"Now, be sure to eat all of your berries," instructed Historian Teedlongis as she passed between the pups with leaves covered in food. "The foragers worked hard to make sure you had all different flavors."
"The foragers are elves," murmered a little scrap-earred pup to the heavy one. Soft chitters of disapproval came from all of the kobolds. This was interrupted by a heaved sigh from their teacher.
"Chungotlus has been telling his stories again. Which one is it this time?"
"Tadlotlindrirajer!" came a cheer from all of the pups though the younger ones had some trouble getting past the middle of the word.
Teedlongis frowned more deeply and furrowed her brow. "That is a horrible story to tell to pups. I shall have to have a word with him." She put down the last leaf of berries and turned to go hunt down the old man.
"Now look what you did, Jomilbus!" complained the heavy set bold as he swiped a couple of extra berries.
"I didn't mean to! Honest!" complained the little one.
"Quick, we need to find Chungotlus and warn him," murmered another. "And we can ask for another story."
The pups left their meal and hurried to find Chungotlus. When they found him, he was huddled next to an adult kobold who seemed to be carrying some kind of a sharp stick with a point on it. It looked almost like an elf arrow, but much larger and made of bone. "Good," muttered the old man. "How many of these can you make without them noticing?"
The younger man shrugged as he hefted the large-arrow. "Hard to say. Tliyifrus willing we can have a quarter of the men armed by next month."
"Remember Niyazov, child," responded Chungotlus with a smile. "Arm any women you can as well. Do not let the elves philosophy corrupt-" The old kobold cut off made a strange gesture with his hand and sent the other man on his way before opening his arms to the pups. "Sneaking about under cover of darkness... I see you have been listening. Why are you here, pups?"
"To hear more story!" shouted Jomilbus cheerfully as she ran to hug Chungotlus' leg. The other kobold pups quickly explained the trouble in a flurry of words. Chungotlus nodded slowly and murmered, "She is right to fear... a Historian knows that there is danger in words. But perhaps she will fear it less if she knows you have learned some lessons as well... Let me tell you what happened in Autumn of 179..."It was a time for honoring Godruprus with revelry, song, and dance. For the first time, Tadlotlindrirajer had created life. The kobolds created a great billowing fire, fine giant-sparrow biscuits were devoured with prickle-berry wine, and all were happy. The three married couples sat with amused smiles on their snouts as they watched Hugo and Niyazov pointedly not looking at each other despite sitting on the same log. Taz ran up and down the stairs to bring food up under Sen's careful instruction while Straw minded the fire.
A chant began of 'Pig! Pig! Pig!' and soon Suds drew forward before the fire with a bundle in his arms. He lifted it to the night sky, the fire flickering over soft pink skin. He held the reason for the revels, a tiny piglet born not ten minutes before. “Tadlotlindrirajer make life! Tliyifrus smile! Gasruchruin smile! Dleenuslis smile!” The party continued late into the night with the sounds of drinking, cheering, and little piglet sounds of joy.
The next night it was the same thing for during the day while all the kobolds nursed hangovers two pups had been born. “Tliyifrus smile,” everyone agreed as they went about their work. When a week later another piglet was born it was clear to all that their camp was blessed and watched over.
“Need build temple,” mused Suds as he oversaw the construction of the latest hut.
Valk's ears perked up with interest. “Build temple? Build master-piece. It wouldn't be suitable to praise the gods without truly creating something of beauty to be envied by kobolds all around.”
Suds peered at Valk with confusion on his face. He tilted his head to the side and pointed out helpfully, “Valk talk weird. Valk need learn talk.” With a pat on the shoulder, he went about his business with counting the planks used to make the hut.
One day, the sun didn't rise. A faint buzzing filled the air and the camp gathered. Cogdis peered up at the sky with his brow furrowed. “No see,” he complained with a deep sigh. “Why no sun?”
Niyazov's eyebrow furrowed deeply as she stared up at the sky as well. For a long time, she was silent. Then a shiver went through her. “Sun up. See sun there.” She raised her crossbow and pointed at a sliver of light.
“So why no see?” asked Splinter with a confused look on her face.
“Mosquito,” responded Niyazov resolutely.
Suds sat with a blank look on his face, clutching a bone in his hands. “Mosquito?” he asked then made a buzz sound to ensure he understood.
Suddenly Corai and the Unseen Spirits jumped into action. “Spirits guard,” barked Corai. “You no spirit, food cave.” He barked and hissed as Taz, Splinter, FeralTalon, Cogdis, and Niyazov rushed the others down into the food cave. “Bolds. We die here. Too many mosquito. Be brave. Be strong. Be bold.”
The Unseen Spirits gathered their weapons and stood in the morning that was still far too dark. Cogdis turned to Splinter and murmed, “Live, wife.” She nodded and responded, “Life, husband.” FeralTalon just stared at the sky with a sneer on his face. Finally he said, “Buzzard eat mosquito.” This brought small laughs, but it could not stop the feeling of fear that held them all.
The mosquitos dived.
“No dive us...” murmed Splinter quietly with a confused look on her face. “Why no dive us?”
Corai shook his head and responded, “Corai no know. Kill other animal?”
Then the screams began.
The kobolds rushed to the edge of the cliff and stared down in horror. Dozens of the mosquitos dived down one after another after another. At first, it wasn't obvious what they were attacking. Then through the haze of wings they saw. Kobolds.
One of the kobolds was already in the grip of a mosquito shreaking in horrible pain and flailing his limbs as the monstrous beast sucked it's blood. Gore flew, but with a couple of swipes of his claws getting lucky, the kobold was able to get away for a moment. He turned and ran.
“Save him!” cried out FeralTalon with a look to Niyazov. She lifted her bow, looked down the sight, and fired again and again. But somehow the beasts were too quick, dodging around the shots with relatively ease.
The mosquito struck again and a final scream came from the kobold's single remaining lung.
“No...” groaned out Corai. “Why they come now?”
The screams continued as the kobolds below ran and tried to find cover. There were seven left after the first one was so cruelly cut down. Arrows flew down but they couldn't take anyone down.
“Need save them!” cried Splinter. She began to run down, until Cogdis grabbed her shoulder.
“Live, wife,” he murmered softly.
“No! Save them!”
“Too many.”
Another of the kobolds was covered in the horrific swarm. A spear-like stinger ripped open her stomach her insides spilling out. Still she screamed until the monster stopped her.
The carnage continued as the kobolds on the hill called down. Finally one of the kobolds spotted them and cried out, “To hill! Run!” She began to sprint up the hill, losing sight of the others. She reached the top with one of the males and Splinter quickly dragged them back to the camp.
Another six kobolds were still down the hill. Corai and Niyazov exchanged looks. “We go?” asked Niyazov.
Corai shook his head. “No can. Too many. Too big. We all die.”
Niyazov showed her teeth and stepped forward in a challenging way, her bow thumping into Corai's chest. “They all die.”
“Then they die. We no die with them.”
The archer snarled and began to make her way down the hill, firing up into the sky.
“Hugo still live. Niyazov no die yet,” called Corai with a sickened look on his face. It was not what he would have wished to use, but there was no choice. Niyazov frowned and sighed, falling back to provide cover while the migrants fled.
Not all fled fast enough. A female elder was dragged by her legs for thirty yards before they snapped and she died writhing in pain.
With three kobolds dead, the mosquitos were in a blood-lust. Their buzzing got louder and they moved faster. Then black, soulless eyes found the kobolds on the hill.
Claws tightened on weapons. Bodies were set. Cogdis softly whispered, “Live, wife.”
“Run.”
There was silence but for the buzzing.
“You no hear?” barked Corai louder. “We run! RUN!”
The brave Unseen Spirits ran, three migrants still running after them. The mosquitos loomed behind.
Soon the Unseen Spirits came to the food cave. Inside the kobolds of the camp and the migrants were huddled for warmth and safety.
As soon as they entered, one of the migrants inside ran and hugged one of the more recent arrivals. “Nerev,” she sobbed into his arms. “Nerev safe. Blue so worried. Blue so worried.”
Nerev shook his head and whispered softly, “Nerev safe. Blue safe. Plasobler no take.”
“Rachleeyus? You see Rachleeyus?” asked a female kobold with pain in her eyes. “You see?”
Corai shook his head. “These three all.”
“Three?” asked Suds as he looked at the two migrants who had made it with the warriors.
One of the two that had just arrived began to sob. “No! Dadreechin with me! Dadreechin with me!” She ran out of the cave followed by Suds immediately.
“No safe,” barked Suds in his best commanding voice, but it was too late. She stood outside staring up at the mosquitos. Her claws made fists and he placed a hand on her shoulder as she wailed out in mourning. “We find him later. No you die. What call you?”
“Cadbee,” she responded as her claws opened and closed. The sobbing continued though there was an edge to her words now. “Cadbee. Srojlachlis bring me revenge.”
Suds frowned at this and offered out weakly, “Josislus bring you peace.”
Cadbee stood with a scowl on her face. “No. Srojlachlis.” She stomped back downstairs and Suds followed.
The fourth kobold was sitting with Corai with a deep frown on his face. “You lead squad?” asked the newcomer. “Give Nix spear?”
Corai nodded hesitantly. “Corai give spear. Nix know spear?”
Nix nodded. “Nix know.”
The kobolds waited underground with their snouts pointed down at the ground. The room was filled with sobs of the migrants, the stench of blood, and shame.
Winter technically has not yet begun at this point and there are a couple of carry-over pieces, but I felt that it would feel strange to kind of pin the stuff to the end of this. In basic summation, we've got 4 new bolds and lost 4 migrants on their way in. I tried to send in the military, but after seeing how badly the non-military bolds were losing as they were trying to fight, I called it off. Didn't want to lose the entire camp. Autumn was hard. Maybe Winter will be better?
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Topic: Tadlotlindrirajer: Community Kobold Camp: Please Vote On Our Fate! (Read 30894 times)