Private Tales Ashlanders: After the Red Mist

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
»For now we are alone in this, but emissaries should be sent out, I believe most will listen to our cause. However it is a shame that nothing tangible came from this alone. It is hard to speak on word alone.« The orc crowd nodded their head, grunting in approval in unison...or at least the most of it. Mabess exchanged her gaze with the other chiefs, there is still so much to discuss, at least now the others know what Mabess and Mk'Garul have seen on the other end.

With a solemn downward gaze, Mabess wondered how much worth she should put in the words that were fed in her mind even before they entered the aberration. For now she will stay quiet.
»That is settled for now, « loudly spoke the Silvermane as he gazed to his right, a place where the elder shaman used to be, now claimed by Mk'Garul. A low sigh escaped the orc.
 
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Hath watched as the elders started to file out from their places. Those who were, like himself, seated farther from the most prominent members of the tribe waited as they stood to leave.

There was a lot to think about. He had planned to return back to the savanna starting in the spring, but a working stone would cut the journey down by a great deal. If he did that sooner however, it would feel like abandoning the Ashlanders when they were in danger. Was Charosh facing a similar threat, he wondered.

Hath caught Mabess' eye as she stood. Standing to step closer as she passed.

"When I have recovered more I would go and take another look at the stone," he said quietly.
 
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So many things to plan, such matters were rare in a carefree life... The Chiefs stood up and began to leave. Among them Mabess aproached Hath as she noticed his gaze at her.

»Hopefully not alone, « Mabess crossed her arms just in time as Ghaavel ran across, pushing himself past the mingling orcs and under Mabess's arm just to get right in front of Hath.
»I want to see the stone!« Said the little one as stoically as he could while tugging at his little quiver and bow. Eyes gleaming in determination.
A true orcish youth of valour.
 
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"Then you will," responded Hath. The world was a dangerous place and orc tribes rarely stayed to make a settlement with high walls. Children could not be protected from every threat they might face. If they were then when the parents passed they would be utterly defenceless.

Few orcs lived deep into old age, but none questioned this. It was the way of the world and to Hath that was the way it was meant to be.

"You think of any others should go?" he asked Mabess.
 
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»Ubabe and Sheeha can accompany you for the time being.« I fear I cannot go far for too long, there's much that we need to still settle in the tribe.
 
Hath gave a curt nod. Ubabe was the daughter of hers he had taken something of a liking to since that day on the ice.

"If I wanted to talk to a shaman about making some keys for the stones who should I talk to?" he asked. "They don't need much skill just...".

Hath wasn't sure what to say. Their equivalent words for discretion were used rarely. Politicking was an entirely new concept for the typically solitary hunter.
 
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»I think Gorsgoya still remembers how she mangled them up last time...« Mabess briefly chuckled, alluding to some funny incidents relating to her when she fracted some ashlander style travel charms to let them go to the great rites monts ago...
 
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Hath picked a careful path through the remains of the carnage. He was trying not to pay too much attention to what they were working their way past.

The soil was still churned up as far as the mists had spread. This part of the world still felt dead. The stench of death itself was hard to ignored. The tribes had recovered most of the bodies of the fallen. Those that had fallen before they reached Pandemonium. The bodies of the demons had been left to rot.

Being in the midst of them was a good way to confirm that it hadn't been a bad dream brought on by the shaman's smoking herbs.

Up close he could see that there was no one form of demon. Each of them was different and not in the way that orcs were different from one another. Some had more limbs than other. Some were covered in chitnous plates. No carrion fed on the bodies.

"Not far now," he told Ghaavel, who kept close. There was no point hiding him from this. One day it might come to him.
 
Sheeha and Ubabe prowled after Hath slowly, their gazes not fixated too much on the carnage...It seemed almost catharthic at it's end. All feelings of dread, fear, tension gone. Now only anticipation remained.

The biggest question of them all was how well the shamans could heal the lands. Some discussion about it happned back at the disassemblings camp, but Ubabe feared it won't be for the best while Sheeha feeled almost too sure about any attempt failing.

»And how does this portal magic work?« Huffed out Sheeha sharply as she gazed at Hath lazilym, dangling the odd portal charm Gorsgoya made in the ashlander fashion out of twisted knots, beads and loops.
 
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"Make sure you only use one," Hath said. "We'll need the other to get back. You touch it to the symbol for the stone you want to reach. I will tell you which symbol. If it has one I know."

The ground was truly dead here. And in the centre was a great scorch mark. No bodies there. At the centre of that protruded the portal stone.

"Anyone see anything moving?" he asked. Nothing was moving. Nothing was left alive.
 
»As simple as it gets... « Ubabe nodded her head as she rode her Ashen lepard slowly after.

»Hmh, I still don't like it here...« Sheeha crossed over her arm as she glanced around to check out the terrain. »No. As dead as it looks like.«
 
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"Don't like it," Ghaavel agreed.

Hath gave a low grunt in agreement. He was a very worldly creature. Hath lived off the land as he roamed, often a great distance from his tribe to find food or a safe route. The magic of his people was subtle.

Nothing about demons pouring from a bleeding wound in the air itself was either worldly or subtle.

"There it is," he called out. The heart of the trouble. A portal stone that had been lost for some time.
 
»Are we certain the portal won't send us back?« Ubabe calmly slid off her ashend panther, now walking closer to the cursed stone. »Hmm, who would have throught, a portal stone here, and I thought it was just an old rock!«

Sheeha only looked like some kind of lime as she stopped her mount but remained on it for the time being.
 
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"Mostly," grunted Hath. It wasn't his area of expertise. He walked up to the stone and placed his hand against the symbol in the middle. He traced the symbol with the tip of his finger. Despite the age of the stone, older than elven records, the etching was still smooth.

"Everyone remember this symbol," he called out. "This symbol means here. No matter where we end up. This brings us here." Hath couldn't read or write. He memorised the shape of the markings piece by piece, but it took time.

He looked up at the circle surrounding it. Smaller symbols for other locations.

"That is where we go." Hath drew his axe from his belt and waved for the key. "How calm are your mounts?" he asked.
 
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The two dismounted and aproached the stone. The symbols looked rather similair to eachother. Though that was likely due them never having to deal with these before, or any written symbols even. But since their way back home depended on it, it was worth at least trying to make sense of the symbols.

»They might just fall asleep,« Ubabe nodded her head while one of the panthers yawned out in unknowing confirmation. »Does it matter much?«
 
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"You can bring them through, if they come closer." He explained. "If you haven't used a stone before it's like...having your head dunked underwater. Humans usually cover the eyes of their horses."

Hath took the key. Any kind of magic wrapped around a common object could be a key. Whether you used a mighty artefact or a purpose made ticket the stone soaked up the magic.
 
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Ubabe scratched her ear, waving at her cat to come closer. »Horses are frightned by almost everything, I don't think anything in there scares an ash leopard.«

»Shall we just go through now? « Sheeha tilted her head as high up as she could, mulling about.
 
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Hath shrugged, cast an eye towards Ghaavel and touched the fragment of bone to the symbol.

Darkness fell. Not the kind of darkness that yours eyes would adjust to. It was absolute. There was the soft rushing sound. Like water over stones. And something else.

Some had always claimed to hear whispers in the void between portal stones. For the first time Hath heard them. It was no language he could understand. There was no intent between the sounds. As soon as they started the light returned.

Hath had to shield his eyes from the savanna sun. He blinked until he could see. By that time the heat had already worked through his furs and he felt a bead of sweat roll down his back.

He heard a cry in the human tongue and turned sharply.

A small caravan was just beyond the stone. The man at the front telling back, pointing to Hath and the axe in his hands.

"No harm!" shouted Hath, lowering the weapon. One of them was already trying to load a crossbow.
 
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