Preparations for War
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Word around town is that a small strike force of mercenaries (not affiliated with Norwick in any way) and their duergar allies massacred dozens of bugbears near the entrance to the warrens.
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The usual patrols along the walls and gates are bolstered by a new group of warriors.
Elite Dwarven guards known as Clangeddin's Axes and Moradin's Hammers now take up spots on the watch, trading shifts off and on amongst themselves.
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Dwin is seen travelling back and forth between the Great Hall and the Dwarven Hold with more frequency than usual, always flanked by a pair of Gold Cloaked Dwarven Guards.
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The Militia patrols are pulled in tighter to the walls and the guards can't keep their eyes away from the effects that are building to the south. Murmured prayers go up from many of the guard and furtive glances are cast toward their leaders as they move among the populace.
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_The sequence of patrol, raid, patrol, raid continues with little change. Some scouts report increasing sightings of the strange burrowing spider-creatures, particularly in the east wood.
Tension mounts in Norwick, although there are no more murders and some claim that Dwin, Aramuil, Wren, and Mord tracked down the bugbear infiltrators that did it and exterminated them. False alarms persist, guard shifts double and then triple, and Tristina and Kia are practically dropping from exhaustion.
A visibily frustrated young militiaman is heard to loudly wish that 'King Furball would just start the war for real already and attack us straight up at the gates like they always used to.'
But one evening the air is still, and darker than usual. To the southwest, lightning crackles along the distant trunk of the Irmunsul, and those residents who have grown used to the tree and its electrical outbursts look at each other with worried eyes. The tree is angry. Very angry.
Far to the southeast, a darkness that is not stormclouds grows in the sky.
The air is still and heavy with the calm before the storm._
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Tiffiny takes time to help the night patrol out with her keen ears. She often waits on the ramp to come into norwick form the rawlins but not hiding, just standing, listening for any bugbear sneaks wandering up and past
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@1738871d64=Clan:
@1738871d64=Black:
Days go by and everytime the Iron Chain Clan Half-orcs change their daily patrol shifts, the ones beeing replaced by fresh warriors, are seen crossing Norwick with their armors, axes and shields adorned with several gobling heads hanging from their hair, an obvious sign that theres some sort of arrangement between Norwick and the Iron Chain Clan.
They walk tall and proud passing by the commoners that look wearily at these brutish half-orcsThe first time they parade through town with goblin heads as hair-decorations, Thir cigar smoking leader is summoned to speak with Dwin. Immediately.
After half an hour of meeting, Arak´Hur was seen leaving Dwins office, he walked up to his brethrens and grunted somethign in orcish to them, right away they were seen removing the gobling heads trophys. The vision of these already brutish half-orcs marshing in and out of town is now somewhat less macabre with out the gobling heads hanging from their hair, armor or shield. Never the less, the patrols continue and when a fresh group of Iron Chain Clan Half-Orcs replaces another, the replaced patrol can be seen marching into town showing evidence of a troubled patrol
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_Norwick guards and scouts wearily limping in from the south, wounded and tired, soon becomes a common sight.
Hit and run tactics seem to be the rule of the day… rather than massed attacks on town, lone goblin snipers try to lure patrols into chasing them deeper into the wood. Those who follow are inevitably hit from multiple sides by bugbears.
Many patrols take losses, and now and then a patrol simply fails to return at all.
Tristina and Kia, clearly overworked, struggle to keep up with the amount of injuries needing attention.
Meanwhile in town, hysterical reports of bugbears breaking into farms and houses keep the night shift jumping... though investigating these always turns up nothing but perhaps a broken window. Memory of the farmhouse massacre is still fresh in people's minds however, and they are not easily soothed._
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@271ed2095c=Black:
Days go by and everytime the Iron Chain Clan Half-orcs change their daily patrol shifts, the ones beeing replaced by fresh warriors, are seen crossing Norwick with their armors, axes and shields adorned with several gobling heads hanging from their hair, an obvious sign that theres some sort of arrangement between Norwick and the Iron Chain Clan.
They walk tall and proud passing by the commoners that look wearily at these brutish half-orcsThe first time they parade through town with goblin heads as hair-decorations, Thir cigar smoking leader is summoned to speak with Dwin. Immediately.
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Days go by and everytime the Iron Chain Clan Half-orcs change their daily patrol shifts, the ones beeing replaced by fresh warriors, are seen crossing Norwick with their armors, axes and shields adorned with several gobling heads hanging from their hair, an obvious sign that theres some sort of arrangement between Norwick and the Iron Chain Clan.
They walk tall and proud passing by the commoners that look wearily at these brutish half-orcs
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@95f811ba09=Black:
After earing that the bugbears threaten to raid Norwick once again, Arak´Hur of the Iron chain Clan is seen entering norwick escolted by two towering half-orcs, Arak´Hur stops in the middle of Norwick, points at one of the guards and says
Yuu !!! points Teyk meh to deh man dat pays yoo yer saluhree, imeedeeitlee!!
//Dwin check your PM pls
cheers!few hours have passed since Dwin agreed to see Arak´Hur of the Iron Chain Clan, and sudently after the meeting is over, Arak´Hur and his two escolt can be seeing leaving Dwin´s office. Out side, Arak´Hur turns to these two halfers and grunts something in orcish and when he finishes the two halfers head to the south gate and start patroling the woods around the lake. Arak´Hur heads north and later he returns with more of his kind and join the other two that are patroling the woods. Days go by and at least twice per day a group of halfers from the Iron chain Clan can be seen entering Norwick, head to the south gate and patrol the woods
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Aurelia has been stalking the shadows of Norwick during the night, remaining silent and hidden sometimes climbing on top of the sturdier rooftops of shops and other buildings. She has been keeping watch for any signs of bugbears trying to cause trouble within the town and shood she get a good opportunity she may truestrike her piercing arrows and aim for the head of any lone bugbear that might present itself at a safe distance.
During the day she may hiding out up in the trees further east in the forest only to watch for signs of movement but taking no action should an be found, each day she does this she chooses a new spot to hide from so that she can have a good view of both old and new places to watch.
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After earing that the bugbears threaten to raid Norwick once again, Arak´Hur of the Iron chain Clan is seen entering norwick escolted by two towering half-orcs, Arak´Hur stops in the middle of Norwick, points at one of the guards and says
Yuu !!! points Teyk meh to deh man dat pays yoo yer saluhree, imeedeeitlee!!
//Dwin check your PM pls
cheers!
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The Militia is looking a bit harried these days and the commander seems in a sour mood if anyone approaches him. He spends long hours in his office and meetings and then will come out, grab a hapless guard or two and head South. He seems calmer, though often bloodied, when arriving back in town
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In the morning guards and early birds mention that a familiar stout dwarf was seen dragging no less then a dozen bugbears heads behind her. Their hair tied to the end of rope the severed heads bounced off one another kicking up dirt behind her. If asked she simple replies…
"On me way ta Jiyyd..."
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Benji goes from farm to farm dragging a large sack of dusty old crossbows in an effort to train and arm the scared farmers.
"Look Mr. <insert farmer's="" name="" here="">. It's easy. I carved an arrow on the side here. That's right just ratchet the bow back. Ok, now the bolt. No, that's backwards. Pointy end toward the bad guy. Right. Now…"
_The farmer pulls the trigger shooting the bolt straight into the ground a few inches from Benji's foot.
Benji adjusts his glasses._
"That's a good start but remember to aim next time. It's one of the main steps. Here, I'll write the directions out for you. What? You can't read?
<g>Fark.
Ok. I'll draw the directions out for you."
After finishing the sketch and doing more training a slightly exasperated Benji continues his crossbow training trek.
//Please PM me with what you'd like me to do with the crossbows.</g></insert>
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_Norwick's defenders throw back a tremendous goblin assault, only to find the north gate garrison and several merchant wagons slaughtered.
In coming days the Norwick Militia is plagued with endless panicked reports from farmers and householders in the valley and town proper, who claim that bugbears are breaking in or looking in their windows or kicking down their doors.
Investigating all of these finds no bugbears or signs of bugbears, save for some minor property damage that could just as well be from a drunken dwarf.
The Militia, already pulling long shifts to try and keep up with the increased alert status, get noticably more testy and worn, and less inclined to tolerate fools._
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There was a short patrol south of Norwick earlier on the 19th day of the 6th month by a couple of Militia members. Hinnak and Bugbear activity was noted, and the patrol skirmished with both, slaying several of each and suffering no casualties.
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The guards at the northern wall on Sam's Hill are now checking every wagon and haycart that passes through the gates. Some of them are decidedly on edge, and travellers who try to move through too fast are met with leveled crossbows and a curt order to halt.
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Word trickles in Telli and Diet came back from their trip to the hinnaks south of Norwick with little in terms of information…
Deys afraids a Ostromog too's... cowads...not even offer ta helps if we helpedededs ems.... mutters... Dey dids confirms dat Ostromog's bugger bears did sets ups da oder'uns..... I tink?
Telli shrugs with an evident pleasure in the prospects of full out war... some keen observers might even note she hasn't had a glow on her face like this since the orc wars.
