Dwimmermount IC:

[Binder Fred]

"Whoever did that good deed back there knows how ta close doors," points out Midgrim.

Probably not those four-armed skellies then...

Gargrim grumbles, "Books? Seriously, why? Nothing's in there ye can't learn by just doing things for yourself. At least that dar one has some nice pictures of humans stabbing each other."

"Yee want it, brother?" Gargrim has always been more martially-inclined than he is: give him a good cookbook any day! Or old legends, maybe, like his great-granddad used to tell...

Speaking of: "Let me have a look, scout."


OOC: Does Midgrim recognize the shape of the place on the map (maybe assuming the central city is the Dwimmermount?) or the nature of the script (does it look like the Thulian in the fencing manual or the script on the silver box they're carrying?). He'll pass it on to Climent afterwards, get his expert opinion on it.

 

[Leif]

Klyman Sylar, human rogue

Klyman, having no 'dog' in the 'fight' will let Gargrim proceed to do whatever he was going to do anyway. Not like he could have stopped him....

 

[Imperialus]

The script is totally unrecognizable. The characters look like strange and complex combinations of lines forming rectangles and triangles, all harsh angles and straight lines. As a point of comparison the Eldrich script is very flowing, with few angles and many whorls and tails embellishing the characters. The old Thulian writing uses mostly the same alphabet as the modern traders language of the city states, it's just the language you don't understand. As for landmarks, nothing on the map looks familiar. If the city in the center was indeed supposed to depict Dwimmermount, then the cartographer must have been terrible at his job as he seems to have left off the entirety of the mountain range that Dwimmermount is in. The ocean also appears to be to the south and east rather than the west, at least assuming that the rose does indeed point north. Upon passing the map to Climent he shakes his head. "Not a clue my friend, sorry. I've never seen such a script before. We might need to find a sage in Adamas to deduce the meaning behind this."

Climent also takes a look at the fencing manual. "Now this I can read. If you want I could translate it for you. I know you are both men of action, not words, but Tyrleth was one of the greatest swordsmen to have ever lived. His words were near as possible to gospel amongst Thulian soldiers and they did manage to conquer most the world using his techniques." he flips through the pages before turning the book back "Look! He even has written techniques depicting stratagems specifically for dwarves and I suppose humans when they find themselves fighting an opponent with a height advantage." The section he shows you has a depiction of a dwarf battling an ogre using his shorter stature to get within the ogres guard so that he can bring his axe to bear on his opponents hamstring.

 

[Binder Fred]

"Someplace far away," concludes Midgrim concerning the map. He folds up the thing and hands it back to Klyman. "Might be some made-up place, or even the home of the Eld for all we know."

Although he hadn't imaged the red planet quite so... normal looking.

He waits for Gargrim's answer re the battle manual with a fraction of a smile, now that Climent had so sweetened the pot....

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Gargrim answers bashfully, "Errr... why yes. If someone would not mind reading it to me I'd enjoy hearing what's in that there book when we get a chance to relax. It'll be helpful to take along after that, too, in case we gets the runs and need extra paper."

 

[Binder Fred]

"I'm thinking a translated book of Tyrleth's might'en just sell for'a bit more than the price of privy rags, brother, even after we've read it," grins Midgrim. Which sets the big-boned dwarf to briefly wondering just how much a scribe would charge for a full transcription...

But time enough for business ventures later! "You keep that one for now, Gar, and I'll carry along the wargame one for yee if'n yee don't mind, priest: yee've already got your hands pretty full, I'm thinking... Plus I'm sorta interested," he admits, in truth.

That strategy stuff certainly has been useful in their past few encounters...


OOC: Is everybody alright with that? If so, then door-opening SOP on the door to map's left, please Imperialus. From Pieter's map he's expecting some form of long east-west corridor, so peek both ways before stepping into this one.

 

[Leif]

Klyman Sylar, human rogue

"I'll wager that yer book will not fetch so great a price after some of its pages have wiped Gargrim's arse."

 

[Imperialus]

Carefully opening the next door you indeed do enter into a long, twenty foot wide corridor. Several doors branch off to the North East and South, while to the West there is a statue of a human figure. You can't make out any details at this distance, and besides, your attention is quickly diverted to a lone Orc to the East. He seems just as startled as you, and although he is armed he seems wary, at the very least of the idea of tackling two dwarves alone. He drops into a combat stance, but slowly seems to be edging away, his beady eyes darting back and forth and his pig like snout twitching as he tries to catch your scent.

The state of his equipment is somewhat unusual. Most Orcs either find employ as mercenaries among warlords or petty strongmen, or survive as bandits and raiders, but his equipment suggests that his tribe is either incredibly down on their luck, or something more bizarre. He has a battleaxe, but it looks as though it is simply cut from a piece of scrap metal which is in turn strapped to a haft, and barring a loin cloth and a wide belt that holds several pouches he is completely naked.

 

[Binder Fred]

"We Goldhammers piss gold and pass diamonds, scout," explained Midgrim with a wry grin.

Then, as they entered the corridor and encountered their first orc: "Yee run and our mage'll cook yee down where yee stand," coldly informs Midgrim, letting the rest of the party step into the corridor behind he and his brother so they can be seen. (He could have mentioned Klyman and his arrows too, of course, but magic seems like a much better deterrent right now.)

"I thought you said these tunnels were deserted?" he grumbles low towards Pieter without taking his eyes off their new guest -- or his guard down for that matter.

Back to the front: "How about a trade instead, friend? Yeer life for some information? That sound fair ta yee?"

From his garb this guy is a local, not one of the mercenaries, bodyguard or beggar orcs they're used to seeing outside... THESE have likely been living in here since the last closing of the Doors 200 years ago! And not faring too well at it either.

 

[Imperialus]

The orcs eyes widen at the sight of more people coming into the corridor. He grunts, snuffling at the air for a moment before lowering his weapon and says in broken common. "I no fear death. You killin me, Segur killin yous. I sworn sword in war with da wizard. If yous not killin me, Segur maybe helpin yous. What you wanna know?"

You know with near certainty that the first statement regarding his fear of death is almost certainly untrue. Orcs are notorious cowards when they feel that they are outmatched. Indeed that's one of the main reasons why the Eld later ended up breeding Hobgoblins and Gnolls. Orcs are fierce as hell when they feel they have an advantage, but like most bullies they are pretty cowardly when someone has the ability and willingness to stand up to them.