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Last Stand of the Dorinthians
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<blockquote data-quote="Deuce Traveler" data-source="post: 3880967" data-attributes="member: 34958"><p>Having trouble updating this thread. I think the message is too long, so I'll try splitting...</p><p></p><p>Chalik hurried up to the humans as quickly as he could. <span style="color: SandyBrown">"I have bad news,"</span> he announced without preamble. <span style="color: SandyBrown">"Three of your </span></p><p><span style="color: SandyBrown">companions have been captured by an Imperial force that has moved into the woodland."</span></p><p></p><p>Danica rushed up to Chalik and was stopped in her tracks by the news. <span style="color: YellowGreen">"Gracious!"</span> she exclaimed as she took him by the hand and led him to Dartis. </p><p></p><p><em>Is the blood his, or....</em>, she stopped the thought and hoped Rix and her other companions were alright. </p><p></p><p><span style="color: YellowGreen">"Do you need to wash up? Which friends? Are you alright? I'm Danica Swann can I help you? How close are the Imperial troops?"</span> The flurry of questions </p><p>was, she was sure, incomprehensible. As she led the dwarf, guiding him, she breathed deep and tried to stay quiet.</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Dartis swore. <span style="color: Green">"How many are out there, can we intercept the captors? When will they be here?"</span> asked Dartis peppering the dwarf with questions as he </p><p>simultaneously signalled the camp to pack up, to get ready to move to the cave. <span style="color: Green">"Can you make it back to the mountain?"</span></p><p></p><p>Chalik was briefly nonplussed by the sudden attention but finally responded, <span style="color: SandyBrown">"I believe there were about 50 troops. Your friends and I fought a few of them but there were too many and we were overrun."</span> He then described the party members who were taken, not trusting his memory of their names, while gratefully accepting a drink of water and a chance to clean up. He looked grimly at Danica. <span style="color: SandyBrown">"I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more. I'll do whatever I can to help you rescue them."</span></p><p></p><p>Silas frowned. <span style="color: orange">"Infantry or horse? Are they coming this way? How much time do you think we have?"</span> He stared intently at the dwarf then started as if he just remembered something forgotten. <span style="color: orange">"My apologies, good dwarf, my name is Silas Eyrstan."</span></p><p></p><p>Chalik nodded at Silas' introduction and replied, "Chalik Bermax, at your service." He then answered the questions tersely but accurately. <span style="color: SandyBrown">"We should have this conversation with whoever's in charge here,"</span> he concluded. <span style="color: SandyBrown">"The Imperials will likely be here tomorrow."</span></p><p></p><p>Silas supressed a smile. He motioned towards Dartis. <span style="color: orange">"Chalik Bermax, this is Lord Dartis Kalnian, Commander of this unit of Dorinthian forces."</span></p><p></p><p>Chalik was obviously taken aback for a moment, then bowed deeply and said, <span style="color: SandyBrown">"My Lord, I wish I had better news for you."</span> He hesitated for a moment before continuing, obviously very uncomfortable. <span style="color: SandyBrown">"Though I've not earned it, I would ask a boon of you. If you are planning to try to rescue the captives, </span></p><p><span style="color: SandyBrown">please let me guide your people. I crave the opportunity to redress my failure."</span></p><p></p><p>As the party discussed their next move, one of the militia that was on guard-duty barrelled in and interrupted their conversation. His chest was heaving and sweat poured over </p><p>his light coat. After a moment he gave a weak salute and said, <span style="color: White">"Horsemen... they spotted us, sirs. Came right up to our position, they did, then rode off before </span></p><p><span style="color: White">we could say spit. I think they know where we are now..."</span></p><p></p><p>Dartis swore again, then offered a quick apology to Danica. <span style="color: RoyalBlue">"Alright, back to the cave!"</span> be bellowed. <span style="color: RoyalBlue">"Silas, Danica each of you take </span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">half the men and head towards the cave, take separate routes to slow down pursuit. Danica take the northern path, Silas the southern. Put archers on the hill above and spearmen in the mouth of the cave. Put a few volunteers back about 100 feet in that dense grove of trees. We'll try to pin them if we can.</span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"></span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">"Chalik, I wish I could grant you the boon, but right now I would ask that you accompany my men to a safer location. Hopefully we can beat back the first assault and try again. </span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">I will stay here and give the leaders a few arrows to slow them down. Now move,"</span> Dartis bellowed out his orders quickly directing the direction for travel with the tip of his sword.</p><p></p><p>Silas grabbed a couple of the veterens that he had become acquainted with and sent them to preparing the men to leave as quickly as possible. After he saw the men begin scrambling in their preparations to move he returned to Dartis. <span style="color: orange">"They may have archers of their own, Lord Kalnian. I can aid you a bit in that, if you'll allow it. I can give you some small protection against their arrow fire, at least for a short time. It won't protect your horse and it won't protect you from their other weapons so that will still be a danger but I would rest easier if you would allow me to cast a protective ward over you."</span> So saying, he cast <em>protection from arrows</em> on the noble horseman.</p><p></p><p>Silas tried to get Chalik's attention next. <span style="color: orange">"[Dwarven]Stone-Brother[/Dwarven], do you know of the cave near here?"</span> Chalik replied that he did not, and wished he was more of a help as he followed the abjurer.</p><p></p><p>Danica Swann had never been told to lead others before. As Dartis' words sunk in she bowed slightly, and said <span style="color: YellowGreen">"Yes, my Lord."</span> She saw that Silas </p><p>was taking care of the dwarf and some of the stronger fighters. She cast her eyes around the camp and tried to rally those who were nearby. She would ensure that none were </p><p>forgotten.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: YellowGreen">"All of you, listen,"</span> she implored, trying to raise her voice above the mounting confusion. <span style="color: YellowGreen">"We are moving out. All those on the </span></p><p><span style="color: YellowGreen">east side of the camp will come with me."</span> Here she made a sweeping gesture with one hand, as if to bisect the group. <span style="color: YellowGreen">"The rest will follow Silas. </span></p><p><span style="color: YellowGreen"></span></p><p><span style="color: YellowGreen">Grab your things, we're leaving right away."</span> Had she sounded confident enough? She hoped so. </p><p></p><p>She had her meagre gear with her, of course, but she took a moment to grab the piece of leather from her belt pouch. She ran it down either side of her face, and then </p><p></p><p>horizontally across her chest. <span style="color: YellowGreen">"Keep me safe like steel,"</span> she whispered to herself. She then replaced the leather thong, once she felt her <em>mage </em></p><p><em>armor</em> spell take effect. </p><p></p><p>She stood by the access to the north road as others gathered to follow her. <span style="color: YellowGreen">"Morrison! Keeling! Come on you two!"</span> she called to two stragglers she could identify.</p><p></p><p>When Danica finally had a chance during her quick march, she reached into the velvet bag and attempted to prod the insides of it with an unlit torch. As she did so, she was </p><p>surprised to see that the torch began to disappear further into the bag than she expected. Removing the torch, she placed her hand in the bag and discovered that she could </p><p>easily put her entire arm into the thing. She also thought she felt a couple of small objects inside as she dug around. She believed that she had just found herself a <em>bag </em></p><p><em>of holding</em>.</p><p></p><p>As the news of the approaching Imperials reached the ears of the men, a sense of panic could be felt rippling through the irregulars. Some began to pack their bedrolls and </p><p>other gear unto the few horses and onto their backs while others gathered their weapons and wandered the camp aimlessly. A few of the men that had experience attempted to mold a semblance of order, but it was the young voice of Danica that finally brought the would-be soldiers into an organized force. Within the space of ten minutes, two columns </p><p>were following the trails the men had made days before along the river, only to break off from their paths later on in order to reach the rock formation with the bear cave.</p><p></p><p>Dartis stayed behind with two dozen of the healthier, swifter men, creating a vanguard that saw to the protection of the men and took to the wilderness between the two columns </p><p>and slightly behind. They were left unharried, although a force of a dozen horsemen appeared to watch and follow them from a distance. Dartis' horse, Swift, danced </p><p>majestically around his irregulars, as the young noble raised his bow at the Imperials in defiance.</p><p></p><p>The entire force reached the rock outcropping without incident, and the third of the Dorinthian forces that brought bows and arrows took positions on the highest portions. </p><p>Another twenty men hid themselves in the woods, waiting for the Imperials to come. Around fifty men are left over, and they positioned themselves at the lower portion of the </p><p>rock formation and the green field immediately around.</p><p></p><p>It took some time... a frustrating and tense amount of time- but finally the ordered military march of the Imperials could be heard east of the party. From the top of the rock </p><p>outcropping, some of their bobbing helmets could be seen through the trees nearby, and the party members saw the group stop about a third of a mile away. From the top of the </p><p>rock outcropping, the party also saw a second group of Tallione cavalry approaching from the western side. This was a larger force, about a couple of dozen in size, but it was </p><p>hard to count through the trees.</p><p></p><p>From this second force a rider galloped forward, and the Dorinthian men knocked and readied their arrows in his direction. He burst forth into the edge of the clearing, </p><p>watching the Dorinthians with disdain. He pulled his horse back so that it would halt and shouted loudly, <span style="color: White">"I would have words with your commander!"</span></p><p></p><p>Dartis shouted back from a pile of rocks, <span style="color: RoyalBlue">"Have you come to parlay?"</span></p><p></p><p>The man boldly rode forward to come within 50 feet of the Dorinthian archers. He removed his helmet and stared upwards at Dartis and the party. <span style="color: White">"I don't come to </span></p><p><span style="color: White">parlay, but to offer an opportunity to parlay with my captain, Commander Fralius Sassarius. He wishes to meet you away from our two forces. He wishes to request your terms </span></p><p><span style="color: White">for agreeing to the parlay. I am also to add, that a refusal to parlay will be considered to be a signal for hostilities where we will then meet you on this field."</span></p><p></p><p>Chalik sneered at the offer of Parlay but held his tongue.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: Blue">"I will meet Commander Sassarius. There is a rock outcropping a league east of here. I will meet him there, and he may bring one assistant"</span> replied Dartis.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: White">"It is decided, then. He will meet you with one of your assistants. Both sides may also bring two guards each, which will be expected to stand away and out of </span></p><p><span style="color: White">earshot. My commander will meet you soon,"</span> the man said and stiffly turned his horse, as if disappointed that talk would precede violence.</p><p></p><p>Dartis turned to his companions and chose Silas as his assistant, and Chalik and Danica as his guards.</p><p></p><p>Chalik bowed his head humbly. <span style="color: SandyBrown">"Thank you my lord,"</span> he said simply.</p><p></p><p>Silas seemed a little nervous but nodded his head in acceptance of this honor. He seemed unusually quiet as he prepared himself for the meeting. Finally, he presented himself </p><p>to Dartis. <span style="color: orange">"I am ready, Lord Kalnian."</span></p><p></p><p>Danica was the first to arrive at the rock, and she withdrew her torch in order to lead the group she had led into the shadow of the mouth of the cave she had recently visited. </p><p>With a confidence unexpected by one with so few years (or in someone of her frail size, some would say) she posted guards and indicated defensible positions for archers. She </p><p>re-entered the cave and placed her pack close to where she had found the mysterious velvet bag not very long ago, but did not let people linger. She took two of her group, and </p><p>led them down deeper into the cave, to where it forked.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: YellowGreen">"I'd like you two to stand guard here. Spread yourselves out, but it appears these caves go deep, and we've not had a chance to check them out. I'm </span></p><p><span style="color: YellowGreen">suspicious that all of this smell is not due to the bears we fought earlier."</span> Confident that they have their innstructions, and that they will be able to relay a </p><p>message in case something appears -- <span style="color: YellowGreen">"Letting us know of the danger is of top concern"</span> she had stressed -- she left them with the torch if they </p><p>needed it, with the intention of checking on them regularly.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: teal">DM's Note: This was a smart move, since they didn't need another bear or something worse coming out of that cave when they had Imperials to worry about. Lucky for them, the dangers still lingering in the cave were not the kind to be so proactive. The cave's secrets never were fully explored.</span></p><p></p><p>As she emerged from the cave, she was told that Lord Dartis had requested her to be on his guard detail at the parlay. She flushed, and started biting a fingernail. Nevertheless, she excused herself, checked the time to see if she needed to recast her <em>mage armor</em> and inspected her crossbow. </p><p></p><p>She tried to look neat, or presentable, or intimidating, or some combination of the three. <span style="color: YellowGreen">"For Dornithia,"</span> she said to herself, standing up and </p><p>bracing to journey with Lord Dartis and his entourage.</p><p></p><p>The party arrived at the meeting place for the parlay, while both armies watched each other from a distance. The four party members were not harrassed by any enemy besides the occasional misquito. It was a bit of a walk, maybe three miles away. Standing already at the outcropping when they arrived were four Imperials, two in legionnaire armor, one </p><p>in an officer's armor and plumed helmet, and the fourth a stooped, wizened man in black robes and red sash. As the party approched, the two legionnaires moved back to give </p><p>their commanders privacy, while Chalik and Danica also stood away. Dartis and Silas walked forward to meet them.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: White"><strong>"I am Commander Sassarius, leader of the Imperials here. This is Rufus Nefius, my advisor appointed by the Emperor. We are chasing a dwarven outlaw that </strong></span></p><p><span style="color: White"><strong>killed a number of my men, and have no quarrel with you. No quarrel, unless you are Dorinthians, such as the three men we've just captured. If you are not men of Dorinth, who are you? And if you are men of Dorinth, how is it that you've survived?"</strong></span> He asked his questions in a demanding tone, his back straight, and his hand on the pommel </p><p>of the short blade that rested on his hip. As he mentioned the dwarven outlaw, he nodded pointedly towards Chalik. Despite the distance, Danica and Chalik could hear the </p><p>conversation clearly as a slight wind carried his strong voice.</p><p></p><p>The wizened, sickly looking man called Rufus Nefius was wearing the serpent necklace of a priest of Oberius, the Cassus-Tallione god of Obedience. Those of Oberius worship evil, law, strength, and trickery. Still, by the components at his belt, the heroes guessed he was more an arcane spellcaster than priest.</p><p></p><p>At the Imperial's words, Chalik pursed his lips but didn't intervene. Instead he muttered quietly so that only Danica could hear, <span style="color: SandyBrown">"This just keeps getting </span></p><p><span style="color: SandyBrown">better and better."</span></p><p></p><p>Danica smiled, but said nothing. The only act of communication was that her left eyebrow arching on her forehead. She felt the rat she carried in her pocket shift in its nest. </p><p></p><p>Silas, of course, deferred to Dartis and remained silent. However, the wizard made him uneasy and the fact that the man wore the religious regalia of Oberius...well, it </p><p>reinforced his niggling suspicion that the Tallione had treachery in mind.</p><p></p><p>Dartis met the commander's gaze with that cool arrogance that only a noble has, merged with the confidence of a trained soldier. In a clear voice he called out:</p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">"Well met Commander Sassarius. I am Duke Dartis Kalnian, this is my advisor Silas Eyrstan. I know of no dwarven outlaws in these parts, and I would gladly turn </span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">any over to you should I find one. In fact I would help you search these hills for them if you would accept my aid. But I doubt you would for though I have never met you, you </span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">claim to have a quarrel with me. For indeed I am a Dorinthian. As for how I have survived well that is a long tale better suited over a tankard and table, rather than dirt and </span></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue">grass. But come, you say you are having problems with outlaw dwarves? Surely the stout dwarves of the Dunkel mountains have not sunk to mere brigandry. Or have we stumbled upon some other quarrel of yours? And if that is the case, you seem to accrue quarrels at a rapid pace. But come, why do you have a quarrel with me? For being a Dorinthian? For being a soldier? For being here? Haven't you heard Commander, Dorinthia is no more, nor are we in lands once claimed by Dorinthia. We seek a new life, far from the strife of the old. Without enemies, old or new."</span></p><p>[/QUOTE]</p>
[QUOTE="Deuce Traveler, post: 3880967, member: 34958"] Having trouble updating this thread. I think the message is too long, so I'll try splitting... Chalik hurried up to the humans as quickly as he could. [Color=SandyBrown]"I have bad news,"[/Color] he announced without preamble. [Color=SandyBrown]"Three of your companions have been captured by an Imperial force that has moved into the woodland."[/Color] Danica rushed up to Chalik and was stopped in her tracks by the news. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"Gracious!"[/COLOR] she exclaimed as she took him by the hand and led him to Dartis. [I]Is the blood his, or....[/I], she stopped the thought and hoped Rix and her other companions were alright. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"Do you need to wash up? Which friends? Are you alright? I'm Danica Swann can I help you? How close are the Imperial troops?"[/COLOR] The flurry of questions was, she was sure, incomprehensible. As she led the dwarf, guiding him, she breathed deep and tried to stay quiet.[/QUOTE] Dartis swore. [COLOR=Green]"How many are out there, can we intercept the captors? When will they be here?"[/COLOR] asked Dartis peppering the dwarf with questions as he simultaneously signalled the camp to pack up, to get ready to move to the cave. [COLOR=Green]"Can you make it back to the mountain?"[/COLOR] Chalik was briefly nonplussed by the sudden attention but finally responded, [Color=SandyBrown]"I believe there were about 50 troops. Your friends and I fought a few of them but there were too many and we were overrun."[/Color] He then described the party members who were taken, not trusting his memory of their names, while gratefully accepting a drink of water and a chance to clean up. He looked grimly at Danica. [Color=SandyBrown]"I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more. I'll do whatever I can to help you rescue them."[/Color] Silas frowned. [color=orange]"Infantry or horse? Are they coming this way? How much time do you think we have?"[/color] He stared intently at the dwarf then started as if he just remembered something forgotten. [color=orange]"My apologies, good dwarf, my name is Silas Eyrstan."[/color] Chalik nodded at Silas' introduction and replied, "Chalik Bermax, at your service." He then answered the questions tersely but accurately. [COLOR=SandyBrown]"We should have this conversation with whoever's in charge here,"[/COLOR] he concluded. [COLOR=SandyBrown]"The Imperials will likely be here tomorrow."[/COLOR] Silas supressed a smile. He motioned towards Dartis. [color=orange]"Chalik Bermax, this is Lord Dartis Kalnian, Commander of this unit of Dorinthian forces."[/color] Chalik was obviously taken aback for a moment, then bowed deeply and said, [Color=SandyBrown]"My Lord, I wish I had better news for you."[/Color] He hesitated for a moment before continuing, obviously very uncomfortable. [Color=SandyBrown]"Though I've not earned it, I would ask a boon of you. If you are planning to try to rescue the captives, please let me guide your people. I crave the opportunity to redress my failure."[/Color] As the party discussed their next move, one of the militia that was on guard-duty barrelled in and interrupted their conversation. His chest was heaving and sweat poured over his light coat. After a moment he gave a weak salute and said, [Color=White]"Horsemen... they spotted us, sirs. Came right up to our position, they did, then rode off before we could say spit. I think they know where we are now..."[/Color] Dartis swore again, then offered a quick apology to Danica. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]"Alright, back to the cave!"[/COLOR] be bellowed. [COLOR=RoyalBlue]"Silas, Danica each of you take half the men and head towards the cave, take separate routes to slow down pursuit. Danica take the northern path, Silas the southern. Put archers on the hill above and spearmen in the mouth of the cave. Put a few volunteers back about 100 feet in that dense grove of trees. We'll try to pin them if we can. "Chalik, I wish I could grant you the boon, but right now I would ask that you accompany my men to a safer location. Hopefully we can beat back the first assault and try again. I will stay here and give the leaders a few arrows to slow them down. Now move,"[/COLOR] Dartis bellowed out his orders quickly directing the direction for travel with the tip of his sword. Silas grabbed a couple of the veterens that he had become acquainted with and sent them to preparing the men to leave as quickly as possible. After he saw the men begin scrambling in their preparations to move he returned to Dartis. [color=orange]"They may have archers of their own, Lord Kalnian. I can aid you a bit in that, if you'll allow it. I can give you some small protection against their arrow fire, at least for a short time. It won't protect your horse and it won't protect you from their other weapons so that will still be a danger but I would rest easier if you would allow me to cast a protective ward over you."[/color] So saying, he cast [i]protection from arrows[/i] on the noble horseman. Silas tried to get Chalik's attention next. [color=orange]"[Dwarven]Stone-Brother[/Dwarven], do you know of the cave near here?"[/color] Chalik replied that he did not, and wished he was more of a help as he followed the abjurer. Danica Swann had never been told to lead others before. As Dartis' words sunk in she bowed slightly, and said [COLOR=YellowGreen]"Yes, my Lord."[/COLOR] She saw that Silas was taking care of the dwarf and some of the stronger fighters. She cast her eyes around the camp and tried to rally those who were nearby. She would ensure that none were forgotten. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"All of you, listen,"[/COLOR] she implored, trying to raise her voice above the mounting confusion. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"We are moving out. All those on the east side of the camp will come with me."[/COLOR] Here she made a sweeping gesture with one hand, as if to bisect the group. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"The rest will follow Silas. Grab your things, we're leaving right away."[/COLOR] Had she sounded confident enough? She hoped so. She had her meagre gear with her, of course, but she took a moment to grab the piece of leather from her belt pouch. She ran it down either side of her face, and then horizontally across her chest. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"Keep me safe like steel,"[/COLOR] she whispered to herself. She then replaced the leather thong, once she felt her [i]mage armor[/i] spell take effect. She stood by the access to the north road as others gathered to follow her. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"Morrison! Keeling! Come on you two!"[/COLOR] she called to two stragglers she could identify. When Danica finally had a chance during her quick march, she reached into the velvet bag and attempted to prod the insides of it with an unlit torch. As she did so, she was surprised to see that the torch began to disappear further into the bag than she expected. Removing the torch, she placed her hand in the bag and discovered that she could easily put her entire arm into the thing. She also thought she felt a couple of small objects inside as she dug around. She believed that she had just found herself a [i]bag of holding[/i]. As the news of the approaching Imperials reached the ears of the men, a sense of panic could be felt rippling through the irregulars. Some began to pack their bedrolls and other gear unto the few horses and onto their backs while others gathered their weapons and wandered the camp aimlessly. A few of the men that had experience attempted to mold a semblance of order, but it was the young voice of Danica that finally brought the would-be soldiers into an organized force. Within the space of ten minutes, two columns were following the trails the men had made days before along the river, only to break off from their paths later on in order to reach the rock formation with the bear cave. Dartis stayed behind with two dozen of the healthier, swifter men, creating a vanguard that saw to the protection of the men and took to the wilderness between the two columns and slightly behind. They were left unharried, although a force of a dozen horsemen appeared to watch and follow them from a distance. Dartis' horse, Swift, danced majestically around his irregulars, as the young noble raised his bow at the Imperials in defiance. The entire force reached the rock outcropping without incident, and the third of the Dorinthian forces that brought bows and arrows took positions on the highest portions. Another twenty men hid themselves in the woods, waiting for the Imperials to come. Around fifty men are left over, and they positioned themselves at the lower portion of the rock formation and the green field immediately around. It took some time... a frustrating and tense amount of time- but finally the ordered military march of the Imperials could be heard east of the party. From the top of the rock outcropping, some of their bobbing helmets could be seen through the trees nearby, and the party members saw the group stop about a third of a mile away. From the top of the rock outcropping, the party also saw a second group of Tallione cavalry approaching from the western side. This was a larger force, about a couple of dozen in size, but it was hard to count through the trees. From this second force a rider galloped forward, and the Dorinthian men knocked and readied their arrows in his direction. He burst forth into the edge of the clearing, watching the Dorinthians with disdain. He pulled his horse back so that it would halt and shouted loudly, [Color=White]"I would have words with your commander!"[/Color] Dartis shouted back from a pile of rocks, [COLOR=RoyalBlue]"Have you come to parlay?"[/COLOR] The man boldly rode forward to come within 50 feet of the Dorinthian archers. He removed his helmet and stared upwards at Dartis and the party. [Color=White]"I don't come to parlay, but to offer an opportunity to parlay with my captain, Commander Fralius Sassarius. He wishes to meet you away from our two forces. He wishes to request your terms for agreeing to the parlay. I am also to add, that a refusal to parlay will be considered to be a signal for hostilities where we will then meet you on this field."[/Color] Chalik sneered at the offer of Parlay but held his tongue. [COLOR=Blue]"I will meet Commander Sassarius. There is a rock outcropping a league east of here. I will meet him there, and he may bring one assistant"[/COLOR] replied Dartis. [Color=White]"It is decided, then. He will meet you with one of your assistants. Both sides may also bring two guards each, which will be expected to stand away and out of earshot. My commander will meet you soon,"[/Color] the man said and stiffly turned his horse, as if disappointed that talk would precede violence. Dartis turned to his companions and chose Silas as his assistant, and Chalik and Danica as his guards. Chalik bowed his head humbly. [Color=SandyBrown]"Thank you my lord,"[/Color] he said simply. Silas seemed a little nervous but nodded his head in acceptance of this honor. He seemed unusually quiet as he prepared himself for the meeting. Finally, he presented himself to Dartis. [color=orange]"I am ready, Lord Kalnian."[/color] Danica was the first to arrive at the rock, and she withdrew her torch in order to lead the group she had led into the shadow of the mouth of the cave she had recently visited. With a confidence unexpected by one with so few years (or in someone of her frail size, some would say) she posted guards and indicated defensible positions for archers. She re-entered the cave and placed her pack close to where she had found the mysterious velvet bag not very long ago, but did not let people linger. She took two of her group, and led them down deeper into the cave, to where it forked. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"I'd like you two to stand guard here. Spread yourselves out, but it appears these caves go deep, and we've not had a chance to check them out. I'm suspicious that all of this smell is not due to the bears we fought earlier."[/COLOR] Confident that they have their innstructions, and that they will be able to relay a message in case something appears -- [COLOR=YellowGreen]"Letting us know of the danger is of top concern"[/COLOR] she had stressed -- she left them with the torch if they needed it, with the intention of checking on them regularly. [color=teal]DM's Note: This was a smart move, since they didn't need another bear or something worse coming out of that cave when they had Imperials to worry about. Lucky for them, the dangers still lingering in the cave were not the kind to be so proactive. The cave's secrets never were fully explored.[/color] As she emerged from the cave, she was told that Lord Dartis had requested her to be on his guard detail at the parlay. She flushed, and started biting a fingernail. Nevertheless, she excused herself, checked the time to see if she needed to recast her [i]mage armor[/i] and inspected her crossbow. She tried to look neat, or presentable, or intimidating, or some combination of the three. [COLOR=YellowGreen]"For Dornithia,"[/COLOR] she said to herself, standing up and bracing to journey with Lord Dartis and his entourage. The party arrived at the meeting place for the parlay, while both armies watched each other from a distance. The four party members were not harrassed by any enemy besides the occasional misquito. It was a bit of a walk, maybe three miles away. Standing already at the outcropping when they arrived were four Imperials, two in legionnaire armor, one in an officer's armor and plumed helmet, and the fourth a stooped, wizened man in black robes and red sash. As the party approched, the two legionnaires moved back to give their commanders privacy, while Chalik and Danica also stood away. Dartis and Silas walked forward to meet them. [Color=White][b]"I am Commander Sassarius, leader of the Imperials here. This is Rufus Nefius, my advisor appointed by the Emperor. We are chasing a dwarven outlaw that killed a number of my men, and have no quarrel with you. No quarrel, unless you are Dorinthians, such as the three men we've just captured. If you are not men of Dorinth, who are you? And if you are men of Dorinth, how is it that you've survived?"[/b][/Color][b][/b] He asked his questions in a demanding tone, his back straight, and his hand on the pommel of the short blade that rested on his hip. As he mentioned the dwarven outlaw, he nodded pointedly towards Chalik. Despite the distance, Danica and Chalik could hear the conversation clearly as a slight wind carried his strong voice. The wizened, sickly looking man called Rufus Nefius was wearing the serpent necklace of a priest of Oberius, the Cassus-Tallione god of Obedience. Those of Oberius worship evil, law, strength, and trickery. Still, by the components at his belt, the heroes guessed he was more an arcane spellcaster than priest. At the Imperial's words, Chalik pursed his lips but didn't intervene. Instead he muttered quietly so that only Danica could hear, [Color=SandyBrown]"This just keeps getting better and better."[/Color] Danica smiled, but said nothing. The only act of communication was that her left eyebrow arching on her forehead. She felt the rat she carried in her pocket shift in its nest. Silas, of course, deferred to Dartis and remained silent. However, the wizard made him uneasy and the fact that the man wore the religious regalia of Oberius...well, it reinforced his niggling suspicion that the Tallione had treachery in mind. Dartis met the commander's gaze with that cool arrogance that only a noble has, merged with the confidence of a trained soldier. In a clear voice he called out: [COLOR=RoyalBlue]"Well met Commander Sassarius. I am Duke Dartis Kalnian, this is my advisor Silas Eyrstan. I know of no dwarven outlaws in these parts, and I would gladly turn any over to you should I find one. In fact I would help you search these hills for them if you would accept my aid. But I doubt you would for though I have never met you, you claim to have a quarrel with me. For indeed I am a Dorinthian. As for how I have survived well that is a long tale better suited over a tankard and table, rather than dirt and grass. But come, you say you are having problems with outlaw dwarves? Surely the stout dwarves of the Dunkel mountains have not sunk to mere brigandry. Or have we stumbled upon some other quarrel of yours? And if that is the case, you seem to accrue quarrels at a rapid pace. But come, why do you have a quarrel with me? For being a Dorinthian? For being a soldier? For being here? Haven't you heard Commander, Dorinthia is no more, nor are we in lands once claimed by Dorinthia. We seek a new life, far from the strife of the old. Without enemies, old or new."[/COLOR] [/QUOTE]
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