Orlin stirs from where he is resting.  It was harder for him to be in control but it had been breif.  "Indeed atheism is a cold world where man walks his way and the gods walk theirs.  Do I wish them well, and welcome the control they take over the fates of men.  It is easy to see their hands in our affairs, and if there are those whom will aid me because my purpose aligns with them, I give thanks.  But I trust them to be themselves, and so far they have trusted me to be myself."  Orlin takes a cup of drink and it gives him strength.  "I'm glad your Goddess reckgnized you Stardancer.  She is one to know that an item of gold without caring is rubish where as one of wool woven with love deserves recogniition, for whatever spell she puts into it, the true magic that feeds it is the love you put into it's making."

In reply to Orlin lion soul (msg # 358):

Justin notes the Firbolgs contradictory statement. Attributing it to that of any quasi-heathen type. Listenimg to the discussion he considers the others comments.

In reply to Orlin lion soul (msg # 358):

Niphre thought that was very - Oh what was the word? Ah, yes. It was poetic. She took her dagger, and wiped it against her shirt, noticing that her pants were slightly muddy.

"She was not the God I worship.  That belongs to the grandfather of Centaurs....... Skerritt" she said softly "Jizana is a god that belongs to a pantheon worshiped by humans.  I did not even believe she existed until that happened.  Yet her kindness and acceptance touched me.  I now know there are some gods of different races that do not mind your heritage"

In reply to Stardancer (msg # 361):

These lands hath non of Such Divines wouldst Thee be seeking a suitable one to follow. If so perhaps Myranda, Devout Luthien, Captain Kree or One be able to provide some insight on such

      Kree Chuckled  at the Banter of gods,..though we  must have some belief , since we  see  in out lives, the  impct  the gods have around us... for   good or  Evil..it is hard to say, just who is the   right  god  for the right people... i do, lean towards those  gods, who will permit   my vengeance  when it is called  for...and should they   deny me that?.. I shall do it on  my own..

 He leaves the others   to talk of gods   and such, the CAptain is  at the wheel, standing on a   crate.

  ye know this...an' I'm tellin' ye so anyway..that ship that's a Burning back there.. that'll set the  sand crawlers  back  5 or  10 years... they'll have ta go about  sendin' barks  and  long boats out , if they wanna  raid shippin' anymore. Be Right Nice, ifin ye'd  drop a word to them , that's in charge of the Empire's  NAvy, and HAve  some  ships   goin' up and  down the LAther?   open up Good    trade fer you folks  at that LAndin' ?.. with ships  no afeared  of  comin'  up the Lather  to reach a Market space... ye  might   even  start a  small town  there?.. to  have a  trade town...

 ..I will mention that to the Elders when  we  reach RAzorhawk Village we have  enough  humans, dwarves and   others, who are not as tied to the forest? They may be , right  eager, to set up such a town.

 The Dwarf  winks,..if yer  smart.. ye make it a port o' Call... sell provisions for   ships... come Inns  and entertainment It could be an Elven version of Mok...

 Kree    Pats the Dwarf on the shoulder,..If  a Town like that arises it  will not be pure  Elven..it will be    folks who were recused  from  the slavers, and hed no where else to go, and settled into the  Timber... which.. along those lines.. we  will ahve to  have troops  to   watch over it, Sand Folk and Cat  folks cross  The LAther  all the Time..be nice  if  we make the have to   Corss on the souther   end of The Timber.. let them work thier  way through   the MArshes   with the Forest Runners..

So...Catfolk and Sand people are not thought well of.  I assume there is a reason, for which I am ignorant of.  You are from this area I will heed your advice though and stay wary of such beings" she said calmly.

 Kree  leaned o the railing   can  spoke,Cat folk are hunters.. but  most have lost thier  way.... there are many types... large breeds  and small., some  are Honorable, even if they are  dark...some cannot  be trusted  to say thier  name with out  falsehood.... Lucky is born from thie r  gathering of  slaves, and elven Mother  and Cat folk  father..when I was a Lad, they  would raid... mostly for  slaves and food... which you became?  was  really up to them... Then they  found out slaves  were a very good investment... taking  folks  down to Olant, where they  would be  sold the HArgen, red elves, Red Isle Halflings..or?    holy folks who need  sacrifices….

 Thus started  a deep HAte  between    Elves and Cat folk...Though you see all manner  of people in Ironmound... they are  watched....


  ..The sand Folk are cowars at heart.. they take  slaves,  attack caravans and..are at best.. dishonest traders...thierwokign with silver and gold is  unmatched, even among my people.. and thier  worj  with Clamsport steel, make  blades that   are as beautiful as they are deadly..merchant caravans   with   warriros  to  protect them, are permitted to roam out lands, as  the trade they bring , does  help both sides.... But  Sandfolk  will never  be permitted  into the Black timber  as it was such a caravan, led  by a halfing, that attacked   my very  Village, takign many of  ourt people away..and...in an indirect   outcoe, birthed the Crimson  Arrows  and   also  'The Black  Hunt'.

In reply to almost there. (msg # 363):

Aye to that Captain; it is a pity we were unable to liberate any of the Monopoly Lord's slaves they could have participated in the building of such a town.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:09, Sat 23 Mar 2019.

In reply to Kree Quickshadow (msg # 365):

Didst either Thee or Lieutenant Ivy chance upon yon Halfling raider... Justin prompted.

   Kree looked  at Justin  as   Ivy looked then looked away.  Kree's  eyes  looked at the others    as he began,

  I*by and I were..less then focused  on the Lives of the Black Timber.. we would do our turns  as   patrols,  goign through training for  the  Army-such as it is....and Warden  Training... My Mother was  a Warden  as  was  my sister.... My FAther  was the CAptain of Razorhawk  Company of   troops and  archers    that would   be called to  defend the Timber..or...if needs  be , go to the  aid  of the High Peak  Dwarves, Trace Wood  Elves..and , of  Course Ironmound.....we , of  course  would  aid the other  Towns   Trok and Bowshot to be sure.. Tou, only because our  treaty demands it.. they are rather, unwelcoming of elves, unless they are being attacked, then we are quite, welcome.

    We  did  find  , Much pleasure  in  runnign the streets of Ironmound. we volunteered  as  caravan  guards   any chance   we had... Ivy, was, and is, more  skilled in the towns then  I...

 ..Kree..is better  in the  wilds, but  we  both  are good enough, to get the job  done, in either instance..

 ... A Halfling... and it  did not look like a Red Isle HAlfling..he was shorter...and did not where boots, Like the Red Isle  HAlfings  do.... was a scout  hired  by Caravans that either  came up the Tou  river, and  would come to the Timber....or,,, ford the Lather River  and  be led into the Forest for trade..Right before  Autumn Fest.... Ivy and   I went to Tou  to  get supplies and..of  course.. sample the local entertainment...and..perhaps , come away   with more coin then we had  entered with... Our Mentor, in the ways of the streets...a Gnome, named   Snapjack Ribbons...knew his craft well..but he stayed  in the Timber, to help with the Fest...

  The 'Trusted' Halfling, who ha d led  many a caravan, through many  seasons... led a group or  slavers in, who had  Killed the caravan people, and   used thier  wagons to cover thier  entry..

  Ivy handed     Kree   a mug of  wine , which he downed  in a Gulp  and  the cousin went to refill it.

 ..Ivy and I were late... we  stayed  a night longer inTou.. and  were making out  way back the next  night... there was smoke  coming from the  tops of the Ironwood  trees...that is somehting  one does  not see in the timber...they   we saw  some  people  break from the trees.. mostly   women folk, clutching  a Child....Then we saw them... Three SAndfolk  with thier heads  wrapped, Two Catfolk, bounding out of the trees..  we Killed one of the  SAndfolk and a CAtfolk  as  we ran into the forest... screams  of fear , shouts  of  anger, and barks of   Orders    grew  as  we   near our  Village.. the  bright lights of burning huts  and houses  .. a light never seen before, since Ironmound tried to lay siege to the Timber...but?.. we were LAte.... the Slavers had escaped...they had  taken scores  of out people prisoner...and killed scores  more... Timber Home... that lies further  down the  forest.. sent   Wardens and  troops to help, but  they only saved  a few,, and killed fewer of the   enemies...

 when it was over?... I found  my Father   standing ove rmy Mother..she had taken  6 arrows  before  she fell...at her  feet, was Snapjack, His  long knifes  blood to  his  elbows.. and  8  enemy bodies  aroudn them... At the steps to my house... Ivy's  lady  lay  with two crossbow  bolts in her back... she...was also....expecting...

 Ivy  had  truned away at this   and looked over the starboard rails  at the water.

 ..my sister  was wounded  and TAken... My FAther, has  not   yet forgiven Ivy and Myself, for  not being there?....

 ..The Three Elders   called  all those  who were  still in the Village, and offered the task to those  from Timber Home  as well...The Black Hunt was to start....

 He   Took another  Mug of  wine from  one of the  sailor who was listening with rapt attention  The Black Hunt is a pledge.... where  warriros   will  take up the Hunt for someone..or something that  has  caused harm to our people, or  The  Timber...13 people step up....they must slay 13 of  our  enemies...or..save  13  of those who were taken....of thsoe  13 who started the Hunt...only Ivy and myself  still hunt... there are two in Timber home that  quit after  handing in thier  proof  of the HUnt..the  rest were slain...

 Ivy   , still looking at the water, we save, but two... we have  killed   doz3ens of CAtfolk...and  scores of sandfolk, and we  will continue to do so...

 In the meantime?... Razorhawk Village started  the Mercenary group called the Arrows... it was a way to  have  people we trusted, bring in  caravans   and escort our own, since, most folk fear to  come into The Timber....  Ivy and I  stayed in Ironmound  for  close to 10 years... I joined the Guard. he joined the  Golden Horn Thieves guild... I became  CAptain of the palace  guard..he became a Trust Lt  in the Horn... I left the guiard, when i saw, people getting  spots because  they had  Coin....The Emperor  still calls  on  us..when he needs something..'taken care  of'..  he snorted.

   a friend of ours , Reedrick Orebender, a High Peaks Dwarf... met up with us, and we started   a  Arrow   Company, in Ironmound.. we bought an old beat up Inn, and  refurbished it... it is now  our Headquarters in teh City..some of youy, have seen it....We  changed the  name to Crimson Arrows... with the  motto  of  'be the fire, that fights the fire"... there  is nothing...NOTHING....too harsh to do unto those, who have  done unto us...when we are able?.. we  carry the Black arrows  with the Red Fletchings... when we  stake slavers   and other  such enemies to trees.. we might leave  a broken shaft in them, so  others  will know... or?  I  will harve the rune for my name  in thier  forehead...

 ..as to finsih   Justin's question..we have  yet to find the HAlfling...if  we do..it will take him , many months to die..... we have only found the Body  my sister...but we did  find the Home of the  Slave Master, who lives  well past Olant, down river... he has....had.... a compound..at least 30 slaves, of many races... what was most sickening, was  the dozen or  so Slaves who wore  Gold collars, and served him as  his house guard... Iby. me..Reedrick and a half  full or Crimson Arrows  went in.. we free the  slaves.. some came  back to live in the timber... dwarves, humans..Elves  from many clans....

  for a purse of gold, a pack of goblins  aided us...they are a strange folk, , but those who run businesses..seem to be worried more about  Coin, and less about eating  folks....

 ..at elast  half the gold collar slaves  were killed in the  fight.. the other Half, we hung from thsoe   collars, as  slaver friends....Then,,  we brought the Slave master  out... his  wife, and two daughters... his  daughters.. were very pretty..one was to be married to a Merchant  Lord  in Hargen..... we  truned the women over to the  Goblins, and made the   Slave MAster  watch... all the  time, explainignto him,  this was the  things  that happened to slaves...

..the younger  daughter..was...somewhat  spared, in that she ws not eaten, after wards... Then.. we handed the Slave Master over to the  Goblins...you see?.. they had thier  raw  meat...not they wanted somehting  ....cooked....

 Ivy  spoke from the railing.....they  tied him over   a camp  fire and roasted him alive, like the pig he was......

 ..when the   fellows stopped  screaming... we told the Goblins  to deliver the Young Daughter, over the  mountains  to  the first HArgen troops they came upon..with  the Ring from the   older sister, and a Note  from me.... I claimed everything that happen.. Ivy insisted  on signing it as well.... There was a description. Of  what had  happened... and that  the next slavers  we caught, would not  be treated with  as much mercy as we did them....

 ..Hargen sent   unit  of rangrs and  troops to  find the Goblins... they attacked thier Village,  and the High peak dwarves helped to  Kill off  all but three of the  raiders.....but the Goblins suffered  for thier aid.....so?  those goblins  now, live at the end of  Black Timber...close  to the  River.. they run a small  ferry service   where the Tou  Meets   the Storm.....they will still kill and  eat Humans, of course..but have  refined thier meals to slavers and pirates.... sometimes?.. good people will attack them, and then they suffer the same fate...but the Goblins  have been of great aid to us... they are  , our  eyes  in the river  and in the swamp...

 and that..My friends... is the  story of the Crimson Arrows...we are as dsark  as the  Evil we hunt...and..thatv is what scares them.

Khorvar listened intently and bristled with pride at the mention of Captain Reedrick Orbender. "Dey best be fearin us. We be da dark dey fear an dark dat be swallowin em. Me gram said "Ye get wat ya reap. An we be da reapers!"

Khorvar raised his mug. "May da mountains stay strong, an our heart stay as true as da earth it be made a." He took a deep swallow of the ale.

  Turning to Khovar,..Reedrick's  FAther  lead  the High Peak Dwarves  from the   Fur Man's Chain and beyond, to   fight   with us  as  Ironmond  try  to take our trees  by force... The Ironwood  Elves  stood  with the Empire, as they had  sold off , most of thier  Ironwood  and Black walnut... The trace Eles   stood with as  well.. There  was  One   sacvage Battle outside  of Tou....Our People won..and since that  time, the Highpeaks, Black Timber and Trace Wood are  as brothers...

The Dwarves of    the  Mound, in Iron mound.. treat us less friendly...though they do still hold repect for the cousins  from the High Peaks.. there is a  road way, under the  earth..inder the Storm herself... the   High peak Dwarves  patrol on thier side.. the Mound Dwarves    on the City  side..there  are always beasts. Drow, dark  dwarves  and  dark elves  that  attack caravans   and the   towns under  the   ground..so they  both have thier own plates to clean.

   The   other  two ships    moves  into the deep  part of the river  to help cover   Bronzefist's  ship  as they  came into  the  shallows … The railing  gates  opened up, running out  the   gangway   to the    shore.

    The  Arrows   marched  down  the  plank, keeping an  eye on Stardancer as she   wade her  way down...there was a  wore. cart path that led to  the MAssive  Ironwood   and Black walnut trees... we will not  stop to eat.. we  will make  time to reach the  forest's  edge.. we wil have plenty of tiem to eat once  we   reach  The  Village..

 Waving to the Merchant  ships who were coming   about to  head back up towards  Mok..perhaps to Val..or the   ocean

 Two hours  into thier    trek towards  the  Forest..  They noted    a number  of  Horse  coming, a few  with  riders..

 Wardens... and Mounts.... Ivy called out.

Justin kept an easy pace with the others as the Crimson Arrows headed towards the Black Timber. Responding to Ivy's alert Justin glanced in the direction of the approaching riders and mounts.

Stardancer was cautious leaving the ship.  She waved to those aboard with kind and wide smile.  Then she trotted a bit, keeping pace as well.  Her acute hearing picked up on the hooves of horses, soon she could hear whinnies and nickering as well.  She strained to listen to thier conversations about thier riders.

Taking up a flanking position Myranda strolled along on the left of the unit; moving with the grace only Elves have.  With a practised eye she periodically swept the area for possible threat over the two hours they had been travelling.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:46, Mon 25 Mar 2019.

Luthien strode off the ship as well. Heading back to 'base' offered some unusual opportunities that weren't always available on missions.

Diana was glad to finally set foot on dry land.  She didn't do seasick, but all the  same was very glad to be on dry land.

At the call of Riders and Mounts, she took her position at the front of the group, hand on her blade, just incase anyone was really that stupid enough to try anything.

Then again, it was always better to be cautious then caught off guard.

Lucy had slept most of the trip.  She had found a place off to herself, and, like a cat, had curled up and simply gone to sleep.  She had awoken a few times to someone coming close to her (even asleep, she was alert) but then went back to sleep.

When the ship pulled into port, she awoke again.  She yawned, stretched and was glad to see dry land.

She walked down the plank, looking around, happy to be actually stepping on dry land.

At the call of riders and horses, she took up position on the right flank of the group, hand on blade, ready should anyone pull a fast one.

Although, she certainly would wait for orders from Captain Kree.

She moved close to Kree "I hear atleast three horses.  from the heaviness they have riders.  They talk among themselves" she said in a lowered voice, then flits an ear about "I believe they do know we are here" she still listens as she can.

In reply to Stardancer (msg # 373):

Niphre walked off the ship, and spotted horses and riders coming in. Wondering what they were here for, she soon realized that they had probably spotted her and the others.

 >>>>>>>>  To Grasslands    , after   returning  from Mok...

   Orlin would see Justins judgmental look and not care.  The armor was likely pressing down on his good sense if he didn't know the difference between not believing in gods and not following a specific one.  Frnkly, if a God threw in with him he wouldn't mind giving help back.

  He did listen to the Elves storie.  It gave a lot of insight into the leader.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:48, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

Khorvar was not sure what to think of this, but he readied himself just in case. He took a defensive stance and waited.