Morning, Kelehess 15th - Night, Kelehess 15th
(17 days total; 27 days until the New Moon; 113 days left to raise Isabella)
Information
Taking what she learned from Kelesha, Jeda made a report to General Rho in the early hours of the morning. He subsequently sent a scouting party ahead to confirm or deny any of what the tiefling told him. Unlike most rest of the camp, the leader of the Rhreen did not seem to judge the warlord.
Morning Camp
The scions woke in various states of rested, Kaylan and Giers most so. The two young lovers happily made their way back into the village, greeting all they met with smiling faces. Portia came back into town and introduced everyone to Hopper II, the little emerald frog eager to meet Kaylan... and hump her, much to the chagrin of the boggart. The group was reprovisioned for their journey back to Othyr, while the Vergers had light breakfasts and readied to depart eastward.
Heart to Heart
A slip of the tongue on the paladin's part uncovered the fact the Vergers were not taking the Heart of the Wild into battle, rather it was staying with Portia. Giers took the rogue off to the side and tried to reason with the half-goblin on the importance of the Vergers having such a potent weapon. However, Portia would not relent, making valid claims on what was rightfully hers and tarnishing the trustworthiness of King Pongwa. Giers eventually gave up, putting an awful amount of guilt on Portia by saying the Verger's potential failure would be her fault. This left her in a terrible mood.
Ethics
Meanwhile, Kaylan strolled down to her favorite rock. Unable to say goodbye to Frederick himself, the warden having gone on with the scouting mission, it was her way to closure. Jeda tagged along, watching with mild bemusement as the cleric closed a chapter of her life in the Wild.
There they met up with Dokur, optomistic and thankful, come to wish them luck before he tried catching up to the scouts. The girls wished him the same as he disappeared into the tall grass.
On the way back, Kaylan asked Jeda if she'd been given a mission by Reedthagn. The warlord didn't lie, spelling exactly what it entailed, namely an assassination. Dark-born and dedicant-to-light quickly fell into a heated debate on each other's ethics and the hypocrisy and irresponsibility there in.
Hulda's Decision
The sleepyhead urias finally woke, looking all around for Bannoch the now-vanished cu sidhe. On seeing that the Vergers were packing up and leaving, she found herself at a true crossroads. When the others returned, she made a case to her brother on going with the army and seeing what they'd started finished. Giers validly argued on the many time tables they were on, namely Reedthagn's new moon deadline and Isabella's raising. Kaylan interjected, then, saying she managed a ritual that would extend Isabella's return time by four times the normal limits, quite a spell indeed.
Hulda, having heard enough, scooped Portia and Hopper II in her arms and made after the army. She stuck three fingers out, demanding three days to find their peace. The paladin reluctantly agreed, even as Kaylan also followed. Jeda came last, calling it suicide from her gleaned intelligence. Still the group followed and finally the tiefling angrily came around.
Night Camp
Caught up with the tail end of camp, the scions marched with the Vergers until nightfall. As soldiers set camps,
War Council
Within the war tent, King Pongwa and General Rho poured over a fire, but also a new face, that of a beautiful satyr with golden horns and tightly-cropped red hair. Lady Goldhorn, leader of the Ganadon satyrs, who studied the group as the gnome lord greeted them. Bannoch was there too and quickly found Hulda with barking glee. Dokur came in after with Frederick to listen as well.
The Plan
Seemingly exasperated from all their brainstorming, Lady Goldhorn asked the scions for ideas as to a plan to attack Twisttongue Tower. It was Jeda and Portia who spoke up, formulating a plan in which the Vergers were really more a distraction while the tower was sapped. However, to sap a tower in the span of a battle would require engines of digging. Lady Goldhorn suggested the giant moles of Mount Tahmuras, but it would take at least a week to wrangle even one, much less a force large enough to topple the last tower.
The boggart asked Hopper II if he could help, where upon his chest bulged to show several of the giant moles on the gravelly slopes look up, as if summoned, and begin digging. Three days it would take to reach them, where upon an attack could commence. King Pongwa, having come to trust the Liberators (as he called the scions), was all for the plan, though Dokur and Frederick were rather skeptical to its chances of success. General Rho was mute on the matter, and so it fell to Lady Goldhorn to decide if it held merit enough. Trusting the Liberators, but even more so the Heart of the Wild, she agreed on Jeda and Portia's plan. In three days, they would attack, the Vergers the diversion for a very unexpected attack.
And so the Liberators departed into the camps, the weight of the war effort now firmly on their shoulders.
Girl's Night
Giers asleep, a miffed Kaylan wandered the camp until flagged down by Hulda, who, with Portia's aid, had also dragged Jeda to the fire. There Hulda revealed a nice, big stogie, and the warlord broke out her liquor. The barbarian thought a bonding experience was in order and easily enough the others fell into it, laughing, drinking, passing the blunt and sharing small stories, hopes and curiosities. After much inner turmoil, it seemed the women of the group were finally discovering their similarities.
The Rape
On Jeda's egging, the very drunk Kaylan wandered throughout camp intent on finding Frederick. She did, by some miracle, and quickly came onto him. The two went at it like animals, until the cleric began catching a little too much of an animal vibe. Her senses beginning to clear with the fading of the drinks, she realized she was riding a satyr! Another crept behind her, intent on joining as well, and she frantically tried to escape. However the two satyrs weren't letting her go until they were satisfied. Horror overtook the cleric as she was overpowered and used, and she screamed, loud enough for Jeda, Portia and Hulda to hear.
The girls came to the rescue, Jeda splitting one of the satyr's heads like firewood and Portia peppering the other in a hail of lethal stars. Other satyrs rose to join the fight, confused, scared, but mostly angry. That's when the half-giant crash landed onto the scene, though after a quick assessment of their foes dropped her maul and brawled them instead. Kaylan ran off, Portia following, and the raging warlord and barbarian took on dozens and dozens of woken satyr camps.
Repercussions
Before too much more chaos ensued, General Rho and Frederick came onto the scene. After prying satyrs from Hulda and disarming and subduing Jeda, Kaylan's story was explained. The Rhreen leader declared the matter settled, the offending party having paid the price (with their lives). The rueful Ganadons took Dar and Blon to be buried.
Portia comforted Kaylan, then met with Jeda for a fireside chat while the cleric and barbarian went to bed. Already spiteful rumors had begin to spread, of Kaylan's being a slut and the group having wronged the satyrs. A seed of discontent was sown, though to what ends amongst the Vergers or the war effort remained to be seen...
Experience: 250xp (5388xp total)
Magic Items: None
Loot: Supplemented trail rations
Money: None
NPCs:
Lady Goldhorn
Dar
Blon
Satyrs:
Knowledge Gleaned: Spawned from Lordanna's loins, satyrs are lustful, roguish half-goat fey that dwell in wooded spaces. Frivolous in the extreme, they are an unmotivated and difficult lot to get along with for long. Skilled in all aspects of hunting, music and art, their true passions are wine and fornication (and they don't care where or how they get either).
Satyrs tend to be cheeky and often cruel, playing all sorts of pranks at others' expenses. They, like their games, can quickly turn deadly, especially if one of them is offended (which is exceedingly easy to do with most fey). They are selfish by nature, but the Ganadon, with their more level-headed leader, are working against the demons in a concerted effort just the same (perhaps because Al'kek'uma would eventually threaten their way of life).
They favor light, if any, armor, bows, bolas, lassos, javelins, and short swords. If they can, they will set animal traps, snapping steel jaws, pits and the like. They also prefer untamed nature to any sort of garden, park, or settlement, connecting to the raw primalness.
Knowledge Arcana or Nature (must be trained): Satyrs are all male, the embodiments of phallic power and men's rougher, even barbaric, edges. Without shame or regret, satyrs often say and do things that would shock those of more civilized bent. Sex and alcohol are necessary for their very survival, nourishment like food, and without it they wither into elderly-looking satyrs known as sileni. Hungry or thirsty satyra are dangerous things and they will resort to violence, rape and threats in order to obtain what they crave.
In the Ganadon tradition, the most female-like male in their forest is elevated into a position of esteem, dressed and prepared to look and act the part of a lady. Their current hermaphroditic leader is Lady Goldhorn, her billowy white gowns helping sustain much of the feminine illusion.
No comments:
Post a Comment