Verzeg scuttles through the ruins in a wide arc to get himself behind the uzko when they're getting ready for their attack. When the uzko make contact with the monkey-kin he'll attack them from behind. he casts his weapon enhancing magic and prepares to assault, his teeth gritted and fear clenching his belly.

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 16):

The charging uzko suddenly stops and then does an about turn and starts to run from the gathered baboons. They shriek their delight and give chase. Their rear is now exposed and the other 3 trolls appear from darkness, closing in on the now unprotected baboons. Verzeg is probably 5m from the nearest troll at this point.

Verzeg waits until the ambushing uzko are committed before starting his spells, befuddling the attackers as fast as he can.

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 18):

Whether by good fortune or magical skill the three trolls about to attack from the rear suddenly become very dazed and confused. Their advance halts has they all begin to wonder just what is going on and who these other trolls are.

The baboons launch a volley of javelins at the charging troll. 1 strike her left leg and 2 smash into her head. Blood runs down her face as she comes to halt and prepares to retreat. She attempts to cast a spell but cannot summon the magic. Turning to flee she is now targetted by the baboons' slings. Several stones hit but bounce harmlessly off.

With the three flanking uzko dealt with in the short term Verzeg takes stock of the situation. As far as he can tell the baboons are dealing with the other warrior to their satisfaction and that means his only problems will be if the enlo rally and attack again or of there is some other force his is unaware of, not impossible considering how dangerous The Rubble is and the amount of noise being made.

He moves up, weapon at the ready and scanning about for more threats.

He can't see the fleeing enlo but can hear them yelping in the distance as they make their exit.

The nearby fire flares and a huge shower of sparks shoot up in the air. Suddenly the Uz starts thrashing and clawing at his chest as if he is being struck.

Seeing the baoons seem to have everything in hand, Verzeg slinks back into the shadows and watches how the situation plays out but is ready to intervene if the baboons run into strife.

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 22):

The baboons set about the stricken trolls. Stabbing them with fire-hardened wooden spears and biting with long curved fangs. It is a desperate and bloody end for the darkmen. The enlo are not making a sound, they have either slunk off into the night or are cowering in fear somewhere.

Verzeg watches the baboons in a mixture of understanding and horror. He knows life in The Big Rubble is often short and brutal but he notes that the baboons never thought of ransom, however he also knows the baboons knew only too well they were being hunted for food.

He starts carefully looking for the enlo, both physically and for tracks. If he can't find them he returns to the baboons, if he does he'll carefully make contact.

Verzeg is well aware that a lot of enlo, while hating their life, can't think of anything better and may return to the uzko with news of Verzeg's band for a reward in the hope of better treatment. As such he'll keep the enlo from knowing about his band until he has given them enough benefits and security that they understand that his vision is far superior to life in a clan. Even then he also knows it's massively unlikely that enlo will ever confront uzko in open battle, his group tend to go too far the other way but he suspects that it's desperate fear that drives them and doesn't expect other enlo to stand up to torture or abuse.

With all that in mind he heads off looking for the enlo in the dark. If he sees signs they've fled the vicinity he lets them go and returns to parlay.

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 24):

A search of the wider area reveals no sign of the enlo. They are certainly not together and ran off like a starburst, each going in a different direction.

Verzeg looks about to take his bearings, checking against landmarks with his weak eyesight and also taking in the distinctive smells and sounds of the locality. He assumes the enlo will go to ground and he might come back and coax them out with food rather than let them die out here so far away from the Troll Stronglands.

Now it's time to do something about the Monkeykin. In the darkness he leans against a wall and catches his breath, giving himself a time to think both tactically and strategically. The baboons might well be local and he has to work out if this is the case. If they are and he's near Small Town then it's important to make friendly contact with his new neighbours. If they are not, and he really knows absolutely nothing about most things and doesn't even understand that "nomadism" is an actual phenomena, then they might have heard about Small Town and know where it is. Most importantly they might know what sort of threats there are there because if there's something hostile there Verzeg seriously intends to exterminate it root and branch, as such that sort of information would be of immense use to him.

He quietly makes his way back yo the baboon camp, stopping well outside the firelight and calls out again.

"Well done monkey-people! I too am a troll, although just a little one, so I am worried that you might want to hurt me. However I'd like to talk to you now that the danger is over. Can I come closer?"

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 26):

The chattering baboons suddenly fall silent. They look at where Verzeg's voice came from and quickly move into a defensive formation. The leader calls out in heavily accented trade "Step into the light small troll, have no weapons in your hand or you will be attacked."

Verzeg feels a lump of icy fear settle in his stomach. These things just obliterated some uzko, they're really dangerous. He shoots a glance over his shoulder to ensure none of them is sneaking up on him as he still doesn't know how good their perception is. This whole thing of not being able to see in the dark still confuses him and he usually assumes everything can.

He clears his throat a little and says from his place in the dark "well, the problem is is that I'm really scared of you. You are frightening warriors who can kill the, umm, "dark trolls" and I don't know if you hate all us, umm, "trolls". If you don't like us I'll just wish you well and leave you alone."

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 28):

"Aaah, we don't hate trolls but fear is what drives us. If the catch us they eat us so we must kill them or be eaten, not a difficult choice though it seem unpleasant. Come, we will not attack unless we are attacked first. If that should happen know you will be the first to die."

Swallowing fearfully, Verzeg lays his spear down and carefully steps out of the shadows, half crouched and ready to dash back into the ruins.

A baboon approaches, he goes on all fours and has no weapon drawn. On his head is a crown fashioned from bird feathers, it looks as though it has seen better days. He nods to Verzeg "Welcome small troll. May Daka Fal and the ancestors bless you! What do you want to talk about?"

Surprised that he's not going to be skewered and eaten, Verzeg straightens slightly and says "I am Verzeg, a runaway enlo. I am glad that I could help you when the uzko arrived, I didn't know they came over here." He looks at the twisted bodies of the trolls but can't find it in himself to feel any pity. "I used the magic of Generous Auntie to confuse them, but I hardly think I was needed. Do you know if the uzko frequently hunt here? I thought they stayed on the other side of the river."

He looks about in the dark, scanning for movement. He's never really comfortable unless he's under the ground or in a structure. It strikes him as odd that these creatures would prefer to be out in the open like this. He continues "I am looking for a place known as "Smalltown" where there are places suited to creatures like myself and where the big things will probably not go, at least I hope they will not go."

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 32):

"Welcome Verzeg, I am Skreena. We don't often see big trolls here but sometimes they come this side of the river and we must defend ourselves gainst them. Luckily we have ancestors here who help us in such fights." the baboon, feeling more comfortable with the trollkin's presence, sits on his haunches. "We sometimes pass through smalltown. The big trolls and humans rarely enter but they do have markets on the edge and the people in there come and trade."

Verzeg doesn't ease up, this isn't Upright territory". For all he knows this may be some complex ruse and it never occurs to Verzeg that he overthinks things.

"May Generous Auntie bless you and your people Skreena. If I may ask, could you tell me how to get to this place? is there landmarks that I should follow? Being an enlo I travel at night."

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 34):


"Go that way." Skreena says pointing northwest. "Keep the river on your right, when you see the Puzzle Canal on the other side of the river you have gone far enough. Turn left and go up the slope, Smalltown should be nearby."

Verzeg nods.

"Then I will head off while there's no light. What will you do now Skreena?"

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 36):

"We are going to rest for the rest of the night and then in the morning we are heading into Prax, we have a holy day coming and must get to the Paps for it."

Verzeg prepares to leave. "Is there anything I can help you with? I should continue on."

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 38):

Skreena thinks for a moment, "You are quite small. We have a need to get into a small space to retrieve a treasure we hid but we can't get back in. If you could get in there we'll give you a rich reward."

"Well, what sort of reward is it?" Says Verzeg interested. "Also, if you don't mind can I look over these corpses for anything that is only useful to uz?."

He thinks for a bit.

"Why can't you get your treasure any more?"