Remnants of the Horde-Flight from Aruth

[deadestdai]

Vespazian was a little perturbed. The simpleton had repeated his sentiment regarding the death of Zuregath with all too much fervour. Vespazian was almost inclined to believe him.....

Zuregath alive? How would that be so? Perhaps this one saw him on the field of battle?

He feigned interest in the ogre's words. Already he had thought the same sentiments. He swallowed hard inwardly, silently despizing the words he knew he would have to utter. There are no socerors better amongst the forces of Myrach than Yrendol. He resides at Zuregath's castle. We should go there. My deputy, Go-godath (OOC: a hobgoblin) can ably take command of the Keep in my absense. I will lead our expidition to our lord's castle.

And take the head of the idiot who has stolen his throne.....

The human then waves the Muragar away. Prepare an able group Durgo. We march at dawn.

 

[Velenne]

Durgo can't help but chuckle. He was never much for tact anyway. He backs away toward the door, still eyeing the hoo-man but now with an added aire of cockiness,

"Heh. Durgo no care about sorceror. Hoo-man come to Castle wif us...but remember: If no for Durgo," now shutting the door as he finishes his thought, "him's whitey head would be hanging from walls this night instead of Storm Giant's. Heh heh heh..."

~~~~~~~

Durgo fumed as his decended the stairs. Stupid hoo-man wanted to lead!? Stupid hoo-man would be DEAD. Him already failed and him owe Durgo life. It was almost enough to cause the Muragar to lose his resolve toward what he was about to do. His sense and his anger battled- as they always seemed to do. But this night, miraculously, his weaker sense managed a narrow victory.

He finds the Song Speaker hobbie walking about with Bargo in tow. He gives Tsu'koka the barest acknowledgement but marches directly up to his bastard son, facing him nose-to-nose. Bargo had seen that look in his father's face before. Almost every day. Durgo was always angry about something.

"Stand up! Straight!" When Bargo manages only the weakest of gestures, Durgo grabs the half-breed by his stooped shoulders and forces them back into a proper stance. That done, he takes a step back and reaches slowly over his shoulder.

"Bargo done better today. No kill allies and no get himself dead being stupid."

The hand pulls on the leather thong which holds the Storm Giant's gargantuan axe. It falls into Durgo's other waiting hand, he swings it around his body and plants it into the ground in front of him.

"You take dis. Remind Bargo dat him Muragar dis day. You no sleep in stables dis night. Sleep wif Muragar. ... Muragar." Durgo nods but still manages to look mad.

With that, he walks away to set the night's watch and prepare for their morning departure. After, he finds this "Go-godath's" quarters and sleeps in them.

 

[Jeremy]

Bargo has a huge grin on his face as he follows along behind the Song Speaker with his chest puffed out. He feels official.. Proud.

None of these troops he meets as he walks along know about him. None of them know how he slaughtered half his tribe because of that cursed elfie witch.

He hears his name mentioned a couple times and tell of that giant's head on the walls being his work. And the frost giant who's helm he wears felled in one mighty blow.

Bargo is happy.

Then Durgo nearly knocks the doors off the turret he strides from. He charges right up onto him and Bargo is feeling the beatings before they start. Durgo grabs his mishappen shoulders and pushes them painfully back to a degree his knotted back muscles can hardly handle.

But that is all. Bargo is half-shocked that his father isn't beating him. In the rush he misses a few words but he catches on to hear "kill allies" and "stupid" and again waits for the beating. When the massive axe begins swinging around Bargo doesn't flinch. If Durgo is going to try to kill Bargo, Bargo let Durgo hit first so when he is eating his guts later him can say Durgo crazy this time.

Then Durgo really confuses Bargo. He stops the axe and hands it to Bargo, then complements him. Durgo never compliments him... Well, he did once while running from Aruth before the hags, but he punched a few teeth out just after. But this time Durgo storms off, even being nice Durgo is mad.

Bargo wonders if some mojo cast on Durgo to make him say nice things to Bargo. He stands still, stunned.

 

[doghead]

Tsu'koka stands aside and watches quietly. The emotional cocktail of anger, fear, jealousy and suspicion is vitriolic.

In a quiet voice so as not to spook, after Durgo has gone, Tsukoka says, "We are almost done here. Your help has been most welcome. It was good for the troopers to see you. I was honoured that you joined me. But I understand if you need to join your fellow Muragar now. It has been a good day. But a long one."

 

[deadestdai]

"Heh. Durgo no care about sorceror. Hoo-man come to Castle wif us...but remember: If no for Durgo," Miraculously the ogre had managed to remember to shut the door behind him. A beast with manners? How endearing. I am sure he asks for soap when he washes also.
"If no for Durgo....." That rat bastard "had" arrived at the most opportune of times, but Vespazian would never offer such an animal thanks. The brute would learn his place or..... Or, well - Vespazian turned his thoughts to the matters at hand, absent-mindedly looking at his new rings. He knew from the dwarf-thing that two were magical, and he cared not if they would aid him. Sometimes one must keep up one's appearances.

The maps, they showed Myrach in as good a detail as hobgoblin workmanship would allow. Castle Zuregath was many leagues from the Keep. It would take perhaps a week to get there. Maybe more. To make the trip, Vespazian would have to leave his troops behind. Durgo and his son, Tsu-koka, Forlash (Though he wasn't sure it would be best to leave the Keep without a wizard again.) the scouts Blaught and Wek-whateverhisnamewas and the cleric, Kurg. That's all that could be spared. Vespazian had little faith in the highest ranking officer to keep everything in order, let alone hold the Southern Road. He just had to hope that the hobgoblin wouldn't let the elves get through "too quickly".

Zuregath alive..... If he was, this would not be happening. None of this mess would. Vespazian wouldn't be in this cesspit of a command an..... Vespazian turned his attentoin to immediate concerns. That Muragar needed to be kept in line. The journey to the castle would be rather uncomfortable otherwise.

And so he plotted.

 

[doghead]

With or without Bargo (depending on his responce) Tsu'koka finishes up his tour quickly. Once completed, he finds a quiet place on the battlements, and he stands and stares out at the night landscape and thinks.

After some time, he turns and briskly heads back inside. First to his rooms, where he collects some things, then to Vespazians and Krugs rooms, in the order that they lie from his own. To each he says the same thing.

The way ahead will be difficult and dangerous. These are better in the hands of many, rather than one. It is not much, but it could just be enough to make a difference. And to each he gives an unused Wand of CLW.

 

[Jeremy]

In a quiet voice so as not to spook, after Durgo has gone, Tsukoka says, "We are almost done here. Your help has been most welcome. It was good for the troopers to see you. I was honoured that you joined me. But I understand if you need to join your fellow Muragar now. It has been a good day. But a long one."

Bargo nods numbly and trudges a long behind the Song Speaker for the remainder of the circuit. Now wearing the magical frost giant helm, and carrying the gargantuan magical greataxe of the storm giant (with the gargantuan heavy flamberge across his back that slew it), Bargo looks even more impressive. But he doesn't puff out his chest any more or nod his head enthusiastically whenever his kills are mentioned. He simply follows, quiet, trying to figure out what just happened.

***

Having completed the circuit and accomplished both Tsu'koka's and Bargo's goals, the half-elf half-ogre makes his way to the Muragar barracks and uses Muragar diplomacy (Read Intimidate +18) to acquire a sleeping pile.

 

[Capellan]

Wekerak steals a huge pile of blankets from one of the empty barracks and drags them down to the stables. Frostbite prefers the chill of the outdoors, and the goblin has no intention of being far from his only reliable companion.

Two Captains never good. he muses, Except for feeding.

 

[Uriel]

OoC: A lot to address in all, here I go with a try...
The Player interaction has been top-notch, and there is little that I need to do

IC

Wekerak and Blaught

Riding out and south, the pair of Goblins move with the stealth of Owls, streaking across the broken landscape towards the waiting lines of Aruth.

Standing atop a bluff three hours later, with the night air finally dismissing the oppressive Day, the Scouts look down upon the distant fires that mark the Elvish Army. At the pace that the Legions moved normally, the Aruthians would reach the Keep in a day,perhaps a day and a half. From the number of fires, Wekerak estimated something like twp full Legions, 4,000 Elves. Blaught added that he had seen many auxilliaries in his and his Scouts trips these last few days as well. Centaurs, Gnomish engineers and even a Bronze Dragon winging through the skies. The Keep would hold these for the briefest moment, if at all.

***********************************************************

Forlash

The previous Wizard had obviously been forced to do with little in such a backwater Border-Keep. Forlash did find a few treasures amidst the basic odds and ends that comprised the Laboratory, though. Blank Scrolls and inks, as well as enough components to create several very useful Scrolls.
<800 GP in Scroll materials>.
Sighing, Forlash sits down to begin pouring over the Book given by his Mother as a parting Gift.

**********************************************************

Bargo

His mind spinning from his encounter with his father, the hulk that was Bargo moved through the door where the massive Ogre Muragar quartered, seeing the few remaining Muragar withi, engaged in cleaning their weapons.
Walking over to a bunk, Bargo deposits his gear and weapons, a resounding thud that stops the conversation of the other Muragar in the chamber.

The others stand and walk the short distance to where Bargo stands, the biggest stepping forward. ' We no want you here, Half-Breed. Me Gruk, and this my Bunk. You sleep with the Worgs, or outside in the mud, me no care. You no sleep with Muragar,though...'

Seeing Bargo's fuming face, Gruk smiles a massively-tusked grin and took the initiative, hauling off and punching Bargo in the face <22 HP Subdual,PA and DR taken into account>, splitting his lip, though looking suprised that the blow didn't drop him.Bargo remained calm, the rage not taking him this time.

Bargo knew this game.This how pack did things, how Muragar did things.
The blow that met Gruk in the jaw <38HP subdual> sent him reeling, falling back into a bunk and breaking it.

The other Muragar laughed and shouted a few bets, recently won elf weapons and skulls, coins and other gear tossed int a pile as they goaded the two on.

Gruk stood, snarling and launched at Bargo,pounding away with his massive fists <14 HP>, though he only managed to hit once.

Bargo, a king among peasants when it came to taking blows like this, grinned as he engaged this Muragar. He was home.
With a punch <24HP> and a headbutt to the face of Gruk <22HP>, Bargo dropped the other Muragar to the floor, barely keeping from tearing out his throat in excitement.

The other Muragar cheered and smacked Bargo on the back, kicking at Gruk, one dumping a bcket of water onto his face.
Gruk opened his eyes, anger fading to shock then to admiration.
Grinning a bloody smile (less a tooth or two), Gruk spat blood as he said 'Where you learn to hit like that,Muragar Bargo!?!'
Leaning down and dragging his gear off of the bunk, Gruk threw his lot to another bunk, this one just a bit further from the warmth of the fireplace.
Nodding to Barg out of respect, he waved him over to the table where they had been sharpening their axes and swords, all eyes clearly drawn to Elfhewer.
Another Muragar spoke, introducing himself and the third ogre'Me Ukker, this Olbrug, we last of Muragar here at Keep. Zuregath Dead, we dead soon,too...How you get that Blade, Bargo,son of Durgo? Tell us tale.'
The Ogre Gruk meanwhile had brought out a cask of something and set it upon the table, along with a quartet of copper mugs.'Dwarf Whiskey...not the kind Dwarfs make,the kind we make, Muragar like some Dwarf-blood added to their Whiskey,eh lads?'
The others laugh loudly as they fill their mugs,the vessels coming away from the keg dripping reddish spirits, the blood and alcohol mixing in an intoxicating aroma.

************************************************************
OoC:More coming soon. Forlash has time to replenish his spells.

 

[Jeremy]

Stoopid Gruk. Don't know how hard Bargo head am. Bargo chuckles as he throws down, not the sound you want to hear after just sucker punching someone.

***

Like any good fight, it's over in a few seconds with blood and fire pumping in the veins. "Bargo bed now Gruk." He grins back at the bloodied ogre and answers his question, "Bargo learn on front lines against Aruth giants and dragons. But you hit good 'nuff too."

***

It takes some time to tell of the hill giant the elfies felled and Bargo taking up his huge club. He holds the massive weapon lovingly as he tells of the huge jagged lump's forging, and the first goblin he crushed with it for doubting he could wield it. The story is hard to follow because Bargo has to skip his father in it and all the beatings and humiliations that prompted him to choose such an odd way.

In the end though he hefts it up and begins cleaning and sharpening it. "Is called Elf Splitter," he grins, "You should see mess it makes of elfies when it hits them. Purty. Hu hu hu!"

***

Bargo goes to bed that night with Elf Splitter clutched to his chest and a bloodthirsty grin on his face as it sings him to sleep.