Bluehorse wrote:Liam
On hearing the news about the dwarves, he gets a hard look. Dammit. I knew something was wrong about those stones... These Gravelguts are becoming worse and worse news every time I hear mention of them. I hope my letters are making it home. We need aid here in more ways than one. he shook his head. Time to do some more writing. All you can do is appeal for help.
Hopefully, with Marge in tow, he will seek out Caleb and any other council members he can muster for a quick conference. What is the story on Constable Glansandi? When did this behavior start? Is it true he withheld aid from his deputies when the Stoneguts were harassing the people? Do we know any reason why the arrogant bastard would do anything like that? You don't think he has started working for or with the dwarves?
At some point, of course, he will head back to his farm and check on his animals, especially the chicken coop to see if Joe has repatched the hole since the stones were presumably also taken back from there by the Stoneguts. He hopes to see some pregnant Goats, sheep, and pigs, also checking on the chicken that has been laying as well as his pigeons. He would need to start remembering to take one with him next time he was out to send messages back here. He could show Joe how to carefully untie a message, for sure.
His group definitely seems a little shaken, but they are used to the dangers that plague this island.
Before arriving at his homestead, Marge and Caleb look around town suspiciously before replying to the farmer.
"Liam, we cant talk about this out here in the open. We need to use your farmhouse for a private meeting. Are you willing to allow something like that?"
He chuckles. No, love, or I wouldn't have asked. Let's go... he leads them to his home and though he checks on his animals out of sincere care, he knows it will offer a good screen for their little meeting. He calls out to Reythan if he sees him. So tell me... what is going on? He feigns discussing his pigs to any onlookers.
Marge follows along with chatting while doing chores. Liam is not happy to find that all of the black foundation stones he and Joe were using around his buildings and farm have been ripped out and taken.
"This is pretty serious, Liam. We think there is definitely something wrong with Glansandi.
You saw the way he acted earlier, right? Did that seem normal to you?"
OGRE MAGE wrote:Marge follows along with chatting while doing chores. Liam is not happy to find that all of the black foundation stones he and Joe were using around his buildings and farm have been ripped out and taken.
"This is pretty serious, Liam. We think there is definitely something wrong with Glansandi.
You saw the way he acted earlier, right? Did that seem normal to you?"
Liam
Frowns at all this. Quickly looking for something to patch the hole with, maybe some fallen wood that he can push against the hole and cover with sand for bracing and make a thicker barrier.
He looks to Marge and Caleb. No. He is all out of sorts. And where did he get that barracks from? You don't suppose he has been bought off by the Stoneguts do you?
“Maybe. He sure seems out of sorts, but working with dwarves might be a stretch. Him an the boys in the militia built that shack a few days ago. You know what was odd. He didn’t even come out of that building the whole time the dwarves were harassing everyone. In fact, I think he’sa still in there. ”
OGRE MAGE wrote:“Maybe. He sure seems out of sorts, but working with dwarves might be a stretch. Him an the boys in the militia built that shack a few days ago. You know what was odd. He didn’t even come out of that building the whole time the dwarves were harassing everyone. In fact, I think he’sa still in there. ”
Liam nods. What of the militia itself? Jumbo and Gren seemed well enough in the head. Gods rest his soul. What about the others? What have they been doing?
It might be a good idea for us to go visit the Constable and see what he has to say for himself.
Marge and Caleb look shocked at the mention of speaking directly to Glansandi.
"Ya, Greff was a good man. And Jombo still seems to have a good head on his shoulders for a youngen. I dont think either of them would have been involved in anything dastardly. But the constable has hired on a few more men lately, and I cant speak for their loyalties. Maybe we should talks to Jombo first to see if he knows anything about this?"
"No. I dont believe he did." Oh shit! Here comes another one o' them dwarves. Oh, wait. I think we know this one."
Karaunios wrote:Grimm
The dwarf tries to look as harmless as he can while getting those stern looks from the townsfolk. I suspected as much. Things were better with the Indigenes. He decides to go to the only place he's been before in town, to Liam's farm, since he's the person he's known for the longer time in town and he also was kind to his friend Powstap.
Smiles and raises his hand in greeting to GrimmHale friend! Grimm, I know you have met Marge, but have you met Caleb here? He is a good man to know around here. Very level headed and a leader in his own right here in town. Caleb, I want to introduce you to my good friend, Grimm. He was a huge help in wiping out the pirate threat.
The dwarves waves his hand from the distance and as he gets closer a faint smile can be seen on his face. "Greetings to everyone." He shakes everyone's hand, even Liam's, as if they hadn't seen each other in a while. "Glad to make your acquintance, Caleb." He clears his throat and looks around him before attempting to speak his mind: "What's wrong with these people, by the way? I feared I would get stern looks from them, since they'll take me for a darn Stongut or something but, boy, if gazes could hit, I'd already be biting the sand on the beach with bruises on my arse."
Couldn't help but chuckle at the colorful explanation. My friend, I don't know what to say, but I know they Stoneguts have put the fear of the gods in them as they say. I think they are just put on edge. And... please know I say this with all due respect... Most human, especially those that have dealt with few dwarves, have trouble telling one apart from the other. I think it is the beards. Again, I don't mean and offense. Give them time, I am sure they will soften to you here. In the meantime, you are more than welcome to stay with Joe and I.
Grimm smiles and pats the farmer on an arm. "Well, you humans have so many faces. Some have beards, others don't. Like you, Marge, you don't even have the shadow of one. Or way wear mustaches... But, anyway, I'm sure there's something about those Stoneguts that tells them apart. They're always frowning and bad tempered. As if they were smelling something stinky all the time, if you get my meaning." He clears his throat, as if trying to let go what he just said. "Anyway, thank you for your offer, Liam. But I don't want to just be staying around here. I have to do something and be serviceable. You just tell me if I can lend a hand!"
He suddenly seems to remember something. "Oh. And yeah, the pirates. We made some good progress there. I fell after I got to swing my sword once or twice, I think. But the indigenes got their village back.
Paul mentioned something about them, the pirates, also taking the village next to the lake to the north. Those bastards acted quickly. That's where the main village is. The native chieftain lives there. That lake is sacred to them. Just in case, it we get to visit it at some point, don't get to close to the water."
Caleb shakes the dwarfs hand and says hello, but Grimm notices him wipe it on his pants after the gesture is complete.
Marge tries to calm the dwarfs nerves."I am sorry to hear that you were treated badly here, Grimm. You have proven yourself to be helpful and able bodied enough to me, but those Stoneguts have put a fear into everyone here. Please dont take it personally if someone looks sideways at you, OR WIPES THEIR HAND OFF AFTER TOUCHING YOU!" She says this loudly and almost directly in Calebs reddening face.
The others listen to Grimm speak of the natives land with great interest, since the idea of moving the entire town is still at the forefront of almost every conversation.
Nods. Fair fair... Perhaps I should let mine grow out a bit. The beard I mean. Anyway, we are on our way to find Jumbo and see what he can tell us that might help us figure out what is going on with the constable. He is acting strangely to put it nicely. Apparently he never came out of his barracks when an armed squad of Stoneguts came marching into town to harass the people over what amounted to a misunderstanding. And he attacked me when I came here looking for help for he rescue and recovery. Something is just not right.
Care to come with us?
The dwarf doesn't take Caleb's reaction gladly, but chuckles at Marge scolding him. "It's fine, it's fine. They don't give us dwarves a good name, that's for sure. Well, thanks for your kind words, Marge.
Well, continuing with our conversation about the natives. We made a little progress there. But, I've to tell you, as I was in their main village, something weird happened. The chieftain wanted me out of the place. It was strange, since I was trying to help and until then they had received me hospitably. Apparently there was some kind of woman... an elf, poisoning his ear and telling him am about to bring trouble upon them... Powstap, good Powstap, stayed by my side. He got mocked by them and told he shan't return there anymore. Fortunately, the remaining villages along the river, further to the south, looked to be independent of her influence.
He then looks around him and starts speaking quitely.
"It is here, Liam, where I saw what I told you back in the forest. That strange beast, like a big serpent that was half visible in the mists of the lake, that the natives called Pro-tec-tor. They venerated it as a god, kneeling and bending with their foreheads on the floor, calling its name. This is something very important. Powstap became angry with me when I asked him about it and told me that they don't speak about their Pro-tec-tor. The serpent-like monster ate someone who looked like Bonnie, that evil woman who set us a trap when were at the temple jungle with poor... Well, you know who I mean.
I wonder if it really was Bonnie and it she was related to the elf woman I told you was lying about me to the chieftain (this happened later, so they can't be the same woman).
Powstap also talked a lot about some friend of them called Kelief, who departed with the pirates, I presume as a prisoner, and helped them a lot. Do you know anyhing about him?"
He takes his waterskin and drinks a couple of sips, holding his other hand with his index finger point skyward, telling them to wait for him to finish his account.
"It really surprises me that the pirates could get the main village that quickly. That means that, in a matter of four or five days, they got to sail upriver and conquer it? What about the other villages on the way? I don't know how many of them are there, but I'd say a lot two or three, as far as I could figure out from my wanderings with you Liam, Daisy, that big fellow, eh... I forgot his name, eh... Hrotgar? and Powstap and later on only with Powstap and me.
We managed to capture two of them who were watching the coast from the tree tops and I interrogated them, but didn't get anything that's of any use to use. Later, we got attacked by pirates once and almost got killed, but got to scape through a well that connected with the river. Something bit me and Powstap and two other natives got me in time to their main village (there's where I got to see what I just told you about the probably elf woman sowing deceit in the indigene's chieftain). These two natives died in the trip.
I didn't get to see who the pirates were, but I remember, in our last forray trying to recapture the village, that Juice and the other two who were taken prisoner by the natives gave me a weird look. Maybe they were among those pirates who ambushed Powstap, the natives and me, since I didn't see their faces."
By the way, I probably haven't been paying as much attention as I should've or somehow I didn't get it, but this is first new I have about the possibility of moving the entire village!
Instead of answering his friend, Grimm regales them with some extraordinary information.
Marge and Caleb just stare at the dwarf, listening intently to his confusing tale. Feeling a little ashamed for his earlier action, Caleb finally tries to make sense of it all.
“So, there are a few villages along the river. Okay, we already knew that. Maybe we could scout out these places for possible relocation areas?”
“There is a large communal village at the end of the river, with a large pool and waterfall? And the pool has a sea serpent that ate someone named Bonnie? And this Bonnie is an evil elf who you think was responsible for Nehru’s death?”
“These are pretty important facts here, and I think we should sort this through before we do anything else.”
Marge seems about to ready cry but quickly bites her emotion back. “I agree! We need to sort through all this before adding any more pieces to the puzzle.”
The talk of moving Beachtown has been around for a while. It is most prevalent in the Beachtown area threads.
