Lethal Reword 5: True Mirage

Sanar bit her lip nervously. I'm the champion of the god or negotiation and compromise." she said quietly to the others before un-notching her arrow and holding it in the same hand and parallel to her bow stepped forward.

"Hey,my name is Sanar." she started.. "Champion of Forseti." she paused feeling like as ass for introducing herself in this way. "We heard you had a goblin problem and have been sent to help you out." She gestured at her odd assortment companions. "And yes I guess you could say both."
 
Adra lept down from the top of the carriage.
"Certainly. I'd be glad to meet your leader, and help deal with this goblin issue. Just lead the way." She glanced over at where Sanar's voice had come from. "You may want to keep quiet on that champion business. I've heard that there's some strife in these lands related to gods..." She turned to to look back at Ockham. "...right?"
 
"There is, just not with the Asgards... and it's the Church of the Sacred Duty that's kept us all alive this long, so I've got no qualms against religion."

Cobalt blinks. "...Church of the Sacred Duty?"

"You don't know what the-" Ockham looks at Cobalt. "Oh. Huh." Scratching his head for a moment, he nods. "Well, the Church of the Sacred Duty is a combination of Demeter, Thoth, and Frey's respective followers. They tend to have a heavy following in farm communities like this one, and rather than compete for worshipers, the three have combined their churches in an effort to ease the mortal's minds when it comes to collisions of faith."

Cobalt smiles, "Commendable."

"Very," Renard replies, motioning for them to follow him. Ockham falls in suit, and they're led to the wall's gates, which open to accommodate them.

They are met with a crowd of curious civilians - seems word had traveled fast - children run about, the bravest of them getting close to the carriage to get a good look at the party. The smell of baking bread is good and heavy here. Several others seem to be acting out tales of adventure they had heard before, some play-dueling with wooden swords and laughing, others pretending to cast spells at each other (which was met with cries of "I got you!" "Nuh-uh!" and so forth).

A quick count would reveal that there might be forty or so people here behind the wall, not counting children. Renard turns to smile, "You'll have to leave your cart here. We won't ask you to disarm yourselves, though if you could keep everything in their holsters, we won't have any qualms." He nods, then turns to Ockham, "Put that smelly thing out. You know Lord Rancher dislikes that smell."

Ockham shrugs, taking one final, deep drag on the cigarette and tossing it on the ground, stomping it dead.
 
Ordo followed and listened, his face completely flat and devoid of any emotion. His eyes glowed hotly, reflecting the collecting and processing of data going on within his mind. Otherwise, he was just another member of the party, bow tucked neatly away under his cloak which he had now completely wrapped around himself, his left arm having adjusted his swords just enough that they pointed down at an angle, instead of poke out the back of the cloak. His right hand rested firmly gripping the belt knife at his hip.

He slowed his pace enough to keep step with the folks in the back of the group, allowing the ladies and Cobalt to take point and speak for them as much as they wanted. He'd speak up and interrupt if the need came.

"Everyone's acting like things are normal," he said in a low tone, just loud enough for the rear of the group to hear. He didn't think either guard would. "Look! Kids are running and playing, people are cooking and talking. Sure, things are a bit grimy, but... Perhaps this problem isn't as bad as those gods made it out to be?" He shrugged. He was just musing aloud.

"Ah well, looks like we'll see soon enough after a conversation with this Rancher guy. Makes me think of a cattle baron..."
 
Sanar looked around the village. It seemed small to weather a siege by goblins very well though the people were obviously confident in their wall. She slid the arrow back into her quiver and and shouldered her bow before stretching her back and pulling her hair back behind her pointed ears and letting it flow down her back. Holding it back with one hand she looked for something to tie it with but found nothing. Instead she would a small strands of hair around the rest and tied a small knot to hold it in place.

"You get many travelers?" she asked looking at the people's curiocity rather than shock as a large snake man, a tree and assorted humanoids were lead into their village.
 
Heldred shook his head after a moment, snapping out of a daze and holding up his hands in a 'wait' motion while speaking. "No no no, wait a minute. This doesn't make any sense. You're supposed to have a problem with goblins, yes? So why did we just walked by a pantload of them riddled with bolts? A few of them were even headshots!"

Heldred did not make any move to follow the guards, clearly waiting for an answer to his question.
 
"Skilled marksman, with repeaters most likely" Sven stated, "I could do the same thing with an M16-" he stopped his sentence noting the stares he was drawing from the crowd around the area.
"Must be the beard," He said remarking on his bitchin viking beard, as he stroked it subconsciously.
 
"You guys.." Adra glared slightly at her companions. "Do try to avoid broadcasting our difference, alright? Just because we aren't from around here doesn't mean we have to flaunt it.." She gave a slight wave and smile to the crowd, continuing along the path.
"And Dossan? Try not to say anything that will get us thrown in jail."
 
Sanar turned to face her companions. "I say no talking until we meet the village's leader and hear what he has to say." He probably want us to help out with the little besiegers." she said quietly eyes cutting across them 'because we're expendable' he lasy sentence she only thought.
 
Dossan threw his hands up in confusion at the accustation. "What are you pointing me out for? I'm just a tree fer cryin' out loud. These people didn't seem all THAT suprised about me. They were probably more suprised by the fact that I'm traveling with a bunch of people. I mean, even where we're from, my kind aren't exactly known for being socialites."
 
"I don't know, there was this girl in school that dated a tree, she was kinda hot too."
Sven remarked at dossan's statement jokingly as they walked forward.
"I do agree though, we need to see the person in charge here. If only to find out what's going on from the perspective of the people."
 
Humming to himself, Ordo suddenly stopped in mid-stride, his eyes going wide.

"Guys, I just had a thought," he said slowly, measuring each word in his mouth before he actually spoke. "If we had a dwarf... we could totally do the Safety Dance through the village!"

"We can dance if you want to, we can leave your friends behind..." he sung quietly to himself, grinning as he picked his step back up.
 
Heldred scowled darkly to himself. "No. God, no. Even if we had a dwarf, we're not doing the safety dance."

"And I guess we're not waiting from an explanation from these two, either," He sighed, falling in with the others and trudging towards the mansion. "I'm kinda hoping for a sick, twisted pervert. Like Hugh Hefner mixed with Lady Gaga."

The two familiar names rolled off his tongue, but they were sounding more and more foreign to him, along with his previous memories.
 
Dossan, who had been walking behind Ordo, let out a sigh before speaking to Adra. "And YOU were worried about ME doing something wierd. HAH! Even from we're from, Ordo would be considered an oddball."
 
Even though Sanar had recommended silence turned. "GaGa? no you need, uhhh..." she strained her memory for the name. "Lord, eee something. GAAH!" he slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand in frustration. "Well it doesn't matter." she turned to the guards. "Could you lead the way?"
 
Ockham and Renard don't seem to worry much, or else they're real skilled at hiding their thoughts as they walk through the inside of Rancher's manor. It wasn't long before he appeared, either.

Held up by an attractive woman in the robes of Demeter's clergy was a young man - no more than seventeen. While he was attractive and well-built, a bandana of black cloth around his head blocked his eyes. He wore the same sort of clothes as everyone else did, save for a bit more jewelry. At the sound of many different footsteps, he looked up with a smile. A man behind Rancher with the same guard's outfit on hustled into step with Ockham and Renard.

The attractive woman leaned up to whisper something in the young man's ear, who nodded, offering a smile that only made the scars upon his cheek stand out. "I would very much like to introduce you to Rancher Hold... I am Kant Rancher, son of the late Locke Rancher." He offered a small bow with his head.

"While I... cannot tell, I have been told you are a unique group of individuals. This is good - please, do not be offended." He offers a chuckle, "I do sense... something about you all, though. Like you don't... belong. You must be adventurers..." The woman next to him taps on his arm twice. He leans down to listen to her again. "Oh?" He responds, after she's done whispering to him. "How intriguing..."

"By the presence of a Planar Ally, a Treant, and a sentient necromantic ally, I find it quite easy to assume that you have a good deal of power..."

Ockham shrugs, "I've heard the word 'Champions' thrown about a bit."

Rancher 'hmmms' with a grand smile, nodding. "Any idea what kind of champion?"

"Divine, if I'm remembering right."

"How wonderful!" Rancher states, not moving his head to look around - rather, listening.. he addresses the party, however. "Adventurers... I... have a favor to ask. Through the grace of the Church of the Sacred Duty and their 'Blessings' of our crossbow bolts, we have been able to hold off the goblins... but..."

"We are running out of crossbow bolts," Renard says with a worried tone.

Rancher nods, "Meanwhile, the goblins breed at an astounding rate. If they ever actually rally behind a single leader, we'd be wiped out... if this goes on longer, we'll be wiped out, anyway... attempts to retrieve the bolts used have gone..." He reaches up to tap upon the black cloth over his eyes. "...Poorly. It is because of it that we only defend the village with seven militia crossbowmen - while they have become quite skilled... they are needed to defend the wall."

"You, however..." Rancher gestures towards them, "Are not so tied down. It is obvious you have power - that much is certain. I ask that you have compassion as well... if the goblins are not stopped, the wall will be breached, and everyone behind it... will die. We are not a grand city or kingdom... I, nor my father, have never taxed my people beyond what we ourselves need. I cannot offer you a reward. However, I can offer the use of a base of operations... food, repairs, rest, conversation... as you do so... and a place to stay if you ever need it."
 
Leaning in conspiratorially, Ordo whispered to the group. He was fairly loud, so he was probably heard by Rancher's beautiful side-kick lady, but still-- it was a whisper.

"I like the jib of this guy's jive!" he said, throwing a thumbs up. "We get free food, free repairs, and beds. Maybe Rancher's side-kick lady takes the evenings off, eh?" He grinned, but shrugged; it was mostly jest. Mostly.

Suddenly he leaned in a bit closer, his brow furrowed and his voice surprisingly low in a true whisper. "I wonder though... Is there more than meets the eye? I mean, the Church of the Sacred Ladies love them enough to bless them with, at least, ammunition that allow them to kick some gobbo ass, right?"

((Sense Motive check for trustworthiness? 17+9 for a 26 skill check.))

He straightened and turned back towards Rancher and his guards.

"I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm more than willing to help you and your folks with this goblin problem." He threw out his left arm from underneath his cloak in a flourish, gripping his still-sheathed blade before the heavy cloak settled at his back. "I think I can handle a few little green men," he said, winking at the attractive young woman.
 
Dossan put a heavy hand on Ordo's head and bent down to whisper in his ear. "It's the Church of the Sacred Duty, not the Sacred Ladies. You should make sure you get it right. After all, my patron Thoth is a member of the divine triad that make it up, apparently." Standing back up, Dossan turns to address Rancher. "Well, seeing as how my patron Thoth belongs to your Church of the Sacred Duty, I would consider it nothing less than blasphemy to turn a deaf ear, er...leaf, to your plight. I am Dossan, at your service."
 
'One of us is undead?' the fact came as a surprise but not as much of a surprise as the blind ruler. SHe spoke in barely a whisper. "Well Ordo she might be good looking, but if there something up shes behind it" she bit her lip in thought humming softly at the as the examined what could be the classic manipulation of the child ruler scenario, in the end, which was also the name of the song she was humming, the decided to take the offer at face value.

Stepping out from behind Ordo the raised a hand in salute, "I am Sanar, if there is a way to end your plight we will find it." 'ok wait this is getting to be a lot like lord of the rings.
 
Heldred brushed his hair back briefly and put on an utterly dazzling smile. He flourished a bow, speaking in a voice that reeked of Eddie Murphy pretending to be royalty. "I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Prince Ghestvilla of Ghesland!"

(( Bluff roll 14 + 8 skill = 22 ))

"I understand your troubles, I understand indeed..." He straightened and paced self-importantly. "But you must understand! We are divine champions; we have many duties and many tasks to see to throughout the world... not just this land."

He stopped pacing and rounded on Rancher, speaking lower. "So it does beg to question, what other incentives you can offer us for taking care of your... problem?" A threatening smile split Heldred's face.
 
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