Something Wicked this way Comes...

[Barthac]

Taalkar turns towards the door, Let's go brother, nothing more for us here.

Outside he comments to his brother, This is some sort of a pattern with home and here and in between. To be honest, I'm getting a 'lil tired of always leaving.

[LordDice]

"Yeah...nothing more here for us. Lets go speak with Alyss and get the hell out of here"

"Hopefully she'll have some news and we can head on back to Deep Mote..."

[Mr. X]

Heading to the outer edge of the camp, your approach to the Witch's tent is marked by the presence of a growing, pungent, odor.

She sits before a small fire flickering in front of her tent, stooping over a small iron pot that holds a simmering, pungent brew. Stirring it with a stick, and occasionally adding dashes of odd herbs and (spices?) from a handful of glass vials.

As you come closer, her head snaps up, and her hollow eye sockets peer blindly at you, as though she was looking straight through you...

"Oy! Ye found another stone, I see..." she states, tilting her head in Doilin's general direction.

"Come an' sit, your friend 'ad more 'an a mouthful to be sayin', an' whoa, was it a frightful t'ing to hear."

Reaching behind her, she picks up a small ball hanging from a mess of string, and holds it out to you...

In the firelight, you realize that it is the goblin's severed head... Shrunken to perhaps a third of its initial size, its eyes and mouth sewn shut with a thick, hempen twine, and its flesh now a waxy palor marred by its fungal growths and protrusions.

"Ye'll be wantin' te take 'im wit ye. If'n ye sing to 'im at night, it'll help te keep 'im calm...

Aye as't 'im yer questions, an 'e gave plenty straight answers as dinnae make no sense te one oo wasn't as 'ee, so I 'ad te dig a bit further... 'E spoke fine common too, if'n I asked 'im to..."

He takes the stick from the brew, and dabs its tip on her tongue.

"Eghh... Nearly finished." She says, loudly smacking her lips.

"But ye wanted te know oo was givin' the orders in tha Holy Cety... There t'ain't just one someone, though. It's a group, er council, er some such. 'E called 'em the 'All Eaters'... Dinnae seem te be much diff'rence betwix dem an hisself, 'cept they'd eaten quite a fair bit more 'an 'e 'ad...

'E dinnae have any direct 'orders', as such. 'E was te wander, an' eat, an' come back."

She reaches awkwardly downward to scratch at the sole of her clubbed foot.

"Pretty slim pickin's for the sort o' info I's certain he's after, but it's 'bout te get better." She says, grimacing mirthfully,

"The 'shrooms growin' on 'im 'e called a fair start'lin' number o' names, 'ong 'em 'Teacher', 'One-Maker', 'Healer', an' 'Food'... Ohh, 'e made it quite clear 'at if'n there was one t'ing 'e held sacred, 'at fungus was it..."

She grimaces again, clearly quite pleased with herself. Her hands pick absently at loose strings in her robe, before she reaches out, blindly feeling for the simmering pot's handle,

"... I figgered 'at knowin' what 'at fungus did te 'im was key te understandin' what 'e was...

... So I concocted a brew..."

She chuckles, withdrawing a bent spoon from her robe, and offering it to one of you,

"... Best ye see fer yer own selfs...

...

... An' dinnae ye worry, the brew's totally harmless."

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Any sort of Sense Motive check will reveal that she is telling the truth about all this.

[LordDice]

"Ah hell....I'm sure I've had worse tasting things back in the pens"

Pulling the spoon from her hand slurps up a big ol spoonful swallowing as quick as he can so as not to taste it.

Heaving slightly he tries desperately to keep it down."Okay...that was absolutely disgusting, never had worse. I was completely wrong"

[Mr. X]

Taalkar and Doilin watch as Karazi heaves for a moment, and turns slightly green. Shaking himself, he seems to get passed it, when his eyes suddenly roll back into his head, and he drops twitching to the ground...

For Karazi:

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The brew is, in a word, foul... Thick, you almost have to chew it, and odd bumps and stringy bits, you suspect must be frog's eyes and snakeskin, or else, something worse. Forcing yourself to swallow, the mucousy brew oozes down your throat, and your mind is cast off the precipice of conscious perception...

... Like rivulets of acid scorching burnt trails across the surface of your brain, the world around you falls away, and you are soaring through the darkness... Bright lights flash around you, hurting your eyes, so many and so fast its a wonder the darkness can be so complete... And with each flash, a face... Bizzare and misshapen gobinoid forms, with the occasional flash of a frightened man or woman... Hundreds or thousands of them... But you know each and every one of them, as though they were your own...

... In fact they are your own...

... You remember... All of them...

Remember terror as the horrid goblin thing leaps on you, driving its crystalline spike through your chest... You remember dying...

You Remember the taste of meat, the raw flesh of your last victim... The first rays of sunshine on your face as you scrambled up from the abysmal dark beneath... You remember when you were littered, and remember the face of your mother... But her face is among them, and you remember giving birth, and the pain of pushing out nine goblin pups... Remember the male whom you mated with that time, and how much you enjoyed it... But his face is there too, and you remember the female, and many females, for you were a breeder...

... And on, and on, and on...

A hundred lives, a thousand, flood your brain. Each now your own as much as if you'd lived it yourself... And among them all a common thread, a single purpose, a deep, driving need...

... A Hunger...

... To consume... With each bite a new life absorbed into your whole... Unto when you are consumed yourself, that the whole of your experiance might be passed to all who feed upon your flesh... On and on, up unto the gods themselves...

...

...

...

You come to slowely, the goblin's myriad of lives quickly receding from your memory. Opening your eyes, you find yourself laying on the ground, your brother and Doilin standing over you...

[LordDice]

Pushing himself up onto his elbows "Yeah...that was....Diffrent."


"So hungry.... I can't even describe that, if you care...eat some disgusting stew. Uh, no offence Alyss, but nobody likes the taste of frog eyes."

"Stones of the Underlord I hope to hell those were just frog eyes."

[GiedalCaine]

My pappy used to make an ale that would knock ya on yer keister just like that. Never seen somethin' that could do it sober.

Doilin bursts into a wide grin.

[LordDice]

Standing back up, slightly wobbily and still getting his bearings he starts trying to explain what he saw to them.

"They know everything ? no. They're absorbing massive amounts of information somehow. Eating people gets them their memories ?

So confusing...how can we stop something that knows everything we do after taking a chomp out of us ?

[GiedalCaine]

Thick armor?

[LordDice]

"I'm thinking it might be a tad more complicated...I don't think it needs to be alive when they take said bite.. and it's pretty easy to peel the hide off whatever you've killed."


"Whatever we end up doing, the Garrison needs this information. We should head out as soon as possible."

"I don't suppose we could take some of this stew to the Mote ? will it's effect last ? I get the feeling this is going to be hard for folks to believe."

[Mr. X]

Alyss screws up, and chews on her face,

"... Brew keeps only whist it's hot... If'n ye can keep it from coolin', should be good."

[LordDice]

"I don't see us being able to make it all the way to Deep Mote with a still steamin pot o' stew..."

"I think we best just get on our way and get the news out as soon as possible"

[Mr. X]

Turning away from the witch's hut, the ground suddenly shifts... An ever-so-slight vibration that only a dwarf would ever notice, but there none the less...

For Doilin:

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You feel your hackles rise... This was how it started in Beluvah...

A moment later, the earth warps... It doesn't so much crack open, as much as vibrate up to an almost fluid and rippling frequency, as it swirls and muddies to make way for the figure that rises up from the depths... Seven feet tall, and only humanoid in the vaguest sense, its body made up of shifting stones, mud, dirt, and gravel, the elemental turns its featureless face towards the party...

For All:

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Anyone who would like to roll initiative, may do so at this time.

For Karazi:

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You recognize Sid immediately, and note a crumpled, filthy, paper, protruding from a crack between two of the larger stones making up his chest.

[LordDice]

Seeing the odd trembles from their newly gained ally he quickly tries to calm the situation "It's just Sid, oh and a message in reply"

Pulling off the note he starts to read it.

[Barthac]

It took that beastly thing long enough. What's the word, brother?

[GiedalCaine]

Sid, huh? Given our present circ'mstance, ya mind a wee bit of warnin' next time?

[Barthac]

Taalkar eyes Dolin with a raised eyebrow, A squirelly fella, ain'cha. I never met a dwarf afraid of a pile of rock a'fore

Taalkar turns his attention back to his brother, Read the be-damned note already, would'cha

[GiedalCaine]

If you'd seen what I had, you'd tremble when the ground does.

[Mr. X]

The letter reads:

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Karazi,

Your news is recieved and accounted for.

The Barbarian horde has maneuvered south of our lands, and so shall be someone else's problem.

The Boy King in Star Spire has managed something his father never did: An alliance has been forged between Star Spire, Timaril, and Great Gate, and all three cities are now marching on Beluvah.

I don't know how he managed to get Great Gate and Timaril to stop going for each other's throats, but he did, and the Mountain King has decreed that Deep Mote shall join the assault.

The army is marching already as I write this. We'll be at Beluvah's gates by the coming of the full moon.

I expect to see you there.

Ironjaw

For all:

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The moon will be full in about eight days. It will take you at least three days travel to get back to Beluvah.

If you have any logistical questions regarding the various cities, the relative sizes of their armies, politics, etc., feel free to ask.

[LordDice]

Reading the note carefully he grimaces a bit "They are marching on Beluvah...and likely don't even realize how badly this can go with those things knowing everything after a single bite"

"We've got to intercept them before they engage and figure something out I guess. This is going to go bad quickly..."

Passing them the note so they can each read it as well before turning to Sid and muttering in Terran "by the Underlord it's good to have ya back...just not the same without you around"

[Barthac]

Agreed, but we will have to be careful in the hills. We almost got bit ourselves last time they jumped us.

[LordDice]

"Okay enough jawin ...Lets go and intercept our brothers from the Mote before they lose too many to scouts and give away everything they know"

"I'll use a few tricks to cover us as we move through, hopefully it should be enough"

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Back in Travellin mode spellwise, using Pass without a Trace during the days and Woodshape and Stone shape to make makeshift shelter to keep safe from the weather without fire (not to mention anything the Survival roll gives whilst travelling)

Survival (1d20+11)[19]

[GiedalCaine]

It's been awhile since I've been anywhere but Beluvah. Do the fella's up in Deep Mote still maintain mining tunnels to the southeast, or did those get abandoned with the others that went dry?

Doilin thinks for a moment,

If those tunnels are still there, it's likely they'll use them fer a shortcut. Come up in a border town somewhere in the middle perhaps? If we march straight to Beluvah it's likely we'd cross their path, the question is would we get there before or after them.

[LordDice]

"Aye not as abandoned as you might think though, they got a good bit more use when they found another vein a few years back only a few miles off the end of that line"

"So they're fairly well kept up all the way to Stonethatch quarries, and decent roads coming out of there for them to march on, aye that's the way they'd head for sure. They're probably just coming out of the tunnels now and a route towards Beluvah would see us intercept them in 2 days. I figure they're going to be moving slower along those roads"

"We'd be meeting up with them at least two days march from Beluvah at least, plenty of time to change some plans"

[Mr. X]

Karazi now well accustomed to creating weather shelters, and with the added aid of Quickblade's bearskin blankets, the party makes good time departing Slaver lands, and heading towards the paths out of the Stonethatch Quarries, and the Southeastern boarder of Dwarven lands.

As expected, you crest the final hilltop to find the Dwarven host stretching nearly as far as the eye can see along the road from Stonethatch below...

The sight is enough to make any dwarf's chest swell with pride... Three hundred thousand strong if there are a dozen, the host below is a veritable sea of rippling steel and granite. The earth itself rumbles under the beat of the measured footfalls of thousands upon thousands of dwarves, all in perfect time with the beating of the war-drums. Scattered throughout, great wagons, drawn by teams of stout ponies, are laden with the ornate chests that lessen the weight of the great cannons that make up the Dwarves' arsenal.

Across the host, one can see the blazing banners of clans great and small, young and old, and ancient... One of the great virtues of your people is that, while politics are complicated, and rival maneuvering and undermining is almost continual between clans, when the Mountain King says 'March', the dwarves march as one. And like the avalanche, none can stand before them.

... It is with some small chagrin that Karazi and Taalkar note the Silver Hammer of the Noraten clan flying among all the rest, but without their presence, there is no one to bear the Falgen standard.

[LordDice]

"Beautiful sight isn't it ! so many ready for battle...we better get down there and report what we've found before it ends up a massacre though"

"Sid, lead the way...and look sharp !"

Asking a few folks as they approach the main body they make way for Ironjaw to give their report

[Mr. X]

Scrambling down the hill, the party merges with the body of the host.

When asking for Ironjaw, you are directed to the command line, and oddly, directly to the Feild General's carriage.

Simple and utilitarian, save for the general's mark of status on the side, you are ushered in to find Ironjaw sitting alone within, pouring over maps and reports.

He looks up as the door opens, and greats you with a wide grin.

"There ye are, you louts!" He shouts as you clamber in.

"Bleeding hells, you two look awful. An' you..." He says, turning to Doilin, "... Must be crazy or desperate, if you're hangin' 'round these two. Ha! Greetin's."

He arches back, trying to stretch out in the now cramped carriage.

"Ye know your corroded escapades have gone an' gotten me promoted. Seems the King noticed the fact that all the significant information on recent happenin's was Comin' from me, thanks te you." He rubs the brass general's star pinned on his shoulder, looking somewhat abashed and uncomfortable with its presence, "An' he put me in charge of this whole bleeding operation... I'll tell ye, it's a nightmare just tryin' to get everyone put to bed at night, much less gettin' them marchin' again in the morning, and to say nothin' o' keepin' them fed."

He harumphs loudly before digging in his pocket, producing two triangular brass badges, and tossing them to Karazi and Taalkar.

"An' it's trouble that you two are gonna help me deal with. Skipping over all the pomp an' ceremony, you two are now my Liutenants. An jes' watch as the weight slips from my shoulders onto yours. Ha!"

He sits back,

"So what's the latest word from the front, eh? Was that gurilla friend o' yours able to help at all? I imagine he must have his hands full, what with all the refugees running about for the slavers to pick up."

[LordDice]

Chuckling lightly to himself as Ironjaw finishes up"Well, sounds like we've got a little something to celebrate for a change...and I think you'll be joining us for a few rounds after you hear this"

Taking a deep breath as he tries to figure out the best way tell him, only to blurt out "They're dangerous, they eat...and they learn"

Stopping himself he tries to make it sound...reasonable
"Quickblade had access to a Witch of sorts, we'd noticed the enemy troops were all infected, or hosting some kind of fungus throughout their bodies."

"Taking a head to the witch we got some information out of the head, and one mind boggling bit of information. She made some sort of stew....by the Underlord below it was horrible, but it let me see something..everything.

"I'm still piecing together what it meant, but the biggest thing I could gather is when they eat something...they learn everything that person or thing knew."

"The goblin we'd taken the head from was just on a scouting mission to eat and see as much as he could, then come back and all they'd have to do is take a bite from him and they'd know everything and everyone he'd eaten"

Holding his head he starts shaking a bit, finally removing his hands a moment later "There's still so much THERE, lifetimes on lifetimes of details...trying to separate out things while remembering is still difficult"

Grimacing and trying to take his mind off the memories he abruptly changes subjects "And as for our former friend there Quickblade...well, he did help us rescue our new friend Dolin here, but we found he's been working with some for the slavers...trying some greater good crap. At least the Witch was helpful"

[Mr. X]

Ironjaw frowns,

"Damn shame 'bout your friend, but I 'spose wantin' to do right is what makes us all go bad in the end. Still...

The goblin's eatin' whole lives is hard to believe, but you haven't been wrong yet... I'm not sure if'n it changes our approach any..."

He turns his map around so you can see. It shows the armies from Star Spire (Marked as having reached Market, and traveling North along the road to Beluvah), Timaril (Should have reached Ork Watch by now, and will proceed East along the road, passed Stone Watch, to Beluvah), Great Gate (Traveling through the southern planes passed Clearwater, then North along the pilgrims' road to Beluvah), and Deep Mote (In the mountain passes on the Southeastern edge of Dwarven lands, traveling South to Beluvah).It also has the barbarian horde's last reported position marked (on the road north of Ork Watch), and a guesstimate of their route (probably passed Ork Watch to Stone Watch, and then on the road Eastward to Beluvah.)

"... If'n this works, we're looking at the strongest unified force the continent has ever seen... Likely over a million souls marching to war, all told.

'Goblin's were bloody fools to bust up the Holy City. Like as not, there weren't nothin' else that coulda got the cities to work together like this.

What'd you all think, eh?"

[LordDice]

"Well, we'll have one hell of an army... we're just going to have to adjust for them potentially knowing our major troop movements"

"How's the logistics for it shaping up ? This many troops we're gonna have some issues I'd think, at least if the city doesn't fall to us immediately"