"uh Glister?" The gnome takes a step back from the chessboard and ducks reactively as one of the korreds launches a bouldery projectile in the other direction.
Once the shock of the sudden tantrum passes, it's clear that there are no 'brigganocks' in the immediate vicinity, nor within range of any hurling boulders... The queen's outburst was simply a display of frustration. Glister and Amidor look just as startled by the emotional eruption as anyone. Argantle turns back to the group, still fuming, her stiff hair all aquiver.
Those thrice-cursed brigganocks! As if the noise of their mining wasn't bad enough! To think they would stoop so low as to ally themselves with Bitter End. Helping her they are! Building wicked contraptions for her! Curse them! Curse them all!
Jagu also has his arms firmly crossed, a deep scowl on his face, and he thumps the ground with his hooves with each exclamation from the queen. There is no forgiveness for that hag, he adds. She did the unthinkable... She... cut our hair!
Jagu turns his face away in shame, and Argantle howls to the sky in dismay. Even Amidor can be heard to gasp at this. She didn't!
Oh yes! cries another voice, as a third korred pops out of the granite block that Barria just departed. (Immediately Barria notices the thrum disappear from the granite monolith). With those shears of hers!
The ones she uses to cut people's shadows off! cries a fourth voice, from the korred of the slate column.
Iron shears to make iron rope from our lovely hair! says the korred emerging from the obsidian monolith.
Then uses it to manipulate her machines! says the newly-arrived marble korred.
And to harness the lightning, adds the korred of basalt.
There is a pause as all eyes turn to witness the arrival of the eighth and final korred from the flint monolith. But nothing happens. Barria can sense that the stone is still occupied, however. After a brief wait, Queen Argantle of Shale speaks once more:
The brigganocks have brought this shame upon us. We were once our kin in spirit. They sang with the stones, as we do. But now their scratching offends the stone, and their silence offends us more. They will not answer when we call. They will not come to dance! They only scurry in the cracks, and the stones say their feet carry the talk of hags.
She stamps a hoof, and the ground gives a dull thoom.
We are korreds! We will not go crawling into their burrows to beg. But you outsiders, perhaps they will hear you. Go to them if you will. Tell them the korreds demand the Dance of Three Circles as atonement for their insult. If they will not dance, then they choose enmity — and the stones will stand against them.
Her sharp eyes fix on the party.
Do this, and you will have our goodwill — for what it is worth. Refuse, and we will not stop you from walking our hills… but the hills may not be so kind.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
I don't see any harm in playing messenger for the Korred if it means an easier travel to the Motherhorn. The way they move into and out of the rocks, and throw them for that matter, does worry me that they could be quite a problem if we refuse them.
Mulligan suggests this over the group chat and waits to see what the others think about the offer. As he does he examines the star sapphire he was given before tucking it away in a well secured pocket of his coat. (This just a normal sapphire I should note in inventory or...?)
Rowan watches and listens with delight as the other Korreds appear from each of their stones.
"Bitter End," Rowan says. "I just learned that was one of the hag's names. But she cuts hair too? Does all the hair she cuts with the scissors become iron? What happens to the shadows she cuts off?"
While he ponders those questions, waiting for an answer, he wanders over to the flint stone and knocks on the side.
"Hello?"
He looks back to the other Korreds.
"And, do they have to come here to do the stone dance, or do they do it for us and we come back and tell you they did it?"
At the thought of the korreds hair being cut Greg grins slightly, the petty foibles of these strange creatures, but his hands still go to his own beard subconsciously protecting himself at the thought, he becomes a little more determined at Milligan's words.
"The bitter end stole from me... or had her shadow pets do it, and it was part of a more elaborate scheme against two cowardly carnival owners. These haha cheat and steal and if doing this will help those allied with her turn their back on her then I'm all for it."
"uh Glister?" The gnome takes a step back from the chessboard and ducks reactively as one of the korreds launches a bouldery projectile in the other direction.
Once the shock of the sudden tantrum passes, it's clear that there are no 'brigganocks' in the immediate vicinity, nor within range of any hurling boulders... The queen's outburst was simply a display of frustration. Glister and Amidor look just as startled by the emotional eruption as anyone. Argantle turns back to the group, still fuming, her stiff hair all aquiver.
Those thrice-cursed brigganocks! As if the noise of their mining wasn't bad enough! To think they would stoop so low as to ally themselves with Bitter End. Helping her they are! Building wicked contraptions for her! Curse them! Curse them all!
Jagu also has his arms firmly crossed, a deep scowl on his face, and he thumps the ground with his hooves with each exclamation from the queen. There is no forgiveness for that hag, he adds. She did the unthinkable... She... cut our hair!
Jagu turns his face away in shame, and Argantle howls to the sky in dismay. Even Amidor can be heard to gasp at this. She didn't!
Oh yes! cries another voice, as a third korred pops out of the granite block that Barria just departed. (Immediately Barria notices the thrum disappear from the granite monolith). With those shears of hers!
The ones she uses to cut people's shadows off! cries a fourth voice, from the korred of the slate column.
Iron shears to make iron rope from our lovely hair! says the korred emerging from the obsidian monolith.
Then uses it to manipulate her machines! says the newly-arrived marble korred.
And to harness the lightning, adds the korred of basalt.
There is a pause as all eyes turn to witness the arrival of the eighth and final korred from the flint monolith. But nothing happens. Barria can sense that the stone is still occupied, however. After a brief wait, Queen Argantle of Shale speaks once more:
The brigganocks have brought this shame upon us. We were once our kin in spirit. They sang with the stones, as we do. But now their scratching offends the stone, and their silence offends us more. They will not answer when we call. They will not come to dance! They only scurry in the cracks, and the stones say their feet carry the talk of hags.
She stamps a hoof, and the ground gives a dull thoom.
We are korreds! We will not go crawling into their burrows to beg. But you outsiders, perhaps they will hear you. Go to them if you will. Tell them the korreds demand the Dance of Three Circles as atonement for their insult. If they will not dance, then they choose enmity — and the stones will stand against them.
Her sharp eyes fix on the party.
Do this, and you will have our goodwill — for what it is worth. Refuse, and we will not stop you from walking our hills… but the hills may not be so kind.
How does a red dragon blow out the candles on its birthday cake?
I don't see any harm in playing messenger for the Korred if it means an easier travel to the Motherhorn. The way they move into and out of the rocks, and throw them for that matter, does worry me that they could be quite a problem if we refuse them.
Mulligan suggests this over the group chat and waits to see what the others think about the offer. As he does he examines the star sapphire he was given before tucking it away in a well secured pocket of his coat. (This just a normal sapphire I should note in inventory or...?)
Rowan watches and listens with delight as the other Korreds appear from each of their stones.
"Bitter End," Rowan says. "I just learned that was one of the hag's names. But she cuts hair too? Does all the hair she cuts with the scissors become iron? What happens to the shadows she cuts off?"
While he ponders those questions, waiting for an answer, he wanders over to the flint stone and knocks on the side.
"Hello?"
He looks back to the other Korreds.
"And, do they have to come here to do the stone dance, or do they do it for us and we come back and tell you they did it?"
At the thought of the korreds hair being cut Greg grins slightly, the petty foibles of these strange creatures, but his hands still go to his own beard subconsciously protecting himself at the thought, he becomes a little more determined at Milligan's words.
"The bitter end stole from me... or had her shadow pets do it, and it was part of a more elaborate scheme against two cowardly carnival owners. These haha cheat and steal and if doing this will help those allied with her turn their back on her then I'm all for it."