The Halfling kids think Chuba is the best thing since...well, maybe ever. Sure they've been on Mastiffs, and sure they've climbed all over the Luck Dragons, but there is something about being able to climb all over the big woman that they fall in love with. Soon there are six of them, four little girls and two little boys, racing in and out between her legs, riding her shoulders, dancing around her, and laughing. They laugh and giggle and it seems like this may be the first real joy they've felt in a few days. This went on for a good fifteen minutes before the kids were called away, giving Chuba her moment alone.
Then a Halfling woman walked up. She was limping, supporting a lot of her weight on a cane that looked like it had been cobbled together from somesort of old bone and some twine and a large stick. A shawl protected her head from the elements.
"Much respect and thanks to you." She said the Chuba as she gazed up at the Goliath. "My children...well...my children and those that I'm taking care of now...they really enjoyed playing with you. You're very kind. Would you like to come eat?"
She looks around, looks at the various other members of the Order of the Phoenix scattered amongst her people in the oasis.
"Would you like to bring your friends? I think I have enough."
**********
The child that is talking to Dageron thinks long and hard about what this stranger has said to him. He watches the Hobgoblin groom his horse, check his hooves...and oddly enough, it is this that the kid understands. There is some sort of universal connection in that moment between the way this warrior, this strange man from a strange past who is an enigma to the kid, is checking his horse that reminds him of the way that the Khun Clan cares for their animals. There is so much sense in this, so much that resonates, and the boy just watches. He's seen it all a hundred thousand times; before a ride, before a battle, before it's time to go north or south or east or west or cross the river or partake in the wild hunt. He steps up next Dageron as the adult works, reaches out, and without warning grabs Dageron's hand. It's quick, simple, gentle and yet with a strength unusual for one the boys size and age. His hands clasps the much bigger, stronger hand, and gives it a short squeeze before the kid lets go, turns, and dashes back for the rest of Atoh's horde.
**********
The girl gasps and Jek rolls his sleeve up and shows her the stygian void of his arm. She even covers her mouth with one hand before having the decency of looking embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, I meant no offense." She said, her mouth still covered. There isn't much time for her to recover as Jek's little impromptu performance takes place. She watches, her hand never moving away from her face, while he sets about making what she will describe as 'magical fireworks' for the rest of her life. A few children filter in and out of the performance, but with evening waning, they're increasingly called back closer to the protection of their parents and elders, the protection of the Clan.
"Wow...that was amazing." She said to the Lightless. "How did you do that...I'm sorry...I didn't catch your name? How did you do that!?"
**********
There are over a dozen Halflings that still have lingering wounds that need attending to. Festering arrow wounds and sword slashes. A man missing three fingers on one hand. A cavalry rider with her eye missing. Awful things, stinking things. There's enough between the wounded and the broken gear that it takes a herculean effort between Brevon and the Lady of Light to make a dent in it, even with Melisandre aiding him.
The children are most grateful. Little boys with mended straw horses, little girls who have tattered dollies. One little one has a doll that is clearly done up to look like a Khan, its clothing adorned to be regal and fierce. The little bow in the dolls hand is snapped in half.
The girl gasps and Jek rolls his sleeve up and shows her the stygian void of his arm. She even covers her mouth with one hand before having the decency of looking embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, I meant no offense." She said, her mouth still covered. There isn't much time for her to recover as Jek's little impromptu performance takes place. She watches, her hand never moving away from her face, while he sets about making what she will describe as 'magical fireworks' for the rest of her life. A few children filter in and out of the performance, but with evening waning, they're increasingly called back closer to the protection of their parents and elders, the protection of the Clan.
"Wow...that was amazing." She said to the Lightless. "How did you do that...I'm sorry...I didn't catch your name? How did you do that!?"
**********
Jek smiles at her response to his arm. "No offense taken." He says with a little laugh. He heard tales from his brothers about people running and screaming when they see there skin uncovered. This was mild by comparison.
After his little performance, Jek smacks his forehead at the woman's statement. "Oh my goodness. I am so so sorry, where are my manners! I am Jek Utinni! And what is your name? As to how I do this... well.... I mean, I just do it. It's difficult to explain. Here...." Jek will use a minor illusion to illustrate, first making the image of a bright silhouette of a woman, a shadow on the ground, and a dark figure rising up from the shadow. "We are the shadows of the Bright Lady. We are made from shadows. Because of that ...." He will change the image to the dark figure with a tree and the trees shadow, the dark figure is picking up the shadow off the ground. "...we are can interact with, create, and manipulate shadows. We are born with the ability, coming to us as natural as breathing or walking or talking. And since shadows are an interaction between light and dark..." With that, the image comes together and swirls with darkness and light, making a Yin Yang type symbol. "... we can bend it, shape it, make images, sometimes even make the shadows so real that they can become real, at least for a time." He will cast mage hand and a shadowy hand will come out of the symbol floating in the air. It will go in for a high five, Jek will nod to it reassuringly. After, he will have it stack rocks near them. "Why do you ask? Do you wish to learn? I could try to show you, I've never tried to teach anyone before. But I mean, maybe? I don't know how it would work? I don't know how long we will be here either. Oh... You could be my apprentice! I never had an apprentice before. What does an apprentice do?"
"Oh! I'm Odval!" She said. "It is nice to meet you, Utinni Jek! I..."
She paused for a moment, watching his explanation. She smiles.
"I meant...how do you do magic, silly." She clarified, but she still reached out and touched Jek's arm with her hand, examining the feel of it under her fingers. "Wow...neat. I've never touched a shadow before. But...oh! I guess that makes sense...guess I should have waited to find out huh? This is...strange, to me. But the world is a strange place, I guess. I don't think we have time for me to learn, though. I think Chingis said that we should ride soon, to head south as soon as we could, to try to get away from the oncoming armies. If they find us again..."
She was suddenly done smiling. She didn't need to complete her thought.
"I uh...guess I should let you guys get going. It was nice to meet you, Utinni Jek. Just...if you're going north, be careful?"
Jek nods to Odval. "Thank you. Our path takes us where the Bright Lady guides us. If it is into an oncoming wave then... I guess we better be sneaky hahaha. Don't worry, we will be careful. "
Jek looks around as the halflings make camp. He decides it is probably for the best to leave them among there own, they have grief to process.
Jek will gather Iron-Hoove and walk to the camp Dageron set up, just in time to see the little halfling boy give his hand a squeeze. He will come up and say with a laugh "It seems like you may have made a friend! Why did you set up camp so far away? They all seem to have lost a lot. Maybe it's better for us strangers to be off to the side for now. I wish there is something we could do to help Atoh, her whole family is gone. Uhhh.. I'm sorry, yours were taken as well weren't they. It seems hard. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to my Brothers. I suppose it would make me very... sad...angry...both? I don't know. Oh...uhhh...... Anyways, should we make some food."
Dageron nods knowingly at Jek as the boy darts away. "Welcome Jek, mind the tripwi-." As he says it, Jek walks directly into the thin twine and a bell begins to chime next to Dageron. He smiles - perhaps for the first time in Jek's presence. "At least I know it works." He resets the twine, then pulls two packed ration bundles from a saddlebag and throws one to Jek. Surprisingly, the smallish packet is actually thin white cotton and hemp twine bundled over a metal tin with a wax seal. The whole thing is a normal hand length long and wide, by a few finger-widths deep. "I am no cook and have learned to avoid making fires at camp when on campaign. So, I spend time whenever possible at the markets in Nockmaar - one of the few soft-skin markets that will allow my kind to shop. Those rations are hand-packed. They are mostly hard tack, but each include a hard and sharp cheese with salted dried meats, fruits and nuts. Including a gooey treat made from dates and some kind of sugary dough. All in quantities fit for one my size - it should be more than enough for you. I hope you like it." He finishes grooming his horse, then props the barding up and begins polishing it. He is meticulous, looking for breaks in the underlayer of chain, or rot in the leather or cloth layers. Once done, he cleans and inspects the saddle, bags, and then his own armor and weapons. As he does, he speaks to Jek.
"Not all of my kin are dead. I suspect at least one of my children are alive. The youngest is old enough to be marching with Vader's army as we speak. My mate is lost though. She died years ago during the fall of my Polis, in the rearguard to buy time for others to retreat. I had been at the front when we broke, and rallied two companies to the enemies flank... only to realize we were alone. Everyone else was dead or fleeing. We had fought into the night, and only by the strange grace of battle did a fog settle upon the fields of carnage, allowing us to steal away and connect with other survivors. The sacking of Aureki itself had already begun by time we managed to get back there. Our people fought hard, and none but the smallest children were taken as slaves. Then we wandered. For almost two years we raided some of these very tribes. Stole from them, enslaved them... everything else. Eventually we worked our way North and found Vader. I had taken a new mate by then, but we were not fond of one another. She was from another fallen polis, and no children were born from our union..." For a moment, Dageron seems to trail off as if lost in memories passed and decisions made. Then he changes the subject. "What about you Jek of the Uttini. What brought you from your brothers?"
The night was clear overhead. Stars flickered, and at least one fell from the cool night air of the Shem and descended south, streaking from one horizon to another as Jek and Dageron held audience with one another.
The camp did its own thing. The horde busied itself with the feeding of themselves and with tending their wounded and preparing for the next march. It seemed they were preparing to leave the campfires burning and then to march off in the middle of the night, taking advantage of the cool of the dark and the morning in a bid to get back to the Nockmaar Grasslands and escape the punishing sands of the desert.
In the end, part of the Order of the Phoenix, including Chuba and Orin, broke off and joined the horde in an effort to help them cross back to the grasslands before exploring ways to aid the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull from the coming siege.
The Order of the Phoenix, shrunken but not broken, continued on, traveling by night, hiding from the relentless suns during the day, rationing water and food, and ever watching for Vader's forces along the way.
They didn't see the enemy until they were within eyesight of the Tower of the Elephant.
The tower was surrounded, and the scant stone village around it was occupied. The three hundred odd acres of land around the base of the massive sandstone obelisk jutting into the sky was bustling with activity, some of it undoubtedly the urRu and the people that had taken the pilgrimage there to be amongst them, and many of them, from the looks of them, being Imperial forces. Hobgoblins and Orcs in doffed armor were busy shoveling a trench and a berm around the tower and its tiny village, and more Hobgoblins patrolled the area in teams. They were wearing black armor with red Imperial sigils on the shoulder and carried pikes and tower shields. There was at least one Ogre wading amongst the enemies gathered there.
Movement into and out of the village was completely ceased. The few civilians they could see from their hiding place appeared to be beaten, disheveled, and in no place to put up an effective resistance.
Jek listen along to Dageron's story. He is interested in the dynamics of other cultures. He let's out a little "UTINNI" out of habit in echo of Dageron's utterance of his name.
"Why did I leave. Well, there were many reasons. I have spent my entire life in the Shem Desert. I have heard stories of what lies beyond the dunes, but have never seen it. Some of my brothers have gone on Pilgrimages, visited other tribes, but I never had the chance. Then... The elders felt a shift in the magics. It was something different. They believed it was the Nothing. If there is no light and no darkness, there can be no shadow. And that is what we are. They asked for volunteers to go out, follow the guidance of the Bright Lady, and help fight the nothing as best we can. We all picked a direction we thought was right, and went. I ended up in the forests east of the Ivory Tower, which is where I met Brevon. He was very bright, it had to be a sign from the Bright lady! Also, apparently going through others backpacks without permission is apparently not okay. I'm learning so many new things! Honestly, I did not expect to be back in the Shem so soon. I was hopping to see more of the world. Maybe we will get to still."
Jek hesitates for a minute "Umm, I'm sorry about your people... What is a mate? And why would you go with someone you aren't fond of? That seems silly...oh, umm, sorry, didn't mean to talk badly of your choices.... Anyways, I've been confused about something. Children are apparently not just miniature versions of other races, they actually grow bigger, right. I just learned that recently. What makes a child yours? Do you just claim it when it is created? What if two people claim the same child? Do you then ask the child which one it wants to go with? What if the child doesn't want either of you and choses someone else? It seems like mates are tied together by children, so why not just pick your mates based on which people what which child? That seems to be more straight forward, if two people want the same child, then they are mates. Right....."
Dageron listens to Jek speak of his people. Of course, the Hobgoblins had heard of Jek's race. There had been many stories. Dageron just never believed them, before now. When Jek asks about children, then delves into his understanding of them, Dageron smiles broadly.
"That must be the saddest thing I've ever heard. Your race don't have sex? A mate is someone you have sex with. After having sex with them one too many times the female becomes pregnant. A little under a year later, her belly swollen out like she'd eaten half the village. Which sometimes they do. She produces a child - sometimes two or three - from her body. The swollen belly contained the child as it formed into being. Like a flower growing from little more than a seed into a large bud opening for the first time. The child grows within the mother during that time. When it is born, it is still very small and very helpless. By the age of six seasons it is capable of speaking, running, wielding a spear and marching in formation. Most have killed by that age.
"A mate is the one you choose to create the children with. Humans believe they own their children, Hobgoblins do not. Quite the opposite, in fact. I am seed-father to the children my mate bore, however, I am father to all of my dead siblings children who still live. When I am gone, or die, the next eldest male becomes their father, if not in my direct line then in my clan. A father gives guidance to the males, a mother to the females. All children belong to the clan - none are owned by their parents. They are educated in cohorts which are lifelong duty-assignments. You will know your cohorts better than anyone, and likely die together as a unit in battle. Most take their mates from their cohorts, or cohorts in close age to their own. This is why my son did not leave with me. He could not abandon his cohort, even if he agreed with my beliefs. My own cohort was long dead, and so I was alone.
"No mate is bound to another, though many keep the same mate for the decade or two left of their lives once they are old enough to even think of mate-bonding. Finding a mate who will bring honor and status to your clan is most important, but to achieve this you must have great trust in them and their judgement. This was the case with my first, not my second. I took a second mate because I had a duty to expand the clan, and because she needed to be indoctrinated formally via a blood union.
"If your kind know nothing of sex, how do your numbers grow over time?"
If you could see Jek's face, it would look horrified at your description of pregnancy. "Wait, so these children grow inside of people!?! Like parasites? Oh man. So...Do they just poop out the children? Oh man, being small and helpless must stink. I would imagine that they complain about it none stop. Isn't sex just .... ahhh, that what people call themselves right. Boy or girl, that thing, right. We are all boy's, mostly because we find it presumptuous to take the gender of the divine... You know, the Bright Lady. I did know it was some sort of activity as well. That seems silly that they would call those things the same thing. Shouldn't it have another name? But anyways... oh, how are more of my kind are 'born'... that's probably the right word for it. I am the youngest of my people, so I haven't seen it myself, but we have an Illumination Ceremony. They can only occur at certain, special places, and only during a solar eclipse. I only showed up at the end, obviously, so I don't know what exactly is entailed, but that is where we are formed from the shadow of the Bright Lady. Then there is a big party! Lots of food, singing, dancing! Lots of drinks, too. I got so drunk, hahaha! I learned my tolerance level pretty quick after that! There were 7 of us in my brood, smaller than normal, which I think worried some of the elders a bit. I think that was one of the first signs of things being not quite right."
Jek sits quiet for a bit "You all are weird creatures." He says, shaking his head.
Brevon sends that morning speaking with Chuba and Orin. It was a hard decision to make, but he understands the dilemma. Where they are heading now, there is very little hope. Vader's army, the creature that stalks them through the underworld... At least with the Sorceress there is the Power, and the promise of the Champion. These things are apparent, if not their implications, and it gives them something concrete to which to apply their talents and attention. He embraces them, blesses them in the Light, and then prepares to depart.
-----------------------
As they travel that day, Brevon shares the information gleaned from AURYN.
"Greko the Green sends word that the Great Deku Tree is near death, infested with evil creatures. They are trying to preserve it. I know not how. They suspect that Gannon and the Darkness are headed to Hyrule Castle, with Darkness itself is hidden in a cart protected from the sun." He glances over shoulder at the contents of his cart.
“Kerwyn's news... Let me see. They have defeated an evil harpy creature but were then ambushed by some Super Predator like creature."He pauses. "Do you think this could be the Gmork? They are making their way through the mushroom forest and have befriended the myconids. Their destination is the labyrinth, where they believe the mare may be imprisoned. They have a fairy with them named Delphinium who is from the Kokiri forest and ask us to be on the lookout for other fairies, who will be saddened to know of the fate of the Deku Tree."
"Stop!" Brevon calls abruptly as the Tower comes into view. "How on earth will we get into the Tower?"
The night is dark and lonely when Melisandre walks up on the little Lightless and the Hobgoblin having their...discussion. She stands in the dark, not caring is she's seen or not, and listens to the conversation unfolding before her. Things start out innocently and interestingly enough; the formation of the Lightless, the eclipse, the festival...and then...well, then the horse and buggy and all takes a sharp detour off the road and over and embankment as Dageron brings up sex, and how it works, and what it causes, and how that looks, and what happens next, and the reproductive politics of Hobgoblin society. Her ears burn and she flushes and she's unsure if she was meant to hear this conversation or even if it matters and...well.
Melisandre pulls her dress up and wades off through the high grass, fleeing back to the safety of Brevon, unsure of what to think about what just happened.
A cursory examination of the southern end of the tower and its village shows no real holes in the siege, although the siege is sparse; they haven't brought in enough reinforcements yet to completely wall everything off.
"Stop!" Brevon calls abruptly as the Tower comes into view. "How on earth will we get into the Tower?"
Dageron looks at Brevon with a knowing smile on his face. "Why don't we just ride directly in?" As he says it, he holds up his little book. "We know exactly which units were assigned to the Southern Shem leading up to this siege, and I can easily enough recreate their unit markings on my armor. In some cases I have their dispatch orders and routing. We'll have to acquire some more Hobgoblin armor and equipment to masquerade the rest of you, but we should be able to stroll right in. At least, close enough to make a break for the tower and hope they'll let us in... I'm no expert at deception but can try to give myself some divine aid to pull it off. That is my suggestion, though I am open to others."
(( DM - gonna need some feedback on this plan. I'm assuming I know enough intimate knowledge of the inner workings of this military to at least have a shot at pulling this off - but please correct me if that is wrong! ))
Jek thinks a bit and takes a look at the enemy forces to see if they have any sized like him and Atoh.
"I can create illusions to help us through. Maybe Atoh, Tola... probably the dog too... should all stay in the back of the wagon? I can make us look like supplies or something. If needed, I can Suggest to some people that we need to go to the tower, on special orders or something. Also, I can make some very good distractions! Oh oh oh, something new I haven't tried yet! I can make someone invisible! I don't know why I haven't tried it before, it just seems to be bending the light around of a person. Pretty simple once you get the hang of it.......Oh, umm, yea. If you need to get more armor, maybe that's the way to go, then you can head in unseen."
"A good idea, if it can work. Jek, can you make my current armor resemble that of the horde? How long would the illusion last?" Brevon asks, indicating his sun-crested, gleaming armor and shield.
"A good idea, if it can work. Jek, can you make my current armor resemble that of the horde? How long would the illusion last?" Brevon asks, indicating his sun-crested, gleaming armor and shield.
Jek looks over Brevon's armor. Thinking for a bit, he waves his hands in front of it once, then twice (casting Prestidigitation ). The first wave, the color of his armor changes. It is still gleaming, but color wise it's similar to the orcs the met in the desert. On the second wave, an image appears on the armor, covering the sun-crest with a crudely drawing facsimile of Jek, giving a thumbs up. Jek looks up at Brevon, and gives a thumbs up, matching the image he just made. "I can change the color and add an image. It should last an hour, maybe a bit less. I can't make it look differently, though. The illusions I could do to make it change it's shape would only work if you are standing still, or know exactly how you are going to move." Jek looks over to Dageron. "What do you think? Would this pass? If you show me what the markings look like, I can match those. It might be better if we have the actual armor. Didn't we save the armor from those orcs?"
Dageron thinks on how best to proceed. "I am torn on how to pull this off. Vader's forces are heavily mixed, and include the softer races. However, I don't have notes on specific units which had them, and there aren't a great many. They stand out. The bigger the lie, the harder it will be to pull off. The problem is, whatever unit or detachment we ultimately claim to be from, we will be ordered to reconnect with right away for debrief and resupply. To avoid this we can guess at which ones were wiped out, but if even a single survivor is in that camp, we'll be made. They would instantly know we weren't of their cohort. It is almost impossible to fully disguise you as Hobgoblins and Goblins, due to the worgs and wardogs guarding the siege camp entrances, and within the camp patrols. You smell all wrong.
"For this reason, I propose we invent a new unit. A special detachment of infiltrators - hence, so many soft skins. We petition access to the camp only for resupply and aid, and act as if totally uninterested in the tower itself. We'll let them know we've successfully tracked a large contingent of enemy survivors, including a luck dragon, and provide them the location of the Oasis on their maps. It is likely their scouts already know of it, and this will buy us credibility. To strengthen our credibility, we will say we planted two of our members amongst those survivors and agreed to meet them at the siege camp once the Shem folk make their final destination known. This should please the current siege commander... Assuming it isn't Vader himself...
"Further, I suggest we hide the cart away from the camp - perhaps removing a wheel and tipping it against a berm, burying everything we should not bring. Though we could reasonably sneak in with it, if we are in a hurry when we leave it would slow us down too much. No sense losing it entirely.
"Lastly, it may be tempting to try to sabotage the siege while we are there. We cannot risk this unless it becomes necessary for our own escape or to evade capture. That said, we can collect intelligence while there - but passively only - no snooping around. Of chief concern is how they are resupplying so far from into the desert. I suspect magic... but we need to know.
(( DM - Should I expect that such a unit would be received with skepticism? Have I heard of such units before, and if so, do we need to forge some seal or document to pull this off? Do they do extreme counter-intelligence within the military, such as Zone of Truth during debriefs? ))
Continued surveillance gives Dageron, Jek, and Brevon a clear idea of enemy movement. There were guards spaced around the perimeter in sparse defenses watching both inward and outward, making sure that no one or nothing was passing into or out of the vicinity of the Tower. Multiple Orc and Hobgoblin patrols march near the perimeter, though these patrols stayed mostly within the boundaries of the seige and within the lines of the trench that was being dug. There was at least one bridge that looked like it was being left on the western side of the village, and at a glance there were at least a few small patrols leading in groups of prisoners. There are a couple of groups going in comprised mostly of Halflings, all of which were dressed like Atoh's people.
A Wyvern moved deep in the village, stretching its wings between a series of buildings that were all flying Imperial flags.
After seeing the layout of the enemy camp, and looking at the enemy numbers and patrol configurations, Dageron proposes a slight alteration to the plan. "We need to hit a small patrol, take their uniforms, and use the wagon after all. I propose we use the gate guarded by Orcs - they're significantly less reliable in spotting deception. I will claim you are all my prisoners, using the wagon to hide the captured gear. Once past the gate, I will throw a tarp over you all so you have a chance to change into the enemy uniforms, then we ride towards the tower as if we're meant to. I cannot promise we can retain the wagon in this way, but it may be our best chance of entering without raising any alarms. Any thoughts?"
Jek listens to Dageron's suggested plan, nodding along. Thinking some, Jek will say "Would it be easier if there weren't prisoners? What if you show up with captured supplies from enemies you killed? I can make Brevon and I invisible for about an hour. We can hide in the wagon, and you can go through the gate with your captured wagon and horses. That would be less to explain."
The Halfling kids think Chuba is the best thing since...well, maybe ever. Sure they've been on Mastiffs, and sure they've climbed all over the Luck Dragons, but there is something about being able to climb all over the big woman that they fall in love with. Soon there are six of them, four little girls and two little boys, racing in and out between her legs, riding her shoulders, dancing around her, and laughing. They laugh and giggle and it seems like this may be the first real joy they've felt in a few days. This went on for a good fifteen minutes before the kids were called away, giving Chuba her moment alone.
Then a Halfling woman walked up. She was limping, supporting a lot of her weight on a cane that looked like it had been cobbled together from somesort of old bone and some twine and a large stick. A shawl protected her head from the elements.
"Much respect and thanks to you." She said the Chuba as she gazed up at the Goliath. "My children...well...my children and those that I'm taking care of now...they really enjoyed playing with you. You're very kind. Would you like to come eat?"
She looks around, looks at the various other members of the Order of the Phoenix scattered amongst her people in the oasis.
"Would you like to bring your friends? I think I have enough."
**********
The child that is talking to Dageron thinks long and hard about what this stranger has said to him. He watches the Hobgoblin groom his horse, check his hooves...and oddly enough, it is this that the kid understands. There is some sort of universal connection in that moment between the way this warrior, this strange man from a strange past who is an enigma to the kid, is checking his horse that reminds him of the way that the Khun Clan cares for their animals. There is so much sense in this, so much that resonates, and the boy just watches. He's seen it all a hundred thousand times; before a ride, before a battle, before it's time to go north or south or east or west or cross the river or partake in the wild hunt. He steps up next Dageron as the adult works, reaches out, and without warning grabs Dageron's hand. It's quick, simple, gentle and yet with a strength unusual for one the boys size and age. His hands clasps the much bigger, stronger hand, and gives it a short squeeze before the kid lets go, turns, and dashes back for the rest of Atoh's horde.
**********
The girl gasps and Jek rolls his sleeve up and shows her the stygian void of his arm. She even covers her mouth with one hand before having the decency of looking embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, I meant no offense." She said, her mouth still covered. There isn't much time for her to recover as Jek's little impromptu performance takes place. She watches, her hand never moving away from her face, while he sets about making what she will describe as 'magical fireworks' for the rest of her life. A few children filter in and out of the performance, but with evening waning, they're increasingly called back closer to the protection of their parents and elders, the protection of the Clan.
"Wow...that was amazing." She said to the Lightless. "How did you do that...I'm sorry...I didn't catch your name? How did you do that!?"
**********
There are over a dozen Halflings that still have lingering wounds that need attending to. Festering arrow wounds and sword slashes. A man missing three fingers on one hand. A cavalry rider with her eye missing. Awful things, stinking things. There's enough between the wounded and the broken gear that it takes a herculean effort between Brevon and the Lady of Light to make a dent in it, even with Melisandre aiding him.
The children are most grateful. Little boys with mended straw horses, little girls who have tattered dollies. One little one has a doll that is clearly done up to look like a Khan, its clothing adorned to be regal and fierce. The little bow in the dolls hand is snapped in half.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Jek smiles at her response to his arm. "No offense taken." He says with a little laugh. He heard tales from his brothers about people running and screaming when they see there skin uncovered. This was mild by comparison.
After his little performance, Jek smacks his forehead at the woman's statement. "Oh my goodness. I am so so sorry, where are my manners! I am Jek Utinni! And what is your name? As to how I do this... well.... I mean, I just do it. It's difficult to explain. Here.... " Jek will use a minor illusion to illustrate, first making the image of a bright silhouette of a woman, a shadow on the ground, and a dark figure rising up from the shadow. "We are the shadows of the Bright Lady. We are made from shadows. Because of that ...." He will change the image to the dark figure with a tree and the trees shadow, the dark figure is picking up the shadow off the ground. "...we are can interact with, create, and manipulate shadows. We are born with the ability, coming to us as natural as breathing or walking or talking. And since shadows are an interaction between light and dark... " With that, the image comes together and swirls with darkness and light, making a Yin Yang type symbol. "... we can bend it, shape it, make images, sometimes even make the shadows so real that they can become real, at least for a time." He will cast mage hand and a shadowy hand will come out of the symbol floating in the air. It will go in for a high five, Jek will nod to it reassuringly. After, he will have it stack rocks near them. "Why do you ask? Do you wish to learn? I could try to show you, I've never tried to teach anyone before. But I mean, maybe? I don't know how it would work? I don't know how long we will be here either. Oh... You could be my apprentice! I never had an apprentice before. What does an apprentice do?"
"Oh! I'm Odval!" She said. "It is nice to meet you, Utinni Jek! I..."
She paused for a moment, watching his explanation. She smiles.
"I meant...how do you do magic, silly." She clarified, but she still reached out and touched Jek's arm with her hand, examining the feel of it under her fingers. "Wow...neat. I've never touched a shadow before. But...oh! I guess that makes sense...guess I should have waited to find out huh? This is...strange, to me. But the world is a strange place, I guess. I don't think we have time for me to learn, though. I think Chingis said that we should ride soon, to head south as soon as we could, to try to get away from the oncoming armies. If they find us again..."
She was suddenly done smiling. She didn't need to complete her thought.
"I uh...guess I should let you guys get going. It was nice to meet you, Utinni Jek. Just...if you're going north, be careful?"
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Jek nods to Odval. "Thank you. Our path takes us where the Bright Lady guides us. If it is into an oncoming wave then... I guess we better be sneaky hahaha. Don't worry, we will be careful. "
Jek looks around as the halflings make camp. He decides it is probably for the best to leave them among there own, they have grief to process.
Jek will gather Iron-Hoove and walk to the camp Dageron set up, just in time to see the little halfling boy give his hand a squeeze. He will come up and say with a laugh "It seems like you may have made a friend! Why did you set up camp so far away? They all seem to have lost a lot. Maybe it's better for us strangers to be off to the side for now. I wish there is something we could do to help Atoh, her whole family is gone. Uhhh.. I'm sorry, yours were taken as well weren't they. It seems hard. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to my Brothers. I suppose it would make me very... sad...angry...both? I don't know. Oh...uhhh...... Anyways, should we make some food."
Dageron nods knowingly at Jek as the boy darts away. "Welcome Jek, mind the tripwi-." As he says it, Jek walks directly into the thin twine and a bell begins to chime next to Dageron. He smiles - perhaps for the first time in Jek's presence. "At least I know it works." He resets the twine, then pulls two packed ration bundles from a saddlebag and throws one to Jek. Surprisingly, the smallish packet is actually thin white cotton and hemp twine bundled over a metal tin with a wax seal. The whole thing is a normal hand length long and wide, by a few finger-widths deep. "I am no cook and have learned to avoid making fires at camp when on campaign. So, I spend time whenever possible at the markets in Nockmaar - one of the few soft-skin markets that will allow my kind to shop. Those rations are hand-packed. They are mostly hard tack, but each include a hard and sharp cheese with salted dried meats, fruits and nuts. Including a gooey treat made from dates and some kind of sugary dough. All in quantities fit for one my size - it should be more than enough for you. I hope you like it." He finishes grooming his horse, then props the barding up and begins polishing it. He is meticulous, looking for breaks in the underlayer of chain, or rot in the leather or cloth layers. Once done, he cleans and inspects the saddle, bags, and then his own armor and weapons. As he does, he speaks to Jek.
"Not all of my kin are dead. I suspect at least one of my children are alive. The youngest is old enough to be marching with Vader's army as we speak. My mate is lost though. She died years ago during the fall of my Polis, in the rearguard to buy time for others to retreat. I had been at the front when we broke, and rallied two companies to the enemies flank... only to realize we were alone. Everyone else was dead or fleeing. We had fought into the night, and only by the strange grace of battle did a fog settle upon the fields of carnage, allowing us to steal away and connect with other survivors. The sacking of Aureki itself had already begun by time we managed to get back there. Our people fought hard, and none but the smallest children were taken as slaves. Then we wandered. For almost two years we raided some of these very tribes. Stole from them, enslaved them... everything else. Eventually we worked our way North and found Vader. I had taken a new mate by then, but we were not fond of one another. She was from another fallen polis, and no children were born from our union..." For a moment, Dageron seems to trail off as if lost in memories passed and decisions made. Then he changes the subject. "What about you Jek of the Uttini. What brought you from your brothers?"
The night was clear overhead. Stars flickered, and at least one fell from the cool night air of the Shem and descended south, streaking from one horizon to another as Jek and Dageron held audience with one another.
The camp did its own thing. The horde busied itself with the feeding of themselves and with tending their wounded and preparing for the next march. It seemed they were preparing to leave the campfires burning and then to march off in the middle of the night, taking advantage of the cool of the dark and the morning in a bid to get back to the Nockmaar Grasslands and escape the punishing sands of the desert.
In the end, part of the Order of the Phoenix, including Chuba and Orin, broke off and joined the horde in an effort to help them cross back to the grasslands before exploring ways to aid the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull from the coming siege.
The Order of the Phoenix, shrunken but not broken, continued on, traveling by night, hiding from the relentless suns during the day, rationing water and food, and ever watching for Vader's forces along the way.
They didn't see the enemy until they were within eyesight of the Tower of the Elephant.
The tower was surrounded, and the scant stone village around it was occupied. The three hundred odd acres of land around the base of the massive sandstone obelisk jutting into the sky was bustling with activity, some of it undoubtedly the urRu and the people that had taken the pilgrimage there to be amongst them, and many of them, from the looks of them, being Imperial forces. Hobgoblins and Orcs in doffed armor were busy shoveling a trench and a berm around the tower and its tiny village, and more Hobgoblins patrolled the area in teams. They were wearing black armor with red Imperial sigils on the shoulder and carried pikes and tower shields. There was at least one Ogre wading amongst the enemies gathered there.
Movement into and out of the village was completely ceased. The few civilians they could see from their hiding place appeared to be beaten, disheveled, and in no place to put up an effective resistance.
Something big roared from within the village.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Jek listen along to Dageron's story. He is interested in the dynamics of other cultures. He let's out a little "UTINNI" out of habit in echo of Dageron's utterance of his name.
"Why did I leave. Well, there were many reasons. I have spent my entire life in the Shem Desert. I have heard stories of what lies beyond the dunes, but have never seen it. Some of my brothers have gone on Pilgrimages, visited other tribes, but I never had the chance. Then... The elders felt a shift in the magics. It was something different. They believed it was the Nothing. If there is no light and no darkness, there can be no shadow. And that is what we are. They asked for volunteers to go out, follow the guidance of the Bright Lady, and help fight the nothing as best we can. We all picked a direction we thought was right, and went. I ended up in the forests east of the Ivory Tower, which is where I met Brevon. He was very bright, it had to be a sign from the Bright lady! Also, apparently going through others backpacks without permission is apparently not okay. I'm learning so many new things! Honestly, I did not expect to be back in the Shem so soon. I was hopping to see more of the world. Maybe we will get to still."
Jek hesitates for a minute "Umm, I'm sorry about your people... What is a mate? And why would you go with someone you aren't fond of? That seems silly...oh, umm, sorry, didn't mean to talk badly of your choices.... Anyways, I've been confused about something. Children are apparently not just miniature versions of other races, they actually grow bigger, right. I just learned that recently. What makes a child yours? Do you just claim it when it is created? What if two people claim the same child? Do you then ask the child which one it wants to go with? What if the child doesn't want either of you and choses someone else? It seems like mates are tied together by children, so why not just pick your mates based on which people what which child? That seems to be more straight forward, if two people want the same child, then they are mates. Right....."
Dageron listens to Jek speak of his people. Of course, the Hobgoblins had heard of Jek's race. There had been many stories. Dageron just never believed them, before now. When Jek asks about children, then delves into his understanding of them, Dageron smiles broadly.
"That must be the saddest thing I've ever heard. Your race don't have sex? A mate is someone you have sex with. After having sex with them one too many times the female becomes pregnant. A little under a year later, her belly swollen out like she'd eaten half the village. Which sometimes they do. She produces a child - sometimes two or three - from her body. The swollen belly contained the child as it formed into being. Like a flower growing from little more than a seed into a large bud opening for the first time. The child grows within the mother during that time. When it is born, it is still very small and very helpless. By the age of six seasons it is capable of speaking, running, wielding a spear and marching in formation. Most have killed by that age.
"A mate is the one you choose to create the children with. Humans believe they own their children, Hobgoblins do not. Quite the opposite, in fact. I am seed-father to the children my mate bore, however, I am father to all of my dead siblings children who still live. When I am gone, or die, the next eldest male becomes their father, if not in my direct line then in my clan. A father gives guidance to the males, a mother to the females. All children belong to the clan - none are owned by their parents. They are educated in cohorts which are lifelong duty-assignments. You will know your cohorts better than anyone, and likely die together as a unit in battle. Most take their mates from their cohorts, or cohorts in close age to their own. This is why my son did not leave with me. He could not abandon his cohort, even if he agreed with my beliefs. My own cohort was long dead, and so I was alone.
"No mate is bound to another, though many keep the same mate for the decade or two left of their lives once they are old enough to even think of mate-bonding. Finding a mate who will bring honor and status to your clan is most important, but to achieve this you must have great trust in them and their judgement. This was the case with my first, not my second. I took a second mate because I had a duty to expand the clan, and because she needed to be indoctrinated formally via a blood union.
"If your kind know nothing of sex, how do your numbers grow over time?"
If you could see Jek's face, it would look horrified at your description of pregnancy. "Wait, so these children grow inside of people!?! Like parasites? Oh man. So...Do they just poop out the children? Oh man, being small and helpless must stink. I would imagine that they complain about it none stop. Isn't sex just .... ahhh, that what people call themselves right. Boy or girl, that thing, right. We are all boy's, mostly because we find it presumptuous to take the gender of the divine... You know, the Bright Lady. I did know it was some sort of activity as well. That seems silly that they would call those things the same thing. Shouldn't it have another name? But anyways... oh, how are more of my kind are 'born'... that's probably the right word for it. I am the youngest of my people, so I haven't seen it myself, but we have an Illumination Ceremony. They can only occur at certain, special places, and only during a solar eclipse. I only showed up at the end, obviously, so I don't know what exactly is entailed, but that is where we are formed from the shadow of the Bright Lady. Then there is a big party! Lots of food, singing, dancing! Lots of drinks, too. I got so drunk, hahaha! I learned my tolerance level pretty quick after that! There were 7 of us in my brood, smaller than normal, which I think worried some of the elders a bit. I think that was one of the first signs of things being not quite right."
Jek sits quiet for a bit "You all are weird creatures." He says, shaking his head.
The night is dark and lonely when Melisandre walks up on the little Lightless and the Hobgoblin having their...discussion. She stands in the dark, not caring is she's seen or not, and listens to the conversation unfolding before her. Things start out innocently and interestingly enough; the formation of the Lightless, the eclipse, the festival...and then...well, then the horse and buggy and all takes a sharp detour off the road and over and embankment as Dageron brings up sex, and how it works, and what it causes, and how that looks, and what happens next, and the reproductive politics of Hobgoblin society. Her ears burn and she flushes and she's unsure if she was meant to hear this conversation or even if it matters and...well.
Melisandre pulls her dress up and wades off through the high grass, fleeing back to the safety of Brevon, unsure of what to think about what just happened.
A cursory examination of the southern end of the tower and its village shows no real holes in the siege, although the siege is sparse; they haven't brought in enough reinforcements yet to completely wall everything off.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Dageron looks at Brevon with a knowing smile on his face. "Why don't we just ride directly in?" As he says it, he holds up his little book. "We know exactly which units were assigned to the Southern Shem leading up to this siege, and I can easily enough recreate their unit markings on my armor. In some cases I have their dispatch orders and routing. We'll have to acquire some more Hobgoblin armor and equipment to masquerade the rest of you, but we should be able to stroll right in. At least, close enough to make a break for the tower and hope they'll let us in... I'm no expert at deception but can try to give myself some divine aid to pull it off. That is my suggestion, though I am open to others."
(( DM - gonna need some feedback on this plan. I'm assuming I know enough intimate knowledge of the inner workings of this military to at least have a shot at pulling this off - but please correct me if that is wrong! ))
Jek thinks a bit and takes a look at the enemy forces to see if they have any sized like him and Atoh.
"I can create illusions to help us through. Maybe Atoh, Tola... probably the dog too... should all stay in the back of the wagon? I can make us look like supplies or something. If needed, I can Suggest to some people that we need to go to the tower, on special orders or something. Also, I can make some very good distractions! Oh oh oh, something new I haven't tried yet! I can make someone invisible! I don't know why I haven't tried it before, it just seems to be bending the light around of a person. Pretty simple once you get the hang of it.......Oh, umm, yea. If you need to get more armor, maybe that's the way to go, then you can head in unseen."
"A good idea, if it can work. Jek, can you make my current armor resemble that of the horde? How long would the illusion last?" Brevon asks, indicating his sun-crested, gleaming armor and shield.
Jek looks over Brevon's armor. Thinking for a bit, he waves his hands in front of it once, then twice (casting Prestidigitation ). The first wave, the color of his armor changes. It is still gleaming, but color wise it's similar to the orcs the met in the desert. On the second wave, an image appears on the armor, covering the sun-crest with a crudely drawing facsimile of Jek, giving a thumbs up. Jek looks up at Brevon, and gives a thumbs up, matching the image he just made. "I can change the color and add an image. It should last an hour, maybe a bit less. I can't make it look differently, though. The illusions I could do to make it change it's shape would only work if you are standing still, or know exactly how you are going to move." Jek looks over to Dageron. "What do you think? Would this pass? If you show me what the markings look like, I can match those. It might be better if we have the actual armor. Didn't we save the armor from those orcs?"
Dageron thinks on how best to proceed. "I am torn on how to pull this off. Vader's forces are heavily mixed, and include the softer races. However, I don't have notes on specific units which had them, and there aren't a great many. They stand out. The bigger the lie, the harder it will be to pull off. The problem is, whatever unit or detachment we ultimately claim to be from, we will be ordered to reconnect with right away for debrief and resupply. To avoid this we can guess at which ones were wiped out, but if even a single survivor is in that camp, we'll be made. They would instantly know we weren't of their cohort. It is almost impossible to fully disguise you as Hobgoblins and Goblins, due to the worgs and wardogs guarding the siege camp entrances, and within the camp patrols. You smell all wrong.
"For this reason, I propose we invent a new unit. A special detachment of infiltrators - hence, so many soft skins. We petition access to the camp only for resupply and aid, and act as if totally uninterested in the tower itself. We'll let them know we've successfully tracked a large contingent of enemy survivors, including a luck dragon, and provide them the location of the Oasis on their maps. It is likely their scouts already know of it, and this will buy us credibility. To strengthen our credibility, we will say we planted two of our members amongst those survivors and agreed to meet them at the siege camp once the Shem folk make their final destination known. This should please the current siege commander... Assuming it isn't Vader himself...
"Further, I suggest we hide the cart away from the camp - perhaps removing a wheel and tipping it against a berm, burying everything we should not bring. Though we could reasonably sneak in with it, if we are in a hurry when we leave it would slow us down too much. No sense losing it entirely.
"Lastly, it may be tempting to try to sabotage the siege while we are there. We cannot risk this unless it becomes necessary for our own escape or to evade capture. That said, we can collect intelligence while there - but passively only - no snooping around. Of chief concern is how they are resupplying so far from into the desert. I suspect magic... but we need to know.
(( DM - Should I expect that such a unit would be received with skepticism? Have I heard of such units before, and if so, do we need to forge some seal or document to pull this off? Do they do extreme counter-intelligence within the military, such as Zone of Truth during debriefs? ))
Continued surveillance gives Dageron, Jek, and Brevon a clear idea of enemy movement. There were guards spaced around the perimeter in sparse defenses watching both inward and outward, making sure that no one or nothing was passing into or out of the vicinity of the Tower. Multiple Orc and Hobgoblin patrols march near the perimeter, though these patrols stayed mostly within the boundaries of the seige and within the lines of the trench that was being dug. There was at least one bridge that looked like it was being left on the western side of the village, and at a glance there were at least a few small patrols leading in groups of prisoners. There are a couple of groups going in comprised mostly of Halflings, all of which were dressed like Atoh's people.
A Wyvern moved deep in the village, stretching its wings between a series of buildings that were all flying Imperial flags.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
After seeing the layout of the enemy camp, and looking at the enemy numbers and patrol configurations, Dageron proposes a slight alteration to the plan. "We need to hit a small patrol, take their uniforms, and use the wagon after all. I propose we use the gate guarded by Orcs - they're significantly less reliable in spotting deception. I will claim you are all my prisoners, using the wagon to hide the captured gear. Once past the gate, I will throw a tarp over you all so you have a chance to change into the enemy uniforms, then we ride towards the tower as if we're meant to. I cannot promise we can retain the wagon in this way, but it may be our best chance of entering without raising any alarms. Any thoughts?"
Jek listens to Dageron's suggested plan, nodding along. Thinking some, Jek will say "Would it be easier if there weren't prisoners? What if you show up with captured supplies from enemies you killed? I can make Brevon and I invisible for about an hour. We can hide in the wagon, and you can go through the gate with your captured wagon and horses. That would be less to explain."
A broad toothy smile creeps across Dageron's face. "Clever. I like it. Can you use your magic to remove the white paint from my armor and shield?"
(( Are you able to do prestidigitation? ))