Post by Valen Storyteller on Feb 25, 2016 0:53:11 GMT
TL, DR: The Hobgoblin reaver, Doruk, sails from the western shore of the Valenpoint Peninsula, all the way around the peninsula to begin harrying outlying Valenian towns.
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Days Ago
The drums beat and the workers groaned and strained to its rhythm, hoisting up the last two of the rowboats, one up each side of the ship. Goblins scrambled off the boats as soon as they were level with the swaying deck, and got to work stowing the smaller vessels away. They worked fast and hard, which was the highest praise Doruk could expect for his leadership.
Doruk advanced towards the working men, gesturing towards the tallest figure in their midst, “what did you find?” The only hobgoblin in that raiding party turned to his chief the moment the words were out, slamming his fists onto his chest in a crisp salute.
“Little worth taking, chief. The humans are wising up to us.” A brief silence, as the creature clearly measured its next words. Eventually, loyalty won out over the fear of displeasing his master, “they say Spinal is preparing to react to us.”
That caught Doruk’s attention, that baleful red gaze settling on the lesser hobgoblin. He didn’t ask a specific question, instead just cocked his head to the side and offered a low, angry growl. The lieutenant volunteered more information in an instant, “they’ve hired on a crew of pirate-hunters. Three ships, they said. They’re scouring the rivers and shores for us, trying to find and trap us.”
Doruk nodded to the hobgoblin, and strode away. Mentally, he took note that this one had the bravery to deliver bad news: that wasn’t altogether common.
He’d expected there would be trouble eventually -- or at least more trouble than that lone law-woman could cause. It was time, maybe, to change his tactics, before he became predictable.
“Oars in the water! We’re speeding downstream, out to the Sea of Turmoil!” Barbaric shouts of acquiescence answered him, bringing a savage grin to his lips. He had the seaworthiness and the supplies to speed around the north endcap of the Peninsula, and once on the other side, there would be a lot of fresh, unwary prey for them, all the way to Valen’s doorstep...
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This morning
The people were so unprepared that the screams only began when they were close enough to the shore to be able to look their soon-to-be victims in the eye. Doruk grinned fiercely, an expression his lop-sided face was well-suited to. “Fire! Give them a taste of fire!” A moment after the order was given, beams of magical flames shot from the two rowboats next to his own, striking at the roofs of the houses closest to shore. As usual, that got the panic started nicely. There wouldn’t be any organized resistance
Soon the bottom of the boat dragged against the sandy shore, and Doruk leaped out the front. With a war cry, he launched himself forward, barreling onto a young woman who was shying away from the burning building, her back to him. His cleaver nearly tore her in two, but she was out of his mind before her corpse touched the ground. As they’d been trained to, his magic-users avoided casting their spells at larger, more important buildings. The harbormaster's stood right in front of him, no guard between him and what would no doubt be quite a bit of gold.
Doruk grinned, and he reaved.
-------------------
Days Ago
The drums beat and the workers groaned and strained to its rhythm, hoisting up the last two of the rowboats, one up each side of the ship. Goblins scrambled off the boats as soon as they were level with the swaying deck, and got to work stowing the smaller vessels away. They worked fast and hard, which was the highest praise Doruk could expect for his leadership.
Doruk advanced towards the working men, gesturing towards the tallest figure in their midst, “what did you find?” The only hobgoblin in that raiding party turned to his chief the moment the words were out, slamming his fists onto his chest in a crisp salute.
“Little worth taking, chief. The humans are wising up to us.” A brief silence, as the creature clearly measured its next words. Eventually, loyalty won out over the fear of displeasing his master, “they say Spinal is preparing to react to us.”
That caught Doruk’s attention, that baleful red gaze settling on the lesser hobgoblin. He didn’t ask a specific question, instead just cocked his head to the side and offered a low, angry growl. The lieutenant volunteered more information in an instant, “they’ve hired on a crew of pirate-hunters. Three ships, they said. They’re scouring the rivers and shores for us, trying to find and trap us.”
Doruk nodded to the hobgoblin, and strode away. Mentally, he took note that this one had the bravery to deliver bad news: that wasn’t altogether common.
He’d expected there would be trouble eventually -- or at least more trouble than that lone law-woman could cause. It was time, maybe, to change his tactics, before he became predictable.
“Oars in the water! We’re speeding downstream, out to the Sea of Turmoil!” Barbaric shouts of acquiescence answered him, bringing a savage grin to his lips. He had the seaworthiness and the supplies to speed around the north endcap of the Peninsula, and once on the other side, there would be a lot of fresh, unwary prey for them, all the way to Valen’s doorstep...
-------------------
This morning
The people were so unprepared that the screams only began when they were close enough to the shore to be able to look their soon-to-be victims in the eye. Doruk grinned fiercely, an expression his lop-sided face was well-suited to. “Fire! Give them a taste of fire!” A moment after the order was given, beams of magical flames shot from the two rowboats next to his own, striking at the roofs of the houses closest to shore. As usual, that got the panic started nicely. There wouldn’t be any organized resistance
Soon the bottom of the boat dragged against the sandy shore, and Doruk leaped out the front. With a war cry, he launched himself forward, barreling onto a young woman who was shying away from the burning building, her back to him. His cleaver nearly tore her in two, but she was out of his mind before her corpse touched the ground. As they’d been trained to, his magic-users avoided casting their spells at larger, more important buildings. The harbormaster's stood right in front of him, no guard between him and what would no doubt be quite a bit of gold.
Doruk grinned, and he reaved.