“Rivia!”  Scippio says,  “It is you, it must be, but how did you…”

He trails off.  He knew her mentor, the wizard of Vipiacus, Marcus Ulpius himself.  Never ask questions like that unless you are ready for the answer, which would either be a short, patronizing “with magic” or a long and complex explanation you can’t understand anyway.

“We’re on our way to a place called the Morvande,” he says, changing the subject.  “Have you heard of it?”

Rivia has some knowledge of history and geography, in fact, for a Human, not bad at all.  Marcus saw to her education.  With the pieces the Dwarves know, a general consensus emerges.

The Morvande was once Dwarven.  In fact, a long time ago it was a territory of the Dwarven Kingdom of the Massif.  When the Romans were first expanding their realm, they met and befriended the Dwarves and eventually created an alliance.  During the Gallic Wars, the Celts turned on the Dwarves, and a large army massed to attack them.  The Romans, led by Julius Caesar himself, showed up with six legions, and a terrible battle was fought in this region, around a Dwarven mountain fortress-town called Bibracte.

The war was won, but the cost was great, and a few decades later, the Dwarves left.

Why they left was unclear.  That part has always been a sticky point with Dwarves.  Dwarves are stubborn folk.  They’re the sort to cling bitterly to their axes and fortifications, not simply leave when things got tough.   Humans might have left because there were better opportunities elsewhere, but Dwarves… no.  There have been tales that there were reasons why they left, and the Morvande never re-colonized.  Things left over from the war.

After  camping on the outskirts, the Dwarves begin to head in to the area of rock and forest.  They see white stone ahead, just hints through the wood, but something large and stone is further along the trail.

        Patre Scopulos grimmaces at the sight of the too tall Rivia, and quickly
reminds Scippio of Rivias faults . . .

        "Hold thy enthusiasm Scippio!  Thee forgets thyself.  Rivia was much the more
a bane than a boon whence travelling with us before.  Remember she placed us in harms
way whence making our way into Calvados Stronghold by running off after having been
told naught to.  We lost a fine companion there too!  This too tall also lied to us
whence it came to fulfilling her promise O' making a copy of the  Book O' Demons for
us;  instead she gave it to the too tall Priestess!  Rivias word tis like dust in an
ill wind!

        She tis a mercurial creature, and who knows wot havoc she plans to commit
against us!  Her tongue tis sharp and the poison O' her lies are like the bite O' a
rabid scorpion."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:15, Tue 23 Aug 2011.

     "Aye, " Rivia said, sidling up beside Arctos, to confront the ill-diligent Scippio.

       "Didst thee not know that Rivia is an evil creature, driven by none other
than Caprice and Fancy? Why, 'tis a wonder anyone tolerates her! O, pernicious fate, cavorting in
our Pater's misfortune!  Arctos, I forget myself.  Let me sob on your midget shoulder!"

     "Wait!"  she said, but inches from fulfilling her promise.

     "Wait, prithee wait!  Rivia is too craven for comfort!
I fear that great, unwashed beard!  So unlike the comfort of a handkerchief; it bristles like Roman mail!"

     She backed away, as if transfixed, her eyes wide with the grandeur of his dwarven pride.

     "Oh, Octavena, " she groaned, "I feel thy pain.  How didst thee ever survive to childbirth?"

"Oh boy" Dunduin mudders not sure what to make of the new development. He got his wizard, or wizardess as the case may be but she was as random and Arctos and it was like a math problem with two imaginary numbers. It hurt his head.

"Um...ah..Rivia is it now...still?" Dunduin asks remmbering she went through some odd transition through which she selected a new name for herself. Recognizing the druids clothes, he becomes a bit concerned "I hope our druid is still..viable? Tug has helped us much already with his magical scouting ability"

He waited patiently for her to answer admiring the attractive young human woman who had returned to them.

Rivia turned to Dunduin, with a faint blush, as if caught red-handed.

He was always like an uncle to her, so she liked him.  "Your druid ambushed me while I was swimming, right before Skippio found me."

She sniffed at the druid's clothes.  "I didn't hurt him."

She waved her hand over the clothes, which fluttered airily for a few seconds, coming out smelling like strawberries and peanut butter.

This, any perceptive dwarf would realize, meant that their wizardess was hungry.

"I apologize on behalf of my troops. I'll speak with Tugdual about it. I'm afraid we don't have much in the way of appropriate female clothes for you. Perhaps Cirostis can acquire something for you..he is very resourceful. If your hungry, we can help you immediately in that department. Go see Foghorn down by the large cooking kettles and tell him I sent you. Oh, and welcome back." he finishes with a smile.


OOC: Oopies, posted with wrong character! :O
This message was last edited by the player at 02:03, Wed 24 Aug 2011.

       
       Arctos ignores the too talls antics as he continues to address Scippio . . .

       "Tisk, tisk, tisk!

       Alas Rivia hath just confirmed wot I and tuthers hath suspected all along.
She cloaks herself in lies and deciet.   By cheap theatrics, polemics, and making
use O' distractors, Rivia intends to diminish the truth by wotever means she can
. . . in order to take attention off O' wot tis most important.

       Most importantly, she doth naught deny wot I hath claimed concerning her
past actions.

       The Dwarven Patre turns to Rivia and asks, "Rivia where tis the copy O' the
Book O' Demons that thee had promised us?"

This message was last edited by the player at 03:51, Wed 24 Aug 2011.

Cirostis was trying to avoid any involvement but when asked to contribute by the Centurion he does his best to comply.

Here, one of our trousers can be knickers for you, and the tunic and cloak should fit.

He hands over the items with a rope belt.

OOC Someone give me a primer on any attitude or feeling Cirostis has for this person?

 Tugdual soon rejoins the others. He comes forth wearing the simplest of outfits : his thick blond beard and a massive piece of wood. He seems to show no demureness whatsoever.
 (When refering to a massive piece of wood, I obviously mean the oak greatclub that the druid has been carrying around so far)

 Before joining Dunduin for his report, he quietly walks to the youg lady and asks:
  "Fair lady, would you be so kind and give me my clothes back ? I wouldn't like to make anyone ill at ease."

 Once dressed, the druid says to Dunduin:
  "It seems my reporting has been rendered moot. I assume you know each other..."

Dunduin replies to Tugdual "Yes, we know this human wizardess. We had the..ah..pleasure of traveling with her before. She's a bit of a 'wild card' as I believe one human expression would put it. So what happened out there?"


OOC: Minor spell edit
This message was last edited by the player at 21:01, Wed 24 Aug 2011.

  "Let us simply say that the youg lady prefered to see me naked than wearing my linen... no harm done."

Rivia returns Tugdual's clothes, now strawberry-and-peanut-butter scented.  The alternative is him walking around with a large club for pants, probably following her to get his clothes back.

"Your people must not know the story of Actaeon, " she says, deciding he is a savage.

She turns down Cirostis' offer.  She prefers to wear her Aurelianorum clothes.  Besides, everyone knows that dwarves have no sense of fashion!

This leaves Arctos as the last barrier between her and lunch.

Her fingers itch.

"What should I do with you?" she ponders.  "I'm too hungry to turn you into a pig just now.  So let's try something else."

She wriggles her fingers.

"There, " she says.  "I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually."

And with that, she went off to get lunch.

 PM
This message was last edited by the player at 15:02, Wed 24 Aug 2011.

]


As Arctos, Tugdual and others "converse" with the mysteriously appearing wizardess, and Scippio gives an exasperated look, the Dwarves march deeper into the Morvande.  Many of them watch the forest with growing tension- there is the Dwarven comfort of good rocky land with respectable granite roots, combined with the Dwarven distrust of thick, dark forest.

There are mutters from the rear ranks.

"What's going on?"

"Wizard.  Human girl.  Seems Arctos knows 'er, and don't like her."

"Expected that.  Arctos don't like nothing odd or unusual."

"Ceptin' Arctos, o'course."

"O'course."

"Still, you have to admit, all the wizards we run across are a bit on the daft side.  Wonder where that Gnome, Far-From-Something, whatever his name was, where he ran off to?  One would think sooner or later it'd get to Arctos, and he wouldn't react well to wizards."

"Well, daft or not, I've heard they're handy in strange places, and this Morvande is pretty strange."

There is a shape in the forest ahead, dark and shadowy and hidden by trees.  It speaks in a whisper, but the front of the Dwarven column- the party, hear it anyway.

The language is an old, old form of Celtic.  Centuries old.  The Dwarves don't understand it.  Neither does Rivia.

         The Dwarven Patres raven hued orbs glaze over in anger and makes
known what he thinks to all of his companions . . .

         "Rivia tis a too tall liar, n' wilst naught coform to any orders
wot mayst be given for every the ones safety; she hath proven it by her
past actions, and she remains the very same vile creature that she's
always been.  She hath naught changed, n' I'll not commit to mine oath
wot was wonce given to Magus Ulpius, nor shalt mine guard raise one finger
to  protect her.   To allow Rivia to stay amongst our kind tis tempting the
fates much to much.  Tis far better to trust a Scorpion than to trust that
too tall witch!  Wot the Priest O' Mars hath to say obviously matters naught
to anyone!  Mayst Mars curse that vile Rivia till she recognizes her faults
n' makes ammends to all whom she hath offended!"

         Totally disgusted with all thats transpired, Patre Arctos makes
his way to the wagon holding the Dwarven tuns of alcohol in order to quench
a ever growing thirst that he should have satiated a long time ago.

         He enters the wagon, grabs a tankard, opens up a spigot, and keeps his
tankard full whenever he findsit empty . . .

         The Dwarven Patre commences to sing a long string of Dwarven bawdy songs
to entertain himself. and get his mind off of vile too talls!

This message was last edited by the player at 18:24, Thu 25 Aug 2011.

Scippio, ever alert for his leige's more erratic moments, direct's Arctos's attention to the shadowy figure in the forest speaking a language they don't understand.

"She sure knows how to dent his armor" Dunduin remarks of Rivia getting Arctos worked up...again.

Before Arctos gets all tanked up he goes to retrieve him personally.

"Arctos, you certainly deserve a drink as much as anybody but I'm afraid any binge drinking is going to have to wait until that DEMON LOOKING THING over there is dealt with."

Dunduin rounds up his 'A-Team' including Arctos, Cirostis, Tugual, FarFromHere, Rivia, and anyone else of worth. "Folks, this appears to be an A-type protoplasm something not normal. We need to pool our talents to deal with this creature. That means for the time being at least, we need to put aside any and all discontent and get the job at hand done. And the job is to deal with this shadow creature. I may be wrong here, but I have a pretty strong feeling that negotiating with this thing isn't going to go well."

"I suggest we all approach it carefully and I'll have the main army stay back but remain ready. Hopefully our wizardess has some force spells available or we could be in some deep dwarf doo doo."

Sure thing, Cirostis says to the girl returning the textiles he had gotten out. He leaves her alone to continue her taunting for a while but after she's done he asks her to step aside with him a moment.

Rivia, there's something you'll want to see , or anyway someone to meet for your own safety. He gives her an apple to eat as they walk - there see that Barrel with the apple stem on it? notice how the stem is standing ever so slightly?

Fos wake up - time to meet a new friend

the barrel turns into a large translucent worm which seems to stand and look at you with one end, or at least it's better to think it's looking than pointing the other end at you, though it would really be hard to tell the difference sometimes.

Hello, I'm Fos

Fos here and another 5 of his friends are Omniforms, they are our special guards working in fair exchange for food and protection from us. I'll walk you by all of them so we don't have any 'accidents' where they eat you or you eat them, ok?

After the walk Cirostis ensures Rivia has a place to bed down and the minimal supplies of any team member, he does not bother to ask where she's been or how long she plans to stay. He takes his leave and looks for someplace to relax, any fishing holes around here? perhaps Fos can join me he wonders.

       Arctos straightens out his armor and adjusts his helm with one hand as
his other dearly holds onto his tankard . . .  The Dwarven Patre takes a big
gulp, leaving behind the tell tale foam of stout Dwarven ale upon his mouth
and beard.   Patre Scopulos addresses the Centurion rather honestly and
without hesitation . . .

       "Oath r'e no mine Commander, but mine leg be hollow, mine thirst insatiable,
n' me belly n' need O' the succor n' nurturin warmth O' strong Dwarven spirits to
bolster mine tortured n' humbled soul.  Damned be any the one whom gets n' the way
O' mine spirits now!  I hath abstained far too long, n' shant hold back now!  I'll
fight for the side O' light, but I now follow the spirits O' the law, n' naught the
letters o' the law!  From wot I hath seen, it hath naught done right by me any the
ways!

       N'deed thee well knows that strong Dwarven Spirits doth a body good Sir!

       N' mine body tis n' dire need O' as much goodness as it can aquire
to make up for time lost!"

       Whence everyone arrives, all shalt see the new and improved Arctos . .

       With a tankard in one hand and his Agnon in the other, the Patres raven
hued orbs coldly look over to the too tall Rivia, spits on the ground to get
the nasty taste out of his mouth, looks over to the shadowy demon in the woods,
and then back over to Rivia . . .

       "I know naught which be mores the worse, the vile stygian Infernals,
or one whom falsely assumes a positon as a sword companion, yet lies and takes
advantage O' them . . . wot be mores the worse . . . an obvious adversary such
as the Infernal Shadow, r'e the pustulantly vile speaking snake O' a witch wi the
moniker O' Rivia."

       Mine oath n' contract to Magus Ulpius tis o'er!  Thee art all on thy own
snake!"
       
       Arctos looks to Skippio, Burrus, and Melos as he continues . . .

       "Skippio, Burrus ye art hereby ordert to let the vile witch Rivia fend fore
herself, n' if'n she stupidly puts herself n'to harms way, thee art to leave her
be.  I'll naught suffer thee to give thy life r'e limb for seech a horrid wretch!
Thy orders art to protect mineself, or if needs be the Centurion, r'e the gnome,
r'e thineselves.  No longer doth I wish thee to place thy life in jeapordy for any
too tall wotsoev'r. They act for themselves first afore any the one else . . .
Dwarves be last n' line.  Aye saw that whence fightin the minor Demon way back when.
The too talls Rivia n' the Cleric O' Death first threw all types O' protections pon
themselves afore e'vr worryin bout mineself r'e mine Centurion fightin hand to hand wi
the infernal beastly demon all the while.  I should have known better than to think o'
humans any differently than mine original counterparts had in Vipiacus; they knew the
proper place O' cut throat too talls, certainly naught at r'e sides!  Honor means
naught a thing to too talls!"

       Patre Scopulos completely guzzles down the contents of his tankard, burps,
hangs his takard onto his weapons belt, grabs his shield, and readies his Agnon
for battle.

       After all is said and done, Arctos heralds his presence further by a long, deep-
ly loud burp; the Patre finally gives ear to what the shadowy figure in the forest is
saying . . . in an attempt to figure out what being said.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:08, Thu 25 Aug 2011.

 Tugdual doesn't take much part in the discussion about Rivia. For all he has seen, she is a charming and impish young woman... But the dwarves seem to know more on her record and they surely are not making this up.

 At some point, he comments to the lady :
  "To whom did you say your love was ?

  As a matter of fact, I do not know the story of Acteon. I trust he's neither Celt nor Frank... but I would be delighted to hear it from you."

 He is a bit disappointed to realize that the past experiences of the dwarves with Rivia might hamper his efforts at establishing trust and respect with them...

 * * *

 As they walk in the forest of Morvande and the scary silhouette appears, Tugdual immediately steps forward. He says quietly :
  "She doesn't want dwarves here... she says we cannot leave... let me talk to her."

 The druid goes forth and tries to have a better look at the creature. His voice is authoritative when he says :
  "The dwarves will go through the Morvande and they shall leave unharmed, for they are my guests. I expect you and all other dwellers of the forest to treat them with respect.
 Now step aside and make way !"

 The druid dpeaks in a language unknown to most here, understood by the dwellers of forest all over Europa.

diplomacy : 12
This message was last edited by the player at 10:04, Thu 25 Aug 2011.

Cirostis approaches the speaker carefully and inspects the area.

"Um, did he say it was a 'she'? I wonder how he figured that out?" Dunduin remarks quietly off-hand while waiting for the results of Tug's negotiations.

Rivia has fallen into walking with Tugdual.  Her decision that he's a savage has actually helped him.  After all, if he doesn't know better, he can't be blamed for being the way he is.

"It was not meant to be, " she says to the druid.  "He hates me.  Dwarves are very constant people.  He'll hate me for many years."

This bothers her, of course.

"Flies, " Rivia changes the subject.  "When you're a bird, do flies taste better?  Are they different in different places?  What about the Frankish ones?"

Then Dunduin runs by, saying something odd about a shadow creature!

"Never mind those French flies!  Let's catch up!" she says.

...

While Tugdual is talking to shadow creature, Rivia falls back with Dunduin.

She considers it impolite to cast light spells on shadowy creatures, so she watches to see if Tugdual and Cirostis get eaten.

"I'm guessing she's a spider, " Rivia says.  "If I say she's a spider, she'll not be one, right?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:40, Thu 25 Aug 2011.