A soldier walks up to your discussion:

"You are the auxila that were sent out to the outposts? Command wants to hear a report on your mission."

"Yes, what is left of it. Lead on or give us directions to the command and we'll head there now."

"We did some smashings"

The soldier takes you to the central citadel. The centurion you met last time is there, as well several other important-looking monsters.

You also see three other individuals by the entrance. A triton, a snake-woman and a bugbear.

The firbolg casually nods at the centurion and approaches.

"Here to report."

The  snake woman looks far more human than snake. The biggest indicator she isn't a human being the dark brownish scales covering her upper arms to her shoulders and a reptilian iris shape.

Her lean, bordering on guant figure, is clad in serviceable, clean clothes that were probably once fine and clearly from south of the pass. Her black hair has been tied back revealing a face that would be, to a human, attractive if not for an expression of tired distaste.

Her distaste doesn't seem to have a specific target, well until she spots the firebolg. On seeing his disfigured features her look of disgust becomes quite lively and the small sneer grows.

She mutters something in an unpleasant sounding language.

The firebolg grins, the waxy flesh of his face pulling and making his disfigured features even more unnerving.

The woman scowls back and averts her eyes.

The centurion says to you:

"Give your report, auxila. From what we know, you have been busy. Two ouposts have been brought back under centralised command. However reports of human incursions are increasing."

The towering figure grunts, those familiar with the large folk of the forest would recognize a firbolg, but one heavily scarred down their left side, the fur that covers the right unable to grow on their left, the flesh ridged and waxy looking, their left ear a molten nub. They wear white, chitinous armor over red clothes, a long quarterstaff in their left hand, and a shield slung across the pack on their back.

A bright red bird perches in their shoulder, and a lion pads along behind them. They gesture are the large cat and it flops down nearby, tail flicking lazily as the firbolg clears his throat with a glance at the trio they don't recognize and speaks in a hoarse rasp.

"We moved in on the ogre camp, and talked to a couple of them. They didn't want to fight us, but the giants put them up to it. Said if the giants weren't around, maybe they want to fight humans instead. Told them that they'll get fed if they work for us. Killed a giant, but it wasn't the leader. Found their camp and snuck into their tent. They were though a portal, where they were talking to a god stone. Killed the giant, powdered the stone and tossed their head to the ogres."

Their voice gets raspier, and they pause to take a pull from their water skin.

As the burned freak talks Leesha is drawn in with mild interest that increases to full attention at god stone.

She has no visible weapons or armor but does have slender pack by her feet.

Religion (?) check on god stone: 23

Quote from Rodgeir >>

Religion (?) check on god stone: 21

 None of the religious dieties you know normally use use "god stones" or similar items.

The firbolg wipes his mouth and clears his throat before speaking further.

"Ogres are at least open to joining us against humans, but they fear the human gods that they think were telling the giants what to do. We... Ran into someone... unusual on our way here... They gave some maybe leads how to face the human gods."

Leesha asks, with a condescending tone,

"And how is that?"

The firbolg cocks a hairless eyebrow at the centurion, inclining his head towards the scaly, bitter woman as if to ask who she is, and why she's asking questions.

((She is probably speaking out of turn!))

Pacing back and forth by the citadel entrance appears to be a pirate captain, or at least they’re dressed very much like a pirate captain: long coat, tricorn hat, a selection of gaudy, ostentatious weapons (a cutlass and a whip, among others).

The pirate’s walk is somewhat lilting and meandering, like he might be drunk. But he looks strong too, in a ropey kind of way.

When the discussion starts, he turns towards the centurion and the others. It’s clear the man is a triton. Blue skin, gills, oil slick hair, and a collection of barnacles clinging here-and-their to his face and skin.

Without being invited to speak, he joins the conversation, “Arr… You be speaking of ‘portals’? ‘God stones’?… Giants and Ogres?!…. That sounds like a fine adventure, to be sure!”.

”What be your name, Bolg-of-the-woods?”, he says, addressing the firbolg.

He also turns to the snake-woman…

”And forgive me mademoiselle, ‘Enchante!’… Captain Isaac Jeremiah Darkwarter, at your service…”. He removes his hat and performs a very elaborate cavalier’s bow, flourishing his arms… his nose almost touching the floor before looking back up with a horrible toothy grin.

The centurion does not say anything, though his face shows he is annoyed by the interruption.

"So, the first outpost you went to had human thying to dig into the mountain, and now this one had ogres manipulated into attacking us. It looks war may really come soon.

But this talk of gods is a little... I know the humans love to tlk about their gods all the time, but most of our priest sound like frauds to me, playing people for fools. Those old books that speak of gods fighting sound like fairy tales. I have yet to see any convincing divine miracle"

The centurion then point to the new trio and says,

"I have heard your troop got somewhat depleted, with some members staying behind to help garrisons, while others went got gather more intel. So you need more numbers. These three are some of the more capable member of the garrision and auxila who expressed interest in going on a mission beyond the citadel routine."

"Am firbolg.", the fibolg says to the blue pirate man. "Some call the 'Firebolg'."

"Is a pun.", the add impassively.

"The one met on the road knew a lot more than he'd share, and think he chose to help. Said those old stories in old books might have some bit of truth... perhaps a way to bring back gods to counter the human gods. It sounds... yes, like fairy tales, but I don't think he was sent by humans just to distract. If he wanted, could have just killed, believe that now."

They swing their memorable visage towards the trio of new folks. "Yes, have lost members. Will talk, learn what new members can bring. Any have read old god books? Bugbear doesn't read much,", he says, hooking a thumb at Gruntor, "and most folks who value books would rather not have fire near them."

He flicks the fingers of his left hand, flames dancing in the palm of his hand, before jumping from fingertip to fingertip, the light cast from the flame reflecting off the burn scars down that side of his body before he clenches his fist and the flames go out.