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<blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 2762547" data-attributes="member: 3192"><p>Darius turned to Grog who was last. “Grog have flying dream too,” he said. “Grog miss the mountains.” The big guy looked as despondent as ever. Darius stood up and dusted himself off. “Pax, Rose, Ormand, Diedre. You are to accompany Father Ben to the town. He has contacts who might be living there and possibly help us. Their names are Sebastion and Celestia Wainwright.” </p><p>“Why hasn’t he told us this before?” barked Dram. “Does this have something to do with those rocks from last night?”</p><p>“What rocks?” balked Rose. “Husband, you have never told me this!” She looked genuinely annoyed.</p><p>“It was not to be said,” responded Ben hotly. “These are folks I have never met, Dram. And I cannot say how I know them.” Darius agreed with him and clammed up about the details. He ordered everyone to prepare to leave. Dram stormed out of the cave entrance fuming with anger.</p><p></p><p>Outside the Dram spotted smoke coming from the south. Climbing up to the top of the hillock behind the cave he scanned the horizon. About a half mile from where he stood at the wood’s edge he saw several buildings billowing with smoke and flame. “Orlain,” he said to himself. Closer he spotted a large mass of men riding towards the forest line. They would pass close to the cave entrance in a few minutes. Outside of the cave Father Ben and his welcoming party had just exited. Dram ran forward and jumped to the floor in front of the cave. He shouted to the five on horseback. “Dozens of riders! Moving fast. (huff, huff) Sacked the town. (huff) Headed this way!” Ben and his followers halted and doubled back. Darius ran outside and started shouting orders. </p><p></p><p>Everyone quickly broke down the encampment. Rose called out to a bird in the woods nearby. They whistled to each other and then it sped off in the direction of the riders. “What did they look like Dram?” asked Darius. Dram could not make out more than a common armor all wore and a tall banner one rider carried in front. The bird returned, but was no help. It could not understand the difference between humanoids or give good descriptions. The team mounted and trotted their horses towards the oncoming force. The land’s hilly terrain kept both groups out of sight of each other. Rose took point and swung a wide loop around. With her uncanny direction sense the team planned to cut off the marauders. As they crested a small rise Rose saw the other group come to a halt. “We’ve been spotted,” she warned the others. </p><p></p><p>When they crested the next hill a band of mercenaries was displayed before them. Three covered wagons were in a line along the far side. Several riders and more on foot pointed crossbows towards the team and their horses. All of them were gnolls over seven feet tall. From behind, Grog jogged, finally catching up with the team. “No one make any sudden moves,” ordered Darius. It was obvious the gnoll warband was headed back to the forest with their plunder. Activity could be seen from inside the covered wagons. A rider in front stood up in his saddle and waved a white flag. Diedre supplied a white veil for Grog to wave up high. The gnolls on horseback cautiously dismounted. The warband moved closer together into an oval with the horses in the center and the wagons behind. Each one had a crossbow out and a small shield propped in front of them. Darius looked on appreciatively. He knew a well-trained fighting force when he saw it. </p><p></p><p>He dismounted and signaled for his friends to do likewise. “See how they are battle scarred? They’ve seen some fighting recently…and from more than just villagers. By Thor, they’re bigger than you Pax!” When the whole team had dismounted (it took some time to convince Dram to do so), three gnolls walked forward with the white flag in hand. “Who can speak gnoll?” asked Darius. Pax said he could. Grog could too. They were accompanied down the hill by Kayla and Dalin at their backs, their best wizard and best warrior. Grog defiantly held the white veil high in the air. “Perhaps I should conduct the parley, Grog,” Pax said flatly. </p><p> </p><p>“Do you wish to buy some of our slaves?” yelled the leader in the gnoll tongue. Pax took a deep breath to calm his nerves. </p><p>“How many do you have for sale?”</p><p>“Twenty adults. 15 children.” Pax rubbed his chin trying to look shrewd. </p><p>“How much for all of them?” he asked.</p><p>The three gnolls yipped with laughter. “50 gold”, said the leader staring hard at Pax.</p><p>“Hmm…. including the wagons?”</p><p>The leader barked. “No! No wagons.”</p><p></p><p>The terms were set. Kayla asked Pax to try and move them closer to the oval of gnolls. Pax turned back to the leader and made friendly conversation trying to ingratiate himself. He asked to inspect the slaves before purchasing. The leader took Pax back towards the wagons. Kayla and Dalin quickly followed along. Grog was confused and stayed with the two gnolls who began to shift nervously. As they moved the large oval of crouched gnolls shifted direction so Pax and the other two were covered by crossbow as well. The gnoll leader seemed friendly, but his forces had not relaxed at all. Kayla looked knowingly into Dalin’s eyes. She wanted to cast her sleep spell now she was close enough to catch everyone in it. Dalin counted at least forty gnolls in the oval and shook his head slightly. </p><p></p><p>The leader pulled a small human form from the back of one of the wagons. Inside its’ covered bed were several more gnolls guarding other wrapped bodies. Each one was covered in cloth from head to toe. It was impossible to determine if any were alive or dead… or even human. “We give them something to keep them quiet,” said the gnoll leader. “They should wake up tomorrow sometime.” Pax was not sure he could trust the warrior. The leader spoke again, “No. Sick, but okay. They will vomit.” Pax smiled broadly. He was fearful of what might happen should he lose their trust. A second gnoll slit open the wrappings of the small bundle. A human child of around ten years old slipped out unconscious to the ground. Moving slowly, Pax examined the body. The boy appeared to be asleep. </p><p></p><p>Just then the gnolls’ horses started neighing loudly. Something had disturbed them. Pax heard the gnoll force creak as it shifted before firing. “No! No!” he shouted waving his arms above his head at his friends on the hill. He looked at the leader. “That was not us. We wish to do business.” Up on the hill Father Ben looked over at Rose. She was whistling innocently, and then stopped. After another tense minute the leader laughed in the peculiar manner all gnolls do and slapped Pax on the back. Negotiations were back on. “Let us go into the forest where it is safer,” he suggested. Pax was not exactly thrilled by the proposition.</p><p>“There is a cave nearby. I think we would be safer inside than in the woods,” said Pax. The leader grinned and said no. Each side was too scared of an ambush.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="howandwhy99, post: 2762547, member: 3192"] Darius turned to Grog who was last. “Grog have flying dream too,” he said. “Grog miss the mountains.” The big guy looked as despondent as ever. Darius stood up and dusted himself off. “Pax, Rose, Ormand, Diedre. You are to accompany Father Ben to the town. He has contacts who might be living there and possibly help us. Their names are Sebastion and Celestia Wainwright.” “Why hasn’t he told us this before?” barked Dram. “Does this have something to do with those rocks from last night?” “What rocks?” balked Rose. “Husband, you have never told me this!” She looked genuinely annoyed. “It was not to be said,” responded Ben hotly. “These are folks I have never met, Dram. And I cannot say how I know them.” Darius agreed with him and clammed up about the details. He ordered everyone to prepare to leave. Dram stormed out of the cave entrance fuming with anger. Outside the Dram spotted smoke coming from the south. Climbing up to the top of the hillock behind the cave he scanned the horizon. About a half mile from where he stood at the wood’s edge he saw several buildings billowing with smoke and flame. “Orlain,” he said to himself. Closer he spotted a large mass of men riding towards the forest line. They would pass close to the cave entrance in a few minutes. Outside of the cave Father Ben and his welcoming party had just exited. Dram ran forward and jumped to the floor in front of the cave. He shouted to the five on horseback. “Dozens of riders! Moving fast. (huff, huff) Sacked the town. (huff) Headed this way!” Ben and his followers halted and doubled back. Darius ran outside and started shouting orders. Everyone quickly broke down the encampment. Rose called out to a bird in the woods nearby. They whistled to each other and then it sped off in the direction of the riders. “What did they look like Dram?” asked Darius. Dram could not make out more than a common armor all wore and a tall banner one rider carried in front. The bird returned, but was no help. It could not understand the difference between humanoids or give good descriptions. The team mounted and trotted their horses towards the oncoming force. The land’s hilly terrain kept both groups out of sight of each other. Rose took point and swung a wide loop around. With her uncanny direction sense the team planned to cut off the marauders. As they crested a small rise Rose saw the other group come to a halt. “We’ve been spotted,” she warned the others. When they crested the next hill a band of mercenaries was displayed before them. Three covered wagons were in a line along the far side. Several riders and more on foot pointed crossbows towards the team and their horses. All of them were gnolls over seven feet tall. From behind, Grog jogged, finally catching up with the team. “No one make any sudden moves,” ordered Darius. It was obvious the gnoll warband was headed back to the forest with their plunder. Activity could be seen from inside the covered wagons. A rider in front stood up in his saddle and waved a white flag. Diedre supplied a white veil for Grog to wave up high. The gnolls on horseback cautiously dismounted. The warband moved closer together into an oval with the horses in the center and the wagons behind. Each one had a crossbow out and a small shield propped in front of them. Darius looked on appreciatively. He knew a well-trained fighting force when he saw it. He dismounted and signaled for his friends to do likewise. “See how they are battle scarred? They’ve seen some fighting recently…and from more than just villagers. By Thor, they’re bigger than you Pax!” When the whole team had dismounted (it took some time to convince Dram to do so), three gnolls walked forward with the white flag in hand. “Who can speak gnoll?” asked Darius. Pax said he could. Grog could too. They were accompanied down the hill by Kayla and Dalin at their backs, their best wizard and best warrior. Grog defiantly held the white veil high in the air. “Perhaps I should conduct the parley, Grog,” Pax said flatly. “Do you wish to buy some of our slaves?” yelled the leader in the gnoll tongue. Pax took a deep breath to calm his nerves. “How many do you have for sale?” “Twenty adults. 15 children.” Pax rubbed his chin trying to look shrewd. “How much for all of them?” he asked. The three gnolls yipped with laughter. “50 gold”, said the leader staring hard at Pax. “Hmm…. including the wagons?” The leader barked. “No! No wagons.” The terms were set. Kayla asked Pax to try and move them closer to the oval of gnolls. Pax turned back to the leader and made friendly conversation trying to ingratiate himself. He asked to inspect the slaves before purchasing. The leader took Pax back towards the wagons. Kayla and Dalin quickly followed along. Grog was confused and stayed with the two gnolls who began to shift nervously. As they moved the large oval of crouched gnolls shifted direction so Pax and the other two were covered by crossbow as well. The gnoll leader seemed friendly, but his forces had not relaxed at all. Kayla looked knowingly into Dalin’s eyes. She wanted to cast her sleep spell now she was close enough to catch everyone in it. Dalin counted at least forty gnolls in the oval and shook his head slightly. The leader pulled a small human form from the back of one of the wagons. Inside its’ covered bed were several more gnolls guarding other wrapped bodies. Each one was covered in cloth from head to toe. It was impossible to determine if any were alive or dead… or even human. “We give them something to keep them quiet,” said the gnoll leader. “They should wake up tomorrow sometime.” Pax was not sure he could trust the warrior. The leader spoke again, “No. Sick, but okay. They will vomit.” Pax smiled broadly. He was fearful of what might happen should he lose their trust. A second gnoll slit open the wrappings of the small bundle. A human child of around ten years old slipped out unconscious to the ground. Moving slowly, Pax examined the body. The boy appeared to be asleep. Just then the gnolls’ horses started neighing loudly. Something had disturbed them. Pax heard the gnoll force creak as it shifted before firing. “No! No!” he shouted waving his arms above his head at his friends on the hill. He looked at the leader. “That was not us. We wish to do business.” Up on the hill Father Ben looked over at Rose. She was whistling innocently, and then stopped. After another tense minute the leader laughed in the peculiar manner all gnolls do and slapped Pax on the back. Negotiations were back on. “Let us go into the forest where it is safer,” he suggested. Pax was not exactly thrilled by the proposition. “There is a cave nearby. I think we would be safer inside than in the woods,” said Pax. The leader grinned and said no. Each side was too scared of an ambush. [/QUOTE]
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