Dwarven Invasions
(Crossing, Zoluren: Dolefaren 360)
Baresh cringes in horror as a group of some 20 dwarves enters his establishment carrying Marshal Hegemonic on their shoulders. The group is small, they are all dwarves as I said. They proceed to pick up a chair and put it on one of the bigger tables, they then make Hegemonic sit on it.
Viviane yells at Baresh "Get some caskets of you bitterest Ale, and put it on Canten’s bill!" Baresh knows Viviane and Canten, thus he knows he will be able to collect. He picks the caskets and puts them on the counter, where arms whose owner’s can barely be seen over the counter, quickly get them, and pass them over to the group. All the dwarves seem to be carrying ale mugs or glasses. Worrclan proceeds to butt a casket making the top panel to break open. Among much merriment all the glasses are filled.
"A toast" says Baldwin "To the First Invasion inflicted upon the Pirates, and to the Stone Clan Force that made it possible!" "Cheers" "Bottoms Up!" "Salud!" and at least 17 more such exclamations follow the toast. The communal belching that followed that first gulp took the quality of a moss mey choir as for the next minute or two a long polychromatic and glass rattling burp invaded the whole establishment. It was started by Sir Galahant… and was ended by Atwun, in the middle every dwarf contributed some low and atavistic notes to the symphony…
The bar doors open and Shimmermist and Kyberus, a dwarven and an elven empath arrive. They are carrying multiple wounds and the pain in their faces is clear, but at unison they yell "Save some ale for us… running to the bar… we are limping here!" Their laughter is immediately follower by the roaring laughter of all the others in the tavern.
Among the merriment and stomping of the bar, Solrac Nabori, sporting a Red Sash and a Cutlass he does not seems to know how to wield approaches Baresh with that big and full of terrible teeth smile that dwarfs have. "Baresh, a Spiced Rum! Ale is not down my alley… Maybe it is common in Stone Clan, but among traveling troupes… well, Rum does carries a heavier punch per ounce." This Baresh understands as a reference to the fact that Solrac was not raised in Stone Clan but in… well ask Solrac himself, he does not likes to talk about it.
Baresh serves the rum to Solrac and looks down at him with inquiring eyes "What have you dwarves done now…? You look as close and merry as a band of Thieves in a Blind Beggars Convention!
"Baresh, the Stone Clan dwarfs, with the help of a few others have conducted an Invasion against the Pirates! Twenty or so of us got into the Riverhaven to Aesry Boat and prepared and waited for the Pirates. Hegemonic made us man all Mango… (Solrac slaps his forehead, scratches his head and finally looks down at his shot of rum, but he cant find the answer) the thingy… Well all where manned, and when the Pirate schooner appear we where ready… One or two hits to the Pirate ship… and before they had time to think it over the Captain of the Boat had maneuver to let the Pirates, almost force them, to board us."
"Baresh, It was magnificent…. I tell you, If I had hair it would be standing right now!" Solrac’s laughter fill the local and the group of dwarves around Shimmermist and Kyberus immediately echoes his reaction… Laughter, like some skin rashes, is certainly contagious.
"Well I myself was able to connect a hit or two against the pirates… Of course, under the wing of Grimmslayer, who guarded me. We dispatched the Pirates, and then I see Hegemonic and others, still lusting for blood, jump on the Pirate schooner. I ran and jumped too… I was, well, in love with the effectiveness shown by the group tactics… but in running like that I did not gave Grimmslayer the chance to catch up with me. So before a minute had passed I was under attack by two Pirates, stunned and barely listening the voice of Hegemonic screaming at me to retreat back to the boat to be healed…"
Solrac takes a long drink from his rum, eyes slightly glassed he continues…
"Well Thank Kertigen and Everild, I was able to get a hold of my senses, and the dull sensation of a second before was replaced by a red curtain over my eyes, all seemed to shine the way a fresh gapping wound glistens with the promise of death! My pain was suddenly another song of death and destruction a lullaby in my ears… I sweep low at a pirates feet and saw a slash in his knees and a second of surprise and astonishment in the Buccaneer’s eyes… but the voice of Hegemonic got to me again and I thus used those precious seconds of bliss to get to the boat where the empaths where able to save my life."
Solrac drinks his shot of rum. "Another Baresh, you know how I replenish loss of blood with Spiced Rum." Baresh gives him his shot and hears a roar and a crash. He glances at the others dwarves in the establishment, honestly expecting to see a table been broke or something, but instead he sees Prometheus opening the second casket of Ale with a nasty bite… Impressive!
"Well Baresh, Shimmermist and Kyberus made me heal, and in time to get out and still connect some hits on the Pirates… What a Glorious, bonding experience!"
"Hey Solrac, do the Imitation of the Pirate… yells Sortny.
Solrac grunts, and in a raspy and phlegmatic voice belts out "Come on over, boys, it’s just Dwarves!"