Chapter 1: the Road to Holgrim - part 1

[TigerStripedDog]

Draining the last of the stew from his bowl, Bill glances around at the rest of the camp. Travelers it seems, and other lost ones like himself. Several attractive women, that is a nice change. Don't often see that many in a group like this. Odd that no tribes have tried to take them in a raid.

One of the women catches his eye. Well, to say it was only the woman would be a lie. Her axe was also rather fetching. And she sits in a posture indicating that she is open to advancement. These stupid little men are probably to afraid that she will take their hands with her axe. Likely they aren't man enough for her.

"Hehh," laughs Bill "Womayn with axe is too strong for your puny weak mayns in camp. Is funny!" His laugh carries, and he cares little if his words carry or not.

[Talyn]

The man in the red robes look at the large man with his.... named club. "Needless to say, my magic will prove useful." he says with a dismissive swipe of his hand. "I will prove my worth on the trip, have no doubts of that."

He glances over at Kara, who is getting comfortable on the ground with Lucky tucked up near her. "If it is not enough for myself and her, I will leave. I just ask you take my young charge with you. I can not be sure to protect her on my own." he admits unhappily. He glances back at Carson. "Do we have a deal?" he offers his hand to the caravan leader.

[Ismaels-Legacy]

Carson looks at the extended hand and replies levely, "We are not in the business of turning away foundlings, though you will have to earn your keep since we haven't the provisions for additional people. To provide for you we must take a little from everyone else. As for your services, you must speak to Dorir, the head of camp security. He should be returning from his perimeter check soon. He will speak with you then and make his final assessment." Even though he delivers this speech levelly without pause, it seems like it's one he's delivered before. Without shaking your hand, he turns and walks away.

[Jenara]

Carith turns and looks at the big man 'Bill', her mouth wide, she recognized his words, the language was similar to the Merc tongue spoken in bars.

"I scare them." She states simply, using the Merc tongue, "They are scared of the truth, of a strong woman."

She looks him up and down, not bad, she'd been with worse. "Think you be man enough?"

[TigerStripedDog]

"HAHAAH!" Bill laughs, rather amazed to find someone here who would recognize the words 'breasts' and 'failure' (moskas and westenlau) spoken in his native tongue. More amazing that she managed to speak a version of the language, even if the dialect was strange.

"Is funny what womayn speaks!" he declares loudly to those around him, pointing over to Carith. Turning towards her he states in the broken common tongue: "Ask if Bill is mayn enough. I speak truth now womayn..." and then he turns to his native tongue, which while unrecognizable to most still flows easily from Bill's mouth, "SUPLEX is not the only over sized club I wield. No woman has found my bed lacking."

[Ismaels-Legacy]

A gruff voice whispers in Bill's ear from behind; "Ye had best keep yer voice down, lummox. No need to draw undue attention to ourselves." Turning, Bill sees the oldest, burliest, and frankly the ugliest dwarf he's even laid eyes upon. Naturally, Hedra finds him quite stunning. A true specimen of dwarven masculine beauty!

[Jenara]

"Sit down, actions mean more than words." Carith tuts quietly, pulling the big man to the ground.

"Sit, eat, be quiet." She smiles, he wasn't stupid, the language barrier was an issue, but not impossible. Sitting beside him she graps the axe.

[Breila]

After returning from her round among the guards mentioned earlier, Hedra returns by the fire. Seeing Bill and Carith together, she smiles to herself, an old dwarven saying coming to her mind: "Sells tappfle hotsin dekkele funde" = this potty has found its liddy, referring to a match being made between two difficult people. Her smile broadens as she realises that the diminutives in the saying absolutely don't fit here...

She goes to her resting place, takes surcot, boots and chain mail off and snuggles between her blankets. Her warhammer stays ready to be grasped if needed, however.

Her personal prayers can be said in any position, and she reviews the day in her mind. She's feeling much better now than in Grim's Heath. She has a job to do and doesn't feel out of place anymore. Having another dwarf in a responsible position in the caravan also helps her to feel comfortable. Little by little, her prayers fade into dreams and she dozes off.

[Talyn]

The man in the red robes looks at the dwarf and seems to relax slightly at his no nonsense attitude. "You are Dorir then?" He asks the new dwarf. "I am told I will be under your command for the duration of the trip."

[TigerStripedDog]

"Is deewarff mayn friend of yous?" Bill asks gruffly of Carith, trying in vain to find a comfortable position. Not waiting for an answer, he greets the Dwarf with a traditional greeting of his people, a fist placed to the forehead.

"Hallo vurrick smain, Is good for meet you. I Bill. Am always draw 'tension to self. Is what Bill do. Is good. Everyone know of great strength, know to turn for Bill when walkers come in night. Bill sleeps deep, yes? Needs someone to shout for him before the teeth wake him up."

Bill turns again to Carith, "How you come by axe so big? Tell me, you take it from man in battle of blood, or battle of bed. Both show strength, but Bill needs to know."

**Note for Carith, "vurrick smain" roughly translates as "Brick Built", a label given to dwarves in his native tongue.

[Jenara]

Carith looks at Bill, a darkness in her eyes, "The Axe is mine, I took it from no-one." She laughs quietly at his greeting.

"It was forged in the Mountains of the Dwarves, that is all I know, it was given to me."

Seeing his look of confusion she says: "Axe from Dwarves, kill anyone if they take it."

"The dwarf is in charge, what he says goes." She settles down, the light from the campfire reflecting on the blade. "I will wake you if the need arises." She says softly.

[Ismaels-Legacy]

Dorir glares at Bill and says "We don't tolerate deep sleepers here. They endanger the rest of the camp. The penalty for sleeping on guard duty is death."

He turns to the mage and says "Aye, you'll be working with me." turning to Bill he follows up with "As will you, though considering the language barrier, I'm putting you in Carith's care." He looks at Carith but continues speaking to Bill, "She's a tough one, there. Be careful around her, she doesn't always look where she's swinging her axe when the time comes." Apparently these two have worked together in the past.

"Now, mage, I need to see what you can do. Let's step outside of camp for a moment and you can give me a demonstration of your capabilities."

[Talyn]

The robed mage nods to the dwarf. "Yes, it will be better to go somewhere away from the others..." the man says easily to the dwarf. Though he shoots a glance towards the young girl he came in with. "Lead on then, I will give you a taste of my powers."

He looks at the large man and the woman, slightly confused by their talk. He waits for the dwarf to lead him away.

[Jenara]

Seeing the red Robe glance over, at her and at the child Cariths face softens, "I shall watch her, no harm will befall her while I am here." She tells him plainly, placing the axe in the ground.

[TigerStripedDog]

"Deewarf mayn make misunderstand at Bill. Bill never sleep on duty. But no can be on duty all the time. Everymayn must sleep, even Bill. And when sleep, I make most of it."

Bill watches the Mage walk away with the Dwarf, wondering. Magic users often meant trouble. The godspeakers were one thing, their magic repelled the dead. But mages were something else all together. Some of the tribal elders claimed all mages use black magic. Some said the mages were responsible for the walking dead. Probably true. Everyone knows red is a demon's color, the color of blood.

Turning back to Carith, Bill asks "Where be from Axe Womayn? And what call you? Carith is title, or name?"