Haven's Siege

[Kobold Stew]

I'm Baleful. This place smells, but thanks for keeping the guards out.

Lord Baltimore seats himself on a wooden bench, clearing his scabbard with a practiced sweep of his hand as he does so. His eyes focus on the gnome, and he offers his right hand, saying, "Speak quickly, Baleful. I have only a few minute before my escort returns. I am Lord Baltimore, and am only a visitor in Haven. How may I help you?"

 

[CaBaNa]

[sblock=context]

Lord Baltimore seats himself on a wooden bench, clearing his scabbard with a practiced sweep of his hand as he does so. His eyes focus on the gnome, and he offers his right hand, saying, "Speak quickly, Baleful. I have only a few minute before my escort returns. I am Lord Baltimore, and am only a visitor in Haven. How may I help you?"

[/sblock]
Lord Baltimore may regret his request for sped up dialogue as Baleful launches into explanation, HavenwasjustthemostlogicalplacetogotofindpeoplewhofitthedescriptionoftheProphecy. Baleful takes a gasp of air, and chokes on the acrid stink of tannery. You, *cough* are *choke* the story teller. So I have to follow you, but I can keep conversation, and people like me, when they can see me. In fact, I'll likely follow you whether you give me permission or not...

A small wink, and a smile from Baleful, conveys that his following is by no means threatening.

You're destined to witness, and spread the tale!

 

[Kobold Stew]

You're destined to witness, and spread the tale!

"Am I indeed?" Lord Baltimore smiles, standing. He has not been the subject of a prophecy before, to his knowledge. "If that is so, it seems you have a tale to tell me. I should be most grateful to hear it." A hand absentmindedly goes to his belt pouch, to ensure the silver snap is still closed; it is.
"Are you free to travel right away? Or do you have others to whom you are appointed to reveal their future purpose? His Majesty's commission sends me South through the Valley, and you are welcome to come."

Lord Baltimore realizes he has been looking about a foot to the left of where the gnome is standing. He shakes his head in mild disbelief, and prepares to rejoin the escort outside.

 

[CaBaNa]

Nope, just had to find one. We'll meet with the others at thanes hold, part of the prophecy. The gnome falls into step with Lord Baltimore, moving in small bursts from shadow to shadow. Those who do see Baleful, don't mind the child playing his games, and continue about there daily business.

 

[pathfinderq1]

OOC: (S-blocks are acting up- every time I try, it splits the quote into2 parts; context is post #38)

Iceclaw gave a shrug. "Little enough, in hard coin or goods. We travel light, and what coin we have only Piper knows for sure. None of us have chosen this path for wealth. Perhaps the chance to do a favor for the eladrin who rule this forest, or the elves who have settled here, or even the humans and dwarves who claim parts of this valley and the mountains- a favor they'll never thank you for, and likely never even know you've given them. Perhaps our thanks, and favors owed to you in a time of need- and perhaps Piper will make a song for you." He paused for a moment, apparently in thought.

Snarl had by then finished the first rabbit, and gave a satisfied belch before he added a few words. "And a chance to kill orcs- can't beat that..."

 

[pathfinderq1]

OOC: Context for this is post #39, taking place perhaps a second or three after the previous post.

IC: Even as Snarl finished his 'wisdom', a pair of fresh rabbits dropped from the sky. He looked up briefly, and smiled a feral, toothy grin. "See, even the bird approves of killin' orcs." He turned to Iceclaw and added in a quiet growl, "Wow, even Piper couldn't have timed that better..."

Iceclaw nodded gravely. "Indeed. It seems we must beg your help, or do without. If you won't help, we must seek elsewhere, but no hard feelings. If we succeed, we mean to go to the Thane's Hold. There are rumors that they will be hiring for something. Perhaps we will meet again." He stood, slapping Snarl roughly on the shoulder. "Are you ready, or do you need another rabbit?"

 

[tiornys]

[sblock=Context]

There is a swift gust as two dead rabbits fall near Iceclaw and Snarl, and the falcon swoops onto the elf's shoulder. The elf watches as she makes frantic yet calculated scratches and pecks on his shoulder, followed by a loud shriek. It would seem that she has spotted your friends on the mountainside...along with the orcs who seem to have caught up. I doubt we could reach them before their battle is over. The falcon hurriedly flies off towards the mountains shrieking at normal intervals. Doubtful if she will make it there in time either...but not to worry, this forest contains many friends, surely there is someone near them that will get the message in time.


[sblock=OOC/spoiler]I may decide to try another character near the fight...haven't decided yet[/sblock]

Iceclaw gave a shrug. "Little enough, in hard coin or goods. We travel light, and what coin we have only Piper knows for sure. None of us have chosen this path for wealth. Perhaps the chance to do a favor for the eladrin who rule this forest, or the elves who have settled here, or even the humans and dwarves who claim parts of this valley and the mountains- a favor they'll never thank you for, and likely never even know you've given them. Perhaps our thanks, and favors owed to you in a time of need- and perhaps Piper will make a song for you." He paused for a moment, apparently in thought.

Snarl had by then finished the first rabbit, and gave a satisfied belch before he added a few words. "And a chance to kill orcs- can't beat that..."

Even as Snarl finished his 'wisdom', a pair of fresh rabbits dropped from the sky. He looked up briefly, and smiled a feral, toothy grin. "See, even the bird approves of killin' orcs." He turned to Iceclaw and added in a quiet growl, "Wow, even Piper couldn't have timed that better..."

Iceclaw nodded gravely. "Indeed. It seems we must beg your help, or do without. If you won't help, we must seek elsewhere, but no hard feelings. If we succeed, we mean to go to the Thane's Hold. There are rumors that they will be hiring for something. Perhaps we will meet again." He stood, slapping Snarl roughly on the shoulder. "Are you ready, or do you need another rabbit?"

[/sblock]
Vi'kandrix smoothly lifts his pack and settles it on his back. The best rewards rarely come in material form. And my interest in possible compensation was merely curiosity, not avarice. I appreciate your honesty-- Vi'kandrix looks directly at Iceclaw as he says this, then shifts his gaze to the direction of the mountains as he continues --and you have friends in need of assistance. Let us go.

Vi'kandrix looks over his shoulder as he paces across the clearing toward the other shifters, and says to the elf, Are you coming as well? We could use your guidance, and even a single bowman can do much in this terrain.

[sblock=OOC]Wow, all these people running multiple characters. I think I'll stick with my "clearly defined personality, vague subrace and class" plan

Velmont, assuming we do encounter the orcs, do you want us to just RP the encounter (probably as a win with the shaman escaping), or do you want to run it?

t~[/sblock]

 

[Kobold Stew]

Lord Baltimore emerges from the tannery, and breathes in deep. The large, circular nostrils of his pug nose remain redolant with the odors of the tannery, and it will cling to the bristles of his fur for some time.

He does not look around for the gnome, but instead smiles at the human constabulary leaning against a wall awaiting his return. "We may continue," Lord Baltimore smiles, as if all these footsoldiers wanted was to serve as his escort.

Lord Baltimore strolls towards the city gate. At one point a woman screamed at the sight of him -- these things do happen, and they cannot be helped -- but the incident was a minor one, and was soon forgotten.

At the city gate, it is Lord Baltimore's turn to wait. He is led outside the city gate where he finds a stick and begins absentmindedly sketching images in the dust. The guards are not to be seen, and Lord Baltimore wonders if perhaps there won't be an escort through the valley after all. Still, he can wait, and as he waits he begins to sing.

You won't have heard a hobgoblin sing before, I expect, unless you have met one in battle. When they fight, they often chant their orders to each other in a metrical recitative, part of an oral tradition that spans back centuries, but which translates awkwardly into Common, and has a limited vocabulary. It is a mixture of growls and incomprehensible words to the human ear, and can terrify those who hear it, leaving any survivors with a lingering memory. Raw recruits who survive an encounter of goblinoids often find themselves marching in step to a half-remembered tune of their enemy.

This is not how Lord Baltimore sang, though to a trained ear it is clear that he is familiar with the hobgoblin oral tradition of Battlesong, in fact he is a master. The song he sings now though uses the same deep resonances but is in Common, fully comprehensible and disarming in its melodic simplicity. His syncopation mirrors the skip of the heart of the song's heroine as she first sees her true love; his modulation pounds in the chest of his listeners as her heart breaks when he betrays her; the barked growls, which betray the singer's origins, echo with the emptiness she feels as she wanders the shore, turning in to the waves, and continuing to walk.

 

[Velmont]

-=-=-= Near the edge of Sif forest =-=-=-

Vi'kandrix and his new found companions are talking over his resting place when the sound of a bird is heard, then a second time. It seems to be some kind of eagle to an unused ear, but Vi'kandrix knew well that was the sound of a singing arrow, used for warning. And it seems to come from the mountain side not too far from here.

-=-=-= Down the Monastery =-=-=-

"We are heading back there, so you can come with us. We will just wait for our two comrades who are investigating some noise. But you should not understimate the scouts. They don't send there green that far. They are veteran who can handle themselves well." answers the halfling.

At that moment, the powerful sound of a bird can be heard.

"Scouts around, we need..." before he finish to talk, another bird sound can be heard, but it die quickly. The halfling quickly run in direction of the sound.

-=-=-= On the mountain side =-=-=-

Stonebearer push down the cliff an orc who falls twenty meters in the river that flow there. He barely have time to take his breath when two other orcs fall on him. He starts to be overwhlem as he heard a piercing bird-like sound. The two orcs raise there head to see where it come from, which give an opening and stab an orc. The other is about to trust his spear in an opening the Goliath have done when another piercing sound happen and the orc stop his move, falling on the ground, an arrow in his neck. He raise his eyes an see an elf shooting another arrow at an orc near the shaman, but he sees his arrow block by the shield.

The Orc shaman, seeing the new threat, throw a acid projectile that hit the elf. He put his hand to his eyes, blinded by the acid, but a light come from behind and go hit the shield orc. The elf eyes glow a moment too and then he draw another arrow. The elf shout at the Goliath. "No time to play, we must retreat toward the Hold."

 

[Redclaw]

Even as he is about to assure the two unusual guardsmen that he is also far from inexperienced in the ways of war, Kolvram is alarmed by their reactions to the obvious signal calls from their companions. Seeing their tense expressions, he is hardly surprised by the sudden jump to action.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kolvram hefts his axe and hurries after the halfling. Guide me to your enemies, Moradin, he prays quietly as he moves. And let me be the blade of your anger.