Game thread

After determining that the ravine would be safe to climb, Slane, Fortune, and Army agree to climb it.

A few hours of climbing carefully and the top is reached. You see in the distance that the giants are gone having collected their broken cage and presumably pursued more captives for their nefarious purposes.

Suddenly, a wolf howl lets out and floats across the plains. Black hounds, hunger in their eyes and fire in their mouths, jump from behind outcroppings. Each bears a rider: gray-skinned dwarves with beards of literal fire. A leader among them shouts, "Give us all you got!" and points an axe in your direction.

There are a dozen of these wolfriders and two dismount carrying large sacks of dragonskin. As they hold them open clearly expecting to extort whatever few valuables you still possess, the nearest among you notice that there are three fire opals of considerable size at the bottom.

Magnar leans over to his compatriots as the fire beards approach to conspire in hushed tones. "I've heard of these kin. It is said they treasure a song more than bloodshed. Perhaps we can trade a tune for information..." He pauses, catching sight of the exquisite fire opals in the outstretched loot bag. "Or one of those bloody opals! Anyone got a lovely singing voice?"

Slane nods. "Sure, I used to sing shanties all the time when I was a galley slave!" She belts out a performance for the asshole dwarves.

A life on the ocean wave
A-home on the rolling deep
Where the scattered waters rave
And the winds their revels keep...

Wisco hoped Slane's effort prevailed as the riders advanced on them. Rurik and Cedrick, however were skeptical and readied what implements they had to defend themselves. They didn't have much worth much, but to get robbed in such desolate land, when everything else was going wrong; you had to take a stand somehow.

The dwarf with the battle axe slams the flat edge against his chest armor in rhythm with Slane’s song. "Zaltok likes!"

The other dwarves looked as though they were bracing for a jump scare.

OOC:

Personality check

Slane, perhaps a chanteuse in another life, weaves a spell in song over Zaltok and the other dwarves. They begin a round of their own song and seem quite taken by the moment.

Stee, Nathan, and Jeptha will stand ready to fight or hand over their goods as need be. Then they hear the song and are calmed. Their hearts not racing quite as fast but still ready. They just hope no one does anything stupid here.

Ton stays back at first, on the lookout, hiding his food. When the opportunity arises, he approaches the dragonskin sacks and attempts to snatch one of the opals.

Fi Dre smiles when seeing the fire beards coming. He smiles even more when he witnesses the singing starting, but stays put.

Da Ak, in the spur of the moment, starts singing merrily with the dwarves, remembering he used to sing as well at his bar from time to time.

Jo eyes the opals when he sees them, but does not dare try to catch them.

Rurik bobs along with the song humming along trying to prolong the good spirits and hope it secures their release. Wisco just continues to remain small, unsure of the situation. Cedrick's mouth is agape at the situation, confused as to how moments earlier it seemed like he was being robbed, but now there was merrymaking amongst the parties. He saw the shuffling from their own ranks, and hoped none of it led to open hostilities, again, because he feared a slaughter in that case. He kept a firm grip on his weapon though he had lowered it...he was ready to sprint to action, if things became heated again. He wanted the jump on these fellows if they tried to attack them again.

Ton, advantages the moment and palms a large stone the size of a plum. It flashes brilliantly as it comes out of the sack and catches the light, but nary a dwarf was watching.

Ton exults (internally) at his luck, and immediately hides the opal so as no fire beard can see it.

Jo didn't miss the move, frowns, but does not say anything yet.

Some say that all dwarves have dragon sickness, which is, of course, nonsense. Magnar does, however. Never had he seen such splendid jewels in all his days. Jermyn shakes his head and sighs as he watches the dwarf make his move.

Magnar swipes a fire Opal, pulls it out of the sack which catches the eye of the dwarf holding it. The eyes and fiery beard flash with surprise. He opens his mouth about to shout, but just at that exact moment, as luck would have it, a whooop echoes in the wind and all heads swivel toward the sound. Two fire giants, upon hearing the rousing songs, have rediscovered their missing captives.

Zaltok grunts an order, clearly telling his pack to hightail it out of there. Which they do. The dwarf who spotted Magnar takes one look back as he mounts his wolf as if to say, "we’re not through with you yet!"

The giants are on foot and lumbering their way closer. They will be upon you all in under a minute! The way south looks hazy like air that wiggles in the heat. Off in the distance, you all can see the crust of scorched earth push up and release a spew of lava. It seems like your group has a choice of two fiery paths or stand as face fury.

In a twist none expected, Conrad steps forward and says urgently, "Hawthorne, Ekdarin, and I will stand and fight. Perhaps we may survive to join you or at least we may slow them down to aid in your escape. Don’t hesitate! Be on your way!"

Stee looks at the others "Let not let their courage go to waste! We should make across the plains!!" He will turn and start to head across the plains.

Nathan and Jeptha also think it a good idea and follow him.