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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 1538803" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #268] The Great Debate[/PLAIN]Morier and Ixin met up with Karak and Feln as the latter two returned from their search and destroy mission. The dwarf and half-orc were arguing in hushed tones that would occasionally flair into near shouting. Most of the shouting came from Karak."Did you find the last goblin?" Morier asked at once and Feln nodded."The owl found it. I killed it," the half orc explained."Ye do nae get to count one runt gobbo that I was just about to squish between me axe and a rock," Karak protested loudly."It was my kill," Feln replied softly."Nae! That be unfair," the dwarf argued. "But I'll be keepin' an eye on your count, that be for sure!""It was my kill," Feln muttered again."What happened exactly?" Ixin asked and they recounted the goblin's quick demise. There was some dispute over whether the shuriken sneak attack or the waraxe coup de grace had done the creature in."It was still twitchin' when I split its head! But that was a nifty bit of throwin' with those forged disks, though," Karak admitted, pointing at the half-orc with his gore-smeared waraxe. "Might nice work those things. I bet ye a dwarf made those, eh?" Feln merely shrugged in response."Let's get back to camp," Morier suggested and the others agreed.They recounted the tale again for Ledare and Vade once they'd all safely returned to their campsite. Ledare listened politely as she cleaned Ravager's blade with a torn bit of goblin-cloak. Watching her work, Karak raised his waraxe and glowered at the blade critically."Well, it'n be a long long time since ye tasted gobbo blood, eh?" he said to the weapon. "I figurin' it be nigh time I bless ye an' clean ye up."He went and rummaged noisily through his pack until he produced a bundle of tools for the care of arms and armor. He stuffed this under his arm and trundled over to confront Feln. "I dare say, lad, ye understand I hold ye no personal grudge, see'n as how ye can nae help how ye been born or who ye been born to," Karak said, sneering in disgust at Feln's orcish features despite his best attempts to be diplomatic. "Plus ye 'n' me fought and that makes it a'right for us to travel together. But ye see, I have to clean and bless this 'ere axe from tastin' the goblin blood, and whilst I do that the axe can nae see orc blood too. You be gettin' me meaning?"Feln glowered down at the dwarf, but said nothing."I'll just have to ask ye to stand over here for a spell, won't ye, good lad?" Karak asked and then headed off for the far side of the clearing without waiting for an answer.Vade edged up to Feln's side and said, "That's just how dwarf's are, buddy. Don't let it bother you too much." The half-orc grunted and laid a hand on Vade's slim shoulder."I like exploring as much as the next orc but I think we need to take a moment and decide what our priority is," Feln growled as they huddled around a small fire while Karak tended his gear in private. They were - temporarily at least - unwilling to succumb to sleep and risk another goblin attack. Vade had again raised the subject of the secret tunnel and the debate over how to proceed raged again."No secret tunnels!" Ixin asserted with a stern shake of her head. Her stunted wings spread wide, casting a monstrous shadow on the crumbling wall behind her. "On to Myth Drannor!""Amen to that," Morier groaned. He traced lightning bolts in the dirt with one pale finger."And just what will we do once we get there?" Ledare asked. She took a sip from a waterskin and waited for an answer that Ixin didn't have."We need to stay on the trail while our leads our fresh," Feln offered."Going into the secret area could be a good idea," Vade said with a shrug. "Somebody went to a lot of trouble to hide it.""We are in good health," Feln told the halfling and poked purposefully at the glowing coals. "A trip underground may cost us that advantage or even cost us a party member.""We'd have to be extra careful, of course," Vade said brightly. "If it was worth hiding, it is worth investigating." There was a glimmer in his eye that might have been the gleam of imagined gold, but Feln quickly snuffed it out."These woods are difficult enough without worrying about a wounded comrade!" the hal-orc growled."Oi!" Karak chuckled as he tramped back to the group. "If you'n don't all be a bunch of sallies!""Sallies?" Ledare asked and Karak nodded, planting the haft of his axe at the fire's edge and resting his arms across the weapon's great blade."That be what we call little dwarven girls back in the delve," he explained with a snort. "What? You all scared of a little tunnel? Why, I was runnin' down tunnels like that'n when I was but a wee one - gettin' rid o' all sorts o' filth: goblins, skaven, trolls, an' orcs." Looking up at Feln, he added, "Ummm... Sorry about that last reference, orc-blood."Feln said nothing, but turned pointedly back to stare into the fire."Let's nae be afraid of a little dark tunnel," Karak went on after an awkward pause. "I mean ye have a dwarf with ye, and a tunnel. I mean ye can see that be nae problem!""We're not all like you. I don't like it underground," Vade said and Karak harrumphed."Now for the white skinned elf, I can understand it for the forest be his trompin' ground. And for you woman folk, I can understand it too - you all not bein' dwarvenkind an' all," the dwarf continued. "But Vade and Feln, ye two can nae be afraid of no tunnel, now can ye?"Again Feln was silent, but this time, Vade filled the uncomfortable pause. "I... Well, I am a little afraid of the dark," he said and eased up to Karak's side. He held out his little hand and with a grin asked, "Will you hold my hand? Ha ha! Just kidding..."The dwarf scowled down at the halfling and Vade swallowed audibly. "Uhhh... I will have my weapon ready, instead!" he said quickly. "Yeah. That is it!""We're kind of just ambling along to Myth Drannor without really knowing what we'll do there anyhow." Ledare spoke up. "I think it would make sense to explore these caves."Flen nodded his head and added, "These portals are just as important to our mission as anything else and there has to be some tie between these altars and the portals. The more we know about the portals the better.""Aye, lad!" Karak cheered. "That be the spirit!""Allright, Karak, I think we can take some time to explore this dungeon," the half-orc said and rose lithely to his feet. "But I propose we move now, not after sleep. I don't want to deal with another gobbo raid."Ixin sighed and got up from the ground. "What say you, Morier? This goes against my better judgement, but I can't have this dwarf thinking me a sally."Morier rose to stand beside Ixin and nodded grimly."Sally," Vade said, letting the word roll around on his tongue. "That is a pretty name. I like that for you, Ixin. What do you think, Kitten?"Ledare stood and sheathed Ravager with a single lightning quick motion. "There are no Sallies here," she said regarding Karak archly. "Aye! That be plain enough!" the dwarf guffawed and thumped her on the back. "Here be what I propose. Me an' Vade up front. Vade checkin' for traps. Ixin an' Morier in the middle for sorcery, And Ledare and Feln in the rear.""Vade, remember to keep your ring on and be ready to climb the walls if trouble arrives," Feln offered and the halfling looked skeptically at the Ring of Invisibility."Well..." he muttered. "It's not really my ring. It's Ledare's and-""Keep the ring, Vade," the Janissary said with a wave of her hand. "I've never used it to its full advantage. Sneaking around lightly and being devious isn't first nature to me. You're a much better man for that job! Consider it a gift." With a wink she added, "But keep your hands off my other stuff."Despite her light-hearted warning, Vade threw his arms around Ledare's knees and pressed his face against her thigh. "Thank you, Kitten!" he exclaimed. "That was the nicest thing you have ever said to me."Karak harrumphed again and produced the Wand of Regeneration from amongst his gear. "Now any o' ye want me to whack ye with this 'ere magic stick?" he asked, thumping it against his palm in an almost threatening gesture. "It'n must be ye all be hangin' out too long with faeries an' ye need a real fighter to hit ye with this 'ere magic stick."He grinned at the prospect of distributing some healing.</blockquote>

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