Cold Ambition - Game Thread

As we ride along the road. I hum a tune. When we take a pee break, I get Bryan and Zorra to the side. "We have started something here, boys. I haven't done a job like that in a long time. It made me miss my old days of thievin' and killin'. I think with this whole spat between Tally and Worrall goin' on, we will have more travel of supplies along the roads. I think we could take advantage of it and get some good gold and fun outta it. Think about it on the trip back to the farm, but I think we should start hittin' the trade routes. We can talk more about it once we get back to the farm."

As we get settled back on the road, my mind starts wandering to all the fun we will have.

"You know I love a little chaos but I am indifferent to pretty much most things. We gotta do what we gotta do, but hell. It would be fun to get back into it, undercover while this stuff goes down with the two bastards. Profit is always good in meh eyes. Just as long as we do not have to wear those old get ups we used to back in the day. You know I've grown and I would tear through those shorts and pink shirt and you my friend would not even get it around your neck." I laugh as I think about Sid trying to squeeze into that tiny pink shirt. "Bryan is still nimble and could pull it off."

I getting giddy thinking about the idea and all the shenanigans we will get into!

I sit in the back, focusing and train my spells and making small illusions in front of me to perfect shapes and movements..fire is a prominent image that comes to mind. "Hah! This belly begs to differ, Zorra my lad, too many lovers cooking me breakfast in hopes of me staying. Back to the subject at hand. I agree that we have a fantastic opportunity here, but where do we start? Perhaps we should direct our attention south."

"If you have so many lovers, throw a dragon a bone mate. You know how much I love to eat."

"We all know how much ye both like fookin'" I laugh. "We need te hurry home to Pengu, he'll be missin' us."
I look at our new farm hands. "I'm glad the two of ye' decided to come with us. Bloody mess that town is."

During our journey, I take note of all the travelers along the road, what they are carrying, if they are soldiers or farmers, which ways they are headed. I whisper to Bryan and Zorra, "Do ye think the new workers would be willin' to help us with our new plans?"

I lift my hat to see Sid. I look at him with a sly, worrisome look. "Might be a bit to risky to have more people involved. My opinion, less people the better. 3 is a party, 5 is a crowd." I pull the my hat back over meh eyes.

"Well, they seem to be driven by coin, and I expect us to be coming into a lot of that here soon. All they would need to do is keep the farm going and help us hide the goods when we come back from a successful hunt."

Eyes closed, I slither these words off my tongue ,"Then tell them what they only need to know. I'd feel more comfortable if we kept it small and in the family at the moment. Let's see how things progress and how they react to what we bring in. If they don't care what we bring in, no need to inform them how, but if the latter happens, we shall cross that burning bridge when we ride upon it."

I raise my hat and give Sid a wink that he feels burning in the back of his head.

Riding along the road, I look to our new companions. "Nasty business in town there, eh?"

Riding along, I find a nice looking piece of wood. I pull out my knife and start twiddling it and using my claws to round it off. Through out the travel, I shape it up and make another wooden pipe out of it. I only make the basic shape of it and will finish it up properly when I make it back to the farm. While we were back in town, I noticed a man with a corncob pipe fixture and it intrigued my eye. I thought to myself I like the look of it as I peer down at my own pipe. The pipe I hold now has a lot of sentimental value to me. I bought it with my first winnings when I was a lowly street fighter in the arena. I fancied the tasted of blood in my mouth and had a sadistic change of heart when I break out my fists. I become a whole different dragon, animalistic, like the dragons of old. I have a evil smile on my face with a pleasurable expression as my fists connect with the faces of the other fighters. Some thought it was cheap that my hide gave me the advantage, so I let them get the first hit in to make them feel better. Dumb drunks worst mistake. The first hit always sets the fire off in my belly, igniting the monster within me. Once I start my onslaught, I will not stop until the other is not moving anymore. I have my share of scars from knives and weapons. People think they can do better when they are in a group and think they can jump the hatchling. They didn't get to see tomorrow, I wouldn't let them. I faced many devils and demons inside me, but embracing them was my downfall. No one would let me fight anymore because the contestants wouldn't man up and fight a monster such as I. I had little to my name and drinking at a bar, pipe in hand and a sweet nectar in the other. Then some arse came in. Look like every man, even a couple of husky females, stood in offense as this orc came into the tavern. Said he was looking for "a monster" and offended the woman, who he thought was a man, near the door. Mind you she was manly indeed, and might have perhaps been the daughter of some sketchy rich dealer who ruled the towns in the area. I liked this character. He did not give any fucks to who he was talking to, only his goals was his priority. I stood and looked over at him. "This does't seem fair eh? A crowd of 20 against a random jackass that popped his head in and made a simple mistake. I know he is new to these parts, but this bloke doesn't deserve this, no?" A dwarf who wore high end armor looked at me, " An acquaintance of yours... eh Monster?" Hearing this, the orcs eyes finally hit me. I felt cold, yet a burning fire hit me with his glare. I feel like I'm the person he was searching for. I looked at the dwarf, "Why the shit would it matter to a half man?" I then felt the sensation of a fist across my face. The monster awoke again. I lifted the dwarf and through him across the tavern. He smashed through the table. Gasping for air, I clasp my fingers, claws digging, around his neck. I finally realized who this dwarf was. He was the husband of that manly woman. Killing him would rid the world of a disgusting filth such as he, telling myself this to try to justify the means of snapping his neck. Bloodlust in my eyes. I feel a hand on my shoulder, I turn ready to crash my fist into whatever is there. My fist is caught? I stare into the eyes of the orc. I can tell he is struggling to hold my fist back but maintains his composure. Color me impressed. "I don't need you dead yet, killing him would ridden you useless to me.", he says in a way that only can hear. I ignore what he says and headbutt him. "Alright, knew this wasn't going to be easy" He takes his stance. We trade blows for awhile. It has been so long to have an opponent last this long against my fists, I makes me feel such a rush that I have thought abandoned me so long ago. After awhile, I lower my fists and take a seat. Both bloodied and tolerant, he too takes a seat. "After beating the shit out of me, you owe me my words and a pint, you damn monster." Out of respect for making me feel alive again, I hear what Sid has to say.

As we SLOWLY roll along the road. I strike up a conversation with Zorra. "That smile ye got on your face right now....yer rememberin' the first time we met eh? We've been together for too long for me not to recognize that smirk." I chuckle. "I can tell yer gettin' excited bout our future plans."

"I can't help it. You know how I get when I get riled up. I can't help but smile" After I met Sid, things got a lot more interesting. Fun even.

I subtly run my finger down my bow and say aloud to Zorra, but also to my bow, "Soon my friend, you will have all the fun you could want."

I dart my eyes to Bryan. "Oi, Bryan, you've been awfully quiet here for a while. What're the voices tellin' ya now?"

I finish the pipe and throw it Sid's way. "Merry Birthday, it'll calm the jitters. Why do you think I smoke" I say as I rummage for some tobacco to share.

I wake up from a deep sleep with a cold sweat running down my face, certainly not the first time it's happened lately. Wiping my brow I look at Sid, "A fire burns in the horizon my friend, a black flame sweeping the fields...it's cold," I shiver, but with excitement. "it gives you the feeling of freezing to death..numbness, then warmth. The gods be unhappy with someone..or many someones. Not the usual gods that come to anger either..the dark ones are climbing out of slumbers for this." I clap my hands and make thunder boom around us, "This land will soon be swallowed by a storm and I can't wait to witness it!" I look at the others and smile wide with squinting eyes and two thumbs up.

I listen to Bryan ramble on about "Gods", but I hear him continue on and a sinister grin forms on my face with each passing word he says.

"Screw the Gods", I say in carelessness "I will take them on mehself, but your strange words are usually not far from truth. I am excited to see this freezing fire sweep these lands and these "dark ones" meet my fist, not out of justice but out of shear curiosity to test my strength against it."

"Will you follow me into the dark?" I say as I pat Bryan's knee.

I laugh under meh breath. "I hope we are this storm."

I look at Bryan. "Fak you an' yer damn vague words. Fak the fickle Gods." I furl my brow and frown. "This storm will swallow the island, whether it be Worral and Tally, or an actual storm, or us..."

I look at Bryan and Zorra. "Why the long silence?!" I yell. "Ye' two are too serious!"

"Sory, I dozed off. It seems that this ride is taking far longer than the last time. I feel like our penguins have starved and turned to the undead by now." I chuckle slightly to the fact that it might be true.

"Aye, the penguins will be fine. Just seems like its taking longer since it's so early in the day still."

I pat Brian on the shoulder. "Yer still bein' quiet, ye fak, wat are ye thinkin' friend?"

"Oh! Sorry friends, must have dozed off due to lack of oxygen from Zorra's smoke haha! I was actually thinking of a long lost fellow named Delrun...I shall tell you a story of his adventures in Grath some day!"

"Ahhhhhh, Delrun. He is that infamous dwarf guy right?"

"Indeed the old Hermit! We could only get along so much, ya know, since I'm sworn to evil and such. How about you Zorra? Any old companions?"

"I hope we get home soon"

"I just want to cuddle with the penguins again. They are so warm." I hope they are not dead.

....I notice our new friends have been hella quiet.

"You guys, tell us about yourselves we have time."