DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3K - Evermoor Way

<Bern>

Zindra has the ogre talking, so he listened, but didn't interfere.

Zindra
"Let's just say that I don't get along with giants. Do you know what kind of giants they were? I don't remember that there were giants here before. What were they up to?"

The ogre

"Taking my food!" the ogre says emphatically. "The other giants ran me off too. Ran all day. No food."

He remembers his previous question. "You have food? I tell you more if you give food."

Jaliera

Definitely a good swap. She is not sure if Zindra has rations but just in case recalls Whisper, so she can drop some off for her.

Zindra
She reaches into her backpack, still at a distance and takes out her rations and brings them over to the ogre.

"This should hold you for a little bit. I'll see if I can get more for you."

The ogre

The ogre looks immensely appreciative of the rations, gobbling them up quickly, nearly crying in relief.

"Fire giants," he begins after swallowing the first of two large bites. He gestures toward the east. "Had magic. Burned trees. Burned food."

He quickly consumes the rest of the rations. "Tried hunt, Hill Giants not let me. More angry. Some had real clubs."

<Bern>

As the ogre begins telling his 'story', Bern pulls some food from his pack and tosses it once the initial 'meal' is gone.

Zindra
"You've been helpful. I'm going to go fetch some more food for you. I don't have to, but you are my new friend. Wait here and I'll go get some. I dropped some not far away."

She turned from the ogre and made some haste towards where Bern and Jaliera were hiding in wait. Once she spotted Bern hiding behind a rock she followed the finger he use to point out his rations she knelt down to pick them up and and started to head back to the ogre.

"Here. This is all I have but I am giving you the rest. I will hunt for myself later."

She paused to let the ogre think about that. She knew it was feeble-minded and that string of words were likely complicated for it. When she saw the look of understanding on it's face she furthered the conversation.

"Why were the fire giants doing that? Why burn trees and food? And what are those holes?" she asked pointing to all the giant holes about.

It was a lot of questions for an ogre, but she was going to be patient with it as it was being helpful.

Hungry Ogre

"You friend too," the ogre replies. "I help you fight."

Assuming, of course, he's nourished enough.

As more food is produced, the ogre is happy to accept it and he begins eating it, slightly slower than the original pack of rations, listening to the new questions.

"Don't...." he begins, then pauses, looking at the food, and back to Zindra. "Uh. I think they wanted black rock."

He looks around as if anyone other than Zindra might overhear. "Hid rock with food. They burned trees to find. Burned food too. With magic. I don't like magic."

Jaliera

She would have been happy to share her rations too. Maybe with Bern and Zindra later instead.

Then her next thought takes everything else out of her mind.

**Giants with MAGIC**

That is a whole new ball game.

**And what is black rock?**

Right decision to talk to the ogre though. She doesn't understand it yet but they have certainly learned much.

Zindra
"Cowards!" she exclaims, siding with the ogre's anger. "What black rock? Did you see where they buried it?"

The ogre

The ogre's brow furrows at the question, apparently confused.

Not that it takes much to confuse him.

"They not bury, they steal. I found buried last year. I hide. They find."

Zindra

She smacks her own forehead with her palm and replied.

"My being stupid. I did not understand. You found the black rock and hid it with your food and they took it? They are so bad. That's why fire giants are bad!"

She nodded her head.

"I know rock was black. Was it big? Was it long? Did it look like maybe it wasn't just a rock? Did the giants call it by some name that was different than 'black rock'?"

Ogre

The ogre seems to have regained enough energy to start to stand up while talking. He picks up his club in the process, but does not appear to be using it threateningly. In fact, he uses it as a visual aid.

"Looked like broken part of bigger rock," he says, holding up his club. "Shape like this but only half big."

As Zindra asks more about the rock his brow furrows. "Maybe not rock. Metal? Kinda like both. Look like armor but too thick to wear."

The ogre looks thoughtful, trying to remember everything he can about the black rock.

"Fire make rock look green," he adds.

Jaliera

**Fire makes rock green? Could be metal?**

Outside her sphere of knowledge but perhaps others might know? She maintains her position and tries to avoid being noticed which might spook the ogre. Facing one human is probably OK, more might be an issue.

Zindra
"That is very useful! You are smart. That is a strange rock if it changes color! Maybe it was magic. Hmmmm."

He pauses and lets the ogre ponder and absorb.

"I hope the food was good. I am headed that way and am meeting some friends. Do you have a destination? By the way, I am Zindra."

Glork

"I am Glork," the ogre replies.

"You save life with food. I go with you and help you next fight. I hope you want to fight stealing giants."

Glork gestures eastward from whence he came. "Hill giants on the way, you help me fight them so I can hunt food? Or I help you if you go another place."

Zindra

"Sure. I have to meet my friends. Let's get going."

With that she starts walking and says, "This way."

Jaliera

She quickly stows her bow and makes sure she is in the open near Bern. Best not to get the ogre on the defensive.

As Zindra comes into view, she raises her hand in a friendly greeting.

"Hi Zindra, who's your new friend?"

Zindra

"This is Glork. He hates giants. They were bad to him. I like Glork."

She turns to Glork now, "This is Jaliera, a friend. And that over there is Bern - he doesn't like giants either".

Glork

Glork wraps his fist tighter around his club and starts to walk, following Zindra along the path. As the two new members are introduced, the ogre nods his head toward them.

"Hello friends," he says simply, not even trying to remember names.

<Bern>

He wasn't exactly 'happy' about the ... apparent ... addition to the group, but if Zindra thought it was a good idea, he was willing to 'go with it' for now. He returned the nod.

Arus

He's surprised when they're joined by an ogre---who wouldn't be---though only his left eyebrow lets it show.

Looking the ogre up and down, one term comes immediately to Arus's mind. Meat shield.

Could be useful!

Arus knows the Giantish language from his people's dealings with the storm giant realms, but he doesn't let on to the ogre yet. Instead he says in Common:

"Welcome."

Best not to overwhelm the ogre's mental capacity by giving another name to remember.

Jaliera

"Hi Glork."

She smiles.

"Seems we have something in common as I don't like giants either!"

<Bern>

He steps out, bow and sword put away ... for now.

"I'm not a fan of giants either", he said in common.