And FINALLY, it was here that I revealed who and what Corfard was to the group. I had dropped the hint now and again through out the almost 150 posts so far, but it was here that the party learned what he was.
Follows:
ONE HUNDRED FORTY SEVEN
(OOC)
Still hiding behind Lyra, Lannis muttered, “Why does it smell like wet d-,“ before the Cleric elbowed him in the chest, choking off his comment.
“Thank you again for being so reasonable,” she said warmly, “There’s not a lot of that in this place - though... surprisingly more than I thought there would be.”
“Not a problem, Little Girl. Not everyone is a monster even if their appearance might scare others,” she pointed looked at Wyn and smiled at the elf.
“Tanks for dat,” he said, “Oh! And Tanks fer de 'arp playin’.”
Brendon stepped up, hand extended to shake, “Lass, thank you for your hospitality and kindness. You had a job to do, stuck it out even though it sucked at times. I respect that.”
“Thanks, Brendon. If it was fun to do, it wouldn’t be called a job.”
The Scout chuckled. “Say, any chance you can give up a map of the upper floor where Corfard is?”
The Butcher chuckled, the gnomes following a split second later. “Erm, no. I’ll bug out on a shitty situation and arrange payment elsewhere, but I’m not going to steal from my past employer neither am I going to actively betray him in that manner.” She sighed, “Look, you all appear to be focused and determined, but the reality of it is that Corfard has his forces and foes and fanatics at his front and back, and you have your plucky spirit and determination. Let’s say the worse thing happens and you fail? And he notices I’ve left and you have a map of his domicile?”
The two gnomes twittered in their own language and the Butcher nodded. “Exactly, he’s got a long memory and a cruel interest in revenge. I’ll tell you this much, look for the biggest room in the south end of the Ispan’s Castle, you’ll find Corfard there.”
Brendon sighed, nodding. “I get it.” He pulled a strap from around his neck, pulling out from under his armor. “I don’t have anything that can aide you on your safe journeys home, but I will give each of you this.” The strap had a dozen or so whorled blue larimar stones with intricate carvings. He unstrung 3 of them, handing them to the Butcher, Standard, and Typical. “If you are ever on the high seas and your ship is under siege from pirates, give them the stone, it shall give you safe passage.”
The three of them looked at the offering and smiled. “Thank you, Human. You honor us.”
“May Poseidon watch over”.
“Alright,” she said, hitching her back higher. “Any other questions I can answer before we go?”
Lyra raised her hand, “I just have one more question - there’s these guardian undead running about. Any tips on how to deal with that or should we just... avoid them?”
“Ah, the Guardians of Corfard,” she frowned. “Foul magics and bad rituals. Corfard isn’t anything if not interested in maximizing his followers usefulness even after death. You know some of the hobgoblins actually volunteered to be like that after death?” She shuddered. “There are 3 sets of 5, and they are pretty focused on their missions. One set is responsible for watching over an effigy of Corfard down here, one set for watching the effigy of Corfard on the 2nd floor, and the last set is in his throne room and their job is watch over Corfard directly.”
“So…Zombies?” Lyra asked.
“Not exactly, think smarter, able to talk, able to think, and they work together. Plus they are resistant to most anything that doesn’t have a magic or silver punch to it,” she reached out a talon and flicked Abraxas’ Scythe, making the blade ring. “He can sort of get impressions of where they are and if they are doing something. Can’t see or hear through them, but he can sense what they are doing and encountering.”
“So leave them be?”
“That’s up to you, Little Girl.” The two gnomes twittered at the Butcher for a short period of time, Typical slamming his fist into his palm and nodding repeatedly. “I’ll let them know. But if I were you, I’d get those effigies if you want to face off against Corfard. They have a little spark of his essence inside their silver shell, so if you are holding one, his magic will be seriously blunted or even ineffective against you.”
“Wow,” Lyra nodded. “Just whoever is holding it?”
The Butcher glanced at the gnomes who made some shoulder shrugs a few twitters as a response. “Well, maybe if you had a friend or two standing real close to you, it should help them as well.”
“Thanks,” Lyra said. “May Aine guide your way.”
“I have a question,” Lannis said.
“Go on, Merchant,” the bugbear motioned.
"Hi Lady, I’m Lannis.” He literally stopped and gritted his teeth, staying behind Lyra as he struggled to compose himself, glancing at the Butcher, his eyes fixated on her midriff before squeezing them shut and blushing. “Is the Beekeeper nice how would we get on his good side what does he like?" he asked in a rush of jumbled words.
“Well Merchant, the Beekeeper isn’t nice at all. Unless you’re a bee. As for getting on his good side, he doesn’t have one, so you have to wait till he is attending to his garden in his room. If his door is shut and he’s not in the hall, you are on his good side. And for what does he look like?” The gnomes laughed and she joined in. “Yeah…you’ll know. Think Hobgoblin, only absolutely bonkers and carrying a damned beehive.”
The group chuckled uneasily at this, Wyn clearing his throat, “Speaking of de Beekeeper... Jowass mentioned dere bein' a wolf down by 'em passed de spy's room, dat filthy putain de merde... Do ye run inta de wolf before ye get to de stairs up to de second floor? Or afta?"
“Oh, well before the steps, my good elf.” She sighed. “Alright, it’s time for us to go and we have many miles I want to put behind us before Corfard figures out we’ve left.” She glanced at the gnomes, “Packed and ready?” The twittered in response and nodded.
Abraxas reached down and grabbed one of the boxes. “I’ll help you?” he asked.
Looking down, she locked her eyes on his, “I’d like that.”
"Gracias Señorita Carcinera. May we offer you an escort out?” he looked at Kovid who nodded and grabbed another box from the gnomes to carry, “Mayhaps some of us do that, while others grab the blankets from the Barracks? I can walk you to the door at least, if everyone else is good to prep the food and this area for a rest?”
“Go Abraxas,” Lyra said, “We’ll meet you back here.”
The Butcher bowed to everyone and the troupe of 5 left the Butchery and made their way slowly out of the Ispan’s Castle and towards the south door, the Butcher and the Fighter walking slower in front, side by side, shoulders and forearms occasionally touching as they walked.
Kovid and the two gnomes walked behind, giving the two lovers their space and whispering to each other. “I hope he decides to come to Jector,” Standard said quietly, Typical nodding, face grim.
“Abraxas? In goblin territory? But he has a life in Specularum,” Kovid replied in surprise. “What would he do in Jector?”
Standard pointed at the Butcher. “Be with her? Make her happy? Make himself happy?”
“Tell me dwarf,” Typical asked, “Are there are goblins wandering around Specularum?”
“Goblins? No, not a chance. Duke has kept the greenskins out of civilized lands for years.”
“Well, in Jector, yes it is run by the Goblin King, Flattulance the Noxious,” Standard chuckled, making Typical stop and stare at his fellow gnome until he ceased. “As I said, yes it’s a goblin kingdom, but there are humans there as well. And halflings. And Ogres, orcs, kobolds, lizardmen, and a host of other ‘uncivilized’ races. That’s the difference, if they love each other, she can’t go to his land to live together, but he can certainly go to HER land to live together.”
“But, that’s crazy!” Kovid exclaimed and then silenced again. “He has a home and a life back..back at home! I don’t know…I’ll, I’ll have to ask him.”
“Do so, but I think you should expect to be surprised, Dwarf.”
“Hmm.”
“Ah,” Standard said, “before we forget. Beekeeper, Jailor, Corfard. That was the request, yes?”
“Indeed.”
They were getting closer to the door of the Castle, making their way slowly past the dining room. “Beekeeper has always had an affinity with animals and is a follower of Aristus.”
“Who’s that?”
“Cousin of Artemis. Anyway, besides making candles and honey and whatnot, story is a few years ago he got stung by a queen bee during a lightning storm and ever since then, the hives he tends to follow his will and whim. He doesn’t even have to cast spells of whatever, just wills the bees to do stuff and they do it.”
“Thor’s Taint,” Kovid swore.
“Exactly. So as far as he’s concerned, as long as he has his bees and hives, take him out from a distance and expect to get stung.”
Typical shrugged. “It is just bees though. Fire works.”
“Oh yes,” Standard nodded, “Fire always works. When in doubt, set it on fire, ancient gnomish saying.”
“True, true.”
Kovid walked on. “Jailor?”
“Jailor was given the job because he’s pretty disliked of all of Corfard’s followers.”
Typical snorted. “He’s a Trog. No one likes Trogs.”
“Trog?” the dwarf asked.
“Troglodyte,” Standard replied. “Reptilian, tough, skin reeks enough to make you vomit if you get close. Foul bastard.” He kicked a stone down the hall and continued. “Got the job to look after the Ispan’s jails which still had some of the elves monsters in it! Imagine that. Rainbow ward went down and “whoosh” whatever magic suspended them also came down.”
“Why weren’t they turned to stone like the other elves in the Castle?”
Standard smiled, “Because they were all birthed and marked from Lolth, the mother of monsters. Lolth’s will protected them, and they survived although frozen, until the ward started to fall.”
“Wow.”
“I know. Corfard comes, makes a show of freeing them. And the Trog takes over watching them since they don’t mind his odor and the rest of Corfard’s people shut him out.”
“Flail,” Typical mentioned.
“Yep, And like the Butcher, he found one of the Original Goddess weapons, silvered steel flail. Corfard was pissed and they tried to order him to give it up, but he refused and the denizens of the jail he had befriended all sided with him so Corfard backed down. Ordered him to stay on this level if he was going to keep the weapon and basically left him to his own devices.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
Standard shrugged as they arrived at the Sitting Room at long last. “Just be smart, safe, and observant.” He tapped the Theystra Hammer he was carrying, “And keep that near you always.”
The Butcher and Abraxas stopped, looking at one another, hands held. “So,” she said, voice deep and thick with emotion, “I guess this is it.”
“Si. I guess it is,” Abraxas replied, eyes pooling up and vision wavering. He pulled her closer, the towering bugbear leaned down, the two of them wrapping their arms around one another. “Señorita,” Abraxas whispered, lips near her ears, “I know you said it would be too hard for mis amigos and I to pronounce, but could you at least tell me your name before you go? When I make my way to Jector, how shall I find you?”
She shuddered, a single sob sounding out. “When?” she asked, voice strained. “Not if?”
“No, mi Corazon, not if. When.”
The Butcher held him tighter, the two of them hugging as hard as they could to one another. “When then. When you get to Jector, look for the Two Fist Clan near the warehouse district. That’s mine. And when you get there, make sure to mention that you are looking for Sh’sy’sheer.”
He turned his head, cupping her furry chin and raised his lips to her, kissing her deeply, the two of them having their tears mingle with one another. “I’ll be there.”
The gnomes took their boxes and slung them over their shoulders, holding the straps tight. Kovid smiled at them, “It’s nice to have met you both. If we ever cross paths again, I owe you fellas some ale. On the house.”
“Looking forward to it,” Standard smiled. “Oh, One more for you. Corfard.”
“What about him?” The Butcher asked.
The gnomes looked up and then down, sheepishly rubbing their feet. “Well, we were, we were, you know, sharing some information with our friend here, you know?”
She sighed, trying not to smile. “Selling it to him?”
“Hey! He offered!” Typical said indignantly, “It’s true!”
“Fine, fine,” she replied. “How much?”
“3 gold!” Standard said with a smile. “Each!” Typical replied.
“Ugh! I can’t trust you two with any money,” she said.
“But this is different as it wouldn’t come from our normal supply of money.” “It’s true! It’s extra money.”
Abraxas tried to follow along, frowning, “I can’t understand them,” he whispered to Kovid.
“It’s ok, I do.” He pulled out 6 gold coins from his pouch and held them out.
The two gnomes looked at the Butcher who smiled broadly. “Go on, we can always buy more levels, hammers, tongs, and probes on the way home.”
“Thanks!” the both said, reaching forward and snatching the coins from Kovid’s palm. “Corfard hates elves and this castle specifically because the Ispan had his mother killed years ago so he’s been looking for the keys to the vault because he believes that the Ispan and his priests kept his mother’s heart and hid it in there.”
“Holy…Thor’s…Balls.” Kovid swore slowly. “But…I don’t get it. That had to be long ago.” He frowned, rubbing his beard. “Why the heart? What’s so special about it? Is Corfard..Is Corfard an elf?”
The Butcher, Typical, and Standard all laughed together. “An elf?” the gnome chuckled. “As if.” He hitched his box a little higher. “He’s a dragon of course. Didn’t you know that?” The two of them turned around with a final wave and started walking towards the distant Rainbow Ward.
Abraxas who still didn’t understand what the gnomes had said and could only see Kovid’s blank face and furrowed brow, turned to the Butcher who leaned in and kissed him again. “I will see you in Jector, Abraxas, when this is done. What you are doing…you have to be the most bravest man I have ever met.”
Abraxas watched them walk across the grounds, go under the shield, and then get lost in the city of Acre. Kovid turned back to the castle, the two of them shutting the door, the Fighter looking at him with a troubled gaze. “What is it, Senor?”
The dwarf took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We need to get back to the group now. There is a lot I have to let everyone know.”
It took some time to return (no WMC roll) and then once the group was all together, Kovid shared all he had learned from the gnomes until he got to the last bit. The room was silent, only the sound of shifting sand as the group digested what they had learned until Lannis cleared his throat and said, “I fucking hate this castle.”
Time now is: Day 4, 2:33 PM
(OOC)
And now you know who Corfard finally is. What’s the plan?!?
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