Completely out of her element, knowing very little of dwarves, cities, or dwarves IN cities, Astra holds her tongue, but rests her hand lightly near the hilt of her blade. Close quarter fighting wasn't her specialty, but she didn't think these dwarves looked to present much challenge.
Insight's "The Isle of Dread" - Chapter One
- Thread starter Insight
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Insight
Adventurer
Inside the Secret Passage: Cassi, Nafije, Astra, Questor, and Vrashek
[sblock=Nafije]Nafije notes the steel construction of the manacles and realizes that these shackles belong to someone of money and importance. Nafije knows that dwarves are not often enslaved, at least not in these parts, so she has to presume that someone in Specularum or the surrounding territory must have imprisoned this dwarf. The manacles' chain is broken, but the manacles themselves are still firmly clamped around the dwarf's bare ankles.[/sblock]
The older dwarf, the tallest one, with the longest beard, lets his arm go slack, dropping the head of his pickaxe to his side. "I am called Rake Stormstone and that's about all you lot need to know about me." He motions to the dwarf behind him, the one with the scar across his nose. "This is Grunder Spikeshorn. We're dwarves for hire. I'm not going to tell you who employs us, so don't bother asking. We're down here on a job. Looking for a lost... trinket. Our employer would very much like us to recover it."
Grunder steps forward. "You don't look like the excavatin' type," he says. "Not sure what help ye will be able to provide."
Rake frowns at his companion. "Well, now, Grunder. Hold that thought. We might just be in the company of some adventuring types." He looks squarely at Nafije. "Perhaps a mage or a priestess. They are well-known to be able to provide... unusual sorts of assistance."
[sblock=Nafije]Nafije notes the steel construction of the manacles and realizes that these shackles belong to someone of money and importance. Nafije knows that dwarves are not often enslaved, at least not in these parts, so she has to presume that someone in Specularum or the surrounding territory must have imprisoned this dwarf. The manacles' chain is broken, but the manacles themselves are still firmly clamped around the dwarf's bare ankles.[/sblock]
Questor, seeing that some charisma is called for in dealing with the Dwarves, steps to the front of the party. "Gentlemen, gentlemen, gentlemen ... and gentledwarves, and ladies.... Let us not quibble amongst ourselves concerning such inconsequential details! Both groups here have their own work to perform, so let us see whether any among us may have information or advice that will assist the other group in performing their chosen tasks, shall we? Master Dwarves, you were here first so you have the honor of speaking in the first place: Please tell us whether there is any assistance that we may render to you that will be of help to you?"
The older dwarf, the tallest one, with the longest beard, lets his arm go slack, dropping the head of his pickaxe to his side. "I am called Rake Stormstone and that's about all you lot need to know about me." He motions to the dwarf behind him, the one with the scar across his nose. "This is Grunder Spikeshorn. We're dwarves for hire. I'm not going to tell you who employs us, so don't bother asking. We're down here on a job. Looking for a lost... trinket. Our employer would very much like us to recover it."
Grunder steps forward. "You don't look like the excavatin' type," he says. "Not sure what help ye will be able to provide."
Rake frowns at his companion. "Well, now, Grunder. Hold that thought. We might just be in the company of some adventuring types." He looks squarely at Nafije. "Perhaps a mage or a priestess. They are well-known to be able to provide... unusual sorts of assistance."
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Insight
Adventurer
At the Temple District (Adam, Geirgrim, and Skaros)
Shabby Ken stifles a bit of a laugh. "Yeah, you could, ah, say that, guvna." He spits on the ground. Sorry, old chap. I should know betta than to spit before a great knight such as yerself." He straightens himself up. "Yeah. They was whores. I mean... prostitutes. Some of 'em. Not all of 'em."
"T'were some, um, crates and the like. You know. I dunna remember nuthin' special 'bout em. First mate was talkin' about some island south o' here. I dunno anythin' south along the sealanes. Nuthin' that's not polluted with cannibals and flying monsters!"
Shabby Ken stifles a bit of a laugh. "Yeah, you could, ah, say that, guvna." He spits on the ground. Sorry, old chap. I should know betta than to spit before a great knight such as yerself." He straightens himself up. "Yeah. They was whores. I mean... prostitutes. Some of 'em. Not all of 'em."
"T'were some, um, crates and the like. You know. I dunna remember nuthin' special 'bout em. First mate was talkin' about some island south o' here. I dunno anythin' south along the sealanes. Nuthin' that's not polluted with cannibals and flying monsters!"
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JustKim
First Post
"One is an escaped prisoner," Nafije whispered at the backs of her friends while the dwarf spoke.
As speaker of the Eternal Truth, al-Kalim would probably not appreciate lies. But these were not lies, surely. They were just creative phrasing of the truth. If the dwarves drew the conclusion that Nafije could- and would- perform this ritual, that was of their own device.
Nafije gave a slight bow and dipped her head to the side in silent admission of her nature. "You're not mistaken. There are many things a wizard can do that might prove useful. I know of several different rituals that can locate objects, for instance. But first, an accurate description of the trinket and its properties is needed. Magic is fickle like that."
As speaker of the Eternal Truth, al-Kalim would probably not appreciate lies. But these were not lies, surely. They were just creative phrasing of the truth. If the dwarves drew the conclusion that Nafije could- and would- perform this ritual, that was of their own device.
Insight
Adventurer
At the Temple District (Adam, Geirgrim, and Skaros)
"Some dwarf. I think his name were Barb... no, wait, that weren't it," Shabby Ken says. "Ah, I reckon 'twas Hanniken. He had a really red beard. Ship was fulla dwarves. Ne'er seen so many of them shorties on one ship! Some bearded bloke was e'en the cap'n! Looked kinda old fer a dwarf, but I dinna talk to him."
"Some dwarf. I think his name were Barb... no, wait, that weren't it," Shabby Ken says. "Ah, I reckon 'twas Hanniken. He had a really red beard. Ship was fulla dwarves. Ne'er seen so many of them shorties on one ship! Some bearded bloke was e'en the cap'n! Looked kinda old fer a dwarf, but I dinna talk to him."
Walking Dad
First Post
Adam of Brightcastle
"Thanks Ken. My friends and me will look into this. If we get any information how to heal your condition or how to break this cures... whatever it is... we will bring it back so you can maybe be cured. You have my word!" Adam proclaims.
"Thanks Ken. My friends and me will look into this. If we get any information how to heal your condition or how to break this cures... whatever it is... we will bring it back so you can maybe be cured. You have my word!" Adam proclaims.
Astra fidgets slightly with an arrow's fletching, where it pokes out of the quiver at her hip. She wasn't following what people were saying too well. In her mind, this was pretty simple. The dwarves were clearly prisoners who had been freed by some criminal mastermind who was using them as minions to discover the location of a particular object...no doubt something valuable, stolen or lost down here.
Why they treated bandits in the city differently than the bandits outside was a mystery to Astra, but she accepted it as a human idiom...even if it did make the process of confrontation much lengthier.
Why they treated bandits in the city differently than the bandits outside was a mystery to Astra, but she accepted it as a human idiom...even if it did make the process of confrontation much lengthier.
Leif
Adventurer
Questor, Halfling Chaos Sorcerer 6
Questor cannot for the life of him understand why humans, dwarves, and elves have to make everything so bloody difficult. All he knew now was that he found himself somewhere beneath the city of Specularum with a motley group including elves and humans, with a band of dwarvish slaves, prisoners, or some such who evidently had only very recently regained their freedom by some means, fair or foul. "Please, would someone kindly tell me just what in blazes is going on around here?" Questor is at loose ends, and, surprisingly enough, he finds himself trusting Vrashek (the HALF-ORC for crying out loud!) the most of all the people he has recently met!
Questor cannot for the life of him understand why humans, dwarves, and elves have to make everything so bloody difficult. All he knew now was that he found himself somewhere beneath the city of Specularum with a motley group including elves and humans, with a band of dwarvish slaves, prisoners, or some such who evidently had only very recently regained their freedom by some means, fair or foul. "Please, would someone kindly tell me just what in blazes is going on around here?" Questor is at loose ends, and, surprisingly enough, he finds himself trusting Vrashek (the HALF-ORC for crying out loud!) the most of all the people he has recently met!
Insight
Adventurer
Inside the Secret Passage: Cassi, Nafije, Astra, Questor, and Vrashek
Rake runs his sausage fingers through a wild and unkempt beard. "Aye, many a times I've seen the bizarre workings of a mage. All right, I'll tell you what I know, which isn't preciously much."
"Hold on!" the dwarf with the broken manacles around his ankles says. He looks to Nafije. "What do you want in return for your magical aid? I know wizards aren't keen to part with their spells without compensation."
All three dwarves then turn to look at the human wizard.
The dwarves turn to look at Questor. They then turn back to looking at Nafije.
Rake runs his sausage fingers through a wild and unkempt beard. "Aye, many a times I've seen the bizarre workings of a mage. All right, I'll tell you what I know, which isn't preciously much."
"Hold on!" the dwarf with the broken manacles around his ankles says. He looks to Nafije. "What do you want in return for your magical aid? I know wizards aren't keen to part with their spells without compensation."
All three dwarves then turn to look at the human wizard.
The dwarves turn to look at Questor. They then turn back to looking at Nafije.
stonegod
Spawn of Khyber/LEB Judge
Skaros smiled tightly, but said nothing until the disabled man left. You promise too much, friends, in your haste to act in the good. Many an noble deed only ends in punishment. He swirls his finger on the rim of his drink, thinking. But this story may have bearing on the information we seek about the Isle. For now, we wait for the others.
JustKim
First Post
Nafije couldn't help but use guile to twist things in their favor. She knew very well that their encounter with the dwarves would end in bloodshed, but before it reached that point, she would get everything she could out of them. Astra and Questor might know her style well- after all, they had worked together before.
"And I know dwarves are too stubborn to accept help when it's offered. Perhaps one of us is wrong about the other."
"And I know dwarves are too stubborn to accept help when it's offered. Perhaps one of us is wrong about the other."
Insight
Adventurer
Inside the Secret Passage: Cassi, Nafije, Astra, Questor, and Vrashek
Rake grins. "Fair enough, then," he says. "I take you at your word, sorceress. What, then, do you need from me?"
Rake grins. "Fair enough, then," he says. "I take you at your word, sorceress. What, then, do you need from me?"
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