Darkwood--Darkness Rising

[Vynarkus]

Vynarkus nods at Laurel's words, recognizing the Suggestion, and heads back to try once more.

As he catches up to Laurel, he murmers, "Led's right. If this doesn't work, we're going to have no choice but to kill him. I sincerely hope it does work."

Coordinated Diplomacy Check on the Shifter along with Laurel. A Full Diplomacy Check, not rushed.

[Sigrid]

I continue to help the freed Volk out of the cage. I check if any of them need healing or other aid. "Don't worry, we've come to rescue you. Quickly, let us leave this place."

I collect them together, and try to get them ready to leave.

Do we have horses they can ride?

[Seven Words]

/OOC--Diplomacy succeeded....but he was so hostile he's still not buying it. He is, however, no longer trying to attack anyone who gets close....but still making his best effort to get away.

The Volk prisoners are fine. One imprisoned Shifter female was roughed up a bit. CLW will fully heal her

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Having caught up with the Shifter, and safe for the moment thanks to Laurel and Vynarkus' efforts, Kali steps in it's path. She walks backwards at the same pace as it lumbers forward to keep the ten feet of distance between them. She is using her glaive to assist with her walking instead of using it threateningly.

"If you are allowed to leave you could endanger all of us should you tell your masters. As you can see, they have gone through a great amount of effort to not slay you, even though you are outnumbered and encumbered, and some of us have other reasons to run you through. They are trying to give you a chance. Do not throw your life away by continuing to flee, instead, remain in their company."

[OOC: Suggestion, with helpful reinforcement as to the proper course of action.]

[Led Pighp]

Led looks around, and then lumbers himself to his feet, groaning as he does. Waving to the frozen Warforged, "I'll be back shortly. Want to go talk to our new friends." He also heads over to the freed prisoners, to help them be ready to leave.

[My hope is that once the situation with the shifter is resolved, we'll be able to immediately depart en masse.]

[Seven Words]

Although remaining highly suspicious, the near-feral shifter acquiesces. "IF humans try to eat me, I kill them! You, rockman, stay away!" the last with a wave at the WarForged and a sneer.

The freed Volk are eager to get away. Some can be overheard to be having second thoughts about the Freedom Path (Underground Railroad for shifters/warforged), but others have gone from lukewarm to crusading idealists on the subject.

As the Armor Lock wears off, the WarForged gives his name as "CrushSpike"

[Laurel]

"You are welcome among us," Laurel says to the shifter, as she puts away her arrow. "Again, my name is Laurel. The other two are named Vynarkus and Kalindriel. And yours?

"And please, I have a little healing ability myself. May I take a look at your wounds?"

While waiting for the shifter to answer, Laurel indicates to Vynarkus that he should return to searching the elf wizard, especially with his ability to constantly see magic activated. Then she again breaks into her hymn of healing while she looks over the shifter, if he permits her examination.

[ooc]Pick up the lingering Healing Hymn and perform a Heal check upon the barbarian shifter[/ooc]

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Kalindriel returns to the wagon and checks the chest for anything she might have forgotten in her rush. Seeing the other prisoners ready, she asks, "What now?"

[Led Pighp]

"Now? Now we leave." Noticing the many freed prisoners who are standing around, and the presence of horse-drawn wagons, Led makes an intuitive leap.

"Perhaps we should return everyone to the wagons, once they've all been unlocked, so we can make better time out of here? Instead of making them walk. Of course, anyone wishing to manifest their new freedom to trudge through snow is welcome to do so. I, for one, would like to let a horse do the work. At least until this damned spell wears off."

[In an effort not to take days sorting out details, can we agree that we get all the prisoners out of here, and that Vynarkus is given a chance to investigate the body of the fallen elf? Throw him in the wagon with Led.]

[Seven Words]

VIstyai comes over, having finished the nalfeshnee. "We're done here. We're helping those of the Volk and Freed Ones who wish to return to the FrusLund get on their way, and those who wish to return to Home with us are coming. The leaders are very eager to meet you. Most especially, Led, and Skyseeker. Laurel, what knowledge you have, from tales and songs, of what has happened since the Coming of Doom our bards wish to learn."

[Led Pighp]

"Then let us make haste to meet them."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

"Which one is safer? I set off to make my way in the world and the first thing that happens is I get captured by a bunch of demon-lovers." Kalindriel gives a sneer and spits in disgust.

"Mom said I need to watch out for elves, but I thought she meant my father's people, not all of them." She focuses upon Skyseeker as she finishes the sentence. "What kind of welcome can I expect in either of these places? Maybe it would be safer to break from this group once we are away from here."

[Edit for manner of speech regarding parentage which implied familiarity she doesn't have.]

[Led Pighp]

"There are no elves in the FrusLand, for the moment. We hear rumors and implications that the leaders of these elves here might be planning some kind of attack against the FrusVolk, though."

"We plan on returning to the elves here and helping to overthrow their rulers. They are... corrupt. And deceiving their own people. Perhaps they intend for their people to mutually annihilate with the FrusVolk and others? The populace at large doesn't know the extent of their evil. We only know about it from having compared information from nations far to the south."

"But, if you want safe... I doubt there's anywhere you can really go. There is a danger that threatens all of the world. Stopping these deceitful elves here is but the first step in a larger campaign to prevent the destruction of this whole plane."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

"You believe they pose that great a threat? That there is more safety in seeking out those who sought to enslave me than to flee to a less tumultuous area?"

[Led Pighp]

"Say rather that there's more long-term safety in fighting to change those who tried to enslave you, instead of hiding from them."

"Though, I doubt they really wished to enslave you. They have enough docile slaves already... you would likely have been killed off as too defiant."

Led sits back down on the snow with a groan. "Mark you, I'm not defending these elves. What they do is wrong. Their leaders have taught them that they are better than the warforged or the shifters, or the humans, and have hidden all evidence to the contrary. The leaders kill off anyone studious enough to discover their secrets, and blame the deaths on 'hidden evils' or humans. So, while I hate them and what they've done, I can't say that it's done out of malice... just carefully sculpted arrogence. They've even convinced the shifters and warforged that they're each too stupid to live without elvish rule."

"Of those we've shown the truth, most have repented of their ways and joined our struggle. And we know of another entire settlement of elves far to the south. We know of villages of shifters and warforged who have never seen elves and rule themselves very wisely nonetheless. This can not be hidden any longer."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

"They would have done so when they found me if they simply wanted me dead. If his words were to be believed, they were to decide between an elaborate sacrifice and a specially unpleasant enslavement. Seems that wizard was not to happy with what happened to his apprentice. Nevermind that the fool did it to himself playing with powers beyond his ken." Kalindriel shrugs. "No, it's far easier to blame the poor innocent ensnared by his failure."

"What you propose, however, sounds both dangerous and as if it could cause untold upheaval to their ways. This is something I would find quite satisfying after their affront..."

[Led Pighp]

"Oh yes, to be sure, they probably intended slavery. But they would have grown bored of trying to teach you obedience. Your sense of vengeance is proof of that."

"Still, your sense of vengeans is most welcome in what we intend."

[Seven Words]

Skyseeker, somewhat hesitantly, chimes in "Where I am from, we had long thought ourselves the only survivors. And we have no slaves. There are, I am ashamed to admit, some among us who feel as these do. But they hold no real power, and are not a great number. Many do hold a sense of superiority, but not as an inherent attribute of elves. Rather, they see our long history as the determinant. They are often condescending, seeing wisdom as a function of age. For my youth I am often ignored despite my family's position, yet when someone with seven centuries repeats my words the next day, they are listened to. Infuriating."

Marrik has this to say, "Justice and equality are not likely to be found in my homeland, Sverdhame. Xenophobia and bigotry have sunk deep roots there over the last century. I know nothing of life among Led's people...either of his peoples" said with a crooked smile at Leds apparently alternating shifter/Heshic heritage."

[Sigrid]

"The 'Volk are a fractured people. Many tribes, with many hatreds. Some are now allied... allied WILLINGLY with these demon-elves. Others, like me, would stand up to fight them. If they knew."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

"Then we should show them! Show them what these... these... demon-elves are... and why they should fight!"