange land of Isger. He approaches her, offering a smile even as Voz gets undressed to be looked over.
"You alright waiting another day or so? We get back here, top shape, and we'll take care of whatever else may be waiting for you on the other side of the portal." Just because the cultists here were defeated didn't mean that there weren't more ready to come pouring through to rip them and the town apart. When Voz was dressed again, staring at them all with scathing eyes, he would address the group. "So shall we head back? We can let the goblins know they can retake their home; with their numbers and a little supervision, we can even get that stairway cleared of debris."
Caiten watches impassionately as Voz is strip searched. When the spellbook is found and removed, he goes over and picks it up. He flips through it to see what spells it contains.
Voz sneered at him. "Like what you see?" When he picks up her spellbook she snarls. "That represents years of study. If any harm comes to it I'll make certain you pay."
----------------------------------------
"You alright waiting another day or so? We get back here, top shape, and we'll take care of whatever else may be waiting for you on the other side of the portal."
Renali smiled and bowed her head. "Of course. It is enough to know I can go home. There is no great hurry. There is much I can learn here."
Voz sneered at him. "Like what you see?"
"Not particularly."
"I don't intend to harm your spellbook. Knowledge is power and power is not inherently good or evil. It only becomes so when it is used for one or the other."
"Goodness. Even captured, you have a sharp tongue." Dario murmurs, passing by Voz as she threatens Caiten. "When you're done with that book Caiten, maybe I can use it for target practice?" There was a wink. Magic was mostly a mystery to the gunslinger; the Mana Wastes were a poor place to try and study when it could literally explode in your face.
Alright, let's get up there. We'll tie her to a rope and pull Voz up afterwards. Joran, you get the last rope...and stop calling me "Pops". I already got a scarred face, I don't need the men and women to think I'm an old man as well."[/b] Dario mutters, jumping up and beginning his ascent back up the rope to the cavern.
As Caiten follows Dario back to the rope hanging from the ceiling, Sulee asks him, "Do you think you can climb that without falling off again?"
"I am not fully confident about it. But I am also not planning on staying here."
One by one you make you way back up through the hole, making the rope into a harness for Voz and hauling her up. Renali helps by running her hands along the rope and adding a tacky layer of silk that makes it easier to hold.
You trek back through the caves to Guardian's Way, then back to Breachill, resolving to get the goblins on the task of clearing those stairs as soon as possible, if only to shave miles from the round trip. Before long you arrive back in town, Voz in toe, her chin held high as though she's being carried on a palanquin rather than being brought back in chains.
As they pass back through the cavern where the Barghest lays, Caiten mentions to Cevendyll and Lisi, "Did you want to bring that one back with us also - or at least its head?"
As they pass back through the cavern where the Barghest lays, Caiten mentions to Cevendyll and Lisi, "Did you want to bring that one back with us also - or at least its head?"
"I did committ to the High Priest that we would bring proof of the demon being vanquished. I will carry it."
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Dario follows from behind the captured necromancer, keeping an eye on the woman in case she tried to pull any trick. It seemed that they were successful, for now, in stopping some kind of apocalyptic event from occurring. Yet he had a strange sensation running down his spine, like something wasn't entirely settled. After all, the campaign goes to level 20.
He tips his hat to the townsfolk that gather at their doors to watch the woman being marched down to the jail cells, a few rushing off ahead to seek out the guard and council members. It wasn't often you saw a group of heroes escorting an arrested member of the community.
As the group approaches the town, Caiten mentions something that has been on his mind since leaving the caverns. "I think we need to return back there again soon. We are not under much time pressure, but we still don't know how the gate operates or how to make sure that it does not open from the other side. Breachill and this area could still be at risk of invasion."
"And we said that we would get Renali back home."
"How much time do people need in town? I can be ready to leave again in the morning."
"Goodness. Even captured, you have a sharp tongue." Dario murmurs, passing by Voz as she threatens Caiten. "When you're done with that book Caiten, maybe I can use it for target practice?" There was a wink. Magic was mostly a mystery to the gunslinger; the Mana Wastes were a poor place to try and study when it could literally explode in your face.
"Alright, let's get up there. We'll tie her to a rope and pull Voz up afterwards. Joran, you get the last rope...and stop calling me "Pops". I already got a scarred face, I don't need the men and women to think I'm an old man as well." Dario mutters, jumping up and beginning his ascent back up the rope to the cavern.
Chuckling, "Alright, alright. Dario it is." Watching the gunslinger make his way up, "Cranky old man." He mutters, grinning wryly and glad Dario's too far away to hear him. Otherwise, he'd just shoot me. Twice.
As the group approaches the town, Caiten mentions something that has been on his mind since leaving the caverns. "I think we need to return back there again soon. We are not under much time pressure, but we still don't know how the gate operates or how to make sure that it does not open from the other side. Breachill and this area could still be at risk of invasion."
"And we said that we would get Renali back home."
"How much time do people need in town? I can be ready to leave again in the morning."
"I don't need any time. Morning works for me."
"It would be better to control the guardian than destroy it; perhaps we can disable it carefully?" He glances at Joran and Oren. "Carefully."
He inclines his head, leading with one pointy ear. "Or not. By the way, Oren, we are all thinking we have time, but...what do you make of your most recent visions? Has anything new been visited upon you?"
***
Along the way, he also speaks with Alak. "So what now? You are welcome to stay in Breachill, but at the same time, I wonder. With a...former?...Hellknight, and the Bramblebrasher Clan in residence at the Citadel again, we'd have a truly magnificent outpost. A place of redemption." The half-elf's eyes gleam with unbridled idealism. "I know, I spin my wheels at these ideas but...have you heard of a ninkonda? A 'spike angel'--er, no, a 'nail angel'. A redeemed angel formed from an earthly soul that did less savory deeds. They rescue others, here on the Material Plane. It came to mind. You saved our lives when all was lost, you know," he finishes soberly, all thoughts of a Hellknight-goblinoid redemption-steeped military outpost put aside for a minute.
"I'll be ready in the morning, for certain. You got a point, Lisi; controlling it would be better than having to fight it. Would keep the portals safe too." Dario says out loud before listening to him go on about redemption and the citadel being repurposed. "We'd be the new guard, if that was the case Lisi. Give that place a chance to rebuild itself. Goblins are...well...let's say they're intuitive engineers. I can keep them focused and the citadel stable."
"He is right. You saved us all. That beast would've killed as we were. You gave us time to refocus, prepare, and take advantage of our knowledge. Who knows who would've died that day if you didn't have the courage to lead it away." The gunslinger strode up a little closer, reaching up to clasp the man by the shoulder. "Hellknight or not, you're a friend now."
"It would be better to control the guardian than destroy it; perhaps we can disable it carefully?" He glances at Joran and Oren. "Carefully."
Joran shrugs, grinning slightly. "I'll do my best, Lis. No promises."
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Along the way, he also speaks with Alak. "So what now? You are welcome to stay in Breachill, but at the same time, I wonder. With a...former?...Hellknight, and the Bramblebrasher Clan in residence at the Citadel again, we'd have a truly magnificent outpost. A place of redemption." The half-elf's eyes gleam with unbridled idealism. "I know, I spin my wheels at these ideas but...have you heard of a ninkonda? A 'spike angel'--er, no, a 'nail angel'. A redeemed angel formed from an earthly soul that did less savory deeds. They rescue others, here on the Material Plane. It came to mind. You saved our lives when all was lost, you know," he finishes soberly, all thoughts of a Hellknight-goblinoid redemption-steeped military outpost put aside for a minute.
"He is right. You saved us all. That beast would've killed as we were. You gave us time to refocus, prepare, and take advantage of our knowledge. Who knows who would've died that day if you didn't have the courage to lead it away." The gunslinger strode up a little closer, reaching up to clasp the man by the shoulder. "Hellknight or not, you're a friend now."
Alak smiled, but shook his head in a self-deprecating manner. "Any one of you would have done the same, if our positions had been flipped. I know, because all I did was imitate what I've seen from each of you." He lowered his voice and glanced around. "The only other person in a position to help was Yasami, and, well..." he made sure she was out of earshot, "That wasn't much of a choice, far as I'm concerned." Dario and Lisi recognized the telltale signs of a man carrying a torch for someone despite it not having much hope of going anywhere.
"Anyway. As for the golem, believe it or not, I've had a lot of time to think recently. Not much else to do when you're someone's hostage. The Order knew about the portal chamber. They didn't know how to use it, or possibly even the details of its nature, but they built stairs down to it. Which means that golem likely answered to them."
Alak held up his father's signet ring, which hung on a chain around his neck. "Which means, I hope, it might answer to me. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but from what I've heard of golems, this symbol seems like the very sort of thing they might be keyed to recognize."
Voz, eavesdropping, cannot hide a sudden look of intense frustration and disappointment at not having considered the option. Alak made a childish face to taunt her.
"And one other thing I mulled over, while my generous hostess was letting monkeys beat on me. Growing up in the Order, we drilled on legal code more so even than swordplay. Now, Lisi, you might correct me if I'm mistaken, but with the laws being as they are in Isger, owners of an abandoned property lose the rights to it after a period five years, I believe. The Citadel has been abandoned longer than that. Which means the Order has no claim to it. Now, they wouldn't have left the deeds in the building for an looter to lay claim. So I'll bet I know exactly where they filed them, being so close to Breachill and all. And I'm betting the Council would much prefer the property go to their local heroes, over the trash you cleared out of it." He grinned. "I'll even sign the paperwork as an officially member of the Order, if it smooths the process out. Right before I leave said Order for good."
Yasami walks along Voz for the journey, making sure she is not up to no good. "Stop with the looks, lady. Just like the rest of us, you reap what you sow. What would you do if we didn't come along, anyway? Starve to death?" She gives the librarian an inquisitive look. "But I'm willing to extend an olive branch. At least partially. Despite the fact that you were instrumental in almost killing at least one of us multiple times. Think about it while we walk?"
Voz studied Yasami a long moment. "What would this partial olive branch entail?"
"...Well, the Hellknights could claim "forcible entry" by other entities such as our goblin friends, but that probably wouldn't alter our claim. And, if this were a Chelaxian Order, we'd have the problem of Isger being a vassal state, and the right of 'feodum'--that's ownership, basically--being revocable via the Order of the Nail, should they so desire."
"...However," says Lisi, with a twinkle in his eye,
"The Nail is a Varisian order, and thus, complies with Korvosan and Varisian law. A claimant could not be checked via vassalship. That's a long way of saying yes, we could take it. But we would need a weapons master, someone to help train militia, even goblins..."
He points a finger-pistol at Alak, imitating Dario.
"Annnnnd we need some claim to forests around the property for, ah, proper warg hunting grounds. I'll have to talk to Narine..."
Grinning, Joran simply rolls his eyes at the druid. "Then just say 'yes', Lis, and stop hem-hawing around!"
Turning to Alak, "You got yourself a deal, buddy! And if that ring keeps that golem at bay, oh man that is perfect! I knew there was a reason I liked you." He gives him a firm slap on the shoulder and a wink.
Alak looked legitimately touched by Lisi's offer, right before Joran nearly knocked him over. Caiten had healed most of his injuries but after a week without food he was not at peak strength. Still, being Alak, he turned the near-topple into a jaunty couple of steps, dorkily covering the move.
"Happy to help. On both accounts. Truth be told, this town has grown on me. And much as part of me wants to traipse into the jungle with you... Well, I've learned much from you all. Including my own limits. It's going to take a hell of a lot of training before I'm on the level you all are. And I've had my full of being a damsel in distress. So... I'd be honored to hold down the literal fort, while you're away."
Smiling, "Couldn't think of anyone better, buddy." He nods, forgoing slapping him on the shoulder this time, afraid he may very well break the poor guy.
"A fortress. Not bad for a Zuz..." Dario murmured, hands in his pockets as he let the good thought glide over them. Caiten was right, the danger had not yet passed, but there was definitely something about it that felt like an accomplishment. Like the old heroes of might and magic, a call to arms that ended in a domain to call their own.
"We'd be happy to have you Alak. Your strictness coupled with a goblin's innate ability to cause chaos will be the perfect combination to create a good foundation. I'll work on drawing up a project map for the stairwell and how to get it open as quickly as possible." It was then that he caught wind of Yasami offering an olive branch to the elven woman. The development was curious enough to bring a halt to Dario's almost stream of consciousness.
"We get to have a citadel?" Oren is intrigued about the idea of being a partial owner of the citadel. This town has grown on him, as have his new companions. Although, there's still plenty of concerns about the fortress. "If we own the fortress now, that means we've also gotta renovate it. No one's been there to tend to the grounds in years, there was overgrown wildlife and debris everywhere. To say nothing of the monsters that had made their dens in there since the Hellknights left. We'd need to hire some laborers to clean it all up."
"There is still that imp in the training room on the upper floor. We should evict that before bringing in any hired laborers."
"As well as checking that the door golem can be pacified by proof of new ownership. I don't want anyone to get hurt or killed by wandering into the wrong area."