Talonn awoke before the first light of dawn touched the plains. He rose slowly and moved the window. Setting aside the pitcher, he opened the shutters and looked out across the empty town. In the distance, he could see the mesa clearly for the sun was just beginning to light its peak. The sight chilled him.
Talonn was slightly annoyed that they had not wakened him to take his watch but, he was also thankful that they had not. He felt more rested and alive than he had in many days. The 'Rage' stirred and reminded him that it too had rested during the night. Talonn turned away from the window and gathered his things. He slipped silently from the room and crept easily down the hall. He avoided the creaking boards with practised ease. The last door he passed nearky rattled from the deep snores coming from the bed across the room. Talonn knew without a doubt that this was the room Kaa had chosen. A mischevious grin grew on his face as he contemplated nasty surprise for the dwarf. For the sake of the others, he decided against it.
He spotted Granite as he came down the stairs. Talonn realized why he was not wakened and silently approved Kaa's reasoning. "Good morning, Granite. I take it all was during the night." Talonn walked across the room and drew his pack from under the table. Setting his swords and harp bow on the bench, he hooked a chair to him, sat down, and began to rummage around in his pack.
"All of what. You did not specify. If inactive was your intent, then the answer is yes." Granite had not moved from the position he had been in the previous night.
Talonn looked at Granite for a second and blinked rapidly. "It appears that while I am awake, my mouth is not. I misspoke. I meant to say that I take it all was quiet during the night. I did not mean to confuse."
"Organic language is imprecise. You are not responsible for that. I understand more of how it works than when I met you. But it still is strange to me. I understood what you intended to mean. Even if it was not what your words meant." Granite responded, his stony voice as expressionless as always.
As Talonn enters the room, Ifreet walks out and up to him. The plainsman says nothing, but gets out a dark blue sash, tailored to fit Talonn but in all other ways identical to Ifreet's, then hands it to the assassin. Ifreet waits calmly, watching Talonn for a few moments longer, and waits for the inevitable questions that will be impossible to answer.
Talonn stood when Ifreet approached but made no threatening moves. He had no will to continue the past nights behavior. He took the sash from Ifreet's hand and gave a deep bow. "Friend Ifreet, there is no need for peace gifts, if that is what is meant by this. I mean no offense and I beg your forgiveness if I have done so. What happened last night is done, forgiven, and forgotten.
If you still wish me to accept this, I shall, for friendship alone. I see by your face that this may have some significance to you. Would that I knew what it was so that I would not dishonor it. Yet, I will not ask. I trust that you will inform me if I begin to do so."
Talonn bowed once more and slipped the sash over his body and adjusted it to match Ifreet's. Talonn nodded and held out his hand to seal their friendship and lay the past to rest.
The plainsman nods, grasps Talonn's hand firmly, then releases it, bows, and steps back. He turns and packs his harp away from where it had sat all night on the table, then starts out to check on his horse.
Hammer woke quickly, once his internal clock struck dawn. He sat on the edge of the bed for a few minutes before grabbing his hammer and unlocking his door. He walked downstairs where Ifreet and Talonn had beat him awake this morning. He nodded greetings to all four occupants of the common room before finding a chair and sitting.
Talonn returned the grip of Ifreet then returned to his pack. He bid good morning to Hammer with a nod as he withdrew a black leather pouch. He set it aside and pulled out a smaller pouch. A loud rumbling sound came from beneath the table. Talonn raised his head and grinned as his stomach issued another roar.
Granite continued to observe the actions of everyone in the room. When Talonn's stomach began making it's desires known, Granite spoke up again. "The necessity of food intake in organics results in an auditory signal. Why is this. An internal alert would be more efficient."
When she heard others awake and talking inside she listened to them silently from outside. She wanted a bit of time alone and outside where she could feel the slight breeze. Since she could remember she had never spent this much time around anyone other than Pine and she felt slightly cramped. She looked at the ground by her and focused her energy. As she gently moved her hand over it grass startedt o grow and soon there was a small patch of flowers, growing in the shade of her hand. Without even realizing tears started flowing. She missed home. She missed the forests and flowers and animals. She swallowed and held herself, rocking silently outside the inn. More than anything she wanted to be home, not here chasing horrid things, watching her new friends get hurt and seeing creatures die in horrid ways. Awhile later she wipped off her tears, braced herself and went inside. She smiled slightly at the few who were downstairs and rather pathetically attempted a happy, "Good morning."
Talonn looked at Granite and began to chuckle. "Aye, Granite. It would certainly be less embarrassing were it so. Unfortunately, there are somethings that we organics have no control." Talonn continued to laugh as Sala came into the room.
Talonn looked at her to see if she was still shaken from the previous night. She looked as if she had been crying but was trying to hide it. Given his previous nights behavior, Talonn decided to forego questioning her and hope that she would rebound. "Good morning, Sala. I did not know that you were about this early."
Kaa rolled from the bed amid the creaking and crackling of his joints. He grumbled at how his body acted when he slept in a bed. It always seemed that his body came apart when he slept on anything but hard ground or stone. In all the seasons that he had out of his Hold, sleeping on something that you could not feel the pulse of the land always made him grumpy.
Kaa hefted his axe and thumped out of the room. He paused when he noticed that Ifreet was still among them and that Talonn wore a sash in copy of Ifreet's. The dwarf nodded and grinned behind his beard. They had made their peace and a new bond had formed. Suddenly, the half-elf wasn't such a pain to be around, well not most times.
"Good Morning all." Kaa called as he lumbered down the steps. "Sala, my dear, have the lads been telling lewd tales this early? You look as if you have been blushing since the sun rose. Which one has done this to you? I will thump him upon his knotty little head."
Kaa noticed that everyone seemed to be a little less harrowed, with the exception of Sala. He was sure she was feeling a bit lost and vowed to cheer as he could. He waved to Hammer and dropped his axe onto the table with loud crash. "Barkeep!" Kaa bellowed and pointed to Qki. "A mug of ale for the house. And if yon Barbarian has drank it all, I will see that he goes to the cellar to fetch another, in the dark!" Kaa laughed and waved his hands happily about. He kept his eyes beneath his bushy brows and looked to see if Sala was the least cheered by his silliness.
The plainsman folds his arms and leans back against one of the walls, his expression as unreadable as it was while he was still covering his head in cloth. He dispassionately watches Kaa's little display, considers for a moment, then twitches one side of his mouth up in a long unused smile.
Talabrina as well had arisen before dawn and gone outside to watch the sunrise in private, smiling to Granite and Qki as she passed. After the sun had risen she sang and danced in prayer. When she had finished she can back to the inn and smiled to all assembled. She came inn as Kaa was speaking. "Good morning everyone!" She called when Kaa had finished speaking. Giggling she walked right up to Kaa and wrapped her arms around him in an affectionate hug. "Now what is this about lewd stories milord?" She asked him slyly. "I doth hope thee art not telling stories about us." Then she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips, her eyes full of mischief.
Kaa did not notice the splashed ale as he was rocked back by Talabrina's kiss. He stood speechless for a thundering heartbeat or two before he realized his mouth was hanging open. The dwarf snapped it shut with an audible click and his beard grew seemed to darken against the bright red of his face. He fumbled for the mug and drained it in one swallow.
Wiping the foam from his beard, Kaa let out a great sigh. "Listen to your elder now, laddies.", waving a finger at the men, "There is nothing in this life that gets yer day off to a glorious start like a frothy mug of ale and a kiss from a fine lass. Tis nothing better!" he roared. Then, in a hoarse, loud whisper, he said, "Talabrina. You should guard your tongue. What would people say? I will tell you this, I had not thought of nary a lewd tale until you kissed me. I say now that my head is full of them." Kaa gave her an exagerated wink and a lingering pat on the arm before he burst out laughing.
Talonn was laughing as well. He had never seen the old dwarf at a loss for words and was pleasantly surprised by Kaa's blushing. Talonn jovially waved his hand to Qki and called out.
"Qki, great Barkeeper of love, will everyone that you serve receive such a bounty for a mere three silvers? I say, bring me a pitcher and put it on his tab." Talonn made a great show adjusting himself in his chair. "If a mug is worth a kiss, I dare say a pitcher's worth will be most pleasurable." The half-elf's eyebrows waggled naughtily as he looked around the room and purred at Muffy.
As Ifreet's smile touches the other side of his face as well, he suddenly realizes something and gets a long cloth out of one of his saddlebags, which he then wraps around his neck so that none will have to try to stand the sight of the grotesque wound that covers it. That done, he unsheathes his sword, tests the edge, and puts it back in the sash. His smile becomes slightly sad and his eyes get a distant look to them before both are quickly masked as his face becomes unreadable once more. He touches the brands on his hands and closes his eyes slowly.
Muffy rewarded Talonn with a very direct look and softly purred at him.
Hammer sat and watched the theatrics of Kaa with a slight smile. When Talabrina kissed the dwarf, Hammer nearly fell out of his chair. "Here Here Talonn. Qki, I think I'd like one also. Preferably the whole damn keg." He stood up and walked to the bar.
Kaa cast a quick glance at Qki as he drank his ale. The little fellow was beginning to find himself, thought the dwarf. Good for him. Kaa set the mug back down and drew his daggar. Kaa sliced what cheese was left and lay the pieces across the table. He took one and motioned the others to do the same.
"I do hate to dampen the good spirits but I think we should discuss the business ahead. While Talonn gets something to eat, and you are going to eat, Sala, I have a boon to ask of you. How far can Pine fly before you loose contact with him? Do you think you can he can fly around that mesa and spy out the land. Ifreet, since you seem to be quite adept at producing images, is there anyway that you can produce images to match Sala's description?"
Talabrina just laughed when Kaa whispered to her so that the others could hear. Squeezing his hand gently she smirked at him. Thinking to herself that she was glad that Kaa was not as dour as a lot of dwarves tended to be, Kaa was obviously a Dwarf who knew how to have fun. "Someday thee will have to enlighten me with the tales thee doth mention." Talabrina likewise whispered loudly and then giggled.
Talonn let his smile fall from his face and returned to the business at hand. He rose and walked to the table. He snagged a few hunks of cheese and a lump of bread. He hooked a mug with his finger and returned to his table. When he sat down, he pulled a scrap of paper from his shirt and dropped it on the table. Around his chewing, he told them all that he knew.
"I searched the whole town last night. There hasn't been a soul in this town for close to 15 days. I found this paper in what had been the Watch house. It is an order for the town to evacuate to the mesa fortress. The Citadel of the Raven it is called. The reason for the order is unknown since that is the piece that is missing.
I found some evidence that someone refused to leave or returned after everyone left. The last house on the street is busted up. The remains of that man are scattered about the room, along with the bones of several other 'bodies'. Talabrina, I believe your undead abilities will become quite handy soon. There were traces of other live men in the room so I don't think the deathless were alone in their attack.
I left town then and made my way to a small grove near the mesa. I could see lights bobbing around a spot at the base. I figure they have a gate of a sorts there. I noticed several lights flickering at different spots along the sides of the mesa, likely from lookout caves. The entire rock is probably riddled with passages and chambers. The fortress appears to be walled but it doesn't look to be defensive as much as decorative.
The tower behind those walls was dark except for a ring of windows near the top. The lights that flickered there reminded me of Nagard's spell circle. Once while I was watching, a group of horseman rode from the gate. They off to the west but returned shortly from the north, apparently riding around the base of the mesa."
Talonn stopped and took a long drink from his ale. When he set the mug down, the red of his eyes were swirling. He popped the last bit of cheese into his mouth and waited for their questions.
Kaa's words fall on deaf ears as Ifreet stares blankly through the window. He doesn't appear to have heard anything that was said.
She turned Pine into a weasel and sent him off. About ten minutes later he came back with an alive and kicking mouse. Sala picked it up and stroked it soothingly, whispering softly to it. In a little while she opened her hands and a small bird sat in her hand. She lifted up her hand and sent it off. "Since I am not so close with this one it ought to be less noticeable through scrying....I hope."
Looked on in awe of Sala's power. "Aye, lass. I can understand your closeness to Pine. I hope you can forgive me for asking you to put him in danger. Your little friend should do the job nicely."
Talonn finished his ale and watched the bird fly away. He looked up and noticed Ifreet's stare. Talonn glanced quickly to the window but saw nothing. He eased from his chair and buckled on his sword. "Ifreet, what is it that you see?"
At Talonn's words, Ifreet snaps up and glances over at him, then smiles slightly and shakes his head. Talonn feels Ifreet's voice within his head, quietly whispering, 'The past, T'alonnias Egel'kaliuba. The past.' After sending this message, Ifreet glances around the room and tries to pick up on what happened while his mind was elsewhere.
"There is a tunnel opening on top of the plateu outside of the walls of the fortress. There are a couple of big long buildings with weapons lying near the entrances. There are some people milling about, some undead and those troll things that attacked us. There is a row of nooses, blocks of wood that seemed to be stained with blood, and some weird machine things," she shuddered and gagged, "They just tore someone apart!! I can't do this any longer. I'm calling the bird back."
A moment later she cried out, "Wait! there is also a caravan approaching from the North. There are about twenty people, heavily whipped and beaten down. More slaves, I guess."
She opened her eyes and said, "Those poor people. How can anyone treat people like that..." She looked at the group with tormented eyes, slid down to the ground adn cuddled Pine until the bird came back and landed on her shoulder. She took it into her hands and soon it was back in its natural form and freed back into the deserted inn.
As Sala relates her tale, the plainsman lowers his head and whispers softly, "My people...." His eyes slip shut and he begins to weep silently. The brands glow faintly, a soft violet color that floods the room. "I failed...my people....my fault..." The violet light pulses an angry orange for a moment, then fades to soft blue.
Talabrina listend to Sala's description and felt an icy chill creep up her spine. No longer was she smiling, her look now was one of barely suppressed anger. Reaching into her cloak she drew forth Muffy's saddle and harness while Muffy stood in readiness. "Muffy and I will draw away and combat the undead for they will be drawn to us as surely as a moth to a flame," said Talabrina with quiet resolve, "and I intend to see them burn!" Talabrina sighted inwardly as she considered Sala's place in all this. It didn't seem fair to her that Sala would be involved in yet another grisly battle.
The dwarf listened intently to Sala's description of the mesa. He nodded his head when she mentioned the possibility of a moat. Kaa heard Ifreet's whispers and gave him a long questioning look but did not speak. He settled down down on a bench and removed his helmet. The beads and trinkets in his plaited hair jangled and he wiped his brow and leaned back against the table.
"Talabrina, you shall have your chance to burn the deathless ones but I hardly think a frontal assault is the course we should take. Especially with an army of nine. I daresay with my brother and an entire century of dwarven axes such a course would be folly. Remember we are to get the one who sits at the top of the mesa, behind those undead and men and stone. For us to complete this little task, we will need to use stealth more than overt force." Kaa rolled his head slowly until he faced Talonn. He knew how much it pained Talonn to employ the skills he had been forced to learn. But he could not deny that the half-elf was more than proficient in those skills.
Talonn, your assessment?"
Talonn listened intently to Sala. He opened the shadowed portion of his mind that held his assassin's training. He shuddered as he thought back to the training and let his mind begin to form a plan. Talonn was deep in concentration when he heard Kaa speak his name.
Talonn looked up and blinked a bit. When his focus returned he realized that his plan had included only himself. He looked around and realized that the others would in no way allow him to attempt the task alone. Even if it was far easier for one to slip inside unseen. Talonn ran over the details of his own plan and tried to reform them to include the rest of the group.
"I agree that an all out attack is futile. So is sneaking inside in the light of day. With slavers about, anyone that is not recognized, especially an armed and unique party like ourselves, will be set upon in less than a breath. If we are to get anywhere near the mark, we need to slip through in the cover of darkness. The only good part of all this is that we do not need an escape plan. The demon said that once the job was done, a portal would be provided to taek us back to Nagard's. I will have to think on this a bit more. Any other ideas are more than welcome."
She sat silently and listened to what Talonn had to say. They were to sneak in, perhaps she could be of some use after all. She moved closer to him and said hesitantly, "I think I might be able to help get us past the guards. I can change things as you know. I could make us all look like guards or undead." She paused, frowning a little, "But that would take alot of energy....perhaps...Perhaps if one of us was to be a slaver and the others slaves. I could make us looked battered much easier than I could change everyone to different people." She waited anxiously for a response.
When Ifreet's head rises again, there is a faint smile on his face. He closes his eyes and gathers his thoughts for a moment, then takes a calming breath and focuses on a nearby table. From it rises a sketch of the fortress, complete with little slaves and slavers running around. It zooms in on the slaves quickly, showing one of them far better than any of Sala's descriptions could have. He looks similar to Ifreet, but doesn't look enough like most of the others so that they could pass as those that belong there. Especially the dwarf and drow. It zooms back out again, and shows the image of the fortress, and Ifreet sneaking towards it. As it goes, the figure shifts in color until it becomes almost indistinguishable from the landscape. Once it gets there, the figure stands and steps right through the wall. When it comes out on the other side, it is wearing the roughed-up and dirty tattered clothes of a proper slave.
It then zooms back out once more, quickly shifts until it is darker as though at night, and shows images of Talonn and Muffy making their way up to the fortress, at which point a storm picks up to assist in covering their entrance. This done, the two of them and Ifreet converge on the back gate, quickly dispatch the guards, and lower the bridge to let the last of the group in. Including Ifreet's horse. The images of Talonn, Ifreet, and his mount make their way into the castle and start a few fires, while Muffy, Talabrina, Kaa, and Sala find a place to hide and wait until they have the opportunity to enter the castle and meet the other two.
As the images all fade, Ifreet leans back against the wall and smiles smugly, pats his horse's neck, and arches an eyebrow questioningly.
Talabrina tightened her grip on Muffy's saddle but slowly, noded at Kaa's wisdom. However as she listened to the talk and saw the immage Iffreet displayed detailing his idea, the look on Talabrina's face changed to one of dismay. "I can easily enough understand the need for caution and stealth in this matter before us, but one thing I doth not understand is why no one yet hath mentioned the slaves in thier plans. Art we simply going to leave them there? Those people needs our help! It is simply unthinkable to leave those people at the hands of slavers."
Talonn nodded silently as he watched Ifreet's plan play out. The plan seemed sound yet there were portions which he did not agree. Talonn was trying to work on those bits when Sala began her transformation. He shook his head in awe as Sala looked as if she had suffered many days under the hand of a cruel and aggressive slaver. For a heartbeat, Talonn felt the 'Rage' stir but he reminded himself it was just an illusion.
Talonn listened to Talabrina and sighed. He looked at Sala once more and hoped that she would understand what he was about to say. "Talabrina, slavery leaves a bad taste in my mouth as it does yours. Yet, I do not see how we can both free the slaves and attack our target. We have not the force to split for such an attack and still have everyone present for the gate to escape. We risk the entire group if we try to free them."
Ifreet shakes his head slowly and makes a negating gesture, his eyes turning to meet Sala's, Talabrina's, and Talonn's in turn. A faint orange glow rises in his eyes as he turns his hands to show the brands burned onto the back of each. He points towards himself, then gestures towards the image of a slave that rises on the table. The slave has the same brands. He quickly utters "Responsible" though even that leaves him wincing and clutching his throat.
The little golem listened to everything in silence, paying careful attention to the movies but saying nothing. Finally he couldn't keep from speaking any more. "I want to help those people." Somehow he thought he should say more, but he wasn't sure what he could say.
Talabrina nodded at Qki and patted him gently on the shoulder. "We will help them Qki, that is no longer a matter of debate." Talabrina said quietly whlie looking around at the others meaningfully. "The only question now is how we may help them. Lord Talonn," she said turning to him with a coolness about her. "If together we can take out the lich and the undead minions do fall as Lady Sala has suggested, then Muffy and I will take care of the slavers by ourselves. It would only take a week at the most."
Then Talbrina turned and went over to Ifreet. " `Tis high time that thee let me take a look at thy throat milord, let me see what I can do."
"What do you intend for Qki do to in this. And for me to do in this." Granite spoke up. "We are not organics. We can not successfully pretend to be organics. Some other method of falsifying our identities will have to be used. If you intend for the two of us to approach undetected."
Ifreet turns and looks speculatively at Granite, still unsure of what how tough, strong, or agile the being is. Ifreet shrugs indecisively, then turns towards Talabrina and considers briefly. He shrugs again and unwraps the cloth from around his neck, trying to avoid having anything else come off with it. The injury looks as it though it were made by ripping apart every bit of Ifreet's neck, then messily mashing them all back together. It's not a pretty sight. You get the feeling that if someone cut his arm off he wouldn't notice because he's gotten used to dealing with much more pain than that already.
Kaa poured himself another mug of ale and drank deeply before he spoke. "Talabrina, do all that you can for Ifreet. It seems that he knows quite a bit about our what we face."
Kaa took another drink and set the mug down, hard. "Forgefire! How I hate slavers! Talonn, I see your point, lad, but there has to be something that we can do. From what Sala said, there appears to be more deathless than live guards. Once the lich is dead his power will fade and the undead will cease to be a problem. If we can rouse the slaves, perhaps we can overpower the slavers. My concern is the trolls on the plateau. We were lucky yesterday, when the odds were nearly even, but outnumbered 2 to 1 or better, we won't stand a chance, slaves or no."
Talonn leaned back against the wall and sighed heavily. He removed the cord from his hair and let it fall across his face. The half-elf brushed most of it from his face and looked to each of the others in turn.
"Kaa, I am not saying that we abandon these people. I am simply saying that we are not enough to get the job done. There are likely leagues of passages below and inside that mesa. We would be hard pressed to clear each of them with five score our number.
I do wonder what type of men willingly work alongside deathless. How many will flee or refuse to fight once the undead are no more? The slavers are just as likely to mutiny and battle amongst themselves for the lion's share of the slaves. The trolls will certainly rise up and kill everything that they can get their claws on. I have no doubt that the lich is the driving force behind the slavers and the constuction of the fortress. We could very well find ourselves in the middle of ten or twelve different factions battling for control." Talonn's spoke softly but his eyes began to swirl faster and a dim glow began to show.
"You asked for my plan, old friend. I give you what I have but depending on what Ifreet may have to offer, it may be for naught. Ifreet and Talabrina fire the dwellings on the west side of the mesa, preferrably with spells. This should draw the patrols and guards to that side. I will rush to the mesa and scale the side to the nearest watch cave. Once I have secured it, I will drop ropes for the rest of you. We make our way to the fortress above and eventually to the mark. When the deed is done and Sala is freed, anyone who wishes to leave through the demon's portal may, the rest can stay and do what they can for the slaves." Talonn finished with another sigh and lowered his head. His clenched fists tremored in his lap.
Sala was willing to fight to help the slaves if she had to. They were in the same kind of predicament she was in many ways. She wished she could be more useful to the group. While the others were talking she moved next to Talonn and said to him, "I wish there was more i could do to help." She looked very concerned. "I never had to learn how to fight. I don't even have a weapon. All I have is my gift." she paused a moment before adding hopefully, "I spent most of my life alone in the forest. I can be very unnoticeable when I must and I can climb very well. I had to to survive. Perhaps that can be of help."
Ifreet's hand moves in a sharp cutting motion and snaps the table leg nearest him. His faintly glowing orange eyes scan those present, and his face screws up into a snarl "Enough! These are my people," he shouts, spitting blood as he speaks, "I will take care of them. I have a reason to be there for several hours before anyone else enters. No matter what else you do, leave them to me!" His violent outburst causes part of the wound to reopen, and fresh blood begins spilling down his chest. Ifreet meets the eyes of each, then continues more quietly, his rigid expression displaying his pain more than any wince could hope to. "I have only an old injury to show for my life. The others will have more. Any arguments?" Judging from the look in his eyes, even more fierce than the previous night's, he would settle any arguments with his sword, be these people friends or no. The orange creeps through his eyes until no white can be seen, and he himself seems to glow faintly.
The disgusting wound reopening across his throat makes his speaking even more difficult as he continues, "Perhaps we can do nothing. But I will try. And perhaps all we need to do is destroy the lich. But I am not taking that chance. Regardless, what I do should have no impact on our attempt. But if it does, the best that can happen is there will be an escape or war, making the guards far too busy to bother with us. The worst that could happen is that the slaves have been too far subverted, they will report me, and I will die. You should all be...abl...def.. kil..kkaa..lich...take...thi...i...acaack..aa.." His words are cut short by the gore which makes his mouth, throat, and chest virtually indistinguishable, and he flips out the black stone from the demon as he slips to the ground and falls prone, the glow rapidly disappearing.
Kaa leapt up from his seat and dropped to his knees beside Ifreet. He reaches for the plainsman then draws his hand back slowly. For several breaths he sits still then he looks up to the others.
"Enough of this bantering. We have a job to do and we are going to do it, all of it. Ifreet is right. If these are his people, he is the only one to rouse them to fight for their freedom. I don't like dividing our strength but it looks like the only way. By the forge, it just might work.
Talonn, you know there is no way we all could slip through that place like smoke, and you, to reach the lich. We would be found before we ever got near the plateau. I believe that Sala could hide Granite and Qki but that would put her in danger by causing her to be weak when she may need all of her power to survive. Above that, Talabrina has said that the undead will be drawn to her and that rules out her sneaking through the shadows. Nay, I say what we need is to exploit everyone's strengths to the fullest.
Here is my plan. Ifreet you gave us the image of slipping through the walls unseen. If you can truly do this and minimize the risk of capture, do it. As soon as you are able. Gather your people and prepare the riot. At moon rise, let the battle begin.
At that same time, Granite and Qki go to work on the front gate. I think that Qki's ability with metal will do some interesting things to the gate. Granite can toss some of the rubble at the gate and make them think a catapult has come to call. Talabrina can deal with the undead that are outside of the mesa with Hammer and Muffy to guard her back. Once that is done, they can join up with Granite and Qki and do what they can with the gate.
That leaves Talonn, Sala, and I. We will follow Talonn's plan. Just before moon rise we will scale the walls and get inside. When fighting begins, outside and within, there should be enough confusion for us to make the plateau. Talonn and Sala will make for the fortress and the Lich. I will take care of the trolls. What say you all."
Talonn looked at Sala sadly. "My lady, I have seen what your gift can do. You have nothing to fear. I take heart that you are not scarred inside and out, as we are, by the blood of others and that you are able to feel your fear. I long for that feeling. In this, sweet Sala, you will do what you must, you shall survive and you will be stronger for it. When this is done and over, I think you will know your place in this life. More so than most who live it."
Talonn looked away and watched Ifreet in anguish. He did not realize that his hand was clenching the blue sash. The glow in his eyes increased.
Talonn lowered his head and listened to Kaa's plan. He had never heard the dwarf speak with such conviction. Talonn also saw behind those words. Kaa had made it clear, to him if not to the others, that he had made a choice. The dwarf had chosen this cause, this fight, to be his last. Talonn knew that when Kaa faced the trolls his battle cry would be his death song. Talonn lifted his head and looked into the dwarf's eyes. The five heartbeats seemed like a day as the two of them shared the only parting they would ever give. Together they nodded.
Talonn rose from his bench and stepped over to Ifreet. He pulled his hand from the sash and extended it to the plainsman. His eyes were glowing like the coals of a forge as he said, "Come, brother. Go to your people. Before the sun rises tomorrow, they will be free."
Ifreet's own hand rises and grips Talonn's, then slowly pulls the rest of him up from the floor. He slowly nods to the assassin, then leans back against his horse, pauses for a few moments, then slowly begins walking out, leaning heavily on his steed.
She hadn't been paying complete attention to the rest of the room and so Ifreet going down startled her very badly. She nearly ran over to him, but there were more than enough people at his side already. When she saw him get back up she visibly relaxed. She couldn't understand why he was going to the slaves right away after that though.
Sala listened to Kaa's plan calmly, thinking that with everyone split up they wouldn't have many people to count on if something went wrong, especially Kaa. Secretly deep inside she was very glad that she had been sent with Talonn and Kaa. They made her feel safe and she wanted Talonn by her side when she had to see the liche. That made her realize something, "Kaa? What about everyone else? Can Talonn and I stop the lich alone? And how will you be able to fight all of those trolls by yourself?"
Later when everyone was getting ready Sala went up to Talonn and said, "I am glad that Kaa decided I should go with you. I don't want to be alone to face that creature."
Hammer just sat, with his eyes closed, listening to those around him. As he sat listening, he gathered about him thoughts of War. Today was the day of decision, and he must prove his right to title as Champion. Kaa's plan was sound, except for Kaa facing the Trolls alone. His own recent experience with them led him to believe that the odds were imposible for the Dwarf. But he knew what he was hearing. Kaa would not return to fight again. It was common in his homeland that great warriors would choose the suicidal missions to allow those younger and not as experienced to live longer. He would stand beside the Drow and battle the undead as he was asked, then he would hurry to find Kaa's battle. The Dwarf must have a witness, to sing of his glorious sacrifice.
Finally, Hammer opened his eyes and watched Ifreet leave, not surprised that the plainsman would try this even as weak as he appeared to be. He stood up and grabbed his War Hammer. His face held no emotion, as his eyes sought out those of Kaa. Once eye contact was made, he nodded once. Then he turned to join with Talabrina.
Kaa stepped aside and let Ifreet go past. The dwarf watched him leave and silently offered the only prayer he knew for a time like this, a swift death. Kaa was not surprised when he met the gaze of the others that they too had all resigned themselves to that same fact. His heart swelled with pride for being involved with such a band. Then he looked into Sala's eyes and realized that she had no concept of what the others were feeling. This both pleased and saddened the old dwarf. He reached out and lovingly pat Sala on the arm.
"Lass, do not worry. With the likes of this group, set to a common purpose, I almost pity those fellows on yon mesa. Have you forgotten that we have battled dwarf eating tables and made pacts with demon lords? Fah! I should think that we shall have this little matter completed by the time the moon reaches its peak and be back at Nagard's and asleep before dawn." Kaa chuckled and smiled but the mirth never touched his eyes.
Kaa pulled her down so that he could whisper to her. "I wanted you to be with Talonn when he reached the Lich for two reasons. First, so that you could lend a hand with your power so that he could do what only he can do. Lastly, but almost as importantly, I wanted you to be near so that you could help him keep 'It' at bay. With all that will be going on, he will be at risk of 'It' taking control. If anyone can pull him back from the brink, I know it is you.
Don't worry. Despite his reluctance to admit it, and I don't begrude him that at all, he is a Master Assassin. He will get the two of you to the Lich. Maybe I have finally gone senile but, I can't help feeling that because this is centered around the demon, you, above all of us, must face the Lich. Maybe your purity will counter its evil. I know not but I do know that you are the one brave elf-maiden and I am most happy to have met you." Kaa up on his toes and kissed Sala on her cheek. Then, with a final pat and a big smile, he turned and walked to where his pack lay. He dropped to the floor beside it and began to prepare himself for the night's events.
Granite remained unmoving, and as usual, unexpressive. As far as anyone could tell by looking at him, he might not have even heard the conversation.
Inwardly, he pondered the situation. The members of the group seemed, as best as he could tell, depressed. This was rather odd, given that they were shortly going to attempt to accomplish what they had set out to do. Organics in that situation usually became happier, which was definitely not the case here.
The attack they intended seemed a workable plan, but it was apparent that at least some of them would likely be killed in the process of accomplishing it. That had to be the cause of their current bad mood. It probably also meant they wouldn't want to explain it to him.
The only part that he couldn't see working well was what had been assigned to him. Catapults, and other such machinery, were devices for hurling or projecting large missiles at high velocity. Granite was not large enough to have the necessary leverage to duplicate that action fully. Another tactic would be necessary. What, though, would work...
Talabrina folded her arms in front of her chest and nodded at Kaa. "Very well Lord Kaa, she said quietly, "I agree to this plan but on one condition. That thee doth find a way to stay alive through this adventure. That is not subject to negotiation, I hath grown too fond of thee to let thee go so easily." Then Talabrina looked around at all of them. "I hath the ability to enhance thy strength so that everyone will be tougher, more resilient to damage, something that will be sorely needed in the up coming battle. If everyone would consent to this and let me rest the rest of the day, I will gladly give this gift freely."
Then Talabrina went to Ifreet and looked again at his throat. "Hmm methinks I can heal this with my power but I am going to need some help on this." Talabrina looked at Sala with a thoughtful expression. "Lady Sala, couldst thee come over here? I am thinking that thy power to transform may come in very handy."
To weak to push Talabrina away and keep going, Ifreet scowls slightly and stops moving forward, instead just leaning against his horse and waiting for Talabrina to finish whatever she wishes to do. His eyes glow faintly, the orange glowing through his eyelids once more, and Talabrina hears a gentle voice saying, "Kaa will do what he must. As must we all. This is a battle. People die. If he dies to protect the rest of us, that is his choice. He will do what he must so that we will succeed. Don't try to stop him. Or me, for that matter." Ifreet then opens his eyes and meets Talabrina's quietly.
Kaa looked up from fumbling in his pack and gave a sly grin to Talabrina. "Fear not, lass. If Death finds me, it won't be because I stood and waited for him." Kaa blew her a kiss and returned his attention to his pack.
Several moments passed before he got up from the floor and went to the back of the inn. The sound of his booted heels clocking on the cellar stairs faded and then returned. The dwarf came back and set a small cask by his sack and then returned to the kitchen. His grumbles and clashing of utensiles echoed from the back room. Kaa swaggered back into the common room with a great grin on his face and chuckling to himself. He had a strip of cloth and an arm full of small clay pots. Kaa gave Talonn a wink as he plopped down on the floor and began to separate his treasures.
Talonn gave Ifreet a last look and wandered slowly back to the table and his pack. He took his bow and disassembled it. He returned it to its sack and slid it into his quiver. Talonn then untied the quiver from the side of his pack and stuffed it back inside of it.
The half-elf drew both of his swords and a daggar and lay them on the table. He tipped the small bottle into a cloth and began to wipe his weapons with it. The stain covered the steel completely and turned the swords and daggar a deep black. Talonn also rubbed the hilts until his weapons were dark from pommel to point. He set them aside to dry and got up. He scooped up his Harp bow and headed for the kitchen. "There is rope in the barn near the paddock. Kaa, there are also more jars at the potter's shop. I will bring some back with the rope." The half-elf walked across the common room and slipped out the kitchen door.
Seeing that Talabrina was busy, and would be for quite awhile, Hammer went back upstairs to his room. He lay down apon the bed, with his War Hammer on the floor beside him. Quickly, he fell into a deep sleep.
Talabrina met Ifreet's gaze calmly and paused in her work. "I know that in battle some things cannot be avoided and those that we care about art taken from us milord," she said quietly. "What I disagree with is the way thee and Lord Kaa seem so eager to throw thy lives away. That is the wrong reason to fight, when we go we go to come out alive and defeat our enemies."
Kaa grunted his agreement as he worked with his jars. "In most cases, Talabrina my dear, you would be right. I have swung a war axe for many many seasons. I have been outnumbered more often than not. But, in each of those occasions, I had several hundreds of my kinsmen and allies along side of me. In this we are but nine against hundreds, possibly thousands. On my honor, I will not leave this world unnecessarily, nor willingly." Kaa sheathed his daggar when he finished carving a small hole in each of the lids. He popped the spout on the cask and began to fill the jars with the liquid.
Granite's head turned in Kaa's direction. "What is the liquid you are working with. And what do you intend to do with it."
Ifreet sighs softly and tilts back his head,then glances briefly around the room and watches the others for a moment.
"Ten," corrected Talabrina, "Just before we part ways I doth plan on summoning forth an ally to aid thee in thy battle against the trolls." A mischevious look crossed her face and she giggled. "Methinks that thee will hath an easy time against the trolls Lord Kaa, last time I checked they were none too keen to be confronted by fire."
Turning back to Ifreet she completed the last bits of healing. "That shouldst hold things together for the nonce Lord Ifreet," she said examining his throat with a critical eye. Then she smiled at him, "provided of course thee doth not do any preformances. After this whole affair is over come and see me. With enough time and faith, I may be able to come up with a more permanent solution for thy throat."
Ifreet nods and mounts his horse, turns it about, and starts out the door. As he does, he glances back over his shoulder with an odd look in his eyes and waves slowly. He then sighs once more as he exits, slowly fading from sight until he is invisible.
Kaa looked up as Ifreet left and sent a silent prayer after him. 'T'was good to know ya, lad.' he thought to himself and hoped the plainsman could hear. The dwarf looked up at Granite and grinned.
"Well, Granite, we have seen that trolls are a nasty beast. As Talabrina said, they don't take kindly to fire. In fact, they burn better than some wood. I am not sure if you can smell, my unorganic friend, but this is lamp oil I am pouring into each of these jars. Once I seal the jars and stuff strips of cloth into the holes in the lids, these will become quite nasty little surprises to any trolls that I hit when I toss these." Kaa chuckled merrily as he filled the pots.
"Not to mention set fire to damn near everything in sight." Talonn added as he came back through the kitchen. Coils of rope were draped over his shoulder and a bag swung from his left hand. Talonn set the back gently on the floor beside Kaa.
"I found a few more pots for you and some glazing compound to seal them with. I also found something that should make it easier to deliver your 'surprises'." Talonn reached into the bag and drew out a sling with a very wide basket. He lifted on of the jars he had brought and set in the sling. The lidless jar gave an ominous moan as he gave it a test whirl. "Maybe you should leave on empty so that you can scare a few with that sound before you start everything on the plateau burning." Talonn grinned.
Talonn moved back to his table and checked his weapons. He set the rope aside and unrolled the jumble of leather. He removed the sash Ifreet had given him and slipped into the 'housebreaker' harness. Talonn stuffed the sash into his jerkin and began to rummage through the soft leather pouches that dangled from the harness. Talonn produced an array of items, knives, bolts, and odd looking gadgets from all over his person and slipped them into the sleeves and sheaths that were all over the harness.
When he finished, Talonn moved to where he had left his tea pot the night before and poured himself a mug before emptying the pot into his waterskin. The half-elf returned to his table and sat, sipped his tea, and stared absently at the floor.
"The principle is understood. What is struck will be coated with the oil. The cloth will have been ignited previously. Thus burning the target."
Granite was silent for a moment. "How much lamp oil is present. Whatever is left over I will use. I will also require an ignition method for it."
Kaa nodded his head as Talonn added to his collection of pots. The sling was a welcome addition and he knew that his plan was one step closer to being survivable for it.
"Granite, there is another cask of oil in the basement and I believe you will find flint and steel in the kitchen." Kaa thought for a moment about the sight of Granite tossing a flaming cask over the gate and into the midst of the guards and grinned. Perhaps this plan of his might work after all.
Immediately Granite turned his head toward Qki. "What do you intend to do to damage the gate."
The golem shrugged. "What does the gate look like? I've seen some gates that are made out of wood with metal pieces. If it looks like that I might be able to pull parts of it out. It might fall apart then. What do you think?"
Granite responded immediately, "Do that. If that is how it is constructed. If the metal components are larger than you, then it might not work. How resistant to fire is your structure."
Resistant to fire? What was he planning to do? Qki didn't want to be set on fire. "I.. I, uh, I think so. Does metal burn?"
"It does not burn. It might liquify. That depends upon the resistance of your structure to fire. And to heat. There is something which can be done to damage the guards at the gate. If you have sufficient resistance."
Qki was a bit worried at this, but figured he could always get away if he was having trouble. "Okay... let's try it. Tell me if I should run away when you do whatever it is you're going to do."
"It is not my intent for you to run away. It is my intent for you to further damage the gate. And any of it's guards who come close to you." Granite said. "You can be coated in oil. The oil can be ignited just before we attack the gate. It will enable you to do further damage to the gate. It will discourage the guards from attempting to damage you. Organics do not like fire. This is if you have sufficient resistance to heat."
With trepidation Qki considered Granite's plan. Would it work? What would happen to him if he was on fire? He knew he didn't want to go through another episode like the one with the trolls, where he lost his head. Maybe this would keep something like that from happening. "I'll try it. What do you have to do?"
"I will acquire the oil." So saying Granite turned and strode to the stairs. He stepped onto the first one, which groaned under the strain of his weight for a moment before giving way completely.
A moment later, there came the sounds of clattering bits of wood, and a very loud clunk from the basement, presumably the sound of Granite hitting the floor. Then nothing.
After a couple of minutes, a pair of stony hands slowly stretched up to the edge of the floor by the staircase, altering form as the did. The now pseudopods wrapped around the edge of the door frame, as well as gripping the floor edge. Slowly, the pseodopods thickened, as the door frame and floor creaked from the great deal of weight being placed upon them. They continued to thicken for just over two minutes, amassing a large amount of Granite's mass at the top. Then, a barrel rose into view, carried up with the remainder of Granite's form.
Now having collected himself at the top of the stairs, Granite reshaped himself, taking on his usual appearance, the barrel held solidly in both hands. He strode to Qki and placed the barrel on the floor. Having done that, he turned and walked into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a set of flint and steel.
Granite strode back up to Qki, came to a halt, and instructed him, "Open the barrel. Dip an appendage into the oil. I will then ignite it."
Granite could do some pretty neat stuff, too. These guys were impressive! Qki realized they were going to do a test run. He decided to try the arm without the magic pen, just in case it didn't work. That pen was one of his most prized possessions. Qki opened the barrel, dipped his left hand in, and watched in fascination as the oil dripped off his fingers back into the barrel.
Granite waited for a moment, then replaced the lid on the barrel. He then struck the flint and steel together next to Qki's arm, the force of which sent several large sparks onto the oil. At least one of them caught, because the oil promptly burst into flames, turning Qki's arm into a rather odd looking torch.
"Woo! Woo!" Qki waved his arm about, dripping flaming oil onto the floor. Waving his arm in the air fanned the flames, making a whooshing sound. Now this was really neat. Some of the others jumped up and stamped out the flaming floor, and Qki decided not to wave his arms any more. After waiting a bit, the flames went out, and Qki worriedly inspected his arm. It seemed to be okay, but his arm was now covered with a sooty black coating. Something suddenly occurred to the golem. "I have an idea! If we burn the oil like this I won't show up as much in the dark! I'll be able to hide easier by the gate. What do you think?"
"Covering you with oil will do the same thing. You can be relocated close to the gate another way. Without being seen. I will transport you internally." Granite replied, expressionless and toneless as ever.
"Cool! I'm ready!" said the golem. This was so exciting! He could hardly wait until he could work on the gate. Now was the time to show how much he could help the others.