Meebo considered the words, still a little over-fascinated about conversing with a mouth in someone's chest. Meditation so deep that one was actually unaware of their surroundings? She could relate, in a way. How many times had she been so focused on a task that Myev had called her name multiple times without it registering? Each moment is the universe. Meebo filed that one away to think about later.
She realized belatedly that Basho hadn't answered her question, but maybe they didn't want to talk about it. She allowed them to change the subject. "I've heard of them but don't know anything about them, except they aren't very friendly. But if they are all about vengeance, we should be fine, right? We didn't do anything to them, and I don't think we plan to."
As the small group sits around talking, Tages walks by with a couple of his other guards and notices the cuts and bruises on the strange silver-skinned creature that was Utsuri.
"What happened here?" Tages asks. "Did this happen on the road, here at camp, or in the town proper?"
Myev smiles at Baheera's approach; she welcomed the distraction from her responsibilities, especially from someone as lovely as the half-elf was.
"No, I haven't... he's got a good reputation, though. Meebo and I have worked for a few caravans before this, but he seems like one of the better bosses so far. What about you?" She works on strapping down the wagons and securing things as she speaks, then turns to the half-elf and gestures towards the nearby campfire: an offering to sit comfortably and speak.
"This is my first time this far East actually!" Baheera rep[lies, happily taking a seat by the fire as she watches the half-orc securing the the wagons and getting everything settled. There was definitely something about the woman's diligence and attention to detail, not to mention her very imposing physical presence, that made Baheera feel a bit safer. "I have traveled quite a bit, sometimes with a caravan, other times alone or with small exploration groups, but never where we are headed now."
The dazzling archeologist idly swirls her finger in the air, forming a tiny dust devil on the ground in front of her before letting it dissipate, looking up at her companion with a smile. "Once we reach the end of the journey, do you plan to simply join the trip back? Or do you have other plans?"
Myev looks thoughtfully into the fire at Baheera's question, taking some time before answering. To fill the silence, she unstraps her maul and lays it next to her, stretching out before letting herself relax a little bit. Only a tad - she still periodically scanned their surrounding as they spoke.
"I hadn't really thought about it. I guess it depends on how things go on this trip. And what Meebo wants to do, too." She grins and shrugs. "Got enough problems around here that I don't know if I need to come back."
The assailant claimed I was trespassing, so perhaps it was deserved...I know not every custom of the West."
Meebo winced. "I've been walloped a time or two for sticking my nose where it didn't belong, too," she sympathized. "People who thought I was a thief when I just wanted to see something for a minute. You try to tell them you were just taking a closer look, and they're all 'blah blah blah this is a museum and that's priceless, put it down.' Not like I was going to drop it." She shrugged.
With Utsuri explaining the situation in town, Tages nods somewhat unconvinced, but doesn't press the issue.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning arrives and the caravan is on the move again, leaving the Zhentarium controlled city of Llorkh behind. The day is warmer than usual for the season, but otherwise peaceful and uneventful as you enter the foothills of the Graypeak Mountains.
As the hour is getting late, Tages makes the call to stop here for the night before getting into the mountains proper.
The night is as cool as the day was unseasonably warm, the more nature minded folks in the caravan certainly believes that this is the harbinger of rain coming tomorrow.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sure enough, the next morning rolls around and it is a rainy one - at least it wasn't a particularly cold or strong rain. After a quick breakfast the caravan packs up and is on the road again.
As you are riding along in the lower reaches of the pass through the Graypeak mountains, Silas, Tek, Utsuri, Myev notice two groups of orcs watching the caravan from either side of the pass.
Silas was sitting in one of the caravans, reading from the worn prayer book he carried, when a shadow up above caught his attention. Peeking skyward, he noticed the large gathering of orcs on either side of the caravan up on the sides of the pass.
"Everyone...get low..." The priest advises those who cannot fight beside him. Reaching for the driver, he tugs on their shoulder and points to the possible threats above them.
Meebo hears Basho speak at the front of the wagon, and looks over to see what they are talking about.
Assuming she'd notice the orcs once Basho cryptically pointed them out, she pretended not to see them, like Myev taught her. She reached one hand casually over to set the trigger on the device attached to her pack, which made a small click as it snapped into place. Glancing around, she placed an extra horseshoe from the wagon onto the firing plate.
"So there I was doing a high wire, tightrope walk across the open pit. Them undead crocodiles staring up at me with their eerie purple glowing eyes in those skeletal heads. A half dozen ghouls were throwing dice on the other side. All I needed to do was get across and we were home free. Of course that's when that blasted lactose intolerant wizard cut loose with the biggest...Whoa. What's that?!" To the relief of Silas and Utsuri, Tek is interrupted in the telling of some utterly unbelievable story about trying to escape fallen Sokkar when he spots the orcs.
Following the advice of Silas, the little gnome ducks below the side of the wagon where he quickly strings his short bow and readies a couple of arrows.
Myev spots the orcs and cautiously surveys the situation. She unclips her giant mace and holds it over her shoulders casually, sizing up the orcs that surrounded them. She would survey the group, looking for one that appeared to be the leader, smile brilliantly at them, and call out in Orcish:
"Can we help you, friends? We are just passing through and have no quarrel with you."
Tek, Utsuri, and Silas duck for cover while Myev and Meebo stand ready.
The orcs have the high ground and standby with javelins in hand. "We will take what we want...including slaves." is the answer Myev receives from her question. "Only a few slaves, though. The rest may go if you cooperate." the northeast most of the orcs says.
"What do you think of that request, Master Tages?" Myev asks, not translating for the caravan master. She watches his face through narrowed eyes.
As caught up as she is in correcting a detail in the mountain outlining on her map, Basheera doesn't look up until she feels the tension ripple through the caravan.
Seeing the orcs lining the rise, she swiftly puts away her map and tools, maintaining her seat in the covered wagon as she looks out into the light rain, a little part of her excited by the rush of danger., Her eyes go back and forth between speakers as she surreptitiously reaches her left hand down to touch the beautiful gold and amethyst oil lamp attached to her hip by a sturdy chain, waiting for what seemed like the inevitable eruption of violence.
Though all eyes were pointed elsewhere, anyone looking into the Calishite's unusual eyes would see the apparent clouds within beginning to darken and swirl, like a building storm.
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
"I'll tell you what I think of that. Sorry if this turns out badly," Meebo says quietly to Utsuri and Basho, who share the wagon she's in.
"You can't have what's not yours, you snivelling, elf-loving, drooling maggot!" she yelled in orcish, using her favorite curse she'd learned from Myev. She could feel her gadget straining -- she either launched it now, or she was going to lose the chance. And she really, really hated slavers.
"Take this, tiny tuskless goblin s#+@e!" she taunted, again in the orc tongue. She released the trigger on her device and launched the horseshoe at the one who spoke.
Patience was not a virtue Meebo possessed.
Tek didn't wait for Tages' response to Myev's question. The knowing looks exchanged between bandit and caravan master were enough for him. Unlike most gnomes, Tek couldn't bust out of a wet paper sack using magic, but he was able to conjure up the odd light, sound, or other simple display. When the snap of Meebo's horseshoe launcher echoes along the narrow ravine, Tek pulls a bit of fleece from the sleeve of his jacket and begins to mutter quietly. If Tages was selling them out, Tek would see the smarmy caravan master went down with them.
From near the front of the wagon's where the caravan master wide posterior rested on the wagon bench, his loud voice bursts forth defiantly.
"That's our answer, ya mangy desert rats. Turn away or you'll be the ones wearin' slave shackles." The Tages voice shouts up at the orcs.
Through clenched teeth, all Tages manages to respond to Myev, "This isn't first time Ogruk and his kin have hit my caravan...thus the reason you were hired..."
Before anything else can be done, Beebo magically hurls a horseshoe at the lead orc, unfortunately for Beebo, the orc ducks just as the horseshoe arrives, avoiding the object.
Tages gets an odd look on his face as Tek's illusory version of his voice bellows out a reply to the assumed orc called Ogruk.
Tages still trying to understand what was going on with the copy of his voice, reaches down underneath the bench seat of the lead wagon and produces a heavy crossbow and begins to load the weapon while rolling out of the driver's seat and putting the wagon between him and Ogruk.
Hearing the insult from "Tages", Ogruk hurls a javelin at the old merchant, sinking the weapon deep into the merchant's shoulder, despite the cover provided by the wagon.
Myev grits her teeth and grips her maul tight, feeling more than a little useless in a ranged situation, and moves in front of Tages, deciding that he is not about to sell them out and is still worthy of protection. "Stay behind me!" she barks at the caravan leader, assuming a defensive stance. She brandishes her hammer, ready to swing at any orc who came close.
Before anything else can be done, Beebo magically hurls a horseshoe at the lead orc, unfortunately for Beebo, the orc ducks just as the horseshoe arrives, avoiding the object.
Combat begins all around them. Shouldering his shield and presenting the holy symbol of Lathander, the priest would swallow the nerves that dug at him. It was his first test of real combat in such a dangerous position.
"I-In the Morninglord's name, let His light shine through!" The holy symbol with shine with holy light, shining upon Meebo, Myev, & Utsuri. There would be a resonating warmth, like walking out of the cold dark of the forest and into the warm rays of the morning sun. It was reassurance, a confident hand on the shoulder guiding one's way. After his prayer for support is answered, Silas moves behind the mighty guardswoman and readies his shield.
"I've got your back!" The priest shouts a bit too loudly, bolstered by adrenaline, panic, and a resolute need to act.
Okay, so maybe the bandit leader and old Feru weren't in cahoots. Tek mutters under his breath. "Can't win every deal of the deck."
The orc's javelin signaling the end to the talking portion of this life and death struggle, Tek pops up from behind the wagon wall and sends an arrow flying toward the lead bandit.
Tek pops out from behind the wagon and sinks an arrow into the orc leader.
Howling in pain, Ogruk orders his orcs, "Kill them all!"
Baheera's eyes roil with the power of a raging storm as she locks eyes on the orc leader, motes of energy beginning to coalesce around her hand as she focuses raw unbridled magic. Power building with in her, the young woman unleashes a cry of aggression as she extends her hand, a pulsing violet blast of pure force lancing forth to strike the orc commander with a peal of thunder that echoes through the mountains.
Baheera's blast of force thunders off of the skull of Ogruk, striking him dead on the spot.
Seeing their leader fall, all but one blue clad and one green clad orc flee the scene. Unfortunately for Baheera, the remaining blue clad orc sought to avenge his fallen leader and hurled a javelin at the genie bound warlock, piercing her side with the weapon.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Utsuri leaps into action and before Tages can even yell about it, the silver-skinned monk has cut free and mounted one of the horses and is ready to charge the remaining orcs.
For its part, the green shashed orc, moves into position to hurl a javelin at the other individual responsible for Ogruk's demise, Tek, but only manages to hit the side of the wagon.
Tages spins around and fires off a shot at the green-clad orc, sinking a bolt in the beastial creature's leg.
Reeling from the pain of the javelin stuck in her side, Baheera lets out a scream of anger as she unleashes another thundering blast, this time aimed at the orc that wounded her.
A high pitched but quiet whine fills the air as Meebo activates the power pack on her backpack-house contraption. Holding onto the nozzle of the hose with both hands, she pulls a trigger and with a thud of pressure, she lobs an arc of flame at the further of the two orcs.
Both Meebo and Baheera land their respective shots on the blue clad orc. The orc is badly wounded, but still stands.
Staying partially behind the side of the wagon Tekumbray fires an arrow at the spell-battered orc before ducking back into cover as best he can.
Tek takes another shot from behind cover and catches the blue clad orc right between the eyes, dropping him dead on the spot.
Myev rushes forward, effortlessly making her way up the hill, and stands in front of the remaining orc, grinning madly. She takes a hard swing at the orc...
Myev effortless scales the rocky wall of the pass and lands a solid blow to the side of the green clad orc's head. With sickening crack followed by an equally sickening squish sound as the orc's head hits the ground, the fight is over.
Still wheezing from javelin strike, Tages seems pleased. "Well done. Looks like it was wise of me to hire some of you and more fortunate still to have a few of you as guests on this journey."
Myev wipes blood from her weapon and straps it onto her back, panting a little bit from exertion. She makes a mental note to clean the maul a little extra by the fireside that night. Then, she makes her way back to Tages, eyebrows furrowed and a frown pulling at her normally-smiling face.
"They seemed like they knew you. Hopefully, they'll back off now that they've been met with the rest of us."
She would wait for any reply from Tages before moving off to go check in on Meebo. "Great work, Meebs. Your tinkering is paying off." She grins and claps the gnome on the shoulder a little more gently than she normally would, conscious of the strength difference in the two pals. It hadn't always been that way: the first time, Myev knocked Meebo prone (being a little drunk didn't help, either), and Myev quickly learned to be mindful.
Meebo was already taking apart the pack that powered the device. "Great work? It had no kick to it at all.". She frowned with disappointment. "Accuracy seems okay, unlike my catapault, but the thing barely singed him. I'm going to have to completely retune the ignition manifold, maybe even the..." she glanced up and saw the orc's blood on Myev, then looked around and saw others hurt as well. "Everyone okay?"
With the sounds of the orcs retreating, Silas turns towards the caravan master and looks over the wound he had suffered. Blood stains the wraps on his hands as he takes a breath, looking towards the man.
"Stay still, Master Tages. We will see if Lathander will answer my prayer." Quietly, the priest prayed for the man's salvation and a light would emanate from his palm. It burned away infection and warped the flesh anew, like how the sun would call fresh growth from the ground to rise. In a few moments, the caravan master would be healed.
Looking over the wound, he would give a slight nod of approval.
"I am sorry, that is all that I can do for now. I hope that eases your suffering." Silas says apologetically. The carvan's master's shoulder was still stiff and ached but all surface damage had since disappeared. Only the aches and pains still remained.
Poking his head above the wagon, Tek looks about to find the enemy vanquished and on the run. Wiping his brow with a bit of colorfully striped silk cloth he leaps out of the wagon. Seeing the wounded being tended to and having little skill in such matters, the gnome instead scampers up the side of the hill to retrieve his arrows and searches the bodies.
"Thank you, Master Asgavan...much appreciated." Tages says, still a bit wounded but far better than he was before.
As Utsuri returns on the horse, Tages asks, "I assume someone here can repair the harness that was cut? I understand it was well intentioned, but if that wagon only has one horse pulling it, it's going to slow us down a fair bit."
Wincing as she removes the javelin from her side, Baheera breathes a sigh of relief, expressing her gratitude as Utsuri offers some degree of healing.
Though still wounded, her injuries were far less dire now. She would definitely have to work on not leaving herself so open to ranged attacks in the future. "So safe to assume the quiet part of the journey is over?" she jokes to Myev, wincing as she rolls her shoulder.
One of Tages's teamsters looks at the knot tied by Utsuri. Helluva knot there...not sure it'll hold up on this mountain pass, but helluva knot."
"We should be get move on." Feru says to his drivers as much as those traveling with him. "You all managed to scare them off for now, but Ogruk's folks will be back with more raiders if we wait too long."
Tek returns to the caravan, arms full of scavenged gear and a few coins rattling in his pocket. A clatter erupts when he drops it all into a pile near the lead wagon.
"Not much of a haul, but a few items that might be valuable to someone."
He drops the coins from his pocket into a small empty pouch. "And few bits of silver and gold as well. Who wants to hold them?" He adds tying the pouch shut and jumping back onto the wagon when the signal is given to roll out.
"I can keep it safe if you like." Baheera volunteers. A moment of consideration brings to mind that she seemed to travel extremely light, yes often produces maps, drawing implements and other materials that no one recalls seeing her carry.