A worried look crosses Melocks face, "you mean no matter how hard they try to keep these mules working together, they end up running away or killing each other, but.. but that's us," he waves his arms in the direction of the other Rangers, "The Feathered Rivals aren't normally friends, does that mean we'll end up fighting each other?"

Whilst the Rangers talk two of the Uroxi begin a head butting competition.

At the mention of going by river into the Troll lands their leader comments

"This is the best plan. They will be preparing for the market and concentrating on a large force of Sables that have just arrived at the Troll break. For sure some will know that it is for a ransom but others will suspect a raid.

In hard and fast. We kill many, take their stuff, free your friend and Waha's your uncle, we come back here, get drunk and fornicate."

"Many will come on this raid. Tell everyone. Sun worshippers will make it a holy mission as will everyone else. And us, well Zorak Zoran is our brother in arms but hey screw him, never said we liked him."

In reply to Temush Blinking-cloud (msg # 341) and Melock (msg # 342):

Hoskar scratches his scrubby beard awhile, thinking hard.

Don't know about who'll like the Green, Temush. Probably not everyone, though.

Think we might be different from the mules, Melock. The four spirits are working together. At least that's what it seems like. They spoke as one when I was brought back.

He shrugs

Maybe if they come apart, we come apart too.

"I like your plans Sheela!" Ohanzee says grinning up at the towering High Llama rider.

Then turning to Hoskar says "Seems to me traders are stupid to rely on such beasts."

Then he elbows Sheela "Need a word in private." and head for the door where he waits for her before stepping out.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:16, Thu 18 Apr 2019.

Sheela follows and then through the doorway those watching can see her listen closely to the Raven and then punch Ohanzee in the guts before coming back inside.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:33, Thu 18 Apr 2019.

Ohanzee doubles over, one hand on his knee and the other arm wrapped around his belly and takes a while to recover before catching his breath and pushing himself upright.

"Didn't go too bad" he mutters abs then turns and walks off.

There is a final crush of bone from under the table and the black rubble runner scuttles of after the Raven brave. "More food, why we leaving?"

This elicits a whole range of shrieking, yelling and thrown objects at the creature.

In reply to Sheela (msg # 346):

Seeming to stagger a little, maybe across the odd missile, Hoskar approaches Sheela proffering another drink, having bought at least one round already. All agreed about the Uz he remarks. But we might have something better coming up. Howzabout not dying in a barney with the Uz and clearing out some chaotic fucks in the Rubble instead? Think we can do the rescue and smash the predark if we're smart.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:58, Thu 18 Apr 2019.

He shrugs at Hoskar's comment, "Hopefully that's true." When Ohanzee's rubble runner is spotted and reacted to, Melock just leans back in his chair, shakes his head and mutters, "Amateurs"

Henal looks at the rubble runner moving off and mutters "that was always going to be trouble"

Amara said nothing as Ohanzee left with the uroxi woman, watching him closely. "It strikes me that if rumours are spread to confirm the rumour that the Sables are set to raid the Uz that it might suit our purposes." she spoke to Hoskar. "But it would need to be quick to have some effect before the sables arrived."

She sighed heavily "Defeating the Uz on their home ground might be close to impossible. We'd need anyone and everyone to counter them...." her voice trailed off. "And some healers too."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:32, Wed 01 May 2019.

"Sure, I'll come with you. Don't know much about Unicorms, sure to be interesting..."

He nods in acceptance of Salen offer, "Having a Condor with us should speed us on our journey." Turning to Amara, "If I can get the unicorn riders to help, can't their mounts heal?"

In reply to Amara Brightsky (msg # 353):

Hoskar grins broadly and winks covertly. Maybe a visit to check on the Pyre Brigade and a word to Mother might help there. Anyway, I just need to refresh my drink he remarks. He ambles towards the bar as he continues to speak; adding in a tone increasingly loud to...ah...ensure Amara can still hear across the noise of the bar...of course, it's not really our business if the Sables are off to raid the Uz.

And if that doesn't start a wildfire rumour off, here at least, I am not sure what will.

On the way, he encounters Sheela cf previous post.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Tue 30 Apr 2019.

Amara glared at Hoskar, looking quickly around the bar to check if anyone was listening, secretly hoping she'd find one or two more interested in hoskars words than she was expecting there to be.

Grundar returns to the bar from having slipped out to relieve himself Ah, that feels better, room for another one perhaps before we're done here. He looks around for the flirtatious newcomer to make sure he's safe from her, and as he does so he hears Hoskar's words, What's that, I'm gone for only a few shakes and come back to hear the Sables are off on an Uz raid? What else have I missed?

Having been lost in thought (and alcohol) for a while, Kobal speaks up.  "Rumours might make it harder for the Sables to get Delenda back.  But if the ultimate aim is to get her back - no matter how - then the rumours will hurt that goal too.


"I like what the Storm Bull woman said.  'In hard and fast.'  But... while Storm Bull is the father of the Khan of Khans, his followers can be a bit too... single-minded.  That woman would know the Rubble better than us.  Yet... from our fights with the trolls, I don't think it would be easy.  And this is the trolls' homeland, not just the Wastes where we fought last time."

He pauses a moment.  "We maybe have one thing to offer the trolls that the Sables don't.  We have an Aldryami seed.  What if we offer that to the trolls in exchange for Delenda?  I don't know if they'd accept it, but I'd wager they'd welcome something that the Aldryami want.  (And maybe it's tasty to them as well.)  We'd earn the enmity of the Aldryami though..."  Waits a moment to see if Emesh-Ga might speak up.  Perhaps the seed would help with the return of the Green.



He injects himself into another conversation.  "Where's the Unicorn camp in relation to where we're headed?  Will this be too much of a diversion?  We're already in a race to recover Delenda before the Sables do."

Amara's eyes narrowed in thought. She looked at Kobal "The seed is not ours to give away and especially not to trolls. It would work against our great plan." she stood up, throwing her cloak around her. "I might have another idea. One in which we can get what we want at no risk to ourselves, and thumb the noses of both the Zorak Zoran Death Lord and the sables, but I need to talk to the Pyre Brigade to see if its possible."

"I thought not," sighs Kobal, as Amara moves to leave, "but it's the only plan I could think off, other than violence or outbidding the Sables.  Plus, if giving the seed to the trolls meant breaking any oath any of us has given, I wouldn't want that."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:47, Tue 07 May 2019.

Melock shrugs, "It's nearer here than there, if we split up, we shouldn't be delayed. The ones that come with me will be riding so we won't be slow."

"Is this Unicorn camp in the Rubble?  I don't know the Rubble, but I hear it is a dangerous place.  Splitting up may not be the best.  And if the Unicorns find out what you did (perhaps they performed a divination) that may certainly 'slow' you down."

"Yes it is," he waves his hand in the direction of the rubble, "on one of the hills." Melock takes a quick swig of his drink, "I can't imagine it's that dangerous, its got walls round it." he glances at Temush, "they'll have no reason to waste their time and magic like that, because all I'll be doing is telling them about the death of one of their own."

Temush shakes his head, and props it on the arm he has leant on the table.

In reply to Melock (msg # 364):

Henal blearily replies "stories I heard were more that the wall keeps things in not out."