Lantik uses his tail to steady himself after being clapped on the shoulder with such force. He isn't used to such a loud personality, but he's glad to have someone to lift everyone's spirits with more than just woven tales. Of course, only someone who understands Draconic can tell this from his growls and tail movements.
At least it can keep a rhythm, thunderclap. You know, the irritating bit between the noise
Karol looked at Draxia, and jerks his chin towards dergosh.
my dear, that cacophony over there is called Dergosh the Loud, also called the thunderclap and my favorite, he who you don't take on a stealth mission.
Tigerwolf laughed. "Oh you take him on the stealth mission. You just let him be the distraction as you do everything. He makes a perfect distraction. It all a matter of knowing how to use your companions to their greatest effects."
Grins as she avoids being clapped on the back or hugged having made a game out of avoiding him. It was more for comedy than anything else.
Lantik notices Runt's curious dodging tactics and plays a trick on her, placing his flexible tail in her path.
>Karol Heart Singer: “You know, the irritating bit between the noise.” Dergosh nods solemnly in agreement, another of the bard’s barbs flying right over his head.
>Tigerwolf laughed. "Oh you take him on the stealth mission. You just let him be the distraction as you do everything. He makes a perfect distraction. It all a matter of knowing how to use your companions to their greatest effects."
“Right!” Dergosh bellows jovially. “I rattle’em from the front side, you stab’em up the backside!”
He turns again to Lantik, staring intently at the kobold’s face. He scratches his scarred scalp with a puzzled look. “Which is the dead eye?” he finally asks. “Both look good to me.”
has all that racket melted your brains. It means he's a good shot with that infernal contraption he uses
"Ah War stories"She says as she sits down and grabs an ale.She took in all the names and speaks.She looks and watches as she giggles at the antics at the others. She than pipes in.
"I see you all are very intriguing?" She says as she than smiles."As for war stories. I have fought with a group of local bandits against a few various caravans. One guarded by an Elven group. Their I took the dress as well as many other interesting treasures. It is how I have survived when my father pushed me out of house."She took a sip of the ale and smiled.
Tigerwolf grinned at Deadeye stepping deftly over the tail and then proceeded to keep him between her and Dergosh with a grin stepping out of the reach of his tail.
Chuckling at Dergosh's question. "Yeah, it means he gives dead eyes to those he shoots."
Looking to Draxia she chuckled. "That's not a story. Just a blurb about things done. Doesn't tell us about the hand you had in the fighting or planning. Why were you with bandits and not tribe mates? What about the war against the Bearclaw tribe? Didn't have anything to do with that?"
Always excited to hear from his new acquaintances, Lantik nearly bounces as he turns towards Draxia.
"Yes, Draxia! Tell us a story about your role in the Clan War!"
Odak lifts his hand up as Tigerwolf and Lantik mess about, thinking something was going amiss, but was relieved to see Tigerwolf land on her feet. He turns towards Lantik with narrowed eyes, , he warned, pointing down at him with a finger big enough to squash him like a bug.
"Heh. I'm assuming you've been tripped before? The bigger they are, the harder they fall, they say."
Odak lifts his tree-trunk sized arm up to his shoulder to merely grasp the hilt of his huge longsword sheathed to his back, and then plants a foot beside the Kobold with a quaking thud.
, he grips the hilt tightly for a second for effect.
Lantik trembles slightly at this, but tries to keep his composure.
Sees he's managed to put a little fear into the pint-sized lizard of a Kobold, he growls a little before turning his eyes towards Tigerwolf and nods, letting his arm gently fall to his side again.
has all that racket melted your brains. It means he's a good shot with that infernal contraption he uses
Given the unfortunate accident that melted his ear and burned off half his scalp, this could be a touchy subject for the priest. Fourtunately, he is totally fixated on this new information about Deadeye's weapon.
"Dragon man has demon gun?" Dergosh says, deeply impressed. "Good!" he shouts. "Will teach the Bearclaws to keep their snouts where they belong."
"That's what's intended, Dergosh." There is a certain sting to the Kobold's words that hasn't been there before.
Garmack listens to the many goings on happening in the group around him with contentment and barely contained mirth. Listening to the conversation between Karol and Dergosh as well as seeing the trick Lantik tried to pull on Runt and the following reprimand from Odak make him feel almost as much at home as the forest does.
Turning to the obviously peeved Lantik he says"Don't take Odak's reaction personally, he's very protective of his friends" he says with a grin, playfully nudging the giant's leg, or rather his shin. "Oh and by the way, don't let Degosh get too near your weapon, he will probably end up blowong the other half of his face off with it"
Turning to the obviously peeved Lantik he says"Don't take Odak's reaction personally, he's very protective of his friends" he says with a grin, playfully nudging the giant's leg, or rather his shin. "Oh and by the way, don't let Degosh get too near your weapon, he will probably end up blowong the other half of his face off with it"
Odak turns down towards his leg and nods with a contented look in his eyes.
, he brings his hand over, balled into a huge iron fist and hovers his near to Garmack, a gesture he made to simulate a hand-shake, without the crushing.
"I fight with bandits to earn my place as My father instructed. As for the Clan War, I can back with full force my magic blasting the way for a few rag tag orcs and half breeds the rest of the clan frown upon. I know they are not the most well liked of our clan, the bottom feeders who scavenge and scrape as well as banditry." She says smiling. She took another drink and let her self taste every little flavor before she continues.
" We the downtrodden aided in the battle by striking from behind enemy ranks. We struck hard and fast. We caused a massive diversion and with the baubles we got from the successful ventures as highway men we fought hard and only I and a select few succeed in living. Now I am here ready to do more" she said looking at them with fiery eyes.
Runt grinned and stepped back watching the going on's. 'Just like usual, things devolve into a tiny ruckus as the family and friends get together.' Her eyes scanned everyone there and would settle back still wary for danger even here at home. Runt then grabbed and empty mug and started slamming it onto a nearby piece of metal making quite the racket. Finally after a the din lessened, she pipes up, louder than even Dergosh so even he could hear.
'Karol should appreciate this and critique me later.'
"Orcs, Dragons, and Giants all gathered together. All strange birds of a feather, Aren't we quite a sight. But as much as we like to cause a fright, that is not why we are gathered here this night."
She stood motioning to all. "Tonight is the night in which we call, for stories and exploits from the Bearclaw's fall. Tell of your feats of bravery or cunning, to see if you are in the running. For tonight the Chieftain calls on his favored, and not because you are his current flavor." She said with a wink.
"For the war drums are beating, their heart beat not fleeting. Now head the call and tell your story to one and All, to earn your place to lead the pack, to be the ones to lead the attack!"
"Draxia has told her story of bandits and magic. Anyone got something that can live up to that cunning trick?"
'Bottom feeders huh, you talking to mostly half-orc people as if we don't understand the plight of "We". Interesting.
" Agreed, I see our friend has put up a challenge to all, Who here has a tale to tell of our victory against the Bearclaws" She says raising her mug as the runic tattoos and scar glow on her body. Her eyes flare the same red-gold of her symbols. She cast a simple spell to light the candle on her table and smile as she watched the blood red wax bleed out of the stark black candle.
Dragging his gaze away from Deadeye’s demon-possessed weapon, Dergosh begins to glower at all the sniping. He’s goes around to each of the gathered individuals and jabs a thick finger at the chest – or in Odak’s case, knee--of each in turn. “Wolftooth, Wolftooth, Wolftooth, Wolftooth, Wolftooth, Wolftooth, Wolftooth. Not Bearclaw, not goblin. WOLFTOOTH!”
He sits down with a heavy thump as if that settles things. Not until Tigerwolf raised a great din did he smile again.
Garmack shakes his head at Dergosh's idocy before putting down his mug and standing up. In his deep, gruff voice he began
"Despite having defeated her enemies though the use of trickery and by the power of her magic, Longtooth's story lacks the thrill of a true hunt.
With many other like minded members of our clan, I set out into our forests to track down and slay the Bearclaws like the spineless beasts they were. We followed a large group of them as spirits would the damed, bursting out to kill one or two at a time before disappearing again like leaves on the wind.
So it was that one day only their fearless leader remained, so we showed ourselves to him and whispered to him our names so that they remember to fear rather than to foolishly make the same mistake again. After having released him and watched him leave with his tail between his legs, I left on my own to follow his trail so that I might find where the rest were hiding.
Only when he had reported back and thought himself safe, among his brethren once more, did I slay the coward before vanishing back into the woods.", here he pauses, a look of overpowering flame and violence filling his eyes for the briefest of moments
"And that, he said with a large toothy smile,is how I came to be known to the Bearclaws as the 'Stalker'."
Karol brings out his main drum, putting the little one away.
Let me tell you a real war tale. No joke, but real history. Many of us were there on fire night, on the bonfire field. Of the night we crushed the Bearclaw, and won the war.
Attend warriors and hear the tale of fire, victory and glory. Pay heed and remember, those who were there, and learn, those who were not.
The Battle of the Bonfire Fields
Athough some would say differently, Wolftooth lost the battle of sunken hollow, and this was because of a new tactic of the bearclaw. They had their priests and druids cast great swarms of insects which did wash over our lines like the ocean tide. That in combination of their greater numbers drove the wolftooth out of sunken hollow, and so bearclaw claimed the mines there. But at a cost. The bearclaw lost two warriors for every one wolftooth lost, but at the time we had no answer against the swarms. The clans morale was low. I know, for I was there. But we didn't break. We retreated from the field in some order and could still fight. Praise to the warrior god for our great chief who realised that a battle lost did not mean a war lost. Praise to the trickster god the bearclaw were confused by our absence when they expected a slaughter.
The Great Chief consulted with his generals and wise ones and developed a strategy. We had "acquired" a large supply of the burning fluid humans (spits on the ground) call alchemist fire, but we call goblin oil. The goblins (Karol gives a hearty chuckle) didn't need it anymore. He choose a battle field that was at that time called glane's field after a hill giant that once lived there. It was bound by swamp and rocky gorges So we could not be flanked, as we had been before, but our back was to a river, so retreat would be difficult for us.We dug great trenches in a line and then filled them with oil and goblin oil and kindling. On top of them we placed dried thickets of thorn bushes, as if we were to use them as a wall. Behind this we made bonfires, as yet unlit, a brought in large planks of wood so we could cross the trenches if we needed.
While this was happening our wolf riders were slowing the enemy, concealing our actions. Several brave scouts allowed themselves to be captured and tortured, to give false information that our chiefs were in despair and this was the wolftooth's last, desperate stand. The Scouts names were Dangir the wanderer and Morto hammerfist. Praise them, and grant them an honored place in the warrior god's hall.
Enboldened the bearclaw moved forward to attack. (Karol gestures as he describes the scene) Our wolf riders passed our lines and we sealed their entry way. A full moon rose, yellow and clear. A great omen. We bards moved along the line encouraging and watching history being made. Our great chief spoke.
We stand here at perhaps the most important battle we will fight. This night shall always be remembered by us. We are the Wolftooth, and we stand at bay, fangs barred. But I have heard of doubters, those who think we shood flee or make treaty with the bearclaw. If they do not wish to fight, let then depart. I will give them passage and permission to leave. Let them go, for I will not fight with defeatists and apolegists.
I fight with my brother and sister warriors. For all that fight here on this night will be my battle siblings, let none deny that. Let those who are not here curse themselves for their absence. In nights to come on this day you can lay bare your scars, and say, I was there on the day of fire. We are the brave, the ruthless, we are the Wolftooth. Our allies praise us, our enemies fear us. On this night we make our mark, stake our renown.
On this night we battle to victory and glory. On this night we fight with bold, insightful leaders Sartark firehand, blound the axe, Krelle deathchild. Our elders give us their blessings and aid and the Warrior and Trickster guide us. A brave night, a fire night to be remembered from now and to the ending of the world. To battle my warriors.
The Army of the Wolftooth howled their defiance to the moon. Not one warrior left the field. Not one wolftooth faltered.
And so the battle began. Stakes were driven into the ground behind the trenches to impede our foes. Then we waited. The bearclaw, confident of victory pressed forward. As before their archers and slingers moved forward with wall shielders to give them cover. With them were the casters who were to summon their swarms. And so they came chittering and clattering towards us. Just before they hit, we ignited the bonfires and trenches. The insects shrivelled in them, causing great consternation amongst the bearclaw. Then our casters raised up creatures of fire in the trenches which move to assail the bearclaw. For their chief (Karol spits on the ground) had moved his warriors close behind his casters expecting the wolftooth to rout. Little did he know us!
The the great planks were laid on the trenches and we charged. The archers and casters were destroyed in our first rush and we hit the still Bearclaw army. This axe (Karol patted his weapon)slew three of them. The survivors ran screaming.
The battle was...intense. I saw direwolf battling dire bear, warriors burned alive by spell and elemental, lightning flashing, and many, many acts of bravery. At one point bearclaw magic disabled many warriors and the bearclaw surged. If the had gotten through the battle would be in grave doubt. The I saw a armored giant step into the breech. four yards and one high, with a sword longer than most orcs he held the line. By himself he held the line for many minutes until more warriors could plug the gap. To this day, bearclaw mothers threaten their children with this giant if they misbehave. I will not say his name, as he ask me not to, (Karol give a big toothy grin), but I reckon you can all work it out.
At battles end, the moon was setting, and victory was assured. The army of the bearclaw, what was left of it, was fleeing shrieking into the distance, pursued by wolfriders. We had won. Within days bearclaw sued for peace, and Wolftooth gained all it had lost, and more besides.
So let all who face the Wolftooth know our power, and fear us.We are the Wolftooth.
Karol howled to the moon
As if called by the howling, a woman who smells of the forest floor and looks quite a bit like one too arrives, using her quarterstaff as a walking stick, with her white tiger walking by her side. Her black hair is done up into a messy series of braids that have slowly degraded and become messy from several moons spent in the woods without realizing she'd been gone so long. She's lean, not as well built or well fed as most of her kind tend to be. She gives everyone a courteous, small nod as she finds a place to find to sit, shifting her leaf-covered armor somewhat to get comfortable cross-legged on the floor. Her cat sits beside her, and she reaches with her free hand to scratch him behind the ears as she she regards everyone. "It seems I've just missed story time. What a shame."
Turns his head slowly as he watches Dergosh point to every person in the group, including himself, before sitting himself down with a thud. Almost as if to imitate him, Odak too sits himself down in a rushed manner, a heavy thump as the giant bunkers down onto his backside, his knees raised close by the loud Orc.
Soon, his gaze turns towards the next arrival to the scene, Krugga Durgnar, emoting his usual stare and nod greeting common to the Iron Giant.
, he rumbled, beginning what seems to be the longest dialogue piece Odak has spoken in a long while.
, Odak raises his hand towards the top of his tower shield.
, he said with an almost serious tone, and a long quiet as if he should have said more, but didn't.
Karol smiles toothily at the metal clad giant.
yes, yes it was.
*looks at superb war story*
...
*blink blink*
Karol is definitely, definitely chosen for this campaign.
(Blush)
Lantik watches as Karol turns a deep green. "Well, that's certainly something you don't see every day."
I did steal bits from several places. Henry the fourth, lord of the rings, a few others. Glad you like it.
It does me good to see people spend so much time and thought on their posts in my campaign. ORC PRIDE!
Runt looked at Krugga and saluted her even as she gave moon eyes to the tiger.
"Krugga you have merely missed three or four of the stories but there is more to come. We are all telling our tales of trickery, cunning, bravery, strength, loyalty, and magic. Join us in the telling and let us hear of your tale. Tell us of your contribution to the war with the Bearclaws."
Draxia smiles as she hears Karol's tale and than slides over."That is a story worth telling , and the flare in which you do it makes me believe you have studied the art of speech giving." She says with a giggle.
She takes another drink of her ale. She enjoyed her ale and now looked about the room. She spoke a bit,"I lead what the tribes discarded to the battle, I lead the clanless on the same premise. With them we aided in the battle instead of cleaning up after the battle."
Karol looks a draxia.
well all good bards know how to tell a story. It helped that I was there of course. Of course some bards just make noise now looking at dergosh.
it was a great battle, though.
Karol stands and raises his cup. A drink to all those who fought with clan wolftooth. Those who lived, and those who stand with the warrior god Karol drinks his cup empty, then sits.
Krugga smiles to Runt, and then gives a frown toward Karol. "I'm sad to have missed it, then. It's amazing how Karol can fascinate me with a story of something I lived through myself." She laughs, standing up to get some ale and returning to her seat on the floor. Tsarok, her tiger, puts his head into her lap and asks for more attention from her hand with a loud, low purr. With a sigh, she obliges and begins to scratch. "If you'd like to hear my tale, then I shall certainly oblige, but it may not carry the same glory as some of yours."
"My greatest contribution to the war wasn't on some great battlefield. It was a few years before the war ended. Wolftooth had challenged us to battle, as they had many times before. I stayed behind to tend to the mounts injured during the previous battle, as well as the wounded soldiers. Still new to the clan, I hadn't yet earned the respect I desired, which I believe to be part of why I was ordered to remain behind and help the sick. I accepted that fate, and hoped I could prove my worth regardless; in some ways my ability to tend to animals may be more beneficial than my battle prowess.
"The battle was a ruse. I'm sure some of you remember finding them, embedded in a defensive position. They were just holding the line and keeping our best warriors busy so a much smaller force could sneak through from the north to set our homes ablaze. I don't think they expected anybody to be left behind.
"Nature cried out in warning. I could hear it on the wind, the sounds of wings and calls as their torches frightened the birds out of their homes in the branches. I was tending to a boar when I heard the cries, Tsarok and I both becoming alert, and we ran out to the edge of camp; we could see the smoke rising up in the distance. Their torches licked the trees and set some of them ablaze. They were coming to ruin us, and along the way ravage the land.
"I called out to the every creature to come to our aid. The few in camp who knew how to fight were armed, and we met their small force on the edge of camp. I'm young, not the mightiest of druids, and I cannot make the forest itself fight for me, but I came as close as I could, within my power. Bears from the west and wildcats from the east flanked the attackers. I summoned into every container I could find water that the birds delivered onto the heads and torches of Clan Bearclaw, and further up still to salvage the trees and plains as much they could. Once their torches were out, our enemies found their eyes pecked out and massive claws rending their flesh. We did not have our best warriors, but we did not need them. My words were not necessary to make the animals whose homes Wolftooth threatened strike them down with the unmerciful savagery they showed.
"Twenty orcs came to destroy our homes. We slew all of them. Staff and blade stood with claw and tooth. Some of the creatures I called upon gave their lives to defend our homes and our young, who all survived. It is not some great deed, and I did not by my own hands slay a chieftain or avenge anybody, and in fact my own staff did very little, but it is still my proudest night of the war." She raises her ale. "A drink, for the animals who nobly died defending our homes."
Dergosh maks a laughing, dismissive wave of his hand after listening to the tales of the battle with the Bearclaw clan.
“Battle easy,” he brashly proclaims. “I climb to the top of a hill and dare the Bearclaw warriors to knock me off. When they surround me, the One-Earred god gives me the power to blast them to bits. Those that are still standing see my war paint and run like…” here an analogy temporarily escapes the orc priest and he scratches his scars in deep thought…”like runty goblins,” he finishes.
“Odak smash, Tigerwolf slice, and Heart Singer kill the rest by singing the irritating bits.” Dergosh rapped on Odak’s armor for emphasis.
Tigerwolf grinned and raised her cup.
"While you believe it was not a great battlefield, it was. You were the one that understood nature's warnings and spread it to those there. Your own cries to nature were heeded and she responded. It is not small feat to call upon the power of the land and its children to defend your home." She smiled and bowed.
"Without you, Bearclaw would have succeeded and those warriors would not have had homes to come home too. You showed your loyalty that day. Instead of running, you stood and called for help from those you knew would listen. You merged our might with that of nature. Do not think less of your contribution Krugga. You are a part of the land and a member of this tribe. You help us live peacefully with natue. That hold more weight then I think you realize." Smiles and salutes Krugga.
Draxia tilted her head at Dergoshs' recounting. Granted the man lacked a simple flair for words that left you wanting she was still intrigued." So You, Heartsinger and Tigerwolf fought side by side in the war, if that is so you fared better than I."
stirred the surface of the amber liquid and sighed. Around her teemed with warriors more valued than her. She eyed them once more in a new light. She was an unwanted spawn by both her father and mother. Because of their dislike she had been scarred and tortured to the point she could have died. She however was spared when the blood of her ancestors granted her power to weld the very fabric of reality. With this she learned to cast a few incantations. This however made her parents kick her out of her home and have to survive.
Due to this she sought out the riff raff of the land. She joined the vile unwanted mass of the malformed, maimed and weak she was a scavenger and bandit. This made her longing turn back to bile as she glared at them hatred once again renewed. She wanted to burn them all for having camaraderie towards another. Hatred burned in her as she had to win her place back into this clan via the war, the others seemed to care little about such trivialities.
Draxia pulled her finger free and tasted the amber liquid on her finger. She than gave a soft laugh, to her this was funny as soon they would battle again and like many other warriors she would be their when they fall picking the baubles off there corpses.
Karol smiled at draxia
Ah, to be clear, I fought, tigerwolf fought, Odak dominated and dergosh...made loud noises. Very loud noises, I'll grant, but that was about that. Did scare off a lot of bearclaws of course.
Tigerwolf looks over at Draxia and smiled. "Dergosh, was stating what we do. Not that we necissarily fought together. Though if you think about it we were all there on the night that the fire touched the moon and Wolf took down Bear."
Eight Lives jumped onto her lap and she started petting him. A nasty scar cut through his fur down his side. He was small and looked like he hadn't quite grown up. A runt of a litter.
Runt's eyes studied Draxia noting the glare but she kept silent as she looked around for who next could tell their great story.
Odak finds himself looking over in Draxia's direction when Tigerwolf began talking to her, suddenly reminded of the strange and powerful presence she had when she first arrived. Feeling a bit anxious, he clutches his arm to his shield a little, but can't take his eyes off her.
Odak notices the Orc banging upon his armour like a bit metal drum, normally he doesn't allow people to simply hit him for no reason, but the giant was content to let the sound-obsessed Orc use him as an instrument.
Draxia:> You, Heartsinger and Tigerwolf fought side by side in the war
“And don’t forget Odak!” he bellows. He gave another friendly bang to Odak’s armor, harder this time, reveling in the booming harmonics. He greatly respected the giant’s battle prowess, especially when he had one of his raucous rages. Strangely, he was drawn to the warrior’s quiet ways and as a result gave him space and did not push him to talk more than was comfortable for him.
“Even Garmack and Olrune did something in the battle, probably,” he says with a shrug. Poor Olrune. So much anger. Dergosh would be angry too if his god made him read some boring old book. In silence!
Karol Heart Singer> Dergosh...made loud noises. Very loud noise…” Once again, Dergosh misinterprets this as the highest form of praise and smiles in appreciation at the bard.
Draxia> “…if that is so you fared better than I." Dergosh is a little perplexed, unsure how to interpret Draxia’s words and mood. He considered how to handle this situation, and in a flash of insight he knew how to cheer her up: “I like your teeth!” he shouts.
Karol pulls out his pipe and some tobacco. He packs the pipe and lights it with a spark of flame that leaps from his finger at a word. He puffs contentedly for a short while, looks at the others and says
It seems we have a new foe now. These...civilized ones. I wonder why they plague us. Villages burned, forests cut down. Humans, elves, dwarves and others. They must be taught a lesson I think.
Garmack remained silent throughout the conversation, his attention captured by the arrival of Krugga. Few women had proven themselves up to his expectations and desire, but she was one of them. A she spoke, Garmack admired her warm oaky scent and the appearance she had of being on with the forest. A slight smile spread on his orcish features as she spoke of her battle and at the humility she expressed about it.
"Come now Krugga, as Tigerwolf said you are one of the few who was as concerned for our survival as for that of the land we live and breath upon. I beleive you did a great and powerful thing when you helped call nature to our aid and you have my respect for it"
Lantik turns to Karol. "I know for sure that the Elves won't like to see me. I've killed many of them on their raids of my Nest."