| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Thats too bad. Was hoping to see what would happen with the ruins.
Search Posts
Coincidence? Unlikely… <suspicious staring intensifies>
Kardin gave his cousin a slight nod of the head. He didn't know how to answer Haela, so he didn't. Grunting noncommittally, he marched on. She raised good points, and it didn't feel good to be at a loss for words. He steeled himself to face whatever was to come, even if it was evidence of the shame of his people.
Kardin sighed. ”Not something I like talking about. See those reliefs? Clearly they be from the Clan Wars. Many a dwarf was led astray by false gods. They fought in the service of Demon Lords and Arch Devils.” He frowned, as if though even talking about it left a sour taste in his mouth. ”The smiling statue? Don’t know. But the Clan Markings make this seem like it was dug by an offshoot of the Clan Axehand.” He left it at that, as he pushed forward. It was one thing to smash some slimes. But who knew what might be waiting for them now?
Kardin looked around inquisitively. The mines were certainly more than what they seemed upon entering. And that alone was somewhat of a defense. The statue, especially, caught his eye. He tried to recall what he knew…
"To the shrine then." Kardin said. Lifting his shield, he lead the way.
”Should we survive then I’d be mighty interested in the ruins.” For the first time he was taking an interest in their task that went beyond just coin. He truly wanted to see this through. With that in mind he strode forward.
”I’ll take point.” The dwarf said. ”It seems fitting.”
”Right.” Kardin said. ”We all be properly rested. Let’s do this before we all die of old age.”
"Now, I may be biased." Kardin said. "But I'd help these dwarves. Got a good chance to have a payout, and it'll make these lands safer to boot. We all ready to get this work done?"
Kardin burst out laughing as the dwarves appeared. ”What a fooking relief!” He said. Getting to his feet he held up his hands in a sign of peace. ”Name’s Kardin, Clan Shieldshatter. We’re just sheltering before moving on, we make nay claim to this mine.” So long as they remained civil he added ”Who be ye, prospectors?”
"Aye." Kardin agreed. "Looking at the webs, there seem to have been a couple of large ones here in the past, but the webs be old. But there do be a ton of the creepy crawlies here. I'd wager that the largest be about as big as me hand." He said, holding his hand up to show the others. "If we stay here, we need a solid watch over those who sleep. Not just for threats, but to ensure that we can rest well with these about." Looking around, he added "Quartz be here, with some metal. Nothing excavated with care, and Boram be right about the foot traffic." He shook his head and sighed. "This be just fine as a place to shelter from the weather. But...let's be well and truly wary. Get plenty of light in here as well, make sure everyone can see well and true."
Kardin moved forward upon seeing there was no immediate threat. With weapon in hand, he went about assisting in seeking what was present.
Knowing that he wasn’t even close to being ‘stealthy’, the dwarf held his ground. He concentrated on the mine, watching it intently for any sign of danger. He certainly liked the idea of sheltering there, but he was well aware that both beast and monster alike would recognize the shelter for what it was.
”Probably dead.” Kardin muttered, rationalizing that it was the most likely reality. He didn’t say it, but he was already looking at what supplies they could take before moving on.
Giving Elmo a look filled with newfound respect, the dwarf busied himself in breaking camp. He didn’t share much in the way of excitement for helping people without pay, especially in light of Elmo’s tale of losing his companions. But he had nothing against it per se. It just wasn’t his highest priority. ”Boram and Terion be right.” He said, glancing at Jairdan and noticing the use of magic in ensuring that all items were put away correctly and cleanly. He appreciated that. It was a sign of a steady and reliable mind.
With a grunt of acknowledgement, Kardin moved further away from the ghost, and the mess he had made. After taking some water to wash his mouth and face, he went back to bed. "Wake me when it's time for watch." He said as he went back to sleep.
”Right.” The dwarf said. ”Where be these meadows?” Cults and dragons and the walking dead? That sounded like a job for a hero. A Paladin or the like, empowered by the divine to smite evil. Not a group of rag tag commoners hired to hunt bandits. But the ghost didn’t need to hear that. The spirit seemed like an alright sort, and it had been kind enough to tell them where they could go to get paid. While he didn’t like the idea of tangling with a giant, or even a bear for that matter, it wouldn’t hurt to at least check it out.
With a cough, the dwarf wiped his mouth and stood up. "Fook. Just...fook. Well, I think I see where this is going. Ye want us to go unalive the men who be, what, trapped and confused?" He said with his usual tact. Part of him wanted to just say no out of hand. He was here for gold, so that he could further his craft, not to run errands for the dead. But at the same time, to anger the spirits might mean joining them, and that by itself was a very persuasive bargaining tool.
Having just woke up, Kardin was not ready to be assaulted by the supernatural. Still believing that flesh and blood men were before him, the wave of energy blindsided him. Rather than grabbing his axe, the dwarf doubled over and failed to keep the contents of his stomach within.
Kardin groggily woke up and saw that they were not alone. He reached for his axe, stopping when he realized that his comrades did not seem to see the newcomers as being hostile. Still, he regarded them with distrust.
Sound asleep, as it was not his watch, Kardin was blissfully unaware that their camp had been invaded by armed men. Fortunately, it did not seem that they had ill intentions in mind, as evidenced by the fact that the dwarf's throat was yet uncut.
Welcome Wench: Kardin listened, and then with a sigh he got to his feet. "Aye lass, ye be right. The job must be done and there be nay point whining about it. Just a lapse from me." He looked at the tiefling with increased respect, for she had her priorities straight and was willing to see them through. He motioned towards the door. "A good idea on meeting the others. Let's see if the preparations be finished, and if nay, what else needs doing."
Welcome Wench: Kardin was silent for a moment, as he considered Herala‘a question. At length, he turned to her. ”When I was a wee lad, me father and uncle went off to fight. Orcs were raiding, and a warband was put together as there was a bounty on tusks. I remember how happy they were when they left, talking about what they’d spend their gold on. Even convinced a beardling from the temple to come with them. To heal them, they said. Nah fighting, just patch them up.” The dwarf grimaced before continuing. ”They couldn’t bring back all of that young cleric. The orcs saw to that. I was young, but I remember how the lad’s mother went off on me father. Screaming that he murdered her son with his promises of gold and glory. And me pa? Never quite the same. Never talked about what happened out there and I never asked.” With a sour look on his face he said ”The gold is too good to pass up. But I can’t help but feel like I’m doing exactly what me father did, and that there will be angry parents who’ll be hollering because they will be burying their children when this is done. If we return. So me wisdom? That I don’t know how we will be dealing with this, because none of us has done this before. But the bandits we be hunting? They have. So the best I can say is that we take this seriously and don’t think of it as any kind of glorious adventure. And that for every young fool we rope into this, we do so without any promise of their safety.” He stopped, catching himself, his face flushed behind his beard. ”Me apologies.” He muttered. ”Its just on me mind. If anything I just want to head out right away and get this over with, even though I know preparation is key.” With a sigh he finished by saying ”I need a bloody drink.”
Welcome Wench: Kardin just grunted and gave a shrug. "Doesn't matter." He muttered. "We're leaving soon." He almost said more but stopped himself. The others were so gleeful in recruiting more and more people to join their expedition. And among them, how many had any actual combat experience? How many sons and daughters would die by the blades of bandits, who actually knew how to fight? It wasn't enough to make him back out, as he did need the gold. And a dark part of his head said that the more that came reduced the amount that he would die, and their deaths wouldn't count towards the split. But he pushed the unworthy thoughts away, only to have the guilt fall back upon him. Looking at the eager woman talking to him, he worried that if he said more then she too would want to come. At least if it was the others who recruited young fools, then the blood wouldn't directly be on his hands.
”If we had the coin for such.” The dwarf thought to himself. Even with such an offer he was not one to open his mouth, for he’d rather be stabbed than to debase himself by asking for something he hadn’t earned. Still, the tall ones seemed happy, as was their wont. And it seemed as if though their band had grown in size enough. Any more and they might have to register as a small army.
So...how many NPCs have we recruited so far? And anyone want to make a bet on how many survive?
With all of the tact of a hammer, Kardin crossed his arms and said "I really don't understand ye long-legs." With a frown he said "Maybe it comes from lack of air with ye heads up in the clouds, but it be clear that Freya is fidgeting with her hands on her skirt or near her blade and be nervous around Herala. It be painfully obvious that ye be nervous around her. And it nay be malicious." He said, calling out the obvious by just stating the facts. "So let's just give the two of them some time alone." He said to the group. "We've got a job to do, and seeing as how ye all don't have any clans to do matchmaking properly, we need to let the kids fumble around in the dark. A mine that is too crowded will bury everyone." He finished as he turned to leave, sharing the dwarven saying without consideration as towards whether it truly translated well into the common tongue.
Kardin sat down, a blank piece of parchment in front of him, and the map in question above it. He opened up his pack and pulled out his maker's mark chisel. It was used to put his own personal mark on whatever he made, but in this case he had a different idea in mind. In the top corner of the blank parchment, he slowly and deliberately inscribed on it: ᚺᛖᛚᛚᛟ × ᛗᛁᛞᚷᚨᚱᛞ He muttered to himself as he did so, speaking an old dialect of dwarven. Each word coincided with the rune inscribed, and when he was done he sat back and watched. The parchment slowly became clear, letting the map beneath it show through. The dwarf then began the laborious process of copying the map over, by merely drawing over what was shown on the parchment. It was a simple enough magic trick, allowing him to ensure that the map he made was exactly the same as the one being copied from. All it required was the right arcane knowledge, patience, and a steady hand.
"Just water." Kardin said. "Heard that ye can get addicted to tea. Gives ye headaches if ye stop." The dwarf found a seat, so as to get to work in copying the maps.
"Wouldn't hurt." Kardin said. "At the very least, it's more hands to help us through the wilderness. Could save quite some travel time, and help ensure that we don't go hungry."
Kardin kept his mouth shut as Herala and Boram talked. The Burglar was right, of course, in that one being good or bad was their own actions. However, grudges and debts could be, and often had been, levied against clans, nations, and even entire species. There was thus a distinction between the goodness of an individual, and the debt carried by one's birth. But he kept this counsel to himself, as he had no grudge to fulfill against her, and it seemed cruel to bring it up. He turned to look at Terion and Jardan, waiting for them to speak. The Church was their land, and the people within their own. It only seemed right to allow them to take the lead.
Kardin yawned and stretched. "Aye, then. To the church." He said, grateful that the others were taking the lead in preparing for the journey.
"Have to feed a mule." Kardin added in. "And look after it. Best to just do as the ancestors did, and carry it." After a moment's thought, he added "Or, rope someone into joining us for the purpose of carrying the gear. Plenty of young farmers and the like around here. Promise a cut of the spoils if they lug all of this shyt around."
Kardin nodded his acceptance to the plan. He kept a stoic look on his face, to mask the truth that he was somewhat nervous about the venture. He had trained to fight, of course. What dwarf didn’t? Even his clan’s name came from a feat of martial prowess. But he has never actually put any of the training to use. The idea that this group was going to happily walk into a battle that the guards weren’t willing to do? It was somewhat disconcerting. But the pay was too good to walk away from. All that he could do was keep his doubts to himself and to focus on the prize.
"Regardless, the offer has increased already. This means that we are walking into significant danger, and that the local authorities are not equipped to handle it." The dwarf said. "We will earn more gold in a week than we would in several years, but there is a chance that some of us will not return." He added. "I am ready to pay this price. But before we leave, I want everyone to be in the same mine. If ye aren't ready to fight and possibly to die, now is the time to bow out."
"Investigating. And perhaps being ambushed." Kardin replied. "Got a fair bit of gold on the line here. If it was easy, then it wouldn't be worth paying for it, aye?"
At his cousin’s question, Kardin gave a grunt and a noncommittal shrug, a sign for those who knew him well enough that he was slightly embarrassed. ”Something like that.” He muttered.
Im just happy you didnt go with Hommlets Heroes ...that's not bad!
God damn, a 19 and 20 for diplomacy! I've got to find some way to actually make them into trained skills after this...
"The Company of the Sun!" The dwarf boomed, as he strode forth. He was getting annoyed at having to repeat himself. "Heard that ye've got bandit problems and are paying gold to solve it. So, we be here for the details." As it so happened, his annoyance came across as confidence, and perhaps even professionalism, as if though they were actually mercenaries.
"Lass, they're asking for something stupid like, 'The Company of the Sun', or some-such. Ye know, like those mercenary companies use." He said. Then turning to the guards, he added "...that work?"
'The Company of the Sun'
Anyone have a good idea for a name? Otherwise Kardin will just snap “We’re the fookin’ five. Now let’s just get a move on. And we’ll be stuck with it.
Cha 8 isn't my problem. It is everyone's problem.
Kardin wasn't exactly what you would call 'charismatic.' He was blunt, he was forward, and he was single minded. But when nobody stepped up, it left it to him to fill the silence. With confidence he walked forward, his head held up high. "Our business is the notice regarding bandits." He said. "As for who we are? Kardin, Boram, Herala, Jairdan, and Terion." The dwarf listed their names, in the order of which they were facing the men. "We be here for the bloody work, and to inquire about the details."
”Aye then. Me project has wrapped up anyways. Will meet ye all there tomorrow to see if the job is worth taking before promising hands to any new project.” He turned to leave, and then added ”…and thanks for the ale!” with a smile.
Kardin shrugged. When the new dice had been accepted he had stopped paying attention and had returned to finishing his drink.
”Interesting.” Kardin said. ”Your dice disappeared and reappeared in the same motion as the coins.” The dwarf added, matter of factly. ”So, are they new dice? And was it sleight of hand, or be ye an artificer as well, and made a tool for it?”
|