Dragon Warriors

Uruka hangs around, allowing the rest to converse. He will test his weapon nonchanlantly.

The woman gave Jaafan an amused look and then was all business as she relaxed and spoke with Kuublu.

" The raids have been more frequent this season, My Prince. As I'm sure your aware we usually lose a few common folk to them but for them to come through the grasslands and burn a village? It has been almost a century since they have done so. Further to the west they are also active where the Forest of Storms retreats from the coast, though we have other concerns there as well."

" I understand your concern for your people, My Prince. But remember the tale of the Rivers Chosen; two thousand troops marched into the Forest of Storms to rescue Prince Truime and his court and not a one emerged. The generals are reluctant to commit troops into that hell on what they consider suicide missions....forgive me, My Prince but it is said by them it is better to lose a dozen commoners than a single soldier."

She looked over the returned villagers and then back at Kuublu, " But you have returned from beneath the trees. It is unheard of."

She turned back to her troops, " Break out supplies for the villagers and his Highness' people. We will speak in the village centre."

She declined her head to Kuublu and moved off with some of her soldiers to begin preparing the area and pulling what remained of buildings together to form a rough series of benches in a circle around the central firepit.

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.

Jaafan had felt encouraged at the warrior woman's amused look, as it bode better than disgust or disdain, but her words doused that ember before it could catch flame. He kicked dust up, not directly at her, she was speaking the words of the 'generals', but the words struck him none the less.

"Better to lose commoners than soldiers, bah. who feeds the soldiers? Who leaves their homes to become soldiers. Better to lose all the generals than one commoner." the young barbarian growled, knowing full well his people would be considered expendable to the high and mighty leaders, "Anyway, we've bested the dangers of the forest of storms. We cover ourselves in animal dung to hide our scent, we climb the trees periodically to chart our course around the herds, and we strike the Volucreth where they least expect your forces. Those that die will be honored in tales, and those that live will have the glory of striking down the volucreth in their own lands."

Jaafan drew his volucreth blade and stabbed it in to the ground, "If your forces are not up to the match then we can go to my home and the commoners who dwell there will surely have the strength, though they would likely expect some reward for saving your empire from your southern enemies. Perhaps they could replace your generals." he laughed at the end, entertained by the idea of his tribe proving their worth above the soldiers of this Prince and his warriors.

(Assuming that we're all comfortably seated, or at least, Kuublu is...)


Kuublu raises his hand, as he wishes to speak.

" Igosa Bathandwa , we have taken our share of the harvests, our share of the livestock and yet our patrols were not frequent enough to prevent this..."

Kuublu gestures at the surrounding burnt out village.

"...We must do what we can do to rebuild this and other villages that have been raided. Our main priority is to defend what we have. However we are all in agreement. I am reluctant to assign warriors to enter the Forest of Storms, their greater numbers will be vulnerable to Volucreth raids and the beasts that reside there. A large force with no clear goal will likely be destroyed"

"However, are there skilled sappers who can assist us? When we explored the forests we saw all manner of hostile beasts, but one thing we could not overcome was the walls of the prison. I would request for any volunteers who may wish to join us but we are unfamiliar with the ways of breaching walls."

Kuublu describes his encounters to all. After the meeting he'll also describe some of the events that have taken place to a runner except the long dead Queen encounter. Will ask the runner to update the garrison and from there the capital on recent events.

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Speech!





And so the show begins!!!
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dwp ... ssages/640

Bathandwa regarded Jaafan cooly and there was a tiny flicker of anger when he mentioned her forces not being up to the challenge, but she chuckled when he mentioned replacing the generals.

" Ah, but then you will no longer be a toned and fiery warrior of the borderlands but a sleek and comfortable general yourself.", she grinned then looked at his captured weapon, " It is a good blade...Perhaps, if the Prince permits we can test it against my mothers in a short while..."



" Those who build the garrison defenses and the city walls should know such things...though from your words these walls of the Umntu Ukhozi are beyond what they have formed in terms of scale..."

" I brought as many as I could but the garrison has a scant dozen or so defending it at the moment, others are patrolling the trade road and the outer villages as they have always done."

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.

_________________
Speech!





And so the show begins!!!
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dwp ... ssages/640

Jaafan's anger passed as swiftly as it had blown in, and he once again waggled his eyebrows at the warrior woman, "I'm better with my spear." He said with a chuckle as he returned the volucreth blade again to the crude sheath of woody fronds.

When Kuublu began speaking again Jaafan turned to him, but his brow raised in skepticism, "Well, when I entered it I was only a prisoner with a secreted nail intent on freeing myself and likely dying in battle. I know little of wall construction, though I do recall the gate pivoting vertically to open. The walls themselves were maybe... 40 meters high, likely cut down trees stood side by side. My people would simply scale the walls in the night and try to kill the defenders while they slept. Perhaps I can remember the layout inside if I think on it a bit."

Jaafan scratched his right pectoral muscle as his face shifted to one of mild disdain, "Also, this village likely has a name already. Even if you decreed it be changed to Jaafan, its dwellers would likely continue calling it whatever it's name is." he grumbled, "You could name something else after the winner, perhaps a small monument on the road where we emerged from the Forest of Storms." he grinned at the thought of a monument to his deeds set on the roadside where travelers would pass it.

He hesitated for a moment and then waggled his eyebrows again, "Though such a spot would have less meaning on the off chance your sturdy commander here bested me. Perhaps we might wager something else."

"Anyway, how did your ancestors stop the things so long ago? surely they did not simply cease their raiding. Let us just repeat the same process. Levy taxes, raise more troops, ally with other tribes, whatever it is, it can not be to complex in principle."

Bathandwa smirked at Jaafans spear comment, " In the past? In the ancient days before Wagadou, before Empire and Kingdom in the days of our ancestors most distant ancestors it has been passed down that the Forest of Storms was a different place...though the name is lost...the Volucreth, the Umntu Ukhozi, are only spoken of coming in the time of Nyambis Awakening and they marched then in a force of millions...these tales are old..older than the names of the Clans...from the time before planting....I only know them because of my father. But our ancestors fought, the Serpent scattered the Eagle, and men and women came back to these lands...every few generations the Umntu Ukhozi come in strength but never as in the past, mostly it is border raids for slaves."

_________________
co-author Fury of the Deep
co-author Friends or Foes
co-author Dragon Warriors Players Guide
co-author Cold Fury
co-author Cadaver Draconis
co-author Ordo Draconis 1 and 2.

"Perhaps it is a matter to be discussed in the Capital. We may forge new alliances with neighbouring tribes, perhaps they have information which we do not have. I cannot see how we can rescue prisoners, even if we destroy the prison, the forest itself may rise up and take away what we have won. If the Waga permits we can accomplish more as ambassadors and create new alliances."

Kuublu looks to see if the others have any comments on this course of action.

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Speech!





And so the show begins!!!
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dwp ... ssages/640

Chiemeka glances briefly at Jaafan, thinking that the Barbarian is unlikely to prefer an ambassadorial mission to slaughtering volucreth. He then turns back towards Kuublu.

"If we can prevent more loss of life in the long run by forming alliances and gathering forces to permit a decisive strike against these creatures, then I agree with the Prince."