Be sure to ask Logrk before taking Oggroth. They might have need of him. Go talk to Ugrokk.

>Examine new named npc? Y/N

Y! Y!

talk to lorgk to see if oggroth is in fact available, then ask minsgk if any powerful shaman are free, ideally jojo.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2010/03/04(Thu)21:02 No. 142280 ID: d1210a
File 12677653223.jpg - (349.72KB , 848x1240 , Promising Premen Warrior Ugrokk.jpg )

>>142122
>>142214
I make my way to Lorgk's abode, now midway converted into a wooden hut. I find Lorgk within, a steady stream of Premen bringing their concerns to him, all of whom make way for me. I barely have time to ask about Oggroth before Lorgk responds.

"Take Oggroth. Idolizes you. Do more with you, not here."

He makes no further comment to me as he goes back to addressing the Premen around him. I wonder whether I like or dislike his brusque, direct manner. After all, I find his take on life to be much more efficient than most fleshlings, parceling out his use of time in an orderly if gruff manner. I wonder still at why he was able to block direct blows from me, even damage me to some extent, frequently without anything but his own body to assist him. ...And that sword of his... something about it constantly catches my eye, the aged crimson metal it is forged out of completely alien to me in a manner I have never encountered before, though Lorgk himself knew naught more than that the blade was passed to him by the previous war chieftain, a badge of office with such age to it's practice that it's origins were lost.

>>142170
But enough pointless pondering. For now, I do not have the resources to learn more, and so I shall devote my time to more pertinent matters. This Ugrokk.... I find myself intrigued by how much his arrival was noted by many of the warriors of the village.

As I make my way to the cleared spaces where the warriors spar in their off time, I see Oggroth waving to me, surrounded by several other warriors all dwarfed by the weighty titan. There is a match already underway, with four warriors, two of them veterans, all facing a lone opponent.

While their foe is certainly not any thicker than them, he towers above them, at least half again as tall as they, his lengthy body held akimbo, both hands open as he faces his foes.

So, this is Uggrokk, I gather. Let us see how he fairs.

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT:
CHOOSE: 'THE TALL' [Ugrokk], OR 'THE GROUP' [Two Veterans, Two Warriors]

First one to three votes chosen.

>>142280
The underdog.

The Tall.

i vote the Tall

The Tall!

>>142285
snrk. The tall is not the underdog in this fight.

Lets be the mob!

>>142280
The tall of course. Ugrokk seems like an interesting warrior.

>>142285
>>142291
>>142316
>>142318
THE TALL CHOSEN

Ugrokk's Traits And Talents:
--Blood Of The Long-Bones:
Ugrokk's blood is thick with the blood of the Cromagg, an ancient rival of the Premen. This makes Ugrokk far taller than his contemporaries, and gives him a reach advantage when using any of his limbs.
--Adaptive Joints:
Born more flexible than most, Ugrokk's joints allow a wider range of motion, allowing for more unconventional movements. Further, this flexibility means Ugrokk is exceedingly difficult to grapple, and is adept at escaping holds.
--Mobile:
Ugrokk is faster and lighter on his feet than most of his size range could claim.
--The Axeman:
Ugrokk is most familiar and competent with axes, which he combines with his reach and irregular movements for deceptive, whipping hacks and chops, preferring to distract and hinder foes with rapid attacks before finding a chance to land a deeply biting strike.
--The Open Hand:
Ugrokk's unarmed combat style is oriented around redirection of force, rather than blunt trauma, to rely on the leverage his height provides. Ugrokk can flip, throw, or cause to stumble almost any foe he can get his hands on. As far as direct strikes go, he prefers to chop and stab with a stiffened hand, rather than with a closed fist.

.....................................................................................................................................
..

I stand against four of my new brothers, all watching me warily as they circle about, their minds clearly directed towards the problem of my reach. One of the older warriors is within range, if only just, for me to try striking or grabbing him. Both of the younger warriors are closer to me, one so close it would be child's play to manhandle him, the other occupying a place somewhere betwixt the two in term of proximity. So far, all four warriors are still in my field of vision, though the older ones seem to have a mind to circle about me.


What should I do? Who should I target first, the closer warrior, the middling one, or the veteran just barely in reach? Or should I try attacking multiple targets?

>>142392
Manhandle the closest one, and swing him into the next closest.

go after the one trying to circle around, we cannot let that happen. try to keep a constant eye out for sneaky moves of the others, also

>>142400
I grab one of the younger warriors that strayed far to deep into my area, my arms snaking about him as I wrench him from the ground, and use his struggling form as an impromptu club to batter the other younger warrior away, the impact quaking up my arm.

>>142427
I swing my living club about towards the one older warrior I can reach, attempting to prevent him from getting about my side. The time it took to assault the first two has given him ample time to prepare himself, and while the strike knocks him from his feet, he rips the younger fighter out of my grasp as he tumbles away, depriving me of my weapon.

....Hm. While the one I used as a club is now unconscious, or at least dazed enough he can't interfere for a time, the remaining warrior seems to have steadied himself, and the two veterans have managed to get themselves on opposing sides of me, each with one of the warriors near them.


What should I do? Which group should I assault, the one with an incapacitated member, or the one at full strength? Or should I wait for them to act, with some form of counter in mind?

wait for one to strike, then dodge and shove so he slams headlong into the other.

>>142508
When they close in, backflip and slam their heads together or double chop their necks, whichever fits the situation.

>>142511

I can see their thoughts, their hopes to catch me blind by attacking from two sides. But I know how they hunt me in this game, and I aim to capitalize on it.

I bide my time, trying to goad the warriors into making the first move. The veterans are reluctant, and the unconscious starts to stir as I wait. But finally my foes can bear this inaction no longer, and I hear pounding feet behind me a moment before I see the one before me charge, his body low to the ground as he dashes towards me. I act as the steps behind me pound ever closer.

I spin about, my arms blurring as I whip them around to assault the foe behind me. I am surprised to find it the younger warrior from before, rather than the veteran.... and I see the veteran running in the shadow of the younger warrior even as I slam him to the ground. I can hear the other veteran gaining proximity as well, and find myself faced with exactly that which I wished to avoid, a close range pincer attack by the veterans.

>>142536
Or at least, it would be, had I not anticipated some measure of failure to my initial response, and planned appropriate countermeasures. I leap from the ground, contorting my body in the air as I spin about, doing what I can do avoid the grasping hands of the two warriors, and lash my arms out once more, my hands coming to rest on the backs of their heads as I stay aloft a few scant moments longer. I see comprehension start to dawn on their faces as I wrench their heads inward, to meet each other with a resounding impact, and I feel tension slide out of their bodies as they slip into oblivion.

I hear Piece Chieftain Delro clap his hands, and know the match called. I help both of the younger warriors up, and assist them in dragging the still completely oblivious veterans away to recuperate.

.....And I see this Mordre, the metal warrior, was present. The simple heavy one, Oggroth, spoke highly of Mordre, and while I had my doubts, I must agree with his assessment: This Mordre is death and war made carnate, and any warrior worth their name would try to learn from this avatar of violence. I wonder, what can be learned from such....

PERSPECTIVE SHIFT:
MORDRE

And so the match concludes, and even through Oggroths disparaging remarks about his indirect methods, I find Ugrokk to demonstrate considerable skill. An image of the rejected suitors, led by the titanic Oggroth and towering Ugrokk, following Arkus and myself down into the warring nations. I have seen many life golems the inferior of both, and if I were able to procure armor to match the Premen's stature and strength, I would have rather formidable shock troops at my disposal.

I have seen the measure of Ugrokk, and found his talents exemplary. Arkus and Oggroth both have already fallen into step behind me whilst Ugrokk fought, and I find myself thinking of my trip to the warring nations more and more.


What should I do now?

>>142718
Lets go talk to Ugrokk, we should congratulate him and ask of his origin.

>>142718
We should see if Ugrokk would like to join us in our journey. He, like Oggroth, would be a great demonstration of our military power that may make others easier to sway to our cause. We also still need to talk to the suitors.

>>142762
>>142797

"A most deft handling of your opponents. I heard you arrived late to join this clan, Ugrokk. Tell me, from where do you hale?"

Ugrokk starts when I address him, clearly not anticipating the strange tones and cadences my iron throat makes, but recovers quickly, and responds promptly.

"From Drog Clan, beholden to Gorkin Clan. Left because Goran cares only about own tribe, sees others only as source of wealth and power. Drog clan weak, and small, days of glory gone for generations. Drazken Clan is growing, new power, old power brought back, doesn't matter. No one squeezes clan, no one hinders growth. Good clan to join."

His reasoning seems straightforward, and I admit to finding his origins, similar to Oggroths, amusing in light of the mild dislike Oggroth holds. I turn to see Oggroth begrudgingly nodding with respect to shared misery for having a similar past, but even that seems more than Oggroth would have preferred. I turn back to Ugrokk and continue asking questions.

"I plan to head south, into the human lands, To capitalize on the war and strife that runs thick through the land. I seek warriors to follow me, and I would see you among their number. What say you Ugrokk, newest of the Drazken Clan?"

There is no surprise in Ugrokk this time. Without hesitation he kneels before me, bowing his head deferentially.

"If Mordre would take Ugrokk on a journey where one's strength could be tested and tempered, then I could ask little more. Ugrokk will follow, wherever Mordre may lead, to learn of strength."

Excellent. Just like Oggroth, Ugrokk seems to place high value to strength, even more-so than most Premen do. I wonder if this has something to do with their shared origins.... and whether it says anything about Goran The Magic Eater, leader of the Gorkin Clan.

Ugrokk moves to gather his things, and a moment later Oggroth moves to do the same, though whether this is out of necessity or competitiveness, I cannot say. Shortly both have taken down their tents, and have made themselves ready for travel. While no less than six hatchets and axes are now strapped to Ugrokk, Oggroth The Mountain carries only a single weapon, a heavy chain of at least thirty feet in length, each link inches thick, one end wrapped about an arm, and the other....

Upon the other end of the chain is nothing more or less than a solid lump of metal, perhaps four feet in diameter, firmly anchored to the chain by massive bolts. I would guess the thing to weigh well over five hundred pounds, yet Oggroth carries it without any noticeable difficulty.

So, I have recruited both Oggroth The Mountain and Ugrokk, all that is left that I had already planned for is my attempt to sway the rejected suitors with a speech.


What kind of speech should I give to the rejected suitors, and what should be said? Or should I do something else?

>>142879
We should inspire them. Tell them that though they were rejected this time they still have an opportunity to earn power and position another way. By traveling with us they have a place in group of skilled warriors. They can power for the Drakzen clan, for themselves, and for the future empire we will create. If they are not swayed by ideals then we can also hint at the riches that can be taken as spoils of war.

Hey guys rather than going to the human nations we should conquer/unite the other Premen tribes. Think about it, we will build an empire either way, and the Premen tribes are more secluded, it will be less noticable.

>>142937
Conquering other tribes are beyong our ability at the moment. We simply don't have enough warriors to even defeat other clans, much less pacify them.
Diplomacy is unlikely to work either - Drazken Clan follows us because we helped them against Yeti. Others have no reason to do so.
Killing Goran can help us with later, but in either case we will need greater warfighting ability than we have now.

>>142956
This is true.
There's also the idea of incorporating multiple warring styles, that is to say, the barbaric power of the Premen, and the tactical knowledge of the humans.

Also, I think we may have forgotten about the frog-people altogether!

>>142937
[Part of why you are leaving is because the Premen need time to build unity with new clan members, as well as to see the mines restored to full operating capacity. That, and the mountains have fairly limited resources in terms of food, and any attempt to unify the mountains would have to deal with that as population density grows. Supply lines from the south could solve this.]

>>142963
While the rumors that the Froggrock tribes venerate golems pique my interest, the tribes are scattered throughout heavily forested swamplands to the south and west, and tracking down appreciable portions of their population could prove difficult without some means to magically track them. Perhaps such could be found in one of the warring lands?

>>142887
I choose to inspire the rejected suitors, filling their minds with dreams of wealth, glory, power. Army recruiters have used similar tactics again and again, I see no reason to doubt it's effectiveness.

I make my way outside of Mordreden, Arkus, Oggroth The Mountain and Ugrokk all in tow, and round up the remaining rejected suitors. I see eyes darting between myself, Ugrokk and Oggroth, all giants even by their standards... and I also note Arkus has shifted somewhat, obscuring his form behind my leg. I would seem he does not like public venues. Hmmph.

I put these thoughts out of my mind as I address the crowd before me.

"Though the Drazken Clan did not accept you here and now, I offer you another chance at glory, wealth, and power. I will travel to the south, seeking more allies for my cause, And I would take you with me, to share in the plunder and glory. You could come with me, make names for yourselves, and return champions, paragons of the path of the warrior. Or you could simply leave, and return to your old clans. The choice is yours."

Twenty pairs of eyes are glued to me as I speak, twenty pair of ears straining to hear my every word. And when I conclude my speech, twenty pairs of feet step forward, and just like that I have claimed the rejected suitors as part of my group.

As the rejected suitors turned soldiers mill about deconstructing their tents and stowing away their belongings, I consider our impending journey. I have taken advantage of my spare time after returning to Mordreden, and I have spoken with Arkus about the warring kingdoms, natons and principalities to the south. From how he described the many nations there, I could find almost any type of land there.


Originally, the plan was to find and claim a land somewhere within the warring nations, but what kind of location am I looking for?

How big of a nation should it be? [Tiny/small/medium/large/huge]
How populated should it be? [sparse/medium/dense]
How militarily active should it be? [Peaceful/standard/warring/constant state-of-war]
How much resources should it have? [minimal/average/bountiful]
How should it view magic? [BURN THEM/dislike/average/respected/major outlet of Mortal Coil]
Any other specifications?

>>142967
While we are growing in power and influence, I don't think we are strong enough to handle anything above a medium sized territory with medium population. We also always need soldiers, tacticians, and mages, so we should seize a warring town that has all of these already and currently in use. The warring town is also more likely to fall under our sway, with promises of increased strength a golem aiding them. The resources the town has should be enough to support them while also having enough spare that we can send the excess over to the Premen tribes so we need bounty. The most important thing we need from the town is respect for mages. We should still be using Arkus as a cover and it'd be much easier to ally with a town when they don't want to burn him at the stake.

even if we are vastly superior to any army on a per-person basis any army too large would be able to overwhelm us. so let's count it as we are worth 30 regulars, Oggroth and Ugrokk are worth 20 and the other premen are worth 5 it would put our strength at about 170 human regulars. very strong but not unbeatable by a powerful army.

the nation should most definitely be accepting of magic users, after all me must find five mages and take their skins to Kyorto. I'm thinking one that isn't all that militarily active so that we will have less of chance of going up against something we can't take on. Also because of that, the nation shouldn't be too populated, something in the middle for density and largeness sounds about right. Having high resources isn't staple, but will definitely help.
or >>143041 , that works too.

>>142967
If we could find a town that housed some of the mages that took part in the destruction of our home, we could sate our thirst for revenge and secure materials for Kyorto.

>>143188
A place with mages that attacked Mosmordre, and were part of the campaigns that led to it's eventual fall.....

>>143044
Our group strength as a military force is considerable at this juncture, but by no means of great importance just yet. I should be mindful of that as I choose.

>>143041
>>143179
Not too big, or too populated, but bountiful, many could meet this specification. After he became more accustomed to me, he admitted to having done some more traveling than I had previously been led to believe, and that he had actually traveled about the warring nations very extensively, and knew nearly every nation, duchy, kingdom, principality, republic, league or union there, as of a month and a half ago. Quite a surprising bit of knowledge.

Acceptive of magic users, even respectful.... that narrows it down a bit more. Arkus admitted to having been chased out of more than a fair number of towns traveling when the locals realized he could do magic, throughout his travels. Magic is collectively held in an overall positive light, but at least a third of the lands hold a dislike, sometimes all consuming hate, of magic users of any sort.

Militarily active, not militarily active.... actually, Arkus did mention a place that technically could be considered both. And it was one of the first nations to ally with Castiliathen against Mosmordre, at the very start of the war, well before my forging. Many of it's older mages had seen active duty against the Mosmordre Empire, and claimed the lives of citizens and soldiers alike. Not that we gave quarter to those we fought, either....

The reason I say military and non-military, is what purpose it has served to Castiliathen and it's war effort: It had become, over the many years of the war against Mosmordre as Castiliathen's allies grew, a military think-tank, a kingdom whose soldiers were seen as largely useless, but whose mages and their creative applications of magic were regarded highly, and slowly became optimized to this purpose, practically a cog of the Castiliathen war effort.

But when Mosmordre finally fell, when the Curse was used, and no one took credit, fingers were pointed, both to demand if they had been responsible, and to demand why they had not created such an idea, if they claimed to not be involved. Ultimately, this nation was discarded as useless, potentially treacherous.

For a time, this did not truly matter, as the nation and the mages it had come to respect so started to place their services for hire to the other nations and republics about, as tempers erupted and the alliance shattered back into the quagmire that it had been for centuries prior. Business was fairly profitable, and the nation thrived, in spite of it's irregular form. Several years of a peaceful existence profiting from the ever spreading wars without directly participating passed, and the populace grew ever more favorable towards mages, and strived to both honor and educate them so that they could better serve the land.

But less than a year ago, with no true day to be called the start of it, the nation fell under attack of a strangly focused sort: Their renown having spread enough from their profitable ventures with warring empires, their now completely atrophied armies were finally exploited, and many of the dozens of research installations and the mages within them were captured by profiteers, bandits, and mercenary armies who decided they should have more direct access to the research.

Due to the strong social trend to honor and respect mages, even while pushing them to serve the land, many of the mages either escaped to still unconquered lands, or died amidst the initial confusion. It was only a month or so ago that things resolved themselves.

This is The Azelhaedran State, a state that in theory controls an area more than ten thousand square kilometers, but in truth controls less than a quarter of that land. The wealth of the still unconquered think-tanks and most of the populace have been pooled to fund the acquisition, training and arming of a new army of the state, and this remnant force has since lost no further area to aggressors, though they have ceased offering their services to other lands for the time being. They are noted for having incredible equipment for their forces, the likes of which intrigue most lords and rulers that hear of their potency... though their actual martical and tactical skill is largely not rated nearly so highly. Arkus did, I must mention, note having heard of at least four, possibly five captains who are quite talented that serve the state, and have elite warriors, veterans one and all at their service.... though how such veterans could come from such a state, he can't be sure, but the locals' faith in the mages and the leadership they have been demonstrating leads none to question them, and the armies forces one and all are greeted warmly and respectfully by locals and are largely treated as heroes when they visit villagers living near occupied outposts.

The remaining land is.... a complete mess. Those that claimed the facilities have shown little care for the citizens, and the locals live in fear when the state army cannot reach them. And as time has passed, safety has grown scarce, in some areas vanished, with many bandits and thieves having moved in for easy pickings where the state army can't go.

In spite of the state of the land under their local rule, those that claimed these facilities have been exploiting their ample resources and capabilities, and wage war both on The Azelhaedran State, and on one another, their initial reasons for claiming these facilities lost in this prolonged quest, an endless hunger for more power, the stockpiles of past experiments making for haphazard yet potent implements for the new owners. Strange and sometimes exotic weapons and armor, even golems give away those who command occupied military research outposts when they travel about in their border disputes.


Does this land sound like a suitable place to travel to, and if so, which part should I head for, the lawless area, or the remaining Azelhaedran State?

>>143332
Sounds great.

Move through the lawless land, towards the State. Liberate as much as you can. Let your reputation precede you.

let's head to a lawless area first and see if we can get some interesting items for our group. a couple magic weapons and armour should help the group and if you find some rare metal then you can incorporate it into yourself. also we may find some mages as they would be needed to run the labs and stuff.

>>143332
Let's go to the lawless lands. There's plenty of loot and fights to be had there, and this will please our forces. It'll also strike a very pretty picture to the Azelhaedran state heads when word reaches them about a powerful mage commanding a legion of armed Premen and a imposing golem freeing their lands of bandit taint. This will help us considerably when we begin to take command of the state as we will have the trust of the people and the other mages. We just need to make the act realistic enough, have Arkus practice his acting, we need him to be play the part of the controller.

>>143343
>>143344
>>143378
I elect to travel to The Azelhaedran State amongst the warring nations, a journey I am told may take two weeks, with the distance and size of our party, though I wonder if Arkus underestimates the Premen because he so frequently gets to ride within my palm with his work.

In particular, the lawless lands sound most interesting to me. I could build on the reverence for mages as I build group cohesion, attain more souls and in general benefit from hunting down the bandits, rogues, and miscreants in the places the state army still cannot reach. I could gain the support of the people, which could prove quite useful should I attempt to claim some of the occupied military applied magic research outposts, and put their capabilities to my own use.

Indeed, if I were to build enough support amongst the villagers isolated from the remaining state, their trust of mages could lead to them willfully submitting to my rule, simply for the order and peace it could bring them with their state in such disrepair.

I set off with Arkus once more in my hand, his supplies and equipment carefully tied and tucked away about him on his bronze perch, the disk I carry to serve as my long-term rations. Oggroth The Mountain and Ugrokk both fall into line behind me, and the sui- no, I suppose they are now warriors, if they are to follow me- and the twenty warriors that the Drazken Clan did not take follow shortly behind the two enormous Premen. Without any particular fanfare as people attend to more utilitarian, practical matters, I set out to carve another part of my growing empire out of the land, this time in The Azelhaedran State. The sun sets on our party as we work our way down the mountain, and we make a late camp.

[DAY 46]

We continue south, when some warriors, accompanied by Ugrokk, leave to follow game tracks, and return to us after we have already set up camp, bringing several goats. A small form of celebration is had, at the glory and riches to come, with Ugrokk and Oggroth both speaking to the warriors about what it means to seek strength in oneself, bestowing upon their listeners their own views on the subject. Neither can agree with the other's method, though they are hard-pressed to explain why.

[DAY 47]

It could be my imagination, but as I take a bite out of the bronze disk in camp after another uneventful day traveling down the mountainside, but I believe the warriors are slowly separating into two groups, one about each of the two giant Premen. For some reason, the grouping does not alarm me, even though I could be worried about potential infighting. I shall ponder this.

[DAY 48]

I confer with Arkus as we travel to confirm my suspicions, a theory on why the split does not bother me having entered my train of thought while marching: The Premen are following the equivalent of avatars for speed and agility versus strength and durability. Those with Oggroth are thicker, heavier, and those with Ugrokk leaner, frequently taller. It seems more of a friendly rival, this separation, and the Premen become quite involved in newly instituted nightly sparring between the groups, though for now Ugrokk and Oggroth do not fight, even whilst they encourage their respective followers to perform.

[DAY 49]

Mid-day sees us leave the mountains, and by the late afternoon we have moved past the ruined city of Mosmordre and on. We exit the Cursed forest just as night begins to fall, several stomachs growling as supplies run thin after not resupplying in the tainted areas, but we keep marching until a goodly distance from the blighted lands before setting up camp. Sparring sees a lackluster second night's iteration.

[DAY 50]

Only a few remain marching with me for most of the day, the rest ranging to gather game. Light has not yet started to fade from the sky when the hunters return, a bountiful harvest of animals and plants alike now topping up the fleshling's food reserves. As if to contrast against last night, the sparring is both heated and jovial this night, as a feast of sorts is held with the extra food that can't be stored.

[DAY 51]

We finally hit a road today, and while it is in a mild state of disrepair, it is wide and straight, and is a sign we are getting close to the warring nations. Arkus suggests taking the path, as it will go along the border of an under-staffed and under-patrolled nation, and would mean getting to The Azelhaedran State still farther east in a day or so rather than a week or more.


What should I do, should I take the shortcut, or should I try to travel around?

>>143410
The shortcut sounds good. I see no reason to spend any extra time wandering about.

>>143410
First, be on your guard. We're a long way from home and our group is bound to attract some unwanted attention. Can we find the premen some sort of disguises or something? Our intentions are quite clear from the way we look and the weapons the premen carry. We also need to find a small base of operations before we make ourselves known as assailants of Azelhaedran's capital. When we get there we should show our good side by taking care of some bandits and trying to increase food production for the abandoned citizens(speaking of which, can arkus make stuff like crops grow faster/better?).

>>143413
>>143412
I decide to take the shorter path and follow the road, and we set off in that direction without further hesitation.

While we continue to march, I address Arkus, questions about what we plan flitting through my mind, and potential problems raising their illusory heads within my psyche.

"Arkus, where could we find some manner of disguise, Or some other implement to mask the Premen's true nature?"

Arkus spares a quick glance back to the Premen following us from my palm, as if to check that they have not surreptitiously surpassed the language barrier.

"...Yeah, they are bigger than normal people, true enough. But despite some size and proportioning differences, they still look more or less like bigger humans, with a bit more pronounced jawline on average. Really, if you said they were some form of alchemical warriors or some such, boosted to perform better, people would buy it, at least in Azelhaedran State. I know at least one of those captains I heard of uses boosted warriors of some sort, and the populace doesn't seem to mind.

...Though I guess you don't even need to lie. You could say they are from a mountain tribe known for producing large, hardy warriors, and that isolated as it is, they speak a language of their own devising. Mostly true, but ommiting their actual special difference could work just fine.

What I am most worried about is Oggroth and Ugrokk. Those two are huge, and the tribe story wouldn't cover them, their scale too different to be taken as any form of human. The best bet I can think of is to say they are Life Golems, all sorts of those exist, so they could pass for that easily with their irregular stature.

One thing I can think of that would most likely be universally helpful for this endeavor would be to re-equip the Premen. As is, I think the pelts and loincloths with what little armor they have covered in bones are not going to help our image. I suggest using the rubies you had me hold onto to buy new armor and if possible weapons for our followers. Obviously, what we do is up to you, but the more 'normal' we can look, the less attention we'll attract."

I do not have many memories associated with logistical costs of outfitting an army, but I imagine custom armor sized to fit my forces could cost a sizable amount, potentially requiring all the rubies I have. An even greater concern presents itself, in that I realize the time when our ruse begins is fast approaching, and I have been starting to wonder if my plan needs changing.

As it is, I plan to masquerade as Mordre, a mage who discovered a Soul Grave and a means to control it directly, and sent the golem with his apprentice, Arkus. The reason I am never seen 'in the flesh,' rather than 'controlling' a Soul Grave is because I am crippled, my body weak and fragile: I command from a distant location, keeping my weak form safe.

Alternatively, I could have Arkus play the part of our leader. Having a human face to attribute to the mage saving them would be useful, but it could be difficult to maintain a charade of Arkus controlling me, rather than me commanding him.

As I continue to ponder how this should be handled, I lead onward down the road, ever onward toward The Azelhaedran State.


Which type of cover should we use, as to the leadership of this party? And should I follow Arkus' advice, and attempt to outfit our forces with more conventional arms to attract less attention?

>>143450
Soul Grave and two Life golems seems like a bit too much for forces we have. Using "Powerful mage Mordre" as cover can explain it, but someone who can make and control two Life golems surely can afford more solders.

"Mountain tribe" cover will work nicely; Oggroth and Ugrokk can be explained as alchemicaly enchanced warriors from same tribe.
They are so big and strong because they started from above-average human and were able to survive greater enhancement than most.

Armor - again, I think it is matter of image: Mage who can afford several golems can afford better armor than what we have now.

armor would make our already potent army much more devastating, i think we should do it.
I think having arkus pose as out master would be the best way to handle perceived leadership. that way, no one gets freaked out by a soul grave that can think for itself.

The sparse premen armor never struck me as being terribly effective in the first place, we could probably abandon it altogether for the time being. In any case it was meant for blunt weapons, not the blades we are likely to find here.

We need not completely fit in here, only not attract scrutiny. We should look like what the people here expect of uncivilized human travelers. Barbarian clothing and armor. I understand this means pants and boots, perhaps a vest or the hint of a shirt, and minimal armor, mostly on the torso and shoulders. You can outfit them with better equipment later, once you have more resources to work with, and this will help them transition into the local customs gradually.

>>143456
>>143457
I think it would be best for us to use the ruse of Mordre being controlled by a powerful mage, in command of his apprentice. Having Arkus be in control would be easier, yes... If the ruse will work. As it is, Arkus seems fearful of public speaking, and there may come a time when we would have to discard the ruse of Arkus being our master if we had an emergency on our hands and had to directly take command. So, Mordre being in command is likely the safer option.

As for the armor, you might not even require it. If you can instead get ordinary clothes (Like perhaps a uniform) that can cover their unusual armor and replace their barbaric clothing, we would have a cheaper method of fitting in more effectively.

I find the 'Alchemic mountain tribe soldiers' idea for Oggroth and Ugrokk's cover plausable. I do not know if that is how it works in truth, but it sounds good enough to fool the common population. However, we are walking into what is effectively a country dedicated to magical research, so if this would not work in truth, there is certainly a chance that some people would know.

Hrmm... Speaking of research, here's an idea: Perhaps this is a test run. These are 'Great mage Mordre's' first alchemical soldiers (Or are forrays into life golems, possibly modified with new lore recently found or researched, if the life golem idea might work better), and he wishes to see how they will preform in the field. If he can do something useful with them during the test run, all the better.

>>143466
Another point - Are you sure that Oggroth and Ugrokk can believable pretend to be Life golems? Neither strike me as someone who all that good at it. I could be wrong - they survived under Goran's rule after all, but still.

On equipment: Soul Grave is rare and highly valuable. Mage with Soul Grave and twenty well/decently equiped solders send rather different message than same mage with Soul Grave and bunch of barbarians. Consider likely opinions and reactions in both cases.

Finaly: We should keep our cover consistent. If we go Life golem route, then armor isn't important. But if we use "Super-soldier" Space Marine which are likely rather expensive, then lack of equipment on our soldiers will look strange.

Hm, I think I get too much into details and don't explained myself well : ultimately, it doesn't really matter how well our cover story fit, unless we blunder too badly. What we need here is proper *IMAGE* of oursleves. Not "Lucky mage accidentaly found 'Grave and hired bunch of barbs. He says that he will help us, but he looks rather disreputable." but "Skilled and powerful mage with 'Grave and soldiers offering his help."

I believe the "I am a mage" ruse for Mordre is the best bet. As for our two big dudes, I don't think we should say they are golems, but rather people who have been experimented upon by yourself. This further puts you as a mage capable of great experimentation, something these folks seem to like.

As for our men, they don't seem to like armor anyway. What you want is a uniform, some sort of uniting fasion. Having them all wear leather armor would be just fine. Putting them all in heavy metal would be... a bad idea. It might hurt their effectiveness. As for the people themselves, just say they're from a clan you helped in the mountains, and they are repaying you by being a sort of bodygaurd.

Well, like half of them seem to be favoring light, agile combat. May as well make the squad differentiation official. Then that group can use little or no armor in their outfit and not seem too strange.

for now yes. the speed group will have little armour. but once we start getting up there then magic substitutes for armour. like bracers of armour and the like. while our heavy group wouldn't be hindered by heavy equipment because big slow and powerful is already what they are going for. so full plate and huge mauls would be good for them.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2010/03/07(Sun)19:37 No. 143562 ID: d1210a
File 126801945153.jpg - (100.96KB , 1024x768 , Hletwa Home Of Rogo And Sons.jpg )

>>142456
>>143457
>>143473
Thoughts of heavy warriors that dwarf the armies of men marching at my call, their arm too thick to be breached, their strength being brought to bear through powerful two hammers and war-picks, all of this flits across my mind. Oggroth in particular, I feel, could bear armor so heavy, so thick, that he would be nigh invulnerable to anything that couldn't hurt a Soul Grave.

>>143465
>>143466
>>143521
But thoughts of the Premen's quick and brutal power might be muted if they are weighed down, and that perhaps light armor and uniforms could be sufficient, sparing costs and preserving the Premen warriors' speed. Ugrokk in particular would likely be able to support a great deal of armor, but that could hinder his preferred fighting methods.

>>143540
>>143543
....Perhaps I don't need to choose. There are twenty Premen warriors, split into two groups of ten, following either Oggroth or Ugrokk. I could outfit Oggroth and the stockier, heavier warriors that follow him in plate, optimally steel, and leathers for tremendous defense. They could then be armed with gargantuan long handled war mauls, one end of the hammer instead lengthened into a spike to drive through armor.

Then, I could outfit Ugrokk and the taller, leaner warriors that follow him in leathers and some minimal metal armors, perhaps a cuirass, pauldrons and little more, preserving the swift and terrible speed of the Premen. Ugrokk could be given free rein in choosing how much plate or other armor would be added to the leather given to him, to let the one most familiar with his strengths choose what he bears.

I confer with Arkus on where we could find a blacksmith with enough resources and assistants to handle outfitting our force as swiftly as possible, and outline my ideas on what to give them. Arkus mulls over my request for a while, before responding, his words reluctant.

"...Well... I guess we could go to Hele-.... Hletwa, its the nearest city of Duras, that being the name of this nation we're currently skirting by right here, by the way, anyway we could go to Hleta... Hletwa, I know the have a pretty good blacksmith there, they have a mercenary outlet for.... I don't remember their names, some group with a fair number of members.

As I was saying, in.... Hletwa.... they have a giant set of forges, and around three dozen assistants, all working under the Founder, Del Roga, and his sons, Bhear, Jio, Del Jr. and Trogga. So, this place, Roga & Sons Smithing Est. 32 BF, yeah I know real original name..... ah, yeah, quick non sequitor, but Castiliathen changed the official calender, and reset the years on the day the Mosmordren Empire fell, since it was the first day of the first month of the year, BF stands for Before fall, and is backwards dating for events prior, and the current date is in AV, After Victory.

So yeah, this Roga & Sons Smithing, is a pretty well respected and extensive setup, and they DO have a good bit of experience custom outfitting personal troops and such for the mercenaries, and anyone else for that matter. The only problem is that they usually have a LONG wait list.... but I have heard you can bribe your way to the front of the list, either outright, or by piquing Head-smith Del Roga's interest, though he can be quite..... eccentric, I think is the term when one is wealthy. Damned gruff, belligerent asshole, in others.

But make no mistake, if Del Roga himself were to work on anything for us, we wouldn't care how much of an ass he may be, his work is masterful, and several lords and captains bear craftings of his.

...Ah, only problem, is that Duras has a bad bit of past with the Mosmordren Empire, and forbid entry of any Soul Graves into their lands, so unless you want to stir up trouble, I don't think you should stray near any local populations.

And herein lies the problem. If I go alone, I will be one sub-average mage carrying a rather exorbitant bit of wealth, and if I don't bring the gems, I wonder if I could even convince anyone at Rogo & Sons Smithing that I had the funds to buy such an order lacking proof. And I doubt bringing any of the Premen along would be a good idea either, for part of the reason you want them outfitted: They could cause a panic. And without you there to translate, I couldn't communicate with the Premen.

So.... there is a place nearby that could do what we want, and we even have enough wealth here, I think we have a shot at getting it done expeditiously. But the local and our parties composition create... difficulties.

I, ah, don't suppose you have any ideas on what to do about this? There isn't any blacksmith capable of what you want, not anywhere near to where we are, besides Rogo & Sons, since they drove most competing high end armorers out of business.


So... what should we do?"

>>143562
Hurm...

We should have the premen set up camp here. Arkus and Mordre will go in for the order with the rubies. Quick and easy, eh?

it would be, but he has stated that soul-graves are illegal in this place and getting an army on you, even with your considerable might, is a bad idea.

how about Ugrokk equiped with bits and peices of all the armour our premen have so he looks well armoured, matching the idea of an elite modded warrior. he may be less then optimal like that, but it would be impossible to pull off with Oggroth due to his large size.

also, how trustworthy are they? are they a don't ask don't tell sort of group. you give them money, they give you armour and no one gets reported or will they rat us out? if they are trustworthy then we can tell him how our force is so powerful looking that we did not want to frighten the populace, and Ugrokk is merely the tip of the tip of the iceberg.

>>143562
Arkus can be trusted to get this done and there doesn't appear to be any other alternatives so I say let him go. Have Arkus take some measurements and make notes on any specifications Ugrokk and Oggroth may have to ensure he gets everything right when he places his orders. Once he has all of his notes and the rubies packed up, make camp and await his return.

How about just setting up outside of Duras and sending Arkus in (without the gems, just in case) to have him invite Del Roga to come to the camp see Mordre's motley crew for himself? If the smith comes out there'll be plenty of time to negotiate, and without so much fuss.

>>143573
He's worried about getting mugged or something, as a single mage of not-so-impressive power traveling on his own. If I recall correctly, he's been developing some fairly impressive blasting capabilities, but if he's concerned about safety it's not unreasonable to think that he has good reason to be so.

Still, I don't know that we have anyone to send with him on escort duty, since he can't talk with the Premen and that might get... awkward. How about we go into Azelhaedran and attract at least a few more human followers who might be able to provide Arkus with protection as he moves? Then we can hold off on the bulk of our conquest until our forces are better equipped.

>>143573
this seems like the only viable option for the time being. once the premen are fully armored, we should figure out a way to put control of this place under arkus as a front for us

if you want that way then just aim for an assitant to come out and see us, have arkus explain that his master has a soulgrave but as they are not aloud in the land they are camping on the border. you have valuables their for him at the place but as he is but an assistant bringing them would most likely have resulted in being mugged. why you didn't bring any warriors to watch you is that they are large and frighting that is why he came to your armoury as they are the only ones able to make armour for such large warriors.

rolled 9 + 1 = 10

---

>>143571
>>143573
>>143580
>>143586
>>143593
>>143602

While it seems clear to me that Arkus should go, most likely with at least one Premen with him to act as an example of what is sought, I have some difficulty with deciding whether or not to send the rubies with him, after he voiced such concerns. I decide to hedge my bets, and send Arkus in with but a single ruby, as further proof without loading him with too much wealth.

As I send off Arkus with two Premen (one from both Oggroth and Ugrokk's camps, to give a general idea of what type of body each type of armor is destined for), I make sure to firmly communicate to the warriors that only in the case they themselves or Arkus are immediately threatened with harm, they are to take no overt actions, and to simply follow Arkus both as protection and example. The two warriors seem engrossed in what I ask of them, doing what they can to prove themselves worthy of having been chosen for this task, even though I chose them simply by dint of being the most average in each group.

While Arkus and his two escorts make their way off down a much smaller offshoot of the main road we are on, I move the rest of our forces off the trail several miles, and set up camp outside the lands of Duras while I wait for Arkus' return.

Late morning becomes noon, then afternoon as we await Arkus' return, only to find he has returned, with...

[rolling 1d10 to see how he did with a bonus of 1 for reasonable plans, 1/2 being terrible, 10/11 being awesome]

oh sweet, we got a 10.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2010/03/07(Sun)21:34 No. 143614 ID: d1210a
File 126802646691.jpg - (216.47KB , 800x1040 , Del Rogo.jpg )

>>143604
...To find an stocky, burly man with a brilliant gray beard fanning across his chest stocking after Arkus, gruffly yelling obscenity laced complaints as he uses a worn axe as a... cane...

"Now where the fehk is this high an' mighty, hoighty-toighty mage ya serve, eh!? Ya' came in jibba-jabberin' about some damned alchemical warriors, as well as more of these stupid giant tribals, so where the hell are they!? I swear upon my anvil, I will beat you to death here and now if you are wasting my time!"


Arkus cannot seem to find a chance to respond, even as he draws within a hundred feet of our camp, his companion perfectly happy to shout further insults at Arkus rather than pay attention to his surroundings.


What should I do?

>>143614
Roar at him.

"I AM THE MAGE YOU SEEK. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE VOLUME BUT SOMETIMES IT BECOMES HARD TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL IN THIS UTTERLY MASSIVE GOLEM. MY APOLOGIES."

approach the man with the rest of the Premen and tell him you are the mage, and you are using the soulgrave as an avatar.

>>143615
this. right now.

>>143615
Say this and gesture to the Premen to gather around us.

>>143615
>>143621
>>143634
>>143616

I command the Premen warriors to rise and form about me, and I find Ugrokk and Oggroth both taking point at the heads of their respective groups. Had I lips of flesh, they would have quirked in a smirk just now. Thankfully, I am made of superior iron, far less prone to breakage.

I decide to greet the cantankerous presumed smith with a polite rebuff to his suspicions, and hope that he tolerates having fun poked at him, should he be this Del Roga I have heard of. After all, his age and personality match what Arkus described, though his descriptions were hardly detailed.

I speak out with a thundering voice that causes some of the warriors near me and Arkus to flinch, still maintaining a pleasant tone of voice even at this incredible volume.

"I AM THE MAGE YOU SEEK. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE VOLUME, BUT SOMETIMES IT BECOMES HARD TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL, BEING IN CONTROL OF THIS UTTERLY MASSIVE GOLEM. MY APOLOGIES. ARE YOU A SMITH WHO COULD MAKE WHAT I SEEK?"

The grizzled old man doesn't even flutter an eyelid at the extreme volume, and leers back at me, revealing many shining metal teeth within his mouth.

"Bah, my hearin' went to shit years ago banging on metal all damn day, makes no fehkin' difference to me."

His leer widens as his gaze slips past me to the warriors behind me, Oggroth and Ugrokk both occupying much of his focus.

"Damned giant tribals. I haven't the slightest what kind of complex arcane workings you fehken' namby pamby mage types need to make 'em that big, but as a fellow craftsman, I gotta respect good work when I see it. Damned big ones, and that one with a fehken' face like shit and a lard ass looks like he could rip a damned castle apart bare-handed. Hell, never seen anything breathing get that big that wasn't a Life Golem. And these stupid looking tribal got good bones, heavy muscle, should make good warriors, would be interestin' to make shit fer 'em."

His leer slips back into a scowl as he continues his rant.

"Look, yer pipsqueek apprentice here said you had enough wealth to make your job my top priority. He showed me a ruby, fine and dandy, but that ain't diddly compared to what it costs to get top priority, outfit the two tenfold groups ah regular stupid tribals, not to mention custom making arms and armor for the two great lumbering bigguns. So prove you're worth my time before I get on with this pointless walk in the middle of the damned woods, and maybe beat the crap out of your apprentice for wasting my time."


How should I respond to this, and what action(s) should I take?

>>143657
Toss the bag-oh-RUBY at his feet.
"Time is no matter. I wish for greater quality and uniformity above all."

To the Premen: "Excuse the craftman's eccentricities, he is a valued creator of weaponry and armor."

>>143657
Call for the gems to be retrieved from where we stored them. Once we have the bag slowly pour several of them into our palms and tell him we're sure we can meet his price. Don't show him all the gems of course, he might get greedy and raise the price if he learns the full measure of our holdings.

>>143670
Changing vote to this.

>>143662
Its not like they know what he's saying.

>>143662
>>143670

I first speak a word of caution to the Premen, instructing them that this loud old one is a venerated elder craftsmen of great talent, who forges arms and armor, makes implements of war and death, and that his antics are to be tolerated.

I also ask them to bring the bag of rubies forward, and I lower my left hand to the ground so that the Premen can start to slowly pour rubies onto my palm as I speak, each gem glittering with the light of the sunset.

"How long the actual crafting of equipment takes is unimportant to me. The quality and uniformity of what is crafted is all I care for. I am sure I can meet your price, in some manner or other."

The old man I grow more convinced is Del Roga with every passing minute grumbles at me as he squints at the gems in my hand. He starts to pace back and forth as he grumbles and mutters for a time, occasionally growing quite vocal, before he finally stops and responds with a rather ugly grimace.

"...Yeah alright, fine. Fehk if I give a damn what The Steel Fists say, ya brought me a hell of an interestin' job, one that'll give me a couple problems to tackle, and ya got the coin ta warrant yer runty apprentice bugging me. Don't bother telling me what kind of crap yer lookin' for, heavy armor for the heavy ones, lighter armor for the skinny ones, I can do that no problem, make them similar, that's easy too, I've done a shit-ton of vanguard work over the years. ...Hmmph, the mauls these fat stupid primitives'll use should have an eight foot handle, steel core, wood and leather cover..... Meh, Wonder how I could tie that in with the biggest, fattest, dumbest looking one here... though that ball and chain he's give me some ideas.. Yeah, I got a good idea of how to approach this. Now make yer stupid tribals line up, I need each one ta cut themselves on my axe, need at least a bit of each one's blood."

Arkus cannot help himself, and blurt out a simple exclamation to the bearded man's demands.

"WHAT."

The old one rounds on Arkus, glaring at him as he thumps his Axe-turned walking cane in front of the young mage's face.

"Look here, mister sissypants 'lookatmeimgonnabeamageohjoy,' if ya payed any attention to yer lessons, ya could tell this axe got an interestin' an' potent spell in it. Any blood it tastes, it can recreate an image o' the bugger's whole body, what their physical abilities and weaknesses are, all that crap. Some crusty old mage gave it ta me when I made his son some armor and the little bastard failed to die due to his own stupidity. Been real helpful with the unusual requests, don't even need to measure, know exact size and such of each body I gotta make shit for. Now get those ignorant tribals movin' so I can get their blood, I'm too fehkin' old to just stand about dillydallying like this! Or if ya don't like it, to hell with the lot of ya!"


What should I do? Should I do as the old man says? Or should I do something else?

>>143716
Oh, awesome.

Hell yeah.
We should comply. This guy's a pro. and if someone strangely figures out our greatest points of weakness, then hey, we know who to talk to first.
Go with it.

>>143716
Exelent. And of couse, we will know whom to eviscerate if our trooper are attacked by blood magic...

I'm also gonna tentatively suggest that we put in a request for ourselves as well. Get some golem blueprints, or maybe some way to enhance the Sable Executioner,or even get some new metal to munch. Anything like that.

Also, translate for the Premen what's going on, if they don't understand the coarse human tongue. They are our warriors and should understand the problems and dangers about the ax and what kind of armor they're going to be receiving.

Okay. I know we need to do this, but one word of caution. It seems that we would be bumping The Steel Fists down with our request. They might not be too pleased with that, and if they are rich enough to afford top priority anyway, they might also be strong. Anyway, what im getting at is if they get pissed enough to want to kill us, they would know exactly who to look for by getting a hand on the axe. Heck, this little adventure could blow the whole ruse sky high. Though its unlikely its still possible, and we don't want too many people interested or even knowledgeable of us in our...underdeveloped state.

>>143788
We don't need a fancy armor crafter for our own improvements, just quality resources to work with. It might be worth asking if he has any extra-high quality metal lying around, but I suspect he would need it for his business, and we probably don't have the resources to pay for it right now.

>>143818
Just some creations or suggestions or blueprints. The Sable Executioner wasn't our own creation, but was the integration of several golem claws. If we can get any more golem equipment or upgrades or blueprints, we can hopefully upgrade ourselves. Just a suggestion, you know?

do what he says. fuck the steel fists, they can find a new armorer for all i care. if they come complaining to us, we'll give them the devastation of the amaranthine annihilator

>>143720
>>143779
>>143825
Del Roga is supposed to be a smith of some renown, and if his primary buyers are mercenaries, I doubt he would get far were he to share his client's information: That sort of thing usually brings business to a terminal conclusion, as I understand it.

And if these Steel Fists, whoever they are, must be made to wait so that I can avail myself of Del Roga's services, then so be it. Should they come seeking me to complain, I shall grind them to dust under my heel if need be. ....Though the name sounds oddly familiar, The Steel Fists....

I explain to the Premen the gist of what is happening, that an offering of blood on the crafter's axe would let him craft arms and armor forged specifically for each individual, and that they should form a line to individually step forward and contribute. Judging by their reactions, I think they will need no further coaxing, as they enter a brief but frantic period of jostling, all trying to get third place in line and down.... as Ugrokk and Oggroth stare at each-other for a moment, neither budging. Finally, Ugrokk inclines his head, and Oggroth takes first in line, presenting his hand to Del Roga, who pulls the axe across a giant thumb, blood welling onto the blade and seeping into the metal itself, bringing stark color to the runes festooning it.

"..Eh, I was right, lard ass here's got strength to spare. Alright, next, hurry up!"

And so Del Roga continues to spill small offerings of blood on his axe from each Premen, his eyes going vacant as he nods to himself after each spilling of blood. His cursing has subsided for the moment as he focuses intently on his task, his cantankerousness set aside for now. In very short order no one else is waiting to contribute, and the elderly man barks out a harsh exclamation, a gutteral disdain for using words, before he stomp over to me, and snatches the bag of rubies off my hand. He pauses for a second as he feels the full weight of the bag, before grunting and speaking out even while walking back towards town, his axe tapping out a slow beat on the ground.

"Feh, guess I'll call Morris, put some runes on some of your shit, if ya got that much dosh. Now piss of, I'll have your shit done in six days, send your runty apprentice and... ten of your stupid tribals to pick it up, Sunrise six days from now, don't be late."

Without any further farewells, the belligerent smith continues making his way back to town.

>>143788
I start to wonder if Del Roga could have blueprints or schematics for Soul Grave parts.... but considering how aversive Duras is to such beings as I, I doubt there would be any market for such, at least not one out in the open like that.

I find myself considering our current status, and realize that if we stay in this area rather than traveling for a time, we will have a great deal more time to spend on other activities.


So what would I prefer Arkus and the Premen to spend their time on, during this period? Should I try to help Arkus teach some rudimentary common tongue to the Premen, or perhaps try to help the Premen teach Arkus their language, so that Arkus can communicate with our forces more ably in my possible absence? Or should our time be spent on something else?

>>143839
Language during the day, sparring during the night.

Also, send a few out to scout. If there are any bandits around here, we can make some quick money, souls, maybe mages, and clear the path back and forth.

>>143839
Arkus briefly mentioned the Steel Fists shortly after awakened. They are one of the mercenary groups that claimed one or two the remaining Soul Graves from our home...
IDEA: In the six days we have to prepare, we should work on getting Arkus and the premen to scout out the town. We should also look for a way to secure more wealth. After we get the armor we should stay in town a little longer. The Steel Fists will no doubt be angry about their order being delayed and will most likely send someone down here to see whats up, someone we should "have words" with.
Barring that, we should have someone spy on whomever the Steel Fists send to Duras.

>>143839
I doubt that asking him will bring any problems. Say "I salvaged some equpment along with this Soul Grave, but it was rather limited. Do you have anything that can improve golem's capabilities? I am particulary interested in ranged weapon upgrade." Make sure you are talking in third person.

>>143842
While chance of eating or capturing another Soul Grave is great, we are not strong enough to deal with it AND mercenary soldiers together. However, investigating sounds like a good idea and perhaps we will be able to develop something with more data.

>>143841
>>143842
Word of caution: If/when the Steel Fists found out about us (Specifically that there's another Soul Golem tromping around), they might feel threatened. I'm not saying this is a bad idea, but we should be careful.

And I agree, start sending out scouts to see if we can find some bandits to squash, or even better, one of the research labs.

Arkus seems to be one of our biggest resources at the moment, considering he's the only one who can communicate with the people in this area (Asides from us, but it's already established that going to Duras ourselves would be a bad idea). I think we should teach the Premen some of the common tongue, so as to try and lessen this problem.

>>143842
Note: The reason we wanted the armor in the first place was so that we would be more inconspicuous, seeming more like super soldiers that anything else, so I don't think the Premen should do any scouting in the town.

I also vote for language by day, sparring by night but add the scouting for bandits part somewhere in there. Maybe one or two Premen can scout instead of going to Modrean(language name) classes. Just rotate it so that everyone gets to learn.

>>143847
Include this next time we speak with the old smith. The part about Golem parts, I mean. And not just Ranged. How to augment the rest of ourselves. Infuse our powers with gems, or such.

>>143842
I like this idea.
we should work on teaching arkus the premen language, because teaching and entire army a new language would be time consuming and not very fruitful.

I don't see why we can't have both Arkus and the Premen learn the others language. The more pressing matter is the possibility of encountering the Steel Fists. They not only have their own golem, but presumably an effective mercenary fighting force.Having an ear to the ground and being prepared to engage them would be wise. Between the language lessons we should have Arkus tell us anything else he knows about the group.

[Just to Clarify: Currently, Mordre and company are just outside the borders of the Nation of Duras, which has a city, Hletwa, where Del Roga works. The Azelhaedran State, the place you are traveling to, with the bandits, rogues, and captured research outposts, is on the far side of the nation of Duras. As is, after getting the Premen armaments, the plan was to take the old trade road that passes through Duras to get to The Azelhaedran State, since contact with locals is relatively unlikely if they stay on the old trail]

>>143847
>>143864
I make a mental note to instruct Arkus to ask after anything that could be adapted to use on my form without being outright Soul Grave schematics. Things like improved firing mechanisms for cannons, or some such. I would be loathe to pass on a chance to further evolve myself.

>>143840
>>143841
>>143848
>>143852
I decide that work on language exchange should happen during the day, and sparring should happen at night. Further, I decide to start a rotating series of area scouting with the Premen, seeking any bandits or other vagabonds that could provide souls without incurring issues with the local government for murder. I inform my companions of our proposed plan, and have trouble selecting the initial scouts, as everyone volunteers. Eventually I simply pick the two smallest Premen present, in some vague hope that they will look at least somewhat less unusual than their even larger brethren. They set out to scout our immediate area, more accustomed to unlit patrols at night than those with ample stock of wood, so I have little concern for their safety. They have orders to return if they encounter foes, rather than engage, so that all may share in the glory... and to prevent any young fool from pointlessly dying in a mad attempt to prove their capabilities.

Sparring takes place upon a bare patch of dirt carefully cleared of debris, with non-participants forming the outline of a rough circle where combatants fight. Anticipation of getting to fight such tiny warriors has put an edge of predatory hunger into these warriors, and the sparring is noticeably more vicious than normal, though none complain, or are maimed, so I make no objection. After all, aggression is a potent tool for a warrior. Eventually the sparring ends, and the now exhausted warriors stumble to their tents.

[DAY 52]


[Roll a 1d10 to see what the Premen scouts encountered]

rolled 1 = 1

---

>>143879
hope this goes well...

rolled 4 = 4

---

>>143879
Oh boy, here we go.

rolled 5 = 5

---

Hoping for a higher roll if only for variety. I don't even know if low rolls are bad or whatever soo...

rolled 2 = 2

---

>>143879
I'll give it a shot.

rolled 2 = 2

---

>>143905
>Shot
why not

Wow the dice don't seem to want to give upper half rolls today.

Bob!t/UKid4z5s 2010/03/08(Mon)18:20 No. 143932 ID: d1210a
File 126810124032.jpg - (392.17KB , 800x999 , Steel Fists Soul Grave.jpg )

>>143881
[1]

The Premen return to camp in the early hours before the sun has fully risen, held at sword-point by heavily armed and armored soldiers, bearing the sigil of a burning silver fist grasping at the moon on their heraldry. They number in the scores, and all bear lethal looking lances and are mounted on equally heavily armored horses, enormous beasts bred for strength above all else, by the look for their thickened limbs, wider shoulders, and more pronounced musculature. Their faces are likewise thickened, shortened, and encased in plate helmets with a gap for the stocky horses to see. The riders themselves are so completely encased in heavy armor I cannot tell anything about them but that they seem quite enormous.....

One in armor more ornate than the rest that glitters with gems socketed into it's metal points a finger towards our camp, still trying to discern outlines within our camp. He yells out an enraged bit of dialogue as he continues to squint at the darkness.

"Now where the bloody hell are you, you stupid grubby little upstart! I know these giants are with you, now come out here! You got my commission delay by another week because of you! I am going to..."

....The Steel Fists caught our scouts and have come directly to us with heavy cavalry in numbers exceeding ours by at least four to one (it is difficult to be certain in the gloom), and threaten Arkus' life.

>>143883
[4]

Oggroth and Ugrokk both rise quickly as they grasp their weapons, the Premen grouped about them following suit swiftly. I rise from my crouch, coming to tower even higher than the two super-sized Premen, and I see the Steel Fist captain's word's dying on his tongue.

>>143892
[5]

"....Ah. That would explain the funds to get Del to change his schedule. So, managed to recover an actual Soul Grave, huh? Nice find, especially this many years after the fact. I'm guessing what, you plundered some ruins, found the golem, enough loot to pay Del, picked up some muscle on the way, want to outfit them, make some real money thereafter, huh?

Don't worry kid, I can understand the sentiment....."

>>143905
>>143906
[DOUBLE 2]

The man's voice hardens as he continues.

"......But you do NOT get to just do as you please, just because you got lucky."

A form rises behind the mass of cavalry, towering even higher than my own form, and as the sun finally crests the hill it starkly illuminates a golem, a titan of steel standing beside the Steel Fists, their symbol engraved in it's chest, No claw to be seen, but two siege fists, both massive hands covered in runes.

"Now is when you get to beg for your life, and give me a reason I shouldn't squash you like a bug for the insult you offered me."


What should I do, and what orders should I give my companions?

>>143932
Alright. The Roar time.

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN THE LIFE OF MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE! I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I AM MORDRE, MASTER OF WORLD MAGIC, AND THIS IS MY APPRENTICE! WE SEEK NO QUALM WITH YOU, STEEL FISTS, AND WISH ONLY TO OUTFIT OUR MERCENARIES IN A TIMELY FASHION SO WE MAY CONTINUE ON OUR TREK."

>>143932
...Oh. Well. ...Shit. Ok, to be perfectly honest, here, if this comes to a battle, we're -dead-. We might be able to take some of them with us, or even eliminate their soul golem or leader if we get -really- lucky, but we can't win if this becomes a brawl. Heavy cavalry is basically the medieval tank, and they've got a soul golem of their own. Survival is our goal here. About the best outcome I can see here is convincing this guy that fighting us would be too costly to be worth it, or negotiating some sort of duel.

>>143932
Now is the time to have a little chat with our resident. "Spirit, I promised you my life should I fall and I've no intention of betraying you. But tell me true, are you not tired of being merely an audience member? You were a part of Zakrath once, you cannot tell me the destruction of the leylines in Mosmordre did not hurt the world and yourself by proxy even if you were not an individual before I found you. Here is the perfect opportunity to make an impact in this world. Can you enter the body of that golem and control it? Or is your control limited to Soul Graves on the verge of certain destruction? I shall try to defuse the situation while getting into an desirable vantage point should this conversation turn bloody. The choice is yours, remain in the peanut gallery or seek revenge with me."

Addition: Tell our guys to form up, prepare for possible battle and glorious death. Give them a quick sketch of how much the odds are against us. Again, if this comes to a battle, about all we can do is cause as much damage and cause as possible before we all die or one side or the other retreats.

Also... Looking at their soul golem, what kind of combat is it outfitted for, Mordre? Do you think we're faster than it is, might be able to avoid those fits of it? What would your weapons do against it?

Anyway, step forward, Mordre, and greet the commander. Be cautious to not act threatening, arrogant, or otherwise insulting of him, as percieved insult is what got us in this mess in the first place. I for one am seriously glad we decided to go with the 'Great mage Mordre' ruse now. This is exactly the sort of crisis that requires our delicate touch to avoid dire consequences.

>>143952
Ooo, I just remembered our Pristine Soul store. What say we use one of them to diffuse this, guys? We should at least keep that option in mind.

>>143948
THIS WITH A PRISTINE SOUL TO DICTATION AND POLITENESS

>>143950
We don't want a duel- if it comes to that, it'll be a Soul Grave contest or a duel of champions, and either pairing doesn't end well for us. We must resolve this peacefully- that's the actual fact as it stands.

However, revealing our cover story- that we're operating the Soul Grave by remote, and are in no personal danger ourselves- would likely make them much more likely to believe that we'd be willing to throw away the entirety of the force we've gathered here rather than fold, if they press the issue. Our negotiating position is much stronger for the bluff that all we'd lose is a golem, albeit a very valuable one, and an expendable unit of servants.

So. Explain that we have no quarrel with them, and have offered no insult by intention. Depending upon the size of their order, we could delay our own order by a matter of a few days to avoid conflict here; no skin off our nose. Alternately, we could retain our position at the front of the queue and compensate them for the delay by means of a few gems. But we have no need to beg for our life when we are safely removed from this conflict, and are confident that any attempt by him to squash us like a bug would result in more deaths of his own than any petty insult is worth, though we would undoubtedly lose.

>>143952
This sounds like it might have some merit.

>>143958
Not quite. From what I'm seeing, their Soul Golem might be specialized to topple fortifications. We, on the other hand, have our anti-golem cannon, our magical and ranged attacks, and hopefully speed on our side. Likewise, I'm -moderately- certain combat by mortal champion might work in our favor, though I admit myself less sure in this regard. Peaceful means would be best, I agree, but dueling is less risky than a general melee, keep in mind.