Nokka's Tavern Tales

[Shiokara]

A boisterous Dwarf with an eyepatch can be heard laughing at The Scamp's Mug, pounding an ale down his throat. Anyone who listens hears:

Oi so 'at Vehl's a crude town a'right. Some bloke asked me ta dig up bodies loike an' I tol' 'im where 'e could stick 'at shovel if it pleased 'im. Let tha dead res' Oi say an' tha's why Oi went down ta 'dem crypts ta put'em ta res'. Well Oi'll be damned if I didn' meet someone down there a'ready! Name was Caradas'r some such thing an' 'e was real noble loike--a real hob-nobbler all hoigh and snootin' at parties--but seems 'e run into a bit-a-trouble 'cause 'e was 'n leathers an' not loike, noblewear.

'E was a roight 'nough stand-up guy though once Oi saved his hind a couple toimes. 'E even saved moine, too. We traveled a whoile Oi'd say. After the crypts we met some shoiny mage with a funny voice loike gravel 'r somethin'. Ye shoulda seen 'is face. Caradas scoffed loike Caradas does an' said what koinda man wears a dress loike, and tha man  near hit tha roof--funny thing was we was outside, so tha roof was pretty hoigh even what it bein' tha sky an' all. Anyway, 'e wen' off ta kill dragons 'r some such thing an' Caradas an' Oi met some lass wearin' some noice blue get-up but covered in bandages loike a mummy.

Caradas seemed ta 'ave a thing fer 'er, so Oi didn't werk any o' my Dwarf charm on 'er 'r nothin' loike that. *he laughs* Anyway, we hit the sewers of this 'Empstead town and killed some fish-loike things what Caradas was really s'prised at. Was a noice 'nough toime, but Oi thought 'at was a funny place fer a date an' all, y'know, fer Caradas and the lass.

Anyway, Oi tell ye Oi ain' never felt the han' a the Battle Father on ma axe han' so strong as out 'ere. Oi give a prayer, loike, 'r a shout, y'know ta wake 'im up loike, an' 'e ain' e'en angry with me 'r nothin' 'e jus' guides ma han' all pow'rful loike an' soon the enemies 'r 'll dead. 'S great!

[Shiokara]

He can be seen drinking rounds of beer, ale, and occasionally malt liquor at the Wild Surge Inn. His hair and beard crusted over with swamp algae and frog's eggs:

Lis'n close those 'at'd 'ear. Oi been ta'en all koinds 'a roight nasty 'eads lately an' meetin' stand-up gents lef' an' roight, lef' an' roight. Firs' Oi met these three really 'oly toiypes loike what ye woul' fin' at some temple an' Battle Father bless 'em if one wa'n't a Dwarf. Unther was 'is name--a real good Dwarf. Anyway we went in'a these caves what were fillt up wi' goblins an' whatnot an' jes' startet 'ackin' 'way at 'em, as well as any rocks in'a area fer ore an' gems. Well we got to tha end 'a tha cave loike where tha leada is an' afta we gave 'em a good smash one a' 'em 'oly toiypes roight cut off 'is 'ead! Needless ta say it was a bit of a shock, but aye, a good one 'cause 'ey didn' seem so hoigh an' moighty anymore. Oi tell ye Oi don' think Oi'll ever get used ta bein' called Mas'er Dwarf so much as 'at.

Tha Otha people Oi met were a buncha gents. Ye may'a seen a coupla 'em in 'ere wi' me earlier. Real good goiys 'at lot 's--Tray, Vrebel, an' Abi--e'en if tha lass can be a li'l bossy loike. We wen' fer gold up in tha swamps loike an' by gold Oi mean tha 'ead a' some lizzard in a temple. We may a' 'ad some rough goin' if it weren' fer 'ow shoiny all their smo'e an' mirras gave us, but wi' tha magic it was more of a clean up show 'en anythin' else. Anyway, meetin' 'em was a treat loike an 'at Abi may be bossy, but she's somethin' else wi' swords in 'er 'ands Oi say.

Ye shoul' see me outthere wi' all 'at foightin', yellin' loike a maniac, but Oi'm tellin' ye 'at's tha song a' battle--Tha song of Tha Battle Father--'cause Oi can feel all koinds a' power goin' through me when Oi doit. I's more 'en what Oi felt at tha Brelith barracks trainin' an whatnot, 'at's fer sure. Who knows if ma da' 'll e'en reco-
recogne-
know 'oo Oi am.

[Shiokara]

Pounding back Hammerbocks at the Wild Surge:

Oi met up wi' 'at lass, Abi, again. This toime Oi was on ma own in tha caves what're up in 'at forest where 'at witch lives. W'assat--Silkwood? Roight so I was in tha Silkwood caves all lookin' fer 'at one's necklace-
he points over to Ragrian who is singing to some farmers who look very annoyed
-when Abi ran up ta me all shoiny loike wi' tha magic an' all 'at. Think she was moinin' 'r somesuch thing, but Oi 'ad ma necklace an' she 'ad 'er ore, so we 'eaded out togetha loike. She took me up on 'at beer Oi owed 'er from last toime, an' we legged it down 'ere for a few.

Well, ye can't stop at jes' one so we 'ad a few loike an' Oi gave 'er a bit of song-
he pauses a moment and belches
-a song loike 'at. How'd it go?
There once was a lass nam'd Abi,
'Oo ye didn' want ta ma'e angry...
Ach, ferget it! Oi don' remember it atall.

Well 'at killed 'er it did. She laughed an' whate'er an' then she said somethin' funny--battleranger er rager er somethin' 'long 'ose loines. Oi guess it was rager what wi' me runnin' all o'er tha battlefiel' loike a madman, but why would she say 'at if Oi was singin'? Oi dunno, Oi guess Oi tend ta sing on battle sometoimes ta tha Battle Father, loike, but 'at's only ta wa'e 'im up loike so 'e can 'elp ma swing. 'Elps me ta swing somethin' fierce sometoimes. Sure showed 'em what's what in tha Silkwood cave. E'en 'em crazy puddles'r cubes got squashed.

Battlerager, eh? Oi loike 'at.

[Shiokara]

At The Scamp's Mug he has a crowd of elderly men gathered around him.

Now list'n close 'cause 'ere's where it gets interestin'. Oi'm goin' through 'em sewers what ye got und'r yer city fer some ooze 'cause it 'olds ma 'air good, and what do Oi come across but a buncha gents an' a lass. Turns out they're cleanin' 'em sewers loike 'cause the lot of ye throw out some roight nasty things. What were 'eir names.

He pauses in reflection, and then longer to build anticipation.

They were Lily, Irazhi, Aarcus, and Argos. The lass as pretty as anyone ye'd foind in'is town. She greeted ma ugly mug real noice, ta! Irazhi--smarts ta match any a' ye Oi bet. An' took a real interes' in Dwarves. Well 'oo wouldn'? Dwarf culture's tha best, aye? He laughs as he fills their mugs with more ale and they give him a cheer.

The other two're shoiny gents. Real stand-up Toranite fellas. Good guys, but way slow. Couldn' e'en keep up wi' me small legs. It took me gettin' pois'ned fer 'em ta keep up!

He answers some murmurs: Aye, Oi was pois'ned boiuy some spoiders, loike. Took tha run roight outta ma legs. A' course Oi kept foightin'! What ye take me fer Yella? Oi sorted 'em what was down there real noice. Ye ask any a' them gents, 'r that noice lass. It'll take more 'en pois'n ta stop me.

Anyway, we got some neck piece 'r somethin' ta show we did tha job loike, an' ye shoulda seen tha face a' 'aht sewer wench. I think fer a second she actu'lly smoiled! Ach, no, Oi'm jes' kiddin' ye. She ain' ne'er smoiled Oi bet, 'cept maybe wi' 'er mister. He nudges one of the men and laughs, then gets up.
But Oi bett'r be on ma way, ey're waitin' fer me ye see 'em o'er there?
He walks off and joins Lily and Argos from when they were sitting at the table when they spent the night at The Scamp's Mug.

[Shiokara]

At the Harpy he's seen sharing drinks with a couple others with bandages on them, laughing. If you listen, you can hear him in the middle of a tale.

Aye, so we creeped inta 'em gloomy woods real quiet loike. Well 'cept fer me!
He laughs.
Oi went in'ere wi' ma axe an' sorted tha place noicely. 'Cept well Oi ain' e'er seen dead loike what 'ey got in 'aht wood. An' Argos, Aarcus, Samarra--aye, she was there--and tha rest'a 'em said they ne'er seen 'em loike 'aht 'cept what's in some crypts o'er Krandor's way, then he stretches his hands far from his body, waaayy away out 'ere somewhere.
So we start pokin' 'round, aye? An' we foind some more walkin' corpses. Tha dead shoul' rest Oi say, 'less tha Battle Father's resurrectin' 'em fer a bett'r foight. So we poked an' we proded, and 'em shoiny swords 'em Toranites got combined wi' some good ol' Voraxite steel, and not ta mention a li'l firewerks from an Aeridinite put us in pretty good shape ta stand up ta 'em undead. Oi tell ye, undead loike ye ne'er e'en seen--Oi sure ne'er seen anythin' loike 'em wi' 'is eye'a moine.

So we're shoutin' and 'ollerin' 'oly 'ells when we come ta tha gate where 'em boys make 'aht camp 'round 'ere, an' what d'ye know, but tha door's locked! 'S a'roight though, don' be scared, loike, 'cause we sweet talked 'em inta lettin' us in, so long as we fixed 'ose dead'eads up good.
We said we would, and by roight a Dwarf'll always keep 'is werd t'ye, ye can count on 'aht.

So we made our way deep'r in'em woods loike, takin' out all kinds'a roight nasty zombies and skeles, and Vorax knows what else, Oi'm sure 'e does, 'cause 'e was 'elpin' me swing ma axe whoile Oi was swingin' it an' singin' 'r more shoutin' Oi guess.

Well we came ta what seemed loike tha 'ead of 'em on account 'aht 'e was tha ugliest one'a tha bunch an' we killed 'im, but get 'is! Ther' was anoth'r one e'en strong'r than the ugliest! 'E was all magicky, loike blue 'r somethin' an' it was 'ard ta 'it 'em on account 'e seemed not really ta be ther', but after a lotta grief we took 'im down a'roight.

Proof? Ach, no, I ain' got any proof, but a Dwarf'll always be true, ye can bet sure as anythin' on 'aht. We burned tha tough sucker, though Argos wanted ta take it ta 'is temple'r do somethin' wi' it, and Oi took tha 'ead o' the ugly one, so as ta make me look better by comp-
compa-
so as ta look better wi' ma own ugly mug 'longsoide it, but Riam wanted it, so all's Oi got now is 'is cloak.
He pulls out a black cloak from his pack and wipes his hands on it.
It makes'a good nap'n it does.

As fer tha rest'a tha bunch, 'ey were all toired loike, 'cept fer Aarcus an' Oi, so 'ey all 'eaded off ta rest, and we 'eaded ta tha Arena where Oi met ye 'orrible lot.
Laughs here.
An' what else? Ye saw us trainin'. 'Im all behoind 'aht shiel', an' me swingin loike a madman. Oi'll pay 'im back fer hoidin' next toime if 'ere is one. We went one fer one, nex' one takes it, Oi guess. But Oi ain' really mad 'aht tha goiuy 's jes' 'ow Oi foight a li'l diff'rent 's'all. Oi jes' foight a li'l diff'rent. So what d'ye lot do?
He continues swapping stories with the people around him, drinking at a few ales over time.

[Shiokara]

Well Oi been travelin' wi' Lily an' all 'em fer a whoile now roight? An' 'ey keep yellin' at me fer runnin' a'ead, but ye shoul' see tha things Oi seen, the lot of ye. Weird corpses what're castin' all koinds'a firewerks, big sc'ry gobbos what worsh'p loights comin' from tha groun'. Nah, not loike fires, but loike big stand-up loights shootin' up taller 'an me fer sure. An' jes' taday We're goin' through tha swamps loike when all 'ese lizzies attack us an' little flitty loights. Ye wouldn' believe it if ye saw it, 'cept ye can trus' me it 'appened 'cause a Dwarf'll not tell ye wrong e'er!

Anyway, so we beat tha flitty things an' tha loights, and what do 'ey say ta me but slow down? Well Oi can' slow down. Ain' no oidlin' 'lowed fer this Voraxite. O'erwoise 'ow's 'e gonna know 'aht Oi'm a good one ta bring back e'en strong'r when Oi doie? Oi tell ye, Oi'll be 'is strong'st ax an' make ma da' proud. An' ma ma an' Aetta ma sis'. 'S imp'rtant ta rememb'r yer fam'ly. Don' ye ferget it, but yer good Hlintfolk so ye wouldn' ferget it e'er Aye?
Aye!
A cheer and all the gathered people drink indiscriminately.

[Shiokara]

Oi got werd 'aht some'un 'aht tha Orc Bash'rs moight know somethin' 'bout tha battle ragers Abi was referrin' to--got this on account'a real champ, a fellow Voraxite, so Oi'm sure it'll steer me good. Oi jes' need a bit more true befer Oi can get tha info Oi need.

O'er 'an 'aht Oi jes' been travelin' wi' Lily an' tha rest'a 'em. Oi can't say Oi'm ta fond'a this Aeridin fella. 'E sounds loike a lazybody, but Miss Lily's sure got some foine firewerks, Oi tell ye, ye would ne'er be 'urtin' if ye were travelin' wi' 'er.

'Aht Champ, 'r Chaynce, 'r whate'er 'is name was said 'aht 'em ragers were crazier 'en Vorax inna foight. Oi can't say Oi don' loike tha sound'a 'aht on account Oi'd be loiyin' if Oi did.

Ma mate Aarcus looked real burnt up o'er Lily an' Raz's 'ittin' it off. Oi think 'ey need ta stop competin' loike on account'a Miss Lily loike Chaynce's girl said. She's real smart loike an' she said 'aht tha girl's gotta decoide on 'er own, but Oi don' think 'aht means tha other two shouldn' troiy, am Oi roight?

No one can resis' Dwarf charm anyway.
He winks with his one good eye then starts laughing loudly.

[Shiokara]

Oi dunno if ma eff'rts at tha Orcbashers paid off'r what, but Oi met up wi' 'is lass Oi been lookin' fer what goes by Grenna tha other day. A roight terror she 's, but funny as 'ell ta. It kills me e'ery toime Oi think'a 'er nursin' some kiddies wi' tha Rockbasher brew when Oi see 'er choppin' up goiants loike a woild butch'r.

One thing's fer sure, ye don' wanna cross 'er. Oi met 'er an' she fixed me up good, she did. Oi dam' near met Vorax she 'it me so 'ard. He grins widely, eyes gleaming. But Oi landed one on 'er ta. From ther' she said she loiked ma spunk'r funk'r whate'er it was she loiked Oi can't really rememb'r as she gave me somma 'aht good Rockbasher Draught and 'aht put me out almost as ready as 'er axe.

But Oi came ta, an' she was still 'round, lucky'nough. So we got ta talkin', only not fer long 'cause we're both restless toiypes, an' so we startit talkin' wi' our axes. Cut our way through gioants A'right wi' a li'l 'elp from some Caer guy. Whate'er! 'E loikes ta 'it an' run 'aht one, but Oi s'pose 'e's a stand-up enough gent. 'Aht was at south'a Fort Llast, loike.

We jes' stoppin' 'ere a bit now befer we move on ta mer' roight nasty gioants. Big'uns wi' clubs big as tha tallest'a ye! He starts weaving a tale around a group of children in Hlint about the nastiness of giants.

[Shiokara]

Grenna an' Oi went wi' some folks ta Dregar so as ta slay more goiants loike. One was some wiz, but Oi ferget 'is name if 'e e'en tol' it ta me. Tha otha one was Lily, now 'aht was a funny thing.

Lily was all squeem and squirm whoile Grenna was 'ackin' up tha goiants loike a real pro. Oi gotta say Oi'd be lyin' if Oi didn' say Grenna looked roight good all messy wi' goiants blood. A roight terror.

'Aht's not ta say Oi didn' get a bunch'a good blows maself. We both slaughtered 'ose goiuys all through tha forest loike, an soon we come up'n the'r den what was really jes' a mess'a caves.

This rager trainin's more fun 'en Oi 'ad inna whoile. Beats beatin' dummies back 'ome 'aht's fer sure. An'ere's so much pow'r ta be 'ad wi' a good scream ta tha Father'a Battle.

Ach, so whoiy am Oi back 'ere in Hlint ye say? Well we were foightin' roight good up 'til tha las' chieftian roight, an' Oi must'a got a li'l too excited'r somethin' 'cause nex' thing Oi knew Oi 'ad 'is axe goin' through ma 'ead loike Oi wasn' wearin' no 'elm'r nothin'.

Tha Battle Father must'a sawr'it 'cause nex' thing Oi knew 'ere Oi was at yer boindstone an' strong'r 'en e'er aft'r a few good beers.

Cheers!

[Shiokara]

Aye, yea' so Oi 'aven't seen Grenna inna whoile. Oi think she coul' still teach me some, but she wen' off ta somewher', prolly ta go see 'er li'l terrors. What a ma she mus' be!

Oi wond'r if she 'eard Oi joined tha Dwarven Army. Well, 'ey call me the'r new recruit anyway, but Oi'm none ta fond'a armies aft'r all 'aht mess in tha Watch'a Brelith. Oi bett'r not 'ave ta buil' any dam' trainin' dummies! 'Ey seem mer' tha fiel' 'sperience toiype anyway wha' on account'a tha firs' toime Oi met Kurn 'n' Gorm we wen' killin' lizzies in tha swamps fer some Darth lass.

'Aht Darth! Said she'd rather be a dam' Darkie 'en a proper drinkin', fartin' Dwarf. Dwarves're tha bes'! An'is after we tore loike 'ell through 'aht dam' scaly temple!

Oi loike Kurn 'n' Gorm, but Oi wond'r if'n Oi shoul' test'em ta see if tha armies really roight fer me. Oi can get inna bit'a trouble quickloike aft'r all wi' tha greatax 'ackin off limbs.  gud ale, 'ough.

Speakin'a food Oi got 'is dam' gud perk off some Mercs tha other day travelin' ta 'ere wi' 'is lad Riram an' some other Rat girl an' a noice quiet one, Ana-somethin'r'other. Riram's got spirit loike me, 'S a dam' shame 'e ain'a Dwarf. Oi showed'em 'ow ta kill ogres proper jes' loike Grenna showed me. Kill'em slow, puts tha fear in tha others when the'r mates go missin'. Maybe Oi'll see some mer'a 'em, but if Oi see mer'a tha Rat Oi may take'r down a few knees on account'a 'aht tongue'a 'ers. Whate'er. Le's drink!

[Shiokara]

Nokka looks at the people gathered around him and sighs drinking often from his mug. He offers to everyone and noone at the same time:

S'pose ye gotta frien' roight? An' ye been killin' wi' one'oth'r fer a li'l whoile an'en ye come ta foind yer frien's not 'oo ye though' roight? Wha' do ye do? Oi mean, 'ey didnay betray ye 're anythin' loike 'aht, but 's jes' diff'rent. Oi mean dam'!

He listens for a moment.

No, Oi won' tell ye wha' it 's 'r 'oo it 's! Get yersel' outta 'ere if ye wanna be so nosy! 'Oo ye think ye 're? An' whoiy's e'ery'un gotta wea' 'oods roun'ere anyway?

He heads for the door, picking his axes out of a rack by the door.

Oi gotta do som' killin'. Clear ma 'ead.

[Shiokara]

Well we foinally caught 'aht daf' lass wha' was callin' 'erself boiy 'er sis's name. Been chasin' 'er fer'a whoile now.

He looks down into the tankard and takes a swig.

She'us dead. Ate some bad shrooms're som'in loike 'aht. Dam' shame. 'Is round's on 'er, bough' wi' 'er bounty, loike.

He takes another swig.

Don't git me wron'. Tha lass crosst me gud when she fill me full'a arrows, but she didnay e'en 'ave'a foightin' chance.

Oi couldn' e'en pay'er back ten toimes. Won'er wha' Rodlin think 'bout tha 'ole thin'? It be'a toime fer mernin' fer tha Wolfswoods 'aht's fer sure.

He finishes the ale.

Well Oi better git back ta werk, loike. Been a whoile Oi been chasin' 'aht lass, an' Oi got wud ta chop, an' gobbos.

[Shiokara]

Nokka looks battered, wet, and angry, pounding back a few ales with the refugees.

Aye, yech, Oi met tha secon' wave. Wi' ma shiel'. In front'a tha mages 'oo did tha real protectin'. But Oi reckon Oi didnay da ta bad, aye. Oi blocked a sea elf anyway! Smashed plum inta ma shiel', but 'em waves through me 'soide loike nothin' Oi e'er fel'. 'Ead down, though, and we won 't roight 'nough. Loike a real rager!

He laughs and swigs.

Unfertunately, tha whale got away! Reckon we coulda made a roight gud feast'a 'im!

Then as a rally of sorts to work into the ale.

We werked 'ard 's any god'r pit daemon could, aye, an' it paid off beli'e ye, me. Reckon'll still be some damage, but nay as bad as'aht firs'un wha' we wer' so unready fer. Ne'er again tha water git tha jump'n us Oi say!

Then, to himself.

Won'ner 'ow Grenna's 'ome werked out o'er Krandor way.

[Shiokara]

Werk, werk, werk, an' mer' werk! Nokka takes a swig of some Will-o-Whiskey. Reckon 'aht's all Oi been doin' lately.

Makin' a dam' gud bit'a true 'ough. Da be proud ta, 'aht Oi'm doin' gud. 'Elpin' cut wud loike Oi used ta da back 'ome fer tha Arms rebuildin' an' pickin' up 'aht job wi' Ty an' 'er Oak. Join tha Dwarven Army gettin' coal an' foightin' goiants loike a pit fiend. An' now ther's 'is Stroiker lass wha' pay me ta throttle coupla bandits gud. 'S a gud day ta be'a Dwarf Oi think.

'Ach, all'aht talk 'bout craftin' remoinds me! Listen ta 'is, 's pretty gud! He swigs whiskey while singing Andrew Reid's latest:

'Ow secerr's a gov'ment when li'l songs git banned ther'
'Ow safe's a lan' wher'a man cannay speak his moind
'Ow kin ye trus' bur'cracy wha' censors e'ery werd ther'
Decoidin' wha' ta tell ye, an' when ta keep ye BLOIIIIIND

After the song Nokka clinks his mug with those around him and laughs, hard and loud. 'S gud 'cause 's 'bout Prantz loike wi' 'aht bass'erd Rael. Reckon Oi show'im 'is Meat Cleaver someday, aye!

[Shiokara]

Nokka sits around a table with a bunch of Dwarves. There is one scholarly looking one that seems to be writing the transcript of the meeting. It is a hard time for him, as Dwarf after Dwarf spills his ale threateningly close to his parchment. Nokka begins:

"Aye, 'ave ye e'er 'eard tell a' tha Wee Malkis?" He looks at all the Dwarves for a moment. Someone with any sense of perception would be looking at them for acknowledgment, but Nokka just stares because that's what people do before continuing a tale.

"Well Oi tell ye 'bout 'em. Ther' a roight proper bunch'a Dwarves. Properly nasty 'aht 's. Gud at drinkin' an' singin' an' honorin' tha battles'a ancesters pas', but 'ey tha bes' at foightin'. So gud in fac' 'aht unce a ye'r 'ey 'ead roight inta tha center'a 'Rc territ'ry an' march up a mountain lousy wi' 'em 'Rcs an' 'ey nay e'en 'ave ta foight, 'aht's 'ow gud 'em 'Rc basserds remember tha whoopin' 'ey gave'em. Tha Malkis ta tha 'Rcs, 'aht 's. Real proper Dwarves."

Nokka cheers the absent Wee Malkis and swigs his ale.

"We fought'em 'Rcs, an' Oi reckon 'ey'us tough ta. Coupla us fell e'en."

Nokka cheers the fallen and all swig their ales. He finishes the tale and gets ready for the conclusion:

"Cut swathes through'em lef' an' roight. Gobbos, Kobbos, Kenkus, an' 'Rcs, an' made't way up 'aht mountain ta foin'em drinkin' an' laughin' an' treatin'us loike ol' buddies. Real proper Dwarves, aye, an' yet Oi ne'er 'eard'a 'em a'fer 'aht lass Ragrian wha' dropped tha tale ther' in ma lap whoile Oi'us drinkin' 'un day. An' Oi ask masel' whoiy? Whoiy ain' Oi 'eard'a 'em? Reckon ther' need ta be a meetin'a tha clans sometoime, aye? An' yet o'er Brenuth way Oi ne'er 'eard'a dam' thing 'bout 'em. A meetin', aye, a meetin'."

With that he calls the scribe over.

"Wroite 'is down real pretty loike, but ma'e sure 'ey know's a proper Dwarf 'oo tellin' 'em. Oi wann'is berded ta Gorm an Kurn. Aye, Boulderanvill an' Blackwater, tha same. Ye listen 'ere: We need ta 'ave'a meetin'a tha clans if we gonna git serious 'bout tha army an' 'bout tha job wha need doin' o'erseas."

Noks pauses a moment while the scribe speaks.

"Nay werry, lad. 'Ey'll know 'oo Oi'm talking 'bout. Tell 'em we need ta 'ave'a meetin' an' 'aht shoul' serve plenty gud enough, aye."

"Tell 'em: Oi met up wi' a clan wha' call 'emselves tha Wee Malkis an' 'ey're a roight terror of a bunch an real proper ta. An' sen'em an account'a tha tale. Aye, a copy'a't. We show 'em wha' Oi'm goin' on 'bout 'aht way."

Together the scribe and Nokka make sure the message is sent.

[Shiokara]

Nokka's sits in a Haven pub. Hammerbocks are no match for him as he can be heared shouting gnolls, gnolls, an' mer' gnolls.

Oi'm tellin' ye's gotta be the'r matin' season're sommin'. Lissen ta 'is bitta stery. Oi wa'e up, drunk still from'a noight a'fer inna Woild Surge an' step outsoide ta see 'oo? Tha gud captain lukin' all werried. Now, reckon, Oi seen 'er werried a'fer an' 'aht'us some trouble wi' tha lizzies, so's Oi though' Oi go an' see wha's wrong.

Well tha long an shert'a 't 'us 'aht some rangy-toipes done been attackt outsoide a tha Black Dog Mer's ba none odder 'en some stinky gnolls. Well 'aht's when Oi reckon all tha odder mercs startet showin' up an' we go an giv'em gnolls a gud wha' fer. All tha way ta 'aht ol' stinky fert 'r whate'er it 's inna swamp. Gnolls an' lizzies werkin' tagedder ther', but we 'ad us a gud war party ba tha toime we git ther' an' a gud crazy lass ta 'elp wi' tha blessin's. Rude as all get out, though. Ye should'a seen 'er. Ta de'd gnolls ba 'er feet an' no proper way'a speakin', a real pretty soight.

Well we got ta taken tha chief's 'ead so as ta bring sommin' back fer tha gud Captain when Oi 'eard mer' gnoll trouble o'er 'is way inna moines. So's we gathert anodder war party and sure enough 'eaded down 'em moines. E'en mer' gnolls ther' 'en wha' was inna swamp. Ye shoul' really stop 'em moines up wi' some gud rocks're sommin'.

Well nay werry fer a bit, anyway. Reckon we serted 'em pretty gud down ther'. Brought some 'eads fer yer poikes an' e'erythin'. Tha lerd gave us a gud bitta coin fer 'aht'un. A gud day fer ye foine gents, an' a gud day fer Vorax. 'Ere 'ere!

[Shiokara]

In the Phoenix.

Aye, Oi saw tha Cult. Killt 'em ta! Reckon mebbe ey're nay all wha' people make'em out ta be, ruthless an' all 'aht. Reckon 'em foire 'urlin' goiants're mer' of a threat.

Well 'aht's wha' 'ey get fer pokin' roun' tha desert when ol' Nokka's comin' through lookin' fer war an' a gud way ta praise tha Father o' Battle. 'Ere 'ere!