Zhym wrote:"Yeah, Yenny and Hyde pissed in your porridge," retorts Angus. "Don't mean you gotta crap in our cornflakes to make us even. You want to take offense at what Yenny done, that's your right. I sure as hell would. You got laws here against that sort of thing, we'll face your justice. You want to keep us in this upholstered prison cell while we're here, I for one ain't got no complaints. But you ain't got any right to go poking in my head. It was wrong when Yenny done it and it's wrong when you do it."
He glances back at Jobin. "I'll make sure the bosses of Alleborg know about the reception we got here. Best of luck to you. I mean that sincerely—I don't like to see any people massacred just because their leader's a damn fool."
"Now can I leave on my own, or do you gotta escort me?"
"I have no interest in interning any of you. This is a simple matter of trust. We complied, and you did not." He ignores the damn fool jibe, or at least doesn't outwardly react to it.
"You are free to leave at any time."
Marullus wrote:Hellebore shakes her head, looking sadly at Jobin. "You chose poorly, ignoring me utterly and engaging in this way instead."
She releases her hold on Qatkir, letting him growl, and turns away. She quietly packs her things, speaking instead to Angus and Hyde, not lowering her voice as the soldiers remain around them. "He is incapable of apology, or of honor, Angus. He murdered my sister, returning her body with throat slit and no other Wounds upon her. In return, we saved his people when he could not. All I asked was that I could carry his condolences to my grieving mother, you remember? Instead he offered justification and blame. This isn't forgotten. I offered him trust and left the ghost-children in his care with his Oath that we could return to see his good Faith, and we return to find him faithless and us constrained. You offer apology, he blames us and Alleborg and everything but himself. No spell shows his character - that is proven by his actions. You are right. They don't need allies. They will live and die on pride alone."
Jobin's face reddens, and his guards murmur with protest.
"You cannot accurately recount the events of ten minutes ago, and so it does not surprise me that many weeks tarnish your...memory. Of course, your own people admit they attacked our outpost. And two of ours died. It was most unfortunate your sister died, but the rashness of that party is to blame, not my men and women. And you were not even there. It was an arrow wound, by the bye, and not a slit throat."
He takes a moment to collect himself.
"As for your questions, you'll recall I was in the process of answering them when your group decided to divine our true intentions. I did give you my word you could check on those you freed. If you wish to do so, I will bring some of them to you. I honor my word."
tkrexx wrote:As the others prepare to depart, Hyde looks slowly and sadly up to Jobin, more than a foot taller. I made a mistake, yeahh, I know it, trying to keep my good pals safe. Now you be making the same mistake, for the same reason. I understand that. Now you can't trust us, and we can't trust Alleborg, and Alleborg don't trust you. Nasty circle, hah? Means them Orcs can pick us off one at a time. Like them Assassins wanna do with our tribe. Angus, he be a Rainja, yeahh, a mighty Orc killa. He be as at home in this wood as Hellebore and Tempus, and he's the best chance any of us have against them Orcs.
"We may still have trust enough to eliminate a common enemy."
tkrexx wrote:He (Hyde) sighs heavily and strides to Sucks and pulls a heavy bag of silver coins. Something I'll never understand about you full-bloods, your pride. Me, I got Orc blood in me, guess that means I don't suffer from too much pride, hah? We know you be running low on supplies, take this here, maybe re-equip. Maybe you make it a while longa. Take care of them palefaces, hah?
As Hyde begins to retrieve silver from the horse, Jobin holds up a hand to stop him.
"I do appreciate the gesture, Hyde, but your sharp-tongued halfling friend is correct. We can do little with silver. We do not need precious metals. They will only serve to slow us down if we need to flee.
And we too have among us those that commune with nature and harness her powers. But they can only increase our foodstuffs so much. We have too many mouths and not enough land within our walls."
Zhym wrote:
"First, and I reckon this ain't gonna take, but I sincerely apologize for what Yenny done. It ain't right to go poking into people's hearts and minds, especially not without their say so. It's an affront to a man's dignity and privacy. We got more in common than we got disagreements, you and us. We ought to be helping each other. Yenny's spell is part of the reason we ain't. We're all worse off than we would've been had she not cast that cussed spell. For that, I am truly sorry."
"Yes, this morning's events are a shame. But what's done is done. We still have common cause. But to open those doors into our fortress requires iron-clad trust. I did not see that returned. Perhaps one day you will be a leader. Responsible for the very life and death of hundreds. Or perhaps not. Only then will you understand the responsibility on my shoulders."
Zhym wrote:"Second, even though we ain't friends or even allies, we still got common goals where them orcs are concerned. You ain't got reason to trust us, but every orc we take down is an orc that ain't killing or enslaving you and yours. You had a thought a moment ago about how a small group like ours might go against all them orcs. I know you said you weren't answering any questions, and I don't expect you to. But anything you can tell us that would help us kill them orcs helps you too."
"The orc parties now number over a dozen. And they often have more than just fighting orcs. Shamans, mounts, other accompaniments. You should be careful. The town you mentioned earlier. If the orcs fear it, it should be a good place to gather yourselves if you need to avoid them. Especially if you removed the carnivorous bats."
He looks at everyone in turn.
"As for the city itself. We know how it appears from above. Hundreds of orcs live behind walls not unlike ours. Probably built by humans. But they live underground, mostly. So a true count is impossible to get. But, it is too many for us alone, and you will certainly meet your end if you stroll up to the walls to meet them head-on. Those manning the walls have bows, and they shoot at everything."
Zhym wrote:He turns back to Beelzebub and pats him on the neck—perhaps realizing that his mule is a gentle and compliant softie compared to some leaders. "Finally, a word of warning," he says over his shoulder. "Hyde wasn't lying when he said there's people in Alleborg out to get us. Someone there was working with the goblins what we killed. Don't know who, ain't sure why—leastwise, I ain't got no notions I'm gonna share with people what ain't my friends—but someone in Alleborg is a traitor. Probably working with the orcs, too. So if y'all do hear back from Alleborg, be careful. Them what seem to be your friends might not be. 'Course, I ain't got to tell you to be paranoid, do I?"
"Our people have very good reason not to trust Alleborg and those that wield power there. You seem to forget that you yourselves hail from there." He chuckles.
"Surprising, then, that you tell me to be careful of emissaries from Alleborg, yet you object to me treating you with such care. I will tell you I had no intention of divining your true intentions unless you acted suspiciously. Divining ours raises suspicion, don't you think? So, I followed your own advice and you seem bent out of shape about it.
"I'm not surprised that someone within Alleborg was aiding its enemies. It is probably the same faction that ripped the kingdom asunder in the first place many years ago. But, as you so adeptly put it, it's not wise to share such speculations with those you don't trust as friends."
He looks, well, sad as he prepares to leave.
"Guards, allow them to stay in peace here as long as they desire. Keep the fires stoked for their warmth. And if our halfling friend wishes to check on the health of the captors they returned, fetch Leylana to bring some of their number. Their lessons do not commence until later."
"Farewell" says Jobin, and he and his escort turn, planning to head back into the heart of the fortress.
Date: 19 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 07:20
Conditions: 32F, light fog, SSE breeze at 5 mph, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect:
Light bearers: Sunrise
Intended Direction of Travel:
Injury Status: none
