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Post by Rumbleskin Ironeater on Aug 26, 2008 15:56:26 GMT
<Rumbleskin Ironeater>
Rumbmleskin looked 'through his handful of coins and stomped up to the bar...
"How much be a mug o' mead goodman?" asked Rumbleskin of the bar tender...
OOC: Rumbleskin will hand the equivalent 'old style' coinage over, to all outward appearances simply assuming that he is handing over valid currency
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Post by Dungeon Master on Aug 26, 2008 17:28:22 GMT
The barman took, the coinage looked at it. Bit it to make sure, smiled at the dwarf and handed over the Mead.
"You got those from some old dungeon, dwarf?" He smiled a toothless grin. Before passing a glass of water to the covered woman, her tatooed hand grasping it gently on the other side of the bar.
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Post by Rumbleskin Ironeater on Aug 27, 2008 11:22:48 GMT
<Rumbleskin Ironeater>
"Iff'n th' ancestral halls o' me clan count as such, then aye" said Rumbleskin "Why, be they so verry diffr'n fro' what ye use now?" shot back the dwarf with a sly grin on his face.
As the bartender passed the water to the black-clad female, Rumbleskin found himself fascinated by the tattoos on her hand. Surprised that he would be so uncharacteristically staring at someone else, The dwarf then tries to hide his lapse by concentrating on his tankard of mead.
In the space of a heartbeat, 'Old Rumblie' finds himself feeling once more out of time and out of place, longing for the simplicity of clan life under the mountains...
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Post by Dungeon Master on Aug 27, 2008 12:43:11 GMT
<Rumbleskin Ironeater> "Iff'n th' ancestral halls o' me clan count as such, then aye" said Rumbleskin "Why, be they so verry diffr'n fro' what ye use now?" shot back the dwarf with a sly grin on his face. As the bartender passed the water to the black-clad female, Rumbleskin found himself fascinated by the tattoos on her hand. Surprised that he would be so uncharacteristically staring at someone else, The dwarf then tries to hide his lapse by concentrating on his tankard of mead. In the space of a heartbeat, 'Old Rumblie' finds himself feeling once more out of time and out of place, longing for the simplicity of clan life under the mountains... " asked the barman smiling through his bushy beard. |
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Post by Rumbleskin Ironeater on Aug 27, 2008 13:46:58 GMT
<Rumbleskin>
"There were a time when Clan Ironeater were a name recognised fro' th' Spine o' th' World to th' Fishing port o' Waterdeep. Our smiths were second tae none too, I kin tell ya. But now? well, th' halls be infested wi' flotsam ridin on th' back o' darkness an' me clan be nowhere in sight..." commented the dwarf, a whistful tone in his voice...
"Now, lad, iff'n ye kin stand me another mug o' mead, I kin be tellin' ye o' the time me clan went to do battle wi' his scalyness Sssakathka an' his demon horde..." said Rumbleskin, a flare of pride clearly visible in his eyes...
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Post by Dungeon Master on Aug 28, 2008 11:54:58 GMT
The barman smiled at the cloaked lady,
"Looks like we are in for a tell, why dont we listen" he said with a smile sliding the dwarf a large tankard of mead.
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Post by Cathmhaol on Aug 28, 2008 21:20:17 GMT
"Better make it two," said Cathmhaol to the barman drily, "This could be a long one!"OOC: Hi Chaps, I'm back! 
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Post by Cathmhaol on Aug 29, 2008 6:37:02 GMT
OOC: Oh go on then! It's not like there's anything better to do... What?! A whorehouse? Where?! Why didn't you say so sooner?! 
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Post by Dungeon Master on Aug 29, 2008 7:07:36 GMT
OOC_ a number of the part know that the Moonstone Mask is nothing better than a upmarket whorehouse..... |
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Post by Zeric on Aug 29, 2008 17:01:17 GMT
Zeric settled in at the fireside, waiting for the mulled wine Cathmhaol had yet to bring him. The opportunity to hear one of what would no-doubt be a typical tale of dwarven exaggeration and gold, as well as being an important historical perspective on Ssakatthka, would be welcome, if for no other reason than allowing the chill to seep from his bones.
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Post by Cathmhaol on Aug 31, 2008 21:02:31 GMT
Cathmhaol sauntered across to the table, glass in hand. He looked up and saw Zeric as he approached the table. "Oh bugger," he muttered, and spun on his heal to fetch the sour-faced wizard a drink from the bar.
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Post by Zeric on Aug 31, 2008 23:50:23 GMT
Cathmhaol sauntered across to the table, glass in hand. He looked up and saw Zeric as he approached the table. "Oh bugger," he muttered, and spun on his heal to fetch the sour-faced wizard a drink from the bar. OOC: Fuck me!! One of Phil's characters buys a drink!  Cheers! |
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Post by Rumbleskin Ironeater on Sept 1, 2008 13:29:41 GMT
Rumbleskin took a steady quaff at his mead, nodded in appreciation to the barkeep and began his tale:
"Noo, this yarn be some three hunner'd year old by yon reckoning, mind. Back then Waterdeep were nowt more 'n a fishing port on th' Sword Coast, th' Spine o' th' World were younger an' Illefarn were more active - leastways UNDER Illefarn were more active... Wi' Dwarves ye see?
"Anyhoo, me story begin in th' year 1073, Realms Reckonin' when Clan Ironeater were famous wi' th' Human menfolk fer th' armour that came out o' our forges an' wi' th' womenfolk fer th' jewelery an' such - mind you we did have a good workin' relationsip wi' som o' th' more adventurous elfin folk then too. So, old Stonebeard Ironeater - Clan thane o' the time - he be tellin' us tae mine deeper an' get th' better riches an' stuff when we hears o' this scaly upstart who wants tae cause some trouble - you know the sort, North o' th' wall th' cold gets intae their heads an' all an they thinks they kin grab some lads an go conquor th' world an' such...
“Well, we was none too chuffed t’say th’ least. Stonebeard ‘The Hammer’ Ironeater, he commissions all sorts o’ stuff to be used in yon scrap – most famous o’ which are yon Thanesblood armour – Used by th’ Ironeater Clan Scrapstarter, and a more craftsfull piece o’ Dwarven banded mail has ne’er been made, said to speak to yon wearer makin’ them that bit quicker and nastier in a scrap an’ no speck o’ blood finds purchase on it’s surface – and ‘The Hammer O’ the Thanes – a piece for Ol’ Stonebeard hissel’. A warhammer wi’ a great counterweight an’ spike o’ th’ pommel, said tae carry his commands all across yon battlefield and tae instil fear an’ such in the foes!
“So, there we was, all gearin’ up fer a good scrap wi’ his royal hissyness, we’d joined up wi’ some Elves and some Humans by this point too, ‘cos they’d feel left out if we Dwarves had all th’ fun after all. Well, there were some five tousan’ of us an’ we was in a stompin’ mood too. Well, we sees King Slithery an’ his brood – some fifteen thousan’ Lizard scum he was hopin’ would o’er run us – an th’ battle lines faltered some. Turns out that HissHissKathKan" hic, bleerrrgg" ‘scuse me, Sssakathka, could afear yon tall folk jus’ by prancin’ aboot on top o’ a hill and such. Well, I s’pose he were sportin’ a fancy Jessie ring, and those not born to Dwarven stoutness can be swayed by such as those, well he held up his bejewelled han’ an all could hear him scream – now pardon th’ accent, but ‘tis difficult without a forked tongue – “Defilerssss, be sssmasshhhssed by mine army. Begone fro’ thisss land and be damned by your actionsss”.
“Surprisingly, some in our ranks, an ‘tis an embarrassing thing to be sure to have to admit, even some o’ me Dwarven kin were shaken by this an were thinkin’ on mayhap they could be better off at home an’ such.
“Well, Good Ol’ Stonebeard, he gets up an’ rattles th’ Hammer o’ th’ Thanes again’ his shield and stone me if th’ hilltop didn’t shake some and cause ol’ SlitherySods followers to fall tae their knees! It were a riproarin’ piece wot me Thane said tae us all. Not a one of us turned and went – even from the taller folk too! And so, this went as these things are wont tae do:
“There were a crash as o’ thunder as our two lines met. The very sky shook in that first encounter, an’ rain an’ lightnin’ accompanied th’ thwacks an’ groans o’ the titanic scrap.
“Well, three tae one odds is nothing when it be three lizards again’ one dwarf! We took some losses, aye, as did the humans an’ the elves but the lizard host were smashed inside a day, so we set to partyin’.
“It was that night, tho’, that Ssskathka sent his first lieutenant to us – Something that used to be human ‘till His lizardy bastardness took to subvertin’ him, now all slithery hissel, skin goin’ green an such, beady eyes an’ all. Well, this thing, he said somat tae our Thane an’ got hissel a head shorter fer his troubles. We all cheared when we saw that an’ figured that was that, but no. Thrice more that night, these creatures came to us. Their ‘honour guard’ getting ever bigger until the last came wi’ a hunnerd beasties fro’ the blackest pits o’ hell.
“I tell ye straight that that little group did more damage in that one encounter than the lizard horde had th’ day afore. Not all o’ our casualties died, tho. Some were far, far worse off an’ went o’er to the scaly one. Well, we quit the field there an’ then. Lizards be one thing, these creatures another altoether! As we left, I were put wi’ a group lead by th’ Clan Scrapstarter hissel’ an’ we was set on by our own side! Well, looked that way at first, but when you looked at th’ fallen, they was faces of friends an’ such, but twisted and wearin’ expressions o’ horror!
“We high-tailed it back to a safer point tae lick our wounds an’ see what needs be done. T’was then that we had some help in th’ most unlikely guise o’ Fleetfoot Scruggins, a halfpint brave as you like! It was him wot tol’ us o’ th’ unholy alliance that produced yon Lizard Kings. Half lizard, half demon an’ all bad news! Apparently, this Fleetfoot was wanderin’ up above th’ Wall when he seen him this Ssskathka take th’ North fer hissel’. He watched while the Unholy Lizard Bastard – no offence miss.” said Rumbleskin to the tattooed lady, blushing behind his beard ”He watched the HisHis thing as he ordered his lizards to die hurling hissel’ at his foes, then usin’ all forms o’ foulness fro’ his demon father’s side tae crush whoever was left standin’. All the while, drinkin’ his’ victim’s blood!
“O’course, none of th’ actual fightin’ was done by Ssskathka hissel’ – as all good eevil dictators should, he recruits th’ innocent an’ twists ‘em to do his bidding!
“Well, weeks came an’ went, fights goin’ both ways, ground being taken, ground being lost until one day, an’ by now we were joined by th’ Halflings an’ th’ gnomes, their cunning and artifice helping greatly, we lined up once more by Boghaven Marsh, just out o’ th’ foothills o’ the Spine.
“It were a rainy day, as is fittin’ fer these things, an’ we was feeling right sorry fer ourselves until we see it: The Sword O’ The Sun! A better symbol of unity an’ friendhip there is none! Forged by the Dwarves, enchanted by the Elves and wielded by the Humans – in this case, one Duke of Daggerford! Well, he went an talked to our Thane, who brought in th’ MootFather fro’ th’ Halflings, th’ Artificer General fro’ th’ gnomes an’ th’ Elven HighLord. It was these five, together, that stood shoulder to shoulder, th’ Sword O’ The Sun restin’ ‘gainst th’ Hammer o’ th’ Thanes, Hoopak Staff o’ Might ‘gainst th’ Longbow o’ the Storm an’ bringin’ it all together be th’ MoonGlobe o’ th’ Races, created by th’ gnomes for just this day. This were our signal: We rushed in an’ started kickin’ ten bells o’ shite outa everythin’ that wasn’t us. Forget yer romanticised stories o’ valour an’ glory on yon battlefield, this were a scrap an’ no mistake.
“Anyhew, in a lull in’ th’ stompings, some o’ th’ Ironeater clan happened to look up to see yon High Lizardyness floatin’ above th’ field, ignorin’ his own demon horde fightin’ below as he did battle wi’ th’ five leaders o’ th’ races. His ring seemed to be throwin’ out a light show that surrounded him in a shimmering bubble o’ light as another ray started fro’ our Thane an’ such and smashed again’ his shield…
“Well, the fight lasted all day an’ losses were heavy on all sides – demons bein’ notoriously hard to put down an’ all – but, at the end o’ th’ day, there were no-one else left on th’ ground to be fightin’. That’s when th’ Elven spellslingers could swap their concentration fro’ th’ battlefield an’ onto th’ fight STILL goin’ above us: Th’ MootFather had succumbed an were layed oot, Stormbeard had blood runnin’ fro’ his nose an’ ears an’ th’ others were not lookin’ too healthy like, but when th’ Elven people work together, it be a thing o’ terrible beauty! Such grace – an’ if ye be reapeatin’ that I be sayin’ that, well I’ll haveta deny it o’ course” said Rumbleskin with a sly wink ”But eventually, a black portal opened up right below High King Lizardy Muckness an’ he be dropped in it…”
Rumbleskin paused to sip at his mead, looking whistful again…
”Well, we was all happy an’ such fer a while after, but you know how these things go… All the races went their own ways once more and fractures appeared once more. Not long afterwards, the Underdark rose up and pushed Clan Ironeater out o’ Illefarn, their glory lost for generations…
“Well, that were over three hunnerd year ago now and there be speak of treasures still to be found. Besides, no-one ever found Sssakathka’s body and he alone were s’posed to have magic keepin’ him alive an’ together. No-one did know fer sure what his ring done, but it were also obvious that his armour were not some shop-bought kit smithed by kobolds over a weekend, let alone anything else he may have been carrying… “
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Post by Cathmhaol on Sept 1, 2008 19:43:47 GMT
A thoughtful looking Cathmhaol took a draft of his drink. "A mighty tale," he said, saluting Rumbleskin with his tankard, "Though it sounds like we've our work cut out t' deal wi' the scaly bastard. If'n it takes the best o' the five races t' put the bugger down, I dunno what we're goin' t' do."
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Post by Zeric on Sept 2, 2008 7:58:46 GMT
A thoughtful looking Cathmhaol took a draft of his drink. "A mighty tale," he said, saluting Rumbleskin with his tankard, "Though it sounds like we've our work cut out t' deal wi' the scaly bastard. If'n it takes the best o' the five races t' put the bugger down, I dunno what we're goin' t' do."Zeric nodded in appreciation to Rumbleskin for the tale, sketching an ovation in the air in front of him, " A tale told with the skill of our late bard companion. Gods rest him.. He listened to Cathmhaol's comment and answered, " The best we can, Cath... The best we can.... |
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Cheers!