Archon Basileus
First Post
MORGRYM/MARIUS
Both Marius and Morgrym could find easy hiding spots all around if needed. There are so many crevices among the stone barriers that it would be almost natural to hide from scouts, even in flight.
“I’ll be fine in the dark.” – Arvana responds to her companions’ doubts. “Better to scout without torches and the like…” – for a second, she glances over her shoulders, possibly considering Reynard’s fate. “As we came up, I thought I heard…” – she begins, faintly. “Aah… Never mind. We should get your dagger as far from here as possible.” – she looks once more towards the vague lights to the south. “Question is, where should we go?” – she looks at Marius while Morgrym subtly steps away to evaluate the dagger.
“Listen, as I said, I can take you to some friends. They know these things. They travel a lot. Odds are Adalous is known to them – as well as his general intentions. If you want to give it a try, we can go towards the Road of Blood, or maybe the Road of Legacy. From there it would be easy to find them, I take it.” – she seems distressed at first, but in due time she gets a hold of herself.
“Either that or we could go towards the villages, restock and ask around. If we’re subtle, who’d take notice?”
Marius has a fair knowledge of the region. They’d be a few hours from the Road of Legacy, and some more from the Road of Blood. The area is dry and dusty, hard to live on. Mercenaries and brigands are scattered all around. Still, some salt-of-the-earth dwarves chose to make their homes in mining villages all around. It wouldn’t take long to find one, should they try.
Morgrym has similar notions from the area. It might be tougher to wonder the stone desert, but Arvana’s option might lead them towards a trap, should she turn out a traitor. Gods know how many would be waiting. As they talk about their next steps, the dwarf observes the dagger. His eyes widen as he perceives the lingering souls walking around as unrecognizable shades, vaguely human for the most part. Other shapes, far more eccentric, roam around, passing through stones and bodies, unaffected and unaffecting.
[See below for the dagger’s description]
Marius and Morgrym realize that, whatever decision is made, it involves equal amounts of risk and reward. As they consider their next move, Arvana climbs the nearby hill, trying to get a better view of the area. Standing above the stones, she squints a bit, turning in all directions with grace and confidence. She stops for a while, her silhouette blackened by the lights beyond. Finally, she climbs down, wearing a gaze of disappointment.
“Maran burns, just as the Gardener said. But not entirely. I think part of the docs is still safe, as well as most of the outer rim. It seems the fire spreads from the Helen’s. Smuggler’s docks might be safe as well. We could try for a boat.” – she falls silent as she cleans the dust from her gloves.
HAGADARK
“You walked too much, and talked even more, alchemist…” – Klutha retorts. “I prefer Hala do the talking for me…” – she points out the blade attached to her back, an enchanted bone sword worthy of a name. “And then, again, why bleed when there’s no need?”
The six hunters follow Hagadarth unquestioningly. The little tribe was one of the many to come across the oceans, from beyond the Old Kingdom. Dwarven politics constantly find in orcs and half-orcs appropriate martyrs and slaves. When the tribes realized there were opportunities across the seas, many decided to leave, settling around the dwarven colonies and, sometimes, against the slopes of the mountains. War, gold and dwarves to slay. What else could an orc desire?
Most of Hagadark’s allied tribe was curiously comprised of half-orcs, though. Orc blood was almost brought to extinction during the Old Kingdom’s expansionist campaign, even though some tribes still retain blood purity. For the four half-breeds in the hunting party, Hagadarth’s inspired words were recomforting, as always. The pure-blood pair in the back, though, did not return amiable looks towards the alchemist, mostly referred to as “shaman” among the tribesmen. The old orcs resented him for his odd behavior. They resented his smooth talk and his human heritage. They resented Klutha’s leadership, as well as her closeness to one particular pure-blood named Ghor, now left behind to lead the rest of the encampment. They resented a lot of things, maybe because there was little they could understand besides violence and pleasure. Still, in a way, they knew Hagadarth was right. That was one of the reasons some orc kings in the past took human females for partners. They needed human sagacity and craftiness if they were to survive. The time of the orcs might as well have passed. They knew it… And they resented the world for it.
[I'm using the opportunity to settle your character and re-settle Marius and Morgrym. Since I rushed things back at the start, I'll use this post to allow development as we align time and position, lol]
@Neurotic @KahlessNestor @MetaVoid
Both Marius and Morgrym could find easy hiding spots all around if needed. There are so many crevices among the stone barriers that it would be almost natural to hide from scouts, even in flight.
“I’ll be fine in the dark.” – Arvana responds to her companions’ doubts. “Better to scout without torches and the like…” – for a second, she glances over her shoulders, possibly considering Reynard’s fate. “As we came up, I thought I heard…” – she begins, faintly. “Aah… Never mind. We should get your dagger as far from here as possible.” – she looks once more towards the vague lights to the south. “Question is, where should we go?” – she looks at Marius while Morgrym subtly steps away to evaluate the dagger.
“Listen, as I said, I can take you to some friends. They know these things. They travel a lot. Odds are Adalous is known to them – as well as his general intentions. If you want to give it a try, we can go towards the Road of Blood, or maybe the Road of Legacy. From there it would be easy to find them, I take it.” – she seems distressed at first, but in due time she gets a hold of herself.
“Either that or we could go towards the villages, restock and ask around. If we’re subtle, who’d take notice?”
Marius has a fair knowledge of the region. They’d be a few hours from the Road of Legacy, and some more from the Road of Blood. The area is dry and dusty, hard to live on. Mercenaries and brigands are scattered all around. Still, some salt-of-the-earth dwarves chose to make their homes in mining villages all around. It wouldn’t take long to find one, should they try.
Morgrym has similar notions from the area. It might be tougher to wonder the stone desert, but Arvana’s option might lead them towards a trap, should she turn out a traitor. Gods know how many would be waiting. As they talk about their next steps, the dwarf observes the dagger. His eyes widen as he perceives the lingering souls walking around as unrecognizable shades, vaguely human for the most part. Other shapes, far more eccentric, roam around, passing through stones and bodies, unaffected and unaffecting.
[See below for the dagger’s description]
Marius and Morgrym realize that, whatever decision is made, it involves equal amounts of risk and reward. As they consider their next move, Arvana climbs the nearby hill, trying to get a better view of the area. Standing above the stones, she squints a bit, turning in all directions with grace and confidence. She stops for a while, her silhouette blackened by the lights beyond. Finally, she climbs down, wearing a gaze of disappointment.
“Maran burns, just as the Gardener said. But not entirely. I think part of the docs is still safe, as well as most of the outer rim. It seems the fire spreads from the Helen’s. Smuggler’s docks might be safe as well. We could try for a boat.” – she falls silent as she cleans the dust from her gloves.
HAGADARK
“You walked too much, and talked even more, alchemist…” – Klutha retorts. “I prefer Hala do the talking for me…” – she points out the blade attached to her back, an enchanted bone sword worthy of a name. “And then, again, why bleed when there’s no need?”
The six hunters follow Hagadarth unquestioningly. The little tribe was one of the many to come across the oceans, from beyond the Old Kingdom. Dwarven politics constantly find in orcs and half-orcs appropriate martyrs and slaves. When the tribes realized there were opportunities across the seas, many decided to leave, settling around the dwarven colonies and, sometimes, against the slopes of the mountains. War, gold and dwarves to slay. What else could an orc desire?
Most of Hagadark’s allied tribe was curiously comprised of half-orcs, though. Orc blood was almost brought to extinction during the Old Kingdom’s expansionist campaign, even though some tribes still retain blood purity. For the four half-breeds in the hunting party, Hagadarth’s inspired words were recomforting, as always. The pure-blood pair in the back, though, did not return amiable looks towards the alchemist, mostly referred to as “shaman” among the tribesmen. The old orcs resented him for his odd behavior. They resented his smooth talk and his human heritage. They resented Klutha’s leadership, as well as her closeness to one particular pure-blood named Ghor, now left behind to lead the rest of the encampment. They resented a lot of things, maybe because there was little they could understand besides violence and pleasure. Still, in a way, they knew Hagadarth was right. That was one of the reasons some orc kings in the past took human females for partners. They needed human sagacity and craftiness if they were to survive. The time of the orcs might as well have passed. They knew it… And they resented the world for it.
[I'm using the opportunity to settle your character and re-settle Marius and Morgrym. Since I rushed things back at the start, I'll use this post to allow development as we align time and position, lol]
@Neurotic @KahlessNestor @MetaVoid
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