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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mathew_Freeman" data-source="post: 1397355" data-attributes="member: 1846">Things Happen Quickly When You're Not Expecting Them Tarquin recieves a sending, asking Sigurd to remove his amulet of protection from detection so that he can talk to Kanor. Sigurd is then teleported out by Dovistar's teleport summons spell. After only a few moments, Sigurd is teleported back in, along with Ramu Khem. Greetings are exchanged all round, but Sigurd's tale of what just happened is interrupted as a group of Ogres charge down one tunnel, and warg riders appear at the door that the party entered! Xiang is charged by the largest of the Ogres, who deals him a tremendous blow with a large maul. Xiang is rocked back on his heels by the force of the impact, his black armour almost crumpling under the impact, but he steels himself and raises the Spear to retaliate. Fjorent is caught at the door, attempting to move a little way away to cast a flamestrike. The flames roar down as Xiang strikes back at the Ogre chief, dealing huge damage. As the flames clear from around the Ogres, Raven arrives, his holy avenger gleaming in the light as he smites evil. The Ogre chieftain, despite his strength and power, is slain outright. Sigurd has moved up, sword slicing into ogres. However, even as Tarquin moves over to help the wounded, the ogres counterattack and Fjorent lies crumpled beneath their blows. Tarquin checks - dead. On the other side, things are going somewhat better. Between rapid scimitar work by Ramu, arrows from Cailin and a circle of death from Leo, the wargs and their riders are quickly dying. Cailin is briefly tripped, but some more scimitar work, a magic missile and some fancy footwork by Cailin herself ends the problem. Then - a further set of arrivals. Goblins pour in through the door behind the wargs, whilst more come down the tunnel towards Raven even as he strikes down the remaining ogres. But the mighty wizard Leo is not only smart, but cunning. He selects the perfect spell - black tentacles. All the goblins manage only a single shot with their bows, scratching Sigurd and Raven before the tentacles grapple them and squeeze the life out of them. The final warg is slowly crushed as well. As quickly as they arrived, the goblins leave, and beyond the wall of thorns the sound of retreat is heard as well. The battle is well and truly won now, with the ogre chieftain slain, the goblin kind dead and the majority of the goblin warriors fallen. The cost of the fight is Fjorent's dead body. Tarquin kneels over her and begins to pray...for a full minute the strain is visible on his face as he channels the power of his God. It seems for a moment as though Fjorent is not willing to return, but then she does. Sitting up weakly, she turns and thanks Tarquin. He smiles, and casts heal, restoring her to almost full strength. Regrouping and setting a marching order, the group quickly discovers a locked door. Cailin has it open in a trice, to reveal a well decorated room containing three goblin concubines, and a human woman. One goblin has a small knife to the human's throat. Sigurd steps forward, clutching his sword. "Leave the woman, depart now, and we will let you live!" The goblins flee in terror. Sigurd allows himself a small smile of satisfaction. Sometimes it's nice to be intimidating. The woman speaks to him in the language of Ancient Gaxmoor, which fortunately he'd learnt from his cohort Larius. "I am Lady Claudia of Gaxmoor. Thank you for rescuing me." Further questioning, the group using Tarquin and Sigurd as translators, brings the information that she was captured when Heracules' forces took Gaxmoor. Once it was freed, she was taken to these caves and traded by the cambion's forces. She'd been used as a concubine and pit gladiator, slaying a hobgoblin in single combat, but was more than pleased to discover Larius was still alive. In fact, in turned out that there may be a very close relationship between the two of them, something that none of the group was aware of. Sigurd promised to keep her safe and lead her out. The party asked Alp Ciernan and Lady Claudia if they had any further ideas about what to do, which locations to strike next. It was determined that moving swiftly on would be best, and in short order the group found themselves outside an intimidating steel door. A sudden sound made Ramu look round, and he reacted quickly to chase off a small group of goblins, killing three. The door was investigated, and found to lead to a cunning trap room. As one, the group shrugged, glad that they hadn't fallen into it. Another sending arrived. Margrave Kanor wanted everyone back as quickly as possible. Between Leo and Tarquin, everyone was clear to teleport...bar one. Alp Ciernan solved the problem by asking the group to accompany him to his sacred grove. The cave system was quickly left behind, and after a short amount of travel, the sacred grove was in view. Alp moved in, and seemed overjoyed to see a large white boar. Embracing it, he turned and said "Thank you for everything. I will be safe now." Smiling at the reunion between a Druid and his animal companion, the group teleported back to Gaxmoor. * * * * Margrave Kanor was waiting for them. He quickly laid out the news. "General Ghyssk has arrived with his slave caravan. It seems that Carrisqui Town is still not fufilling it's obligations, and in fortuitous timing, Ghyssk has been elected to the Town Council. It seems he wants to take over - accepting me as his Lord, of course - and bring Carrisqui properly into the Scornic League. In addition to this, he believes that if they had somewhere to settle, 400 hobgoblins would desert Heraclues forces and come over to us. Now, this may not be a particularly big loss to Heracules forces - after all he has nearly 50 Frost Giants - but it would reinforce our own forces considerably. The key point is that he wants you, particularly Sigurd and Xiang, to help him oust the current council. Will you do it?" A short discussion followed, weighing up the pros and cons. By the groups reckoning, the reinforcements (although untrustworthy) could help the Gaxmoor forces quite considerably. Sigurd brought up the notion that the hobgoblins could be asked to desert on the field of battle, but it seemed that giving them a place to fight for was a better idea. Checking to see if Raven was happy with the morals of this plan, the group agreed to help Ghyssk take over, but only on the basis that no blood was to be spilt if it could be helped. Ghyssk was brought into the room, looking slightly nervously at Xiang and Sigurd. He repeated what he wanted, again promised that 400 hobgoblins would be the prize, as it were, and when the group signalled their acceptance he looked more than a touch relieved. However, Xiang and Sigurd both reminded him (subtly holding weapons at the time) that if any betrayal should happen on his part he'd feel the wrong end of vengeance. Ghyskk smiled, spread his hands and shrugged, as if to say "Who? Me?" * * * * Whilst Leo conjured phantom steeds for everyone, Cailin did a little bit of shopping in Gaxmoor one the behalf of other people, and a little appraising. The share of treasure from the goblins turned out to be nearly 3000gp each, and enough diamonds for Tarquin to cast two further raise dead spells, should they be needed. Raven also comissioned a cloak of charisma +2, and Ramu took the bracers of armour +4 that were found in the Night Hounds warren. Riding with wizardrous speed to Carrisqui, everyone arrived by nightfall. The move appeared to have taken the Council by surprise, as Ghyssk summoned them and briskly informed them of Margrave Kanor's decision. As the guards moved forwards to try and club him down, Sigurd stepped up and brought the full power of his reputation and leadership to bear, informing the Council members and the guards that the Margrave's decision was final, that Ghyssk had promised no harm to anyone involved in the Council, and that if the Council wanted bloodshed they would have to start it. Grumbling, the Council members left for their own forms. It took a moment for anyone to realise that Leo had gone with them. * * * * When he returned, he informed the group that the Council had met up and discussed the possibility of starting a riot. A large group of people had already formed outside. Sigurd and Xiang stepped outside, quickly. Once again, Sigurd's talent for diplomacy was greatly useful. He managed to answer the questions of the people, offer his personal assurances that no harm would come to any of them, and that this was all under the orders of Margrave Kanor. Xiang added that Kanor had offered incentives to anyone that wanted to move north to Gaxmoor, as that city was still looking for settlers. There seemed to be some agreement that this might be a good idea, not only amongst the people, but amongst the guards too. No further trouble occoured, and when, three days later 400 troops arrived from Dulleaburg to help Ghyssk keep order, the group teleported back to Gaxmoor. A major meeting of the heads of the Scornic League was imminent, and Kanor had asked everyone to go with him to Scornel and attend. Fjorent and Leo transported the group onwards, and soon everyone arrived at Scornel. A much bigger city than Gaxmoor, Scorn'el had a mediterranean feel. Much warmer than the hill city of Gaxmoor, Scorn'el looked down on a large lake. It was busy for the time of year, with delegations coming from several cities to try and sort out what the League intended to do about the threat of the Mongali attack that was expected next year. The group arrived at the temple of Carthea, and were greeted by the High Priestess of Carthea in Scorn'el, Aquila Velura. Feeling safe for the first time in many days, Xiang left the others and wandered down towards the lake, looking for a good lunch. Margrave Kanor went to speak with Maxilio Vebaris, the Mayor. The rest of the group looked around the place, Cailin and Ramu witnessing the arrival of the great warlord Kardus with his retinue of knights, whom many thought had a good choice of leading the fight against the Mongali. That night, everyone was invited to dine with the Mayor. Fine food and drink followed, along with a discussion about the situation facing the Scornic League. Maxilio reckoned that Kanor didn't stand much chance of being elected war leader, commenting that it seemed that most of the major aristocrats had put themselves forward for the role. He also brought the news that Zalindra the Devastator, consort of Overking Tarkane, was in Scorn'el. Quite what her intentions were, no one was sure. The discussion was wide ranging, but friendly. Sigurd talked about the possibility of bringing Trafalgis troops down from the North to help the League against the Mongali, but both he and Kanor warned that any troops from Dulleaburg and Gaxmoor might not make it if Heracules and his Frost Giants suceed in their attack, expected in the next few months. The fate of the whole region could be decided in the next six months or so, and Xiang felt that the actions of the people gathered around him would be critically important in deciding that fate... Next time: The meeting of the Margraves and Margravines, lots of talking, and possibly a fight? We can only hope...</blockquote>

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