The Ancient Paths - Path I

[Legildur]

Dowkan gathers his belongings and returns to a position in the column with Nae'talis and the others. He figures he may as well start earning his keep now, and stays in the general vicinity of Hrolf, but without giving any real indication that he is trying to do so - using Nae'talis, his 'employer' as a screen. He spends his time idly wondering about all that is going on, and why a guard is being left in the caves.

"Remember, Nae'talis. You be lettin' me know if that there axe be gettin' a to heavy for ya ta carry on this long walk," offers Dowkan.

 

[ae1vart0n]

Hildor sits there quietly for a moment.

"I'm not good with words," Hildor warned. Once again he was going to get himself in trouble. "So forgive me if I offend. I'm breaking a promise of sorts by not being as discrete as I could. I know they distrust me. They misjudge me and I don't care." Hildor looked to judge Braggi's reaction before continuing. He wasn't required to be discrete about this, but it would be better if Braggi thought he was.

"I'm picky in which jobs I take, so that I'm not required to do wrong. In this case however, it is difficult to decide who is right. Nobody on any side is willing to share information. But I know I don't like the creatures in that cave. If you're after them I'll tell you what little I know. I would appreciate it if what I tell you stays in this tent, and I would also appreciate it if you would tell me what's going on in return. I don't expect you to though."

"I have a customer who doesn't like you. Your business with him seems completely removed from mine. He says he will attack you during a great gathering.

Hildor paused before saying anything about the mage. After all, discretion meant not revealing your purpose, and making sure the one followed was oblivious. It meant witholding information that would reveal your task. The attack wasn't pertinent, the mage was.

"It's ironic isn't it. Everyone thinks I know more, so nobody tells me anything"

 

[hippocrachus]

~ Hildor ~

"Forgive me if I don't believe you are the one being victimized here, Hildor. I don't think you're being completely honest with me." Braggi seems to relax a bit in his careful scrutiny of the elf. "That you know your...customer is going to attack us is troubling. Things will go hard for you if you are withholding information about this attack. In the meantime, I will put my officers on alert.
All you need to know right now is that the cave is dangerous. I for one don't think you know as much as you think 'everyone' else thinks you do. Which is good for you. See that your self-importance doesn't become more than fantasy."
Braggi stares at Hildor expectantly to see if he would say anything else.

[sblock]The torches were there before Hildor and the others went to bed the night before. They were probably put there by Slazzik. Hrolf wasn't any more dazed when he awoke than Nae'talis was. Let's strike the comment Hildor made concerning those subjects from the record [/sblock]

 

[Dhes]

As Hrolf takes his leave of Braggi, he gives one last blank look at the Elf standing at the tent flap.
Giving nodes and salutes to old friends and companions as he makes his way through the camp in search of Nea’talis. Hrolf quickly finds the young mage already seated at a small camp fire, ”The elf is talking to Braggi, don’t be surprised if we are witness to a beheading before we break camp.”

 

[ae1vart0n]

Importance? Meh. In the scheme of things Hildor knew his place, or rather that he didn't have one. As speaking went, this had turned out well. Just a mild warning, no serious threats this time. He decided he liked Braggi.

Hildor stood to walk out of the tent, but as he gets to the opening, he stops for a second. Not bothering to turn around, but still holding the tent closed,

"Just one thing. Probably not very useful, but he calls himself Mars."

Hildor leaves the tent and heads to join Nae'talis where he left him.

 

[hippocrachus]

~ The Adventurers ~

Braggi cocks an eyebrow at Hildor when he mentions Mars. There doesn't seem to be any recognition in his steady gaze.
Hildor finds the others standing around chatting with a few soldiers. Much to the surprise of Hrolf, the elf's head is still attached. Maybe he passed Tyr's judgment after all...
After a short wait, those that are heading to Silverdown break camp and start the half-day journey through the foothills of the Spine of the World to the ravaged hamlet. At one point during the march, the Tyrrans come upon a small goblin camp and dispatch merciless justice on their vile little heads. Random encounters aren't much of a challenge against near a hundred armored soldiers.
Just before the sun sets in the horizon, the party comes to Silverdown. Even in the dying light, the once completely dilapidated hamlet is alive with the sounds of repair. What was once an inn now seems to be the base of operations for the Tyrran reconstruction of Silverdown. Two silhouettes crawl about its roof patching holes and calling down to those passing in the streets to hurry up and grab a hammer. Several ranking men stand about chatting idly outside of its heavy, freshly cut wooden doors.
The largest building, once the Temple of Helm, is alive with torchlight and priests sanctifying the ground in the name of Tyr. Only three of its massive stone walls still stand, and the entire wooden roof has caved in.
Some of the stone foundations of former houses have become the campsites of the group of workers. They wave their comrades over to join them, and slowly the legion disperses into the town.
A Justiciar, Harad, points the party to a smaller building next to the inn. This is where the four adventurers rest for the night.

~ Day VII ~

As the group takes turns waking up and going about their morning tasks of eating, praying, and studying, they're greeted with a golden-haired elven woman holding a whispered conversation with Harad.
Hildor can hear their names being mentioned quite a lot.

[sblock]A short stop in Silverdown and then its back to the caves to complete the adventure. Get some "shopping" and "researching" out of the way while you can [/sblock]

 

[Legildur]

"Ya can't say they do things by halves," Dowkan mutters more to himself than those around him as the scale of the rebuilding effort becomes evident.

As the small group settles in to the smaller building, the dwarven warrior excuses himself, figuring Hrolf safe enough in the hamlet, and goes to the damaged Temple of Helm. Looking across the stonework, he admires the quality of the cut, even if it is below dwarven standards. And seeing that the rebuilding is in good hands, with competent builders and masons, Dowkan thinks better of giving his advice based on his limited skill with stone, and returns to the others before settling in.

Rising in the morning, Dowkan wolfs down some trail rations as an appetizer. Stretching for a few moments, he eyes off the magical waraxe lying next Nae'talis, and sighs before lifting his own plain waraxe and moving outside. With the sun rising gently across the sacked hamlet, the dwarf starts his morning practise with a few swings and moves to limber up further before moving on to the more demanding exercises of his trade.

He watches as an elven woman speaks with the Justicar. He can't hear what they are saying, but something in him knows that it is the small group with Hrolf that they speak of.

[SBLOCK=Hippocrachus]Did Dowkan have to return the borrowed waraxe to the mercenary company, ie Captain Grogor? If so, substitute throwing axe in the above [/SBLOCK]

 

[hippocrachus]

[sblock]Yeah, but don't worry. Majin is going to flashback to Dowkan asking to take the magical axe off of Nae'talis' hands and hopefully resolve that. He's been...detained of late.[/sblock]

 

[Majin]

[sblock]Sorry for being absent the past couple of days. So that Legildur doesn't have to edit his post and since he seems to prefer that I give him the axe on Day 7, that's what I'll be doing. [/sblock]

His first stay in an inn since they'd left for the gaves awarded Nae'talis that chance to undress and finally have some semblance of a bath. This he was grateful for, but he could not say the same thing for what had been his first opportunity to dress himself fully in as long as he could remember. Belgal had always been there to wake him on time and assist him, and to personally guard him while he slept. His thoughts then went to the new arrival, a dwarf by chance as well. The young wizard was not so far up himself to believe his relationship with Dowkan would afford the luxuries it did with Belgal, for Belgal's was a special case...

Pragmatism.

He knew the axe was doing no good in his hands and silently he was disgusted with himself at his selfishness. That settled it then. The axe in this dwarf's hands would boost the party's chances of survival, which in turn led to Nae'talis himself staying alive. The choice was a foregone conclusion now.

When he met up with Dowkan in the morning he placed the heavy axe on the table in front of the dwarf with a soft clunk. "This axe as you know belonged to my servant. He kept us alive with it. Since it is clear that you are the obvious replacement for that, you are charged with doing this as well for as long as you wield it." He sat down next to the dwarf and lowered his voice considerably as he added, "Despite the fact that we are completing tasks for them. the church has many spies. Do not think I have ruled out the possibility of you being one as well, but any others that may play voyeur on us may get the wrong idea if they continue to see me keep my hold on this axe. They also should continue to think you are my hired hand as well. Be careful with who you reveal otherwise to. May you do honor to this weapon besides."

 

[hippocrachus]

~ Syrriel ~

She and the small group that volunteered to begin repairing Silverdown made good time across the rolling foothills of the giant mountain chain. When they reached the abandoned hamlet, Harad made sure her suggestions were carried out with alacrity. She wasn't comfortable using the word "orders," even though Braggi did give her the command.
Before Braggi and the rest of the Tyrrans came, she had gotten more accomplished than she could have hoped for. The volunteers were strong and well-organized, and all she really had to do was tell them where to go next.
Today was going to be a piece of cake. With the dwarves and the reinforcements, Silverdown would be back in working order soon enough. The only problem was that the legion didn't come prepared for rehabilitating an entire town. They lacked the necessary tools and equipment to get the job done.
"And what do you propose to do about it?" Braggi asks her after the sun was starting to breach the horizon.
"I thought you would be taking up the command now that you're here?"
"I may be called back to Silverymoon at any time. These men had better get used to someone else leading them in this matter in case that happens."
"We'll need shovels and barrows and tons of other things if we're going to get this done in a timely manner."
"Grogor and his band have agreed to help us. See to it." He nods in polite dismissal.
If he has a plan, why doesn't he just put it to use?
The dwarves were natural smiths and there was plenty of scrap metal laying about the ruined hamlet. One dwarf in particular, "Sunder," seemed over-enthused to help.
"I'll get ye some o' tha boys witha good hammer-stroke. Ye donna worry 'bout it, pretty lass."
Lass? Dwarves...
The next question was what to do about the Thayan and his rag-tag band sleeping in her quarters.
"Who let them in here?" she hisses at the handsome Justiciar that seemed too timid to be a commander.
"I did, Lady Syrriel," Harad replies in a barely audible whisper. "They may help you in the planning of Silverdown's defenses. They've had more experience with the enemy..."
He didn't know what she did about Nae'talis Ves'Aru.
She glances over at the dwarf sitting up and munching on rations. He waggles his fingers at her and she flushes crimson.
"See that Sunder has the smithy going before breakfast. We're not going to get anywhere unequipped for the job."
"Yes, Lady Syrriel."
Syrriel watches the Justiciar leave and then turns to the group relaxing on her floor.
"Well?"