(IC) Against the Giants PBP Group 2

[Snarf Zagyg]

Doc had been moseying down the trail, makin' sure not to scare up any critters along the way, when he first heard the voices and smelt the burnt embers of a campfire. Reckon I'm too far away for the rest of the amigos. Could be some more rustlers.

Doc drew his peacemaker and began silently circling around where he last heard the voices, using the limits of the senses granted by the Sheriff to determine what lay in the darkness beyond.

OOC: Darkvision = 60' Stealth: 1D20+6 = [10]+6 = 16 Active Perception: 1D20+10 = [15]+10 = 25 Doc AC14 HP 84/84 THP 0/13 HD 9/9 PP20 SSdc16 2/2 Wls 4/4 Crs 1/1 PL 4/4 Wsp 1/1

 

[FitzTheRuke]

It was quite the posse indeed. From hunkered low behind a small stand of trees, Doc was able to determine by the scattering of tents in the dale before him, there had to be a company of between two and three dozen men. Many were in their tents, but a few huddled around two small campfires for warmth in the cool night air. They were humans, and dressed in the same style as Lord Faldur's men. Doc could make out their words now, as one tall man in a fine cape leaned over a seated man and chastised him, "Well, you can bloody well do your duty in the morning and find us this bloody cairn, can't you? Or I'll have you shipped off to Dungrees Island where you can 'scout' for land serpents."

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Doc stood completely still, puzzling over the new information. He reckoned he still wasn't great at picking out the clothes of the fancy lads here, but they looked like the hired hands of Lord Faldur. And they were certainly a lot shorter than the rustlers he had been tangled up with. Still, if there were just more ranch hands of Faldur, why couldn't they find the ol' corral? Were they lost? Stupid? Both? Or maybe there was something more sinister in the air.

Tarnations. Maybe things are better here than where I came from. Still, no good deed unpunished. Either they need my help, or I'll be as welcome as rattlesnake at a squaredance. Better play it close.

Doc approached the campfire silently, until he could be seen in the baleful flames, and looked at the man in the cape. These fancy lads shoor do like them capes. Heard y'all looking for a cairn. Name's Doc. Just came from a cairn yonder. Be happy to take y'all there, if'n that what you need.

Doc paused for a second, measuring up the people in front of him. Suddenly, he remember the single most important thing that had been bothering him. Y'all got any smokes on you?

OOC: If these are Faldur's men, near as Doc can tell, he will guide them back to the cairn when they are ready.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

To the soldiers, it was as if a warm breeze blew into camp, and suddenly Doc was standing there, dark and mysterious, and speaking in a strange drawl. There was some commotion (the man in the cape yelped and called for guards) before things calmed down when his intention became clear. After a brief discussion, Doc learned that the caped man was one Captain Caine leading a force of thirty Kingsmen, here to bolster Lord Faldur's forces.

"And to give the Giants what-for, eh?" said Captain Caine, who was eager to hear anything that Doc had to tell him about what had happened in the area so far.

When Doc had a chance to ask around for tobacco, he was dismayed to find that the soldiers narcotic of choice was some kind of chewing root (called "chuff") that made the lips numb and was clearly bad for the teeth. At least they'd heard of tobacco, which was a relief, but it seemed that it was exclusive to very posh nobility and imported from very far away.

Captain Caine considered it a "vice"; (in fact, Doc had to be careful not to get the common soldiers caught by him for their chuff-use, which was forbidden). Finding a smoke was going to be harder than Doc would like.

* * *

Kahru swooped past the guard in the watchtower and then through a space in the stairs riser (easy enough as they were heighted for giants). He landed softly on an oak cross-beam that supported the watchtower above, where he could see into the roofed yard that was housed the steading's main gate. Watching the big doors were four ogres (very probably a family of them - an Ogre, an Ogress, and two youths).

His attention was drawn to the Ogress, who had, hanging from her belt, a very familiar item: a small rune-inscribed whistle.

OOC: I'm very sorry, but I forgot (and just spent 20 minutes trying to find, to no avail) what exactly the object that Kahru is looking for that was stolen by ogres. She has it, though!

 

[Tonguez]

OOC: Kahru's Quest:

OOC: Find Mudsmuck and the Eagle Whistle

Waythe was roaring now, pushing the Hawk-form druid to transform and slaughter the accursed ogres that he could see, as vengeance for the slain!.

Pelikku had been young and vibrant, not even old enough to trim a beard and each day he pestered the warriors to take him out to patrol and to hunt. Finally Kahru had relented, promising the boys father that he would keep him safe, but that had been a lie. They had not been prepared for Mudsmucks raid, they had let their guard down and Kahru had watched helplessly as the boys head was smashed by an ogres club and the Eagle whistle pulled from the boys neck.

Unwelcomed now in his clan, Kahru had spent so long searching for the hated Mudsmuck, following tracks and rumours and leaving other dead ogres in his wake. Now his enemy was here and the Eagle whistle hung as a trophy on an ogres hip!

The druid felt the first stirring of transformation, but somewhere in his bird-mind he remembered the Colonel and the others waiting outside. Vengeance is a dish best served cold and the ogres could wait a little longer…

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Doc felt relieved that he took the chance on these amigos, although he didn't much cotton to Captain Caine; the Sheriff taught him not to trust a man without a single redeeming vice, and this fancy lad seemed a little too caught up in the affairs of others that had naught to do with 'im.

Still, Doc knew that Lord Faldur would be right-pleased to see more people, and some additional arms wouldn't hurt his posse either. He pulled up next to the fire to regale Captain Cane and the others with the story of how his pardners stormed the stronghold of the Giants and freed the enslaved little folk, until they were ready for Doc to guide them back to the Cairn.

OOC: Doc gets Captain Caine up to speed while his men get ready, then guides them the short distance back to the Cairn to meet up with Kaligan and Gimlak.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

When Doc had finished his tale, Captain Caine whistled and said, "Sounds like much of the Glory has been had! I positively can't wait to have my chance at one of these 'larges' (you see what I did there by inverting their name for us). Haw! I am known to have quite the wit!"

It occurred to Doc that a full company of thirty men would not fit comfortably into the Cairn, which was already crowded. This camp was secluded enough to not draw attention to the cairn (in fact, if the Giants were to discover it, they would likely assume that this was where their enemy was, and leave the cairn alone).

Captain Caine left his second in command and Doc showed him to Lord Faldur, who was happy to be woken up for the news of their arrival. Gimlak and Kaligan heard about it, though they both still needed a few hours of sleep to be fully rested. Captain Caine and Lord Faldur discussed a plan for the morning (Caine immediately began to push for a full assault on the Steading), but Lord Faldur insisted that they should wait until the celebrated 'group' - the soldiers had taken to calling them 'the Headsmen' (for their taking of the Giant Chief's head, which was displayed on a stone slab in the Cairn) - had time to check the situation in the Steading in the morning.

A tentative plan of a midday assault was agreed upon.

Doc was free to return to the Steading, or wait for his two companions to be ready (which would be just before dawn).

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

After seeing that everything was all set and that his amigos would need a little more restin', Doc told Captain Caine and Lord Faldur that he would meet everyone at the camp before setting off together for the steading.

Doc moseys back to the steading and joins the men that are awake for some cards and a little bit of the drink. Figures he'd try himsself some of that chuff while he's at it.

OOC: Doc rejoins the men at the camp and waits for Captain Caine, Kaligan, and Gimlak to join up before going to the Steading in the morning.

 

[Kobold Stew]

When Doc returns, he relays what he's observed of the fort -- comings, goings, shifts, and so forth.

 

[Maxperson]

Kaligan turns to the medic after he's finished, "My thanks for your aid my friend. I feel like I've fallen down a mountainside. Your advice is well taken and I will rest." Afterwards he goes and finds a bed somewhere and collapses into it. In the morning he will meditate for a while and wait for his companions.