Rorngar sent another puff through his short pipe that he had picked up back in the shop in the now distant city of Ironstone as he sat, reading the call to arms by the human king.
In truth, the letter wasn't very clear. It could be anything from a suicide war against another nation - which he would gladly skip - to a quest to take down some new being of evil. That would be a cause that he would consider joining.
Regardless, although he had seen quite a bit of the world in his travels, and met some interesting people, this new opportunity could be the change from the norm. He would at least go to see what was up.
With this in mind, he stood from the creaky bench along the worn dirt road to Fern City, and began walking, humming an old dwarven tune to himself.
Kozmar watched with a lazy expression as the wealthy Volden erupted in chaos and accusations flung from one side to another, with his minion Mason watching at his side
He had been working on this for a good while. It ended up just about as he had planned.
The village itself was an iconic place of superstition about long dead magics. Outsiders found it interesting, but anyone who wasn't just passing through found everyone within to be rather odd. Kozmar had simply needed to add flames to the fire.
He planted a few... ideas into the minds of several leading village members about the integrity of a certain family that was on the wealthy side, but was also new around the parts. Not the best thing to be when new to a superstitious village where newcomers are put under scrutiny, along with the luck of locals for the next year.
He then used a rather complicated spell - one of the only good ones to come of the humans - to cause misfortune across the entire village, excluding the family in question. Of course, considering the family lived in the outskirts, it was easier to exclude them from the curse.
It only took a week before the mutterings began about the new Volden mansion. It took only one week more for folks to bring out the pitchforks after the rallying speech given by the village leaders, who were now fully convinced of the demonic worshipping of the Voldens. Nonsense, of course, but a good way to expose human nature. He didn't create this, he just added a little fuel to a fire nigh ready to erupt.
The accusations had turned into battle; swords of the Volden family guard clashed with the pitchforks of brainwashed peasants. Outnumbered, the guard quickly fell, and the mansion rose in flames from thrown torches against its rather poorly thought out wooden frame, with its occupants still inside. Screams could be heard as the mansion was looted by peasants. No doubt there would be many regrets and a troop of the King's guard coming in not too long...
Mission successful.
Smiling, he walked out of the village, Mason walking close by. He almost blended in and looked like a local if not for his darker than usual and better kept up cloak, but even the less than logical peasants decided to take what they could get with the Volden mansion rather than mess with a traveller. Particularly a traveller who could wipe out those disgusting worms with a breath of Dark Flame.
Along the way, he did come across something interesting.
"So the king of humans wishes for heros?..."
"Lets see the ‘glorious heros’ the scum of the earth can dredge up.."
He wasn't too far from Feon City. East of Evershot? Yes...
"Mason, when will you clean those rotted carcasses in your mouth. I can smell it from this distance away. The only thing I can grant to other humans is the fact that they take better care than you do... Some do themselves the mercy of removing their teeth to spare those who have more of a care for hygiene."
Mason shrugged half-heartedly. Half his teeth had already fallen out, he didn't really care what happened to the rest...
With a sigh, Kozmar turned and walked along the road to Evershot. He would have plenty of time. The summer was coming up, but if time became a commodity, then he would simply shift and fly half the distance. Maybe do some last minute experiments on some of the tree huggers along the way...
