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Hmm, giant worms, like the one the guthries were calling? Those seemed to be fairly hard to kill. When do we leave?

Ordrak notices the white witch spot him and heaves a heavy sigh as though moving so far with his food were a hindrance, but he quickly shakes his head and rises to weary feet. "Bagh!" He'd grimace as he took his plate in one hand, his staff in another, the bones dangling from it clacking angrily as he moved. "You speak loud and call those to join you. Well, it seems that I have been spotted and beckoned, so how dare I refuse a call to adventure when Doom Worms are mentioned."
The old orc would grin widely, his yellowed teeth discolored and one tusk cracked and bound together with a silvery metal, he would stomp over and plop himself down at the table. His plate laden with several different kinds of cheeses and meats. "Tuck in if ye'd like." He'd offer gruffly as he himself did, then he would speak again around a mouthful of food. "Sho, yer to go hunting anceshtral belongingsh. Fight Doom Wormsh, and Banditsh of Godsh know what kind, and any other number of Dangersh!" He'd chew and swallow his mouthful before tilting his head, his eyes gleaming with a sickly yellow light that would quickly shift and swirl like flame. "Do I have that correct so far?" The firelight in his eyes suddenly diminishing to revert to his typical muddy brown.

"I... Yes, that's succinct enough, I guess." She replies to the Orc and those around her. "I've got a couple scroll spells written by a trusted Scribner that can get us there and back. The Hall is near the city of Gateway. Though the information I've managed to procure from the Ironfathers is that the bandits controlling the worm or worms are descendants of a clan of dwarves who's name and story have been stricken from the records." She hesitates a moment, unsure if she should say the next part. "My understanding is that they had a blood-feud with my clan, and managed to chase any survivors of my father's generation from the Hall and lands near-by. If no one wishes to get involved, that's fine."

She pauses, again hesitant with her words. "Some of you may advise to just abandon the past and move forward. My father certainly has. But I feel I owe it to my ancestors to at least restore the protections of that place, as they created something there that has recorded the history of my clan, and possibly others in a way unlike anything I've seen before. I don't understand how it was built, so I'm hesitant to try removing it. I do know that these spheres are required for the device and protections of the Hall to function."

"Any that wish to come, you've got ten minutes to prepare - I'll be outside waiting to open the way," she says, rising from her seat and heading out front of the tavern.

While out there, she takes out a scroll, consults it, smooths out a large area of trampled dirt to the side of the main thoroughfare, and picks up a stick. She begins to start inscribing figures in the dirt.

"You heard the dwarf maiden..." Morgause looks to Odrak as Nellie leaves the tavern. "You've got only a few minutes to devour your meal and then we must be on our way."

She winks playfully at Odrak before scouring the tavern. With squinted eyes, the Winter Witch sizes up the crowd. She sees Eli and gently bows to the elf warrior as if saying "thanks" for agreeing to help in the mission. She then glances over the other elf, Kolvar... she notices the minute blood stain on the Sage's longer blade and then walks toward him.

"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" Morgause points her finger at Kolvar's bloodied sword. Her fingertip glows with magical energy so as to illuminate the crusted drops of blood. "You say that your sword has not drawn blood for quite some time, but these droplets belie your claims. There is no need to be facetious here, Kolvar... but I appreciate your humility, however dissembled it might be."

She finishes scanning the room. The Seer's eyes seem unsatisfied from behind her Valkyn'vi mask.

"If we are to be victorious in the task at hand and make it out of the Stormhammer Halls alive, we will need the aid of a few more able bodied men. There are two dwarves I have in mind who I think will be willing to aid in this endeavor. I will send word to them and return shortly."

Morgause addresses Khorvalis with gentle eyes: "Old friend, perhaps your crewmates from the Redwind would be willing to help? Please do what you can."

And with those words, the Winter Witch's bejeweled forehead glows with a dazzling aura causing motes of light to swirl around Morgause like scintillating snowflakes in a mighty blizzard. Then with a sound of soft thunder, the Seer vanishes as her spell is completed. [Translocation]

Rusty's legs hurt.

Something about Morgause barging in on the dwarf left him feeling hurried, and when Rusty hurries, he forgets to stretch.

Stretching is important for dwarves, their stout forms not used to long (for a dwarf) strides, even if over short distances. Though legend tells of their natural sprinting abilities, there was always stretching behind that hidden racial talent. Rusty didn't stretch, and as his trek to the inn ended, so did his patience for the witch.

Without a look, Rusty pushes himself through the wooden inn door and lets out a sigh. 'It's witches like you that give dwarves like me night terrors! I'm lucky I've brought anything to help with.' Rusty's voice sounds distressed and gruff, though his features begin to visibly settle as he catches his breath. Hurried pants follow his outburst as the dwarf shambles to a table and finds himself a seat.

He lets out an exaggerated sigh.

'Well then! Who else are we waiting on?'

Khorvalis pulls out a small piece of parchment from his leather satchel and then a quill with some ink. The Ga'vin Hierophant begins to scribe some words onto the small parchment and then rolls it up and holds it fast with a thin length of twine. Just as he finishes doing so, Khorvalis is surprised at the commotion as someone bursts through the tavern door. Khorvalis swings his wrinkled neck to see who is the source of the commotion.

Khorvalis' face is filled with relief as he says: "I knew you would arrive."

He then hobbles toward the tavern entrance.

"Thank you Ruscion," he grimaces at Rusty then embraces him.

After exchanging pleasantries, Khorvalis reaches for the sun-faced pendant which hangs about his neck and nods to Rusty as if to tell him to pay attention. After saying a few words in an long-forgotten tongue, the pendant pulsates with a radiant energy. The light draws attention to the many burns and scars that cover the old druid's face.

Then, the venerable Ga'vin reaches into his leather satchel once more. His gnarled, scarred hand pull out a tiny morsel of cheese which he places on the ground before him. Khorvalis makes high-pitched squeaking sounds as he does so...

The mottled orc would groan as he resumed stuffing his face, the words of both Nellie and Morgause ringing and chiding to his ears. "Aye white one. My ears still function perfectly well thank ye. I'll have this finished momentarily and be out in time." He'd watch with rapt attention as the white witch cast her magic and disappeared with her show of sparkles and nature sounds, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Heheh, That one sure does enjoy a show."

He'd grin and scarf down some bread and cheese before chasing it down with some ale. When the dwarf hurried in he'd grin widely, he'd met him a few times now and was happy to have him around when things were to happen. "Ah! The rusty one shall be joining our endeavor? I feel safer already."

Odrak would rise to his feet and hand Rusty the remainder of his ale. "Ta help catch yer breath." He'd explain before moving around the table to stand near to Khorvalis, keeping an eye on him as he seemed to be doing some form of casting.

*Dull repetitive thuds of boots slamming into dirt, one after another slowly, grow louder as they seem to grow closer from behind the tree line close to the tavern. The growing proximity blends in sounds reminiscent of
weighty object or objects being dragged for short periods of time that seem to sync with the slow effort heavy trudge of the footfalls; these are oddly laced with the fluctuating pitch of irate mumbled, grumbled, and snarled conversation that seems to involve one being talking to themselves, and answering for the other conversation parties who are silent by choice or circumstance, or simply just madly talking to no one.

In tandem of one such rush of odd sounds, the branches and brush part forcefully as an old armored, burly dwarf; clad in a red Surcoat with angled black mantle with an obvious knights coat of arms sewn into the chest; exits the trees dragging behind him, by the handle of the warhammer currently lodged into its skull, a very dead orc warrior.

In the brief pause between each effort groaned, corpse dragging stride, the sweat drenched knights solo conversation marches on one rant at a time*

"…bad enough that you can’t just….!"

*In the brief pause between each effort groaned, corpse dragging stride, the sweat drenched knights solo conversation marches on one rant at a time*

"…accept that you dredges haven’t …….!"

*the dwarf kicks the dead orc in the face before swinging his foot forward to brace for another strained pull at his stuck hammer, a fleshy smack is the carcasses only reply*

"…the capacity to gather the muscle….!"

*switching to his other hand and allowing the one that had been gripping the weapon turned dead orc leash, Kaylan grunts as he chips away at the distance to his destination*

"…or cunning to take from me…ME…!"

*The weary and seething dwarf pauses and huffs harshly a few times before in haling and bellowing a roar at his unwilling and uncaring passenger*

"…I AM THE FIRST LORDS PERSONAL BODYGUARD YOU NIT WIT….HOW ELSE DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING TO GET …MY…HAMMER WHEN YOU DEMAND IT?!?!?……..and I’ll tell you…!"

*Kaylan takes a pair of deep breaths before groaning out another step in the direction of the tavern and resuming his self-convulsive meditation*

"…you are NOT keeping it…I’ll get a…!"

*Dirt wells and parts, as another huff and growl trail behind the dwarf dragged orc*

"…sharp stick or brick and I’m getting …!"

*The hiss of the ire brewing in Kaylan races through his clenched teeth as his boots dig in for one further stride to the tavern*

"…my damnable hammer back you ignorant, rancid orc troll fu …!"

* mouth slightly agape, when the focused knights down cast eyes catch a glimpse of the booted feet of those gathered inside of the tavern, Kaylan pauses and look up with a start. His eyes sweep the gathered adventurers a moment before he speaks in a more civil tone as the door swing shut until it thumps against the orcs head. *

"…uhm…hey there…..greetings…does uh…anyone have a dagger…or chisel or saw? …!"

Rusty nods, accepting Ordrak's mug. With a heavy pat of his hand, he drums on it absent-mindedly as his attention turns to the door. The light arch of his dwarven brow arches as he focuses on the exterior rabble.

As Kaylan arrives, he remains silent, simply offering a dagger at the fellow dwarf's request.

The old druid finishes his incantation and his pendant's fiery glow suddenly fades. Khorvalis continues his squeaking sounds as Odrak draws closer. The druid smiles at the Orc mage and then points his finger to a hole in the ground, right beneath the tavern's steps.

"Come now, my friend. You are needed." Khorvalis' warm words are punctuated with more squeaks and chatter [Speak With Animals]

Emerging from the hole to answer the old druid's call is a large brown mouse. It's long whiskers twitch with noticeable excitement as it sees Khorvalis. The Hierophant pets the rodent and offers it more bits of cheese. Once the rat has had its fill, Khorvalis carefully ties the rolled up parchment to one of the mouse's hind feet before chattering at it once again.

The large mouse listens intently to the druid's directions before scurrying off.

"Make haste, Mortimer! Time is of the essence..." Khorvalis calls out to his furry friend but stops mid-sentence as he notices Kaylan in the distance with his bloody cargo. "Oh no.... oh my!"

Khorvalis rushes in the direction of the dwarf, as fast as his bowed legs can take him.

***OOG***

are we IN the tavern or outside?!?!?!?

***OOG***

Some of us are inside and some are outside the tavern.

Nell is outside, Rusty came from outside and was at the door of the tavern but then turned around to give Kaylan a dagger, Eli is inside at a table and so is Kolvar, Khorvalis is at the open door of the tavern, Odrak went from the table to the door near Khorvalis, Morgause is somewhere but will be back soon, and Kaylan is outside... heading to the tavern

<whew!>

The sounds of whirring gears and the rapid percussion of metal against gravel can be heard just a little ways down the road as Gondowon, the craftsman sage of the Redwind, comes jogging up the road toward the inn. His breathing is heavy and ragged, as if he has been running for longer than his body would normally allow, and sweat pours from his brow down his face and neck to land on his shining golem armor.

He slows to a rapid walk as he approaches Khorvalis and those with him that stand outside the inn, coming to a halt and resting his hands upon his knees as he desperately sucks in air.

"I... got... your... message... Khorvalis..." he says to the old Ga'Vin that stands in the doorway, speaking between heavy breaths. Gondowon turns to Nellie, then Kaylan, and gives them each a quick salute. "I got here... as soon as I could. What is going on... with doom worms again?"

"Well it seems I am involved with this. When do we depart..."

Kolvar's demeanor goes from cheerful to stern at this point.

Eli follows along checking the fine edge of his blade and drawing energy to cast his magics...