The World of Layonara
In-Character Forums => Rumour Has It => Topic started by: twidget658 on January 07, 2010, 12:14:25 am
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//Due to player actions (impromptu quest) and unresolved/unsolved mysteries, the Red Lights are barricaded. I do want this to be resolved quickly so not to tie up an area, so I plan on running the continuation on Friday at about 7pm PST.
//This thread can be used by the current participants to RP gathering up a party to get to the heart of the matter.
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*Idoran brings word to the near-by town of Hlint about recent happenings in Re Light, and Notes that the Town Guard should be prepared incase of a goblin assault. He looks for any willing to join a group for investigation.
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Zahid, favorable to Hlint because he likes their simple, folky ways, asks around Hlint and the surrounding area for information about why the caves are barricaded. He is looking to find out particularly whether adventurers have barricaded the goblins in the caves so as to lay siege to them, or if the goblins have built the barricade themselves.
//Depending on the answer he receives, he will act differently.
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*Holds up a hand to the crowd of citizens gathered outside the Wild Surge Inn. Wild speculation ensues about the barricading of the red light caves, rumors of invasion from the caves are running rampant*
"Citizens! Citizens! Listen to me a moment! I know you are frightened! But listen to me I was there!", Ragnar pleaded to the spooked crowd. They hushed after a few minutes and stared at him, and he cleared his throat. He stood on the stairs to the entrance of the Inn.. the town crier looking quite worried next to him.
"I was with the party that was ambushed down into those caves! I have seen the works that they have thrown up! Listen now and understand! The goblins have erected heavy defenses within their caves! For what purpose we do not know, but they have thrown up barricades and traps of diabolical trickery not usually credited to the beasts.", he spoke clearly so that those in the back could hear.
"The barricades seem purely defensive in nature! I did not see preparations for an assault on the town at this time. But we could not get to the deepest reaches of the cave to investigate what it is exactly that they are protecting. We suffered heavy casualties down there and were forced to retreat to the surface to regroup.", Ragnar continued.
"I implore you that word be sent, so that reinforcements can be brought to bear in Hlint for the purpose of discovering the final plans of these creatures and putting an end to them! Avoid the cave entrance for fear of your lives! Adventurers such as I will keep the roads themselves clear but move swiftly along the roads! Let word be sent to the caravan masters that they must not dawdle on the roads!", he cried out to the crowd now gathering larger becasue of the spectacle.
"There is foul work being done in the bottom of that cave, and rest assured that brave folk from all over Mistone and elsewhere will come to your aid! Hlint is home to many of brave hearted souls.. and is dear to the hearts of many! It is the heart of Mistone in many ways.. and will be protected! You have my solemn word on that!"
With that Ragnar turns and steps into the door of the Inn for a much needed rest...
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//
PM sent.
May the Red Light shine brightly evermore!!
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//Just letting you know twidget that I threw up some ugly barricades in front of the cavern entrance after the reset. You might want to make them look a little more appropriate to what you were doing as I didn't look at the barricade before I reset
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*....As Shadowleaf walks into Hlint for some much needed supplies and rest...he notices a large crowd gathered near the Inn..upon getting closer, he notices his friend Ragnar addressing the crowd. He walks up and blends into the crowd. He hears Ragnar telling them of the recent discoveries in the Red Light Caverns. Shadowleaf begins to sense that the crowd is not fully understanding what Raganr is telling them, buy the puzzled looks on their faces. Once Ragnar finishes his tellings...Shadowleaf speaks aloud to the crowd......
Citizens of Hlint...This man tells you of the truth!.. (*crowd quiets down and focuses attention on Shadowleaf). I can attest to this beacuse I was there and with this man and the other adventurers that were ambushed down there. Please do not take this lightly, warn others of this. The goblin patrols seem to have increased down there and the barricades are of solid construction...They are planning something...but exactly what that is has not yet been discovered...
....I do not believe that anyone should travel through the Wastelands alone...especially after darkness falls...
(*Shadowleaf leaves the group and walks into the Inn)
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*An alert goblin sentry sits concealed among some rocks near the Red Light Caverns, his bow is grasped tightly as he scans the darkness for enemies. He hears a soft crunching sound, like feet moving gravel, and then it stops. He listens for a long time. There is a soft thud, and not more than 25 yards from him he sees a large wood box materialize into sight as it is laid on the ground by some invisible person, or thing. He hears the crunching sound again, but guesses this time it is the footsteps of some invisible person and a beast of burden. There is no sound or movement for a long time. His curiosity gets the better of him and he approaches the box and peeks inside. The interior is packed with iron short swords.... many short swords. The goblin quickly leaves and returns with fellow tribe members and they haul this prize away.*
//A GM can PM me when available to accept this load of iron short swords whenever convenient.
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Hearing that the goblins have set up the barricades as defenses, Zahid goes to the wastelands and posts himself some distance away from the Redlight Caverns. He sends Kaliq out to scout the area and deliver a message to the shamans of the Redlight.
//PMs sent to Twidget and Pseud
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//I was going to send a PM, but I think it is best to conduct training for some and remind others.
//We, as players, cannot deteremine what the crowd will do, how they will act during any encounter.
*Holds up a hand to the crowd of citizens gathered outside the Wild Surge Inn. Wild speculation ensues about the barricading of the red light caves, rumors of invasion from the caves are running rampant*
//Actually, the cave is quite a distance from Hlint, many, many miles (hundreds). Hlint would hear about it, maybe, f this affected trade routes or as mentioned, someone brings the news to the town. The only ones that they would likely listen to is some of their own or people ~like~ them, definitely not adventurers.
"Citizens! Citizens! Listen to me a moment! I know you are frightened! But listen to me I was there!", Ragnar pleaded to the spooked crowd. They hushed after a few minutes and stared at him, and he cleared his throat. He stood on the stairs to the entrance of the Inn.. the town crier looking quite worried next to him.
//The bold is the actions that we cannot state. Hlint has been attacked by dragons, even had a dragon sitting in the middle of town. Sinthar himself had been to Hlint. Hlint has had A LOT done to it. I do emphasize A LOT! Goblins in a cave...they won't give a hoot about. We can only RP what our actions are. Matter of fact, due to adventurers, most, if not all, of this occurred. Therefore, if someone stands up and states that they are an 'adventurer', then you will likely not get a very welcomed response. You would likely even be screamed at and rioted out the gates.
"...and will be protected! You have my solemn word on that!"
//Heh, as we say on the boat, "neither required nor desired." They would likely just ignore you.
//I do applaud your initiative and it is a great way to get the ball rolling. However, we cannot force emote for NPCs and we have to keep the world in perspective (size of the world and mentality of the people).
//Additionally, yes I used your post, SiliconMagician, but it surely does not mean you are the only that has done/does this. Its rather common, actually.
//Training conducted.
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//No party limit. Level 15 and below. MANY Goblins. Be ready to fight! Begins in 2 hours.
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The world slowly came back to Ragnar Ogresbane.
At first, it was sound.. he heard the soft chants of the clergy. Then came his sense of smell.. he smelled the pungent aroma of incense burning. Finally his eyes fluttered open.. and he was staring at the ceiling of the temple in Ft. Llast.
He lifted his head and looked at his body, it was badly bruised and had been expertly stitched in several spots.. new scars to join the old ones he'd already collected in his journeys around Mistone.
He hurt everywhere and he laid his head back down and tried to make sense of things. His mind felt numb.. sluggish. Then, after a few moments of concentrating it cleared and the memories roared back into his brain as if dumped from a bucket directly into his head.
His last memories were standing in the hallway just in front of the goblin chiefs lair in the red lights.. the party he was with standing several paces behind debating on what to do.
They had fought a vicious, grinding battle to the bottom of the caves again. Their second attempt to breach the extremely cunning defenses laid out for them by the goblins in an attempt to keep them from finding out just what it was they were doing down there and putting a stop to it.
He had spent days collecting and distilling the bellies of beetles for the making of powerful fire bombs.. the coal for which had cost the lives of two brave souls to attain. Just so he could have the proper weaponry to break down the barricades.
The process was grinding.. thankfully he had the faithful services of Tuggin Sunnytoes.. a man of great talents when it came to scouting and trap finding and disarmament..without his skills the party would have been lost long ago to the never ending series of vicious booby traps that awaited them.
The party would come upon the wooden barricades.. Ragnar, well equipped with fire bombs and choking powder would douse the area in powder.. wait as the goblins began choking on the foul herbal mixtures then toss a firebomb onto the barricades and watch them burn to ash in moments.. then the party charged.
The fighting was hand to hand and vicious.. little Frieda, brave little freida.. no taller than Ragnar's knee would dart in and take the goblins on with a ferocity even he would have a hard time mustering in that dark place of death. Hacking and slashing, the indomitable Hanta Deshaldi.. with her mighty sword hacked the goblins limb from limb.
The goblin archers and mages hurled their vine spells at the party, often trapping them in the tightest locations and then lightning, fireballs and burning bottles of fire would drop down onto the party. The fight would be over in seconds.. with goblins laying around in piles and the party collapsing back to hold up and try to staunch the flow of blood from their numerous wounds. The cave floors were slick with the mixed blood of hero and enemy alike.. Each determined the crush the other's plans or die trying.
The party cleared each barricade as they came to it in the same manner.. progress was slow but was being made. Slowly, ever so slowly..the healing bandages and potions began to run low. Each battle nearly costing of the life of everyone involved, so determined to hold their ground were the goblins.
Now they stood at the very bottom.. in the hall leading to the cheiftans chambers.. Mr. Sunnytoes made a foray into the room, and explained what he saw and the party was incredulous. The goblins had indeed been busy.. crates and crates were stacked inside the lair of the chief, what they contained was unknown.. but it was surmised that whatever was in them was most likely flammable and would burn readily with the use of bomb.
The goblins milled around inside the room, but seemed oblivious to the party so busy were they stacking the various crates and boxes. The plan was set.. Ragnar would sneak to the doorway and toss in a few choking powders, then a firebomb and the party would fall back and take up positions in teh hallway around the corner.. hopefully shielded from whatever blast came back out into the hallway.
Ragnar moved slowly up the hall way about half way..plenty close enough for has massive arm to chuck the pouches of powder well into the room. Suddenly, a he stepped into a hole and stumbled.. his heart froze in terror.. He heard something in goblin and the first guard came to the door and looked directly at him and snarled.
Ragnar threw two pouches of choking powder into the room in that instant, they went off and filled most of the chamber with the green hazy dust.. and the mages and archers within began choking.. but the elites were lucky.. they had ran for the door just moments before and had avoided most of the choking powder..
As Ragnar reached into his pouch for the firebomb.. the goblins poured out of the door and he had no time.. He drew his sword.. and charged into the doorway in a desperate attempt to block it with his own body. The goblins charged home and he was knocked back by teh sheer mass of goblin flesh pushing against his shield.. blades licked out and cut at his legs opening up huge wounds in his calves..
He hacked down on teh beasts and took a couple out quickly but the rush was too much and he was forced to step back from the flurry of blades that were coming to him..he back up again and swung.. another goblin down..then he looked to his right and Little Freida screaming atthe top of her lungs, followed by hanta and the rest of the party came to the battle.. it was to late however. The goblins poured out of the doorway and rolled over the party..
Freida fell first, her body ran thru by at least 2 or 3 goblins.. Hanta next.. Ragnar was fighting 4 goblins himself and they wer pushing him back and they rolled right over anyone else in thier way..the light armor no match against the the iron short swords the beasts carried.
Ragnar stepped back and swung again.. he cleaved a goblin in two and still more were upon him.. his last vision was mr. sunnytoes collpasing under a sea of green skin..blades flashing up and down, up and down as he disappeared into them.
Then he was struck with a tremendous blow that knocked the wind from him and he fell under the sea of goblins.. their glowing eyes and wicked teeth grinning as they took down the last of the intruders who had dared enter their home.
But how had he ended up here? In this temple? He looked over to the priest who had come into the room and who now looked at him with a soft smile. "Hello sir.. he stated. "You've come back to the living world I see.", the priest stepped forward and checked the stitches and bandages and quite satisfied looked at Ragnar with deep blue eyes.
"How?" was all Ragnar could croak out.
The priest looked at him. "I'm not exactly sure my son.. a group of men brought you and your companions in.. they are quite safe. Resting in other rooms at the moment. You however.. were so badly off in body that we had to take drastic measures to place your soul back into it.", the priest softly said with wonder..
"They said they found your bodies tossed along the side of the road rather unceremoniously near the red light caverns. We had heard word of the goblin uprising and thought that you all might be the victims of it, and such brave souls deserve another chance.", the priest explained.
Ragnar simply dropped his head again and stared at the ceiling and sighed. Defeat... that word kept rolling through his mind like the tsunami that rolled through Hempstead.. Defeat.. not once..but twice.
Ragnar wasn't a man accustomed to defeat.. he had faced undead so terrible a man's soul shrivels at the mere sight of it. Hordes of Ogres and giants had fallen to his blade... but a group of paltry goblins had done him in.
Defeat..
Ragnar slowly sat up.. and ignored the priests protestations that he stay and rest.. Ragnar could not rest.. there was work to be done..first he would check on his companions.
Then.. he would plan. There would be no defeat this time he swore...
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//No party limit. Level 15 and below. MANY Goblins. Be ready to fight!
//Monday night. 7pm PST. Trying to regain the Red Lights.
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Upon hearing the recent news of adventurers coming to their demise in the Red Light caverns...Shadowleaf makes haste for Fort Llast. He learns that the adventurer's have been takin to the Temple to heal and regain their strength. Shadowleaf enters the temple and his eyes are instantly filled with the sight of many used bloody bandages and torn clothing littered around the floor and many healers tending to the victims. He notices his friend Ragnar slowly moving about in the back of the Temple and makes his way over to him....
Ragnar, my friend are you ok?..*looks at his wounds
Ragnar begins to tell his woodelven friend the horror that took place deep in the Red Light Caverns...
Even the second assult on the cave was not enough to finally rid the cave of those foul beasts and destroy the barricades?....Shadowleaf asks.
Im afraid not Leaf, they still occupy the deepest portion of the cave and they have been supplied with many a short sword now, even my fire bombs and choking powder did not gain us the upper hand down there. The party also noticed many more crates and boxes piled throughout the cave as we descended deeper down. We were not able to determine what is exactly in those crates either.....Ragner answers.
Shadowleaf lays a comforting hand on Ragnar's shoulder.....
You still do not look fully recovered from this battle my friend....You stay here and get some rest and regain your strength back...I will make haste to the outlying lands and begin to recruit some brave warriors to aid us in the next raid on the caverns..The longer the goblins are allowed to keep working down there, setting up their defenses the more difficult it will become to overthrow them once and for all. I hope that your recovery is a speedy one my friend...because.... *looks at Ragnar very seriously and says*
War can only be postponed to the advantage of others........
Shadowleaf leaves Ragnar in Ft. Llast Temple and is last seen heading towards Hlint...
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Hanta is still feeling the affects from the last battle and won't be attending this outing.
//I'm battling the flu right now.
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//Unfortunately, this is going to have to be canceled. Possibly in the future we can continue it. After the next server reset, the Goblins and cave will be back to their normal selves.
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//Just wondering if there are any left over effects from this? Was just in the caves to do some mining and managed to get killed twice by a goblin witch docter who threw out some sort of instant death spell. I'm a little confused as I've never seen them do that before, and its only the one that spawns inside the cave, the one outside seems to be acting normally.
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//A few weeks ago Eyebite was killed by a witchdoctor casting phantasmal killer, and it was well before this quest sequence began..
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// the one outside will kill you also with phantasm.
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He bumps his head on the lintel on the way into the Scamps - again - and mutters something impolite about Shadonites as he rubs his scalp. He doesn't miss that, not one bit, and bless his landlady for having the foresight to raise her doorways and ceilings past average human height.
Dropping into a stool, he places a violin case on the polished wood bar top, mopping up a slosh of ale before he does, careful to roll back the cuffs of his red velvet coat first. The man to his right has been there so often and so long he appears to have grown from the seat. The man's shabby brown coat, hair and boots blend into the bar environment, as surely as a woodsman in a forest. The Scamp's Mug Rangers Corps, Red Coat thinks to himself with a grin. He turns to Sir Shabby, as he often thinks of the man - Shabby being rather sharper than his descrepit appearance would suggest - and nods a brief greeting. Shabby is a remembered part of a not so distant past.
Not so distant, at all - Red Coat inhales deeply and with no small longing the alcohol fumes permiating the room as he ties his long black hair into a neat queue and checks his appearance in the dusty mirror to the side of the bar. Between the spider cracks born of flung mugs of yore, his almond-shaped eyes and oval face are clean, thick dark eyebrows neatly in place, the wisps of scruff on his chin shaved. He tucks a few stray hairs behind his ear and adjusts his collar and waits for the bar to fill up.
"What's your poison." Flatly stated, the bartender already knowing the answer and still not liking it.
"Grape juice." Red Coat runs his long fingers over the bartop, feeling the dips and dents of decades and noting repairs from tsunami damage. His drink is set down with a dismissive thump, the cold glass bottle sweating from sudden exposure to the stuffy heat.
"Whass new, lad? What tales you bring us this time?" Sir Shabby speaks with a lisp around his six remaining teeth and taps his bottle of rotgut gin against the neck of the grape juice.
"Hm - there is news, news I have firsthand. Do you remember the rumors that came around of the Red Light Caverns? This was some time ago, when the goblins were suddenly better armed and in huge numbers and having adventurer soup with every meal."
Sir Shabby nods, and a couple further down the bar who frequent the Scamp between odd jobs swivel thier heads to hear. The barkeep listens as well as he wipes glasses with a grimy rag. Red Coat shifts on his seat to address them, adjusting the timber of his voice to carry around the room.
"It was almost a year ago when a group of adventuring types went to fill goblin bellies with cold iron blades. Cocky they were, full of FOR THE GLORY OF! and other ringing battle cries. But I think *he grins, his dimples as sudden as the raising of a curtain* that the goblins had had enough. Who knows where they got the means, but someone was equipping them as our intrepid band found out. Just as soon, though, the money must have dried up for the goblins - or they drank and gambled it away, who knows? Things returned to some semblence of normal, and those who fell to the massed goblin army staggered away from their bindstones with a lesson learned and a newfound but brief respect for the Red Lights.
But, memories are short. Just the previous week, I was near Hlint to obtain silk for my instrument strings and was called by a friend to help with yet another excursion into those caverns. To what end, I asked? To help this man, I was told - a man in shining armor, expensive by the looks, who promptly left for the Wild Surge. Being late to the party, I had to tease out details of the man's story, but as I understand it he wished revenge for the death of his boy. How old? Young. How long ago? Some time ago. Why did he wait so long? He wanted to save for his armor, and it took so long he was too weak to take out his revenge. That is what I was told, anyway, the man having disappeared.
Adding vengeance to the already heady guts-and-glory mix was nails to the frame, and so we set out. I did wonder what vengeance we would be taking, as goblins don't have much of a lifespan - surely the perpetrators of the boy's death are long dead? - but even for me the sultry wiff of a good song or story was too much to resist." He grins at this, shaking his head a moment as if to wonder what to do about himself.
"After target practice on the scouts above the hill we moved down into the caverns. For those who have not been there, they are not as dank as most. Heavily scented with goblin, which you won't want to splash on before a date, it's a singularly unpleasent smell, but lit from within by a reddish glow and dry. Dry enough to have salt beds on the first level. That first layer of caverns seems the most natural and I'd guess is what was first inhabited. We found nothing too out of the ordinary, a few extra guards and scouts but not outside our abilities.
To the right of the massive central salt chamber is a barred wood and iron door leading down. Here is where I think they dug, for the ceilings are lower and the passages twist and turn to confuse. And, as we found out, to create bottlenecks for two-sided attacks and pincer movements. Our group moved forward with typical adventuring bravo, and found enemies surrounding us rather than the sparse clumps that usually hang out there. And to our surprise and dismay, spider-riders. Oh, yes! Goblins don't always ride wolves or worgs, they also tame - don't ask me how - spiders. If you have never been standing before a hard-eyed, armored, sword-wielding goblin charging down on you from the back of a bloated spider, all eight legs scuttling across the stone at breakneck speed - well, you just haven't lived."
Red Coat's face lights up in a sparkling smile, a fleeting hint of wild joy in his eyes before he continues.
"We were surrounded, fighting with every spell, every hand and fist and sword and rapier *he taps the sheath on his left hip* at our disposal. And the goblins were not running at us all willy-nilly, but taking their time to position, assessing the situation and making adjustments. Using strategy, in other words. These were not the standard Red Light specials, but battle-trained veterans. And, most intimidating, is that they were as cocky as we were! Some merely sauntered over, whipping their weapons across our flanks as they did with a confidence I never like to see in an enemy.
Still we pressed on, as no one had fallen and we'd become used to the smell. Now I'll tell you something that I did not see for myself but several of the party did - there were giant footprints in the red dust of those halls. How in the Muse they got anything that big through those narrow, winding spaces I may never know, but the others said they saw the prints. But if they did, well...goblins with cavalry and giant...somethings? You begin to see cause for concern.
After moving down a long L-shaped hallway we came to a larger chamber, and approaching that doorway was the farthest we got. Waves of goblin spider-riders mixed with ground troops assaulted us and several fell to poison and bleeding out. I saw two men I hadn't even gotten the names of face-down in the red sand, and also a lady I am acquainted with and whom I call a friend. We pulled back and were able to cure the poison of the two men but Fea was only taking short and shallow breaths and was as still as death. I in fact missed her breathing and prayed to my Muse to return her, thinking her gone.
Here I will tell you a little something about bravery. It's all well and good. It's a fine thing to press on against odds, especially when there is a hero's motive. But for me? It's about love. It's about friendship. And with my friend in dire circumstances, and her lover in tears by her prone body, pressing on would have been callous. I am many things...*eyes the barkeep* was many things...but callous has never been one of them.
So we retreated and snuck by cover of spells back to the land under the sky, and carried Fea to Hlint where the wonderful and most amazingly beautiful women of the Ilsare shrine returned her from her twilight brink.
From there I retired, and I do not know what my companions of that evening went forth to do. I do know this - those Red Light caverns are becoming less the playground of the adventurer and more a place where something is brewing, and it may bode ill in the future."
He takes a long swig of the grape juice to clear his throat and takes the violin out as the bar is filling. A few strides to the stage area, some time spent adjusting the oak violin's finicky strings, and he begins to play and sing, his story told...for now.
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Bella's sound was beautiful in the strong morning sun, carrying over Hlint's bucholic green spaces in a soft wind of notes. A few folks strolled past to listen; a farmer stopped walking his ox long enough for one song. Red Coat kept playing after they moved on. Waiting.
They came, right after morning chores as he'd anticipated. First a blonde girl of perhaps nine or ten, carrying a favored doll with her although a dawning shame in the way she held it hinted she'd be putting it on a shelf soon enough. She sat in the still damp grass near him and listened quietly; another girl joined, this one darker and younger, maybe seven. Then two boys nearing their first change of life, impatiently leading a girl who could not be more than five and had to shuffle fast to keep up with them. The girls all sat together and listened while the boys listened in between punches and jokes. Red Coat opened himself to the Heartsong and felt their simple joy, so precious to him; his music lightened and the children's smiles were all the reward he could ask.
The small group didn't grow after three songs' time so he laid his violin carefully in her case and looked at them, wrapping his arms around his knees and smiling.
"Mister, you play pretty." Plainly put from the girl with the doll. Red Coat's smile warmed and he gave her a courtly nod.
"Thank you, Milady. Her name is Bella." He stroked the violin. "I know you all have midday chores soon enough. Perhaps you'd like a story before?"
The children nodded; the little one clapped, her enthusiasm spilling into a "Yay! Yay!" He kept listening to the Heartsong, filling a reservoir in his heart with that sound for some future dark time.
"Then I'll tell you a cautionary tale of the hills that hold the goblins." The children immediately scrunched up their faces, the two older boys rolling their eyes and letting out explosive sighs. Red Coat held out his hands in mock surrender. "I know, I know - you've heard it all from your parents. But hear one more, if it keeps you out of that place. Because I KNOW" -- He raised his voice and eyed the boys, especially the shorter but more muscular of the two, who was clearly the leader - "That you dare each other to go there. I know that on long summer days, when your parents are busy and you're bored of hide and seek, bored of watching the girls play when you think they're not looking" - The muscular boy blushed fiercely, and Red Coat grinned at his score - "I know that you creep out of the gates, beyond the fields, through the tall grass, over the hills, past the campfire in the woods where all the armored people drink and talk, and across the road to the little hill, and then you see who can get closest. And I'd be willing to bet you run away with goblin arrows chasing your backsides."
Again he eyed the leader but it was the taller, thinner boy who flushed. "Then let me warn you. Yes, you've watched adventurers march over the ridge to challenge the Red Light goblins. And yes, you've seen them come out again, whole. But you will not come out whole, my young friends, and neither did we - nearly - the other day."
He settled back, their attention on him now. One deep breath to set the modulation of his voice, and he continued. "This was only a week ago, so I'm not dredging up ancient history to scare you with. I was riding down the road on Sonata" - He pointed to his white mare, grazing by the bank - "And found a group of adventurers telling stories by the fire. Perhaps someday you'll tell stories there too." He grinned at them and the children smiled back. "We sat for some time trading news and tales; I'm sure you've hidden in the woods and listened." It was the ten year old girl that blushed this time, hiding it by fussing with her dress.
"We sat for some time, enjoying the fire. I was talking to Valanca, a red-headed elf maid, when suddenly the grasses grew three times normal height and grabbed at our ankles!" He pranced in the grass as he did when the spell had tried to wrap him in place, while the children laughed. "Well - this could not stand. Valanca, who is an archer and painter of Ilsare, myself, Sehky, another elf archer, Feawen - she's an elf and fights with her fists and feet - and Shadowleaf, an elven ranger -- we all went to see who disturbed our genial and pacifistic relaxation."
He remained standing, leaning forward and talking them into his memory. As he spoke his voice rose and fell with the actions, his body tilted and turned in concert and his hands sketched the story. "We walked to the little hill and saw four goblin scouts on the ridge. Four! There are not usually that many - but usual doesn't apply to the Red Lights, not anymore. We charged the hill to take them out before they could sound the alarm, and they put up a messy fight. But we stopped their hue and cry and crept foward again, our eyes and ears open.
We moved down into the valley - and by the way, they've built it that way for a reason. It's a funnel; whoever holds the high ridges can fire down with little risk. Like shooting fish in a barrel. Remember that the next time you feel daring." The faces of the two boys fell thoughtful and they looked at each other.
"Then up over the second ridge that overhangs their cave, silent as we could manage. In the distance where the hills rise again was their scout camp, and we barely had time to notice it before two more goblins charged! They had armor, bows, and swords of quality much better than you expect. The fighting was fierce but brief, and we slid forward to see the scout camp packed with little green figures. Some were milling about, some were listening in our direction, and some were already turning to fight us. Valanca bellowed loud enough to stun them and we rushed in to take advantage of their disorientation. Their shaman was casting, and there were two of their elite guards that you normally see down with their Chieftain as well. Leaf, Sehky and Valanca plugged them with arrows from behind, Feawen ran forward to engage and I used my Muse's Sting to knock them back." He patted the red metal rapier on his left hip, a fiery glow seeping from the slender scabbard.
"After that we knew we had to look in the cave. So down again, sliding, sliding over the grassy knolls until we reached the bottom where that wide cave mouth yawns. The tattered flag marking it as a dangerous spot waved gaily as if to say 'Welcome to the Red Lights; A Nice Place to Die!' And we slipped inside the first chamber to see what might be brewing." All five of the children had fallen silent, listening.
"Inside there were two goblin guards. The guards threw that same grass-spell that brought us investigating, for it's a well-known goblin trick, but we danced out of it" -- Again, he pranced -- "and dispatched them as swiftly and silently as we could. Some of us rushed forward and some stopped to listen; we could hear a lot of guttural voices in the larger chamber beyond." He stretched a hand to his ear, exaggerating to demonstrate.
"Many, many voices. In a flash they were upon us, ten or more although I was whirling with my blade and didn't stop to count. Most dropped to arrows and Feawen, but one..." He lowered his voice, making it deeper. "One did not."
"This goblin charged me, only me, and seemed intent on making bard-ka-bobs out of my tender flesh. I struck, sure my fire and metal would hold it back at least, but no. No, not this one. Whatever magic it had protected it completely and it did not fall, did not bleed, did not even scratch. It chased me all around the room and as funny as that may sound it gets frightening quickly when you realize you can't hurt the thing. No arrow would penetrate, no blade, and Feawen's punches had no effect." His tone became serious and he looked at each child's face one after the other.
"That invincible goblin ran to a thick wooden door to the lower passages. After discussion Feawen hugged the walls, keeping to the shadows and moving as silently as only a trained and experienced elven monk can, and she went to see what might await us while the rest of us held the upper room. And sure enough, they had an ambush waiting had we snuck farther down. We decided to return here and warn the town, rather than charge forward in a show of mighty bravery." He paused and again looked at each child, a touch of ruefulness to his smile the only indication of what he'd left out of the story -- his own desire to rush forward and see the lower levels for himself.
"Bravery isn't only standing and fighting. It's knowing when to fight another day, and when not to fight at all. Or when to stay away entirely." He made the last statement pointedly to the boys. "Keep that in mind, and know that they have more than just swords and stinky breath to assault you with."
As he sat again, the children jumped in with questions and he answered as honestly as he could. They begged for another song; well, the girls did. The boys played cool but he knew they wanted to hear. He tucked Bella under his chin, playing for them a song about a trip to Bear Island on Alindor that he hadn't sung in years. It wasn't until hours after that occurred to him singing of high adventure might not have made the point he intended, especially after his story.
One by one the children were called away to chores as the noon sun burned overhead. Red Coat stood, packing Bella away. He was thirsty and the Wild Surge was open...he had gold in his pockets. An ale would wash the dust from his throat. He had taken two steps toward the old wooden inn when Sonata started whinnying and snorting. He turned to see a black kitten playing keep-away around her large hooves. He diverted to them before the kitten got hurt or his horse got more upset, luring the cat away with some meat from his pack and soothing the ruffled mare's temper with stroking and quiet song. A glance at the sky and he took his silver heart and clef necklace in his right hand, singing a prayer. "Alright, my Muse. Point taken. Grape juice." After a few swigs he secured his packs and swung up onto Sonata's muscular back, turning her toward Fort Llast and singing loudly a made-up a song as they left.
On the road to Fort Llast to see my baby
On the road to Fort Llast today...
When I see my girl all's right with the world
When I see my baby it's okay
On the road to Fort Llast and I'm singing in the rain
On the road to Fort Llast today...
The weather's washing over and my heart is full of clover
When I see my baby it's okay
On the road to Fort Llast riding my White Lady
On the road to Fort Llast today...