Nevill said:
Can we finally talk to our elephants when their handlers aren't looking? Perhaps distract them, or summon them to a briefing or something.
Sure. I knew I was forgetting something. Lyssa has finished your bracelets, I will add them to the character sheets when I get a moment. If I forget to do it then just gently nag me until I do.
Nevill said:
I want to know about them - their names, where are they from, how did they end in the hands of the Hounds, are there other herds of elephants around, what do they think about our expedition, what do they think about our companions, and if they would be interested in working with us directly.
So, you have Berty distract the handlers. It takes a bit of doing, but with the help of six tent pegs, a rotten pumpkin and his goose he manages it.
When you are alone with the elephants you test out your new bracelets and they work. The elephants are quite shocked at first and have no real desire to talk to you. They seem to fear punishment for doing so.
Lys manages to reassure them that no harm will come to them and one of them, an older female, steps forward cautiously to speak for the group.
She looks like she has seen better days, her hide is scarred from numerous wounds and her right tusk looks a bit worn and cracked. It probably bothers her immensely. It definitely bothers Lyssa, who curses the Hounds under her breath.
You decide that you best start the conversation before Lyssa decides to go and murder all the handlers...
The elephant introduces herself as Similce, she informs you that she is the matriarch, the dominant cow, of this herd. Though she admits that four elephants is not much of a herd.
With her are two younger cows and a bull. The younger cows are named Ayzebel and Sophoniba. Ayzebel is a little shorter and younger than Sophoniba but otherwise you can't really tell the difference between them.
Lyssa tells you that they hold themselves differently, Ayzebel is less sure of herself and more timid, on closer inspection Ayzebel does have fewer scars on her face and front than the other two. You deduce from this that she is used less than the others in an offensive capacity..
Off to one side is the only bull (male elephant) amongst their numbers. He is huge and heavily scarred. He refuse to speak directly to you, instead he asks Similce about you and responds to your questions through her. He seems to be in a perpetually bad mood.
She says his name is Hanno.
They are from the south. Two, maybe three weeks journey south of Stoneheim.
The Hounds abducted them.
Hanno they captured by himself, about fifteen years ago. He had drifted away from the rest of his bachelor herd and they crept up on him and sedated him. When he came to he was bound in a large wagon, headed north.
The other three were all takes at the same time. A large party of ghôls fell on their mating herd. Similce as the matriarch, rounded on the hunters to buy the calves time to escape. She fell defending them and does not know if they successfully eluded their attackers. When she came to she was in a large cage. Ayzebel and Sophoniba were in similar cages nearby.
The ghôls traded them to a group of robed humans for weapons. These robed humans took them north and traded them to the Hounds for what she would later learn is called gold.
They were sold into slavery, and that was twenty years ago.
They do not know if there are any elephant herds around but they do not think so. If you traveled south of Stoneheim maybe but they can make no guarantees.
You have not gotten any of them killed yet so they think your expedition is fine, even if pulling wagons full of humans and dwarves through the sand for days is not exactly their idea of a good time.
They don't really know much about most of your people. They like Lyssa though, she seems nice and she hates the Hounds about as much as they do.
Similce asks you what you have in mind. They would be open to a change of masters. Lyssa corrects her, you would be employers not masters. She stresses that point.
You think that maybe Lyssa should have consulted you before making such statements but she is quite passionate about the subject so it is perhaps to be expected.
Nevill said:
Is there a leader/spokesman among them?
Similce will speak for them as she is the closest thing they have to a leader. You can ask questions of the others should you wish. Ayzelbel and Sophoniba will both answer for themselves but Hanno will only talk through Similce, he ignores any question directed at him unless she asks it.
Nevill said:
What they like and what they dislike?
Well, they really liked not being caged. Also they liked not being beaten. Oh, and it was great when they did not have to be whipped every day or two. Ayzelbel says she really liked her calf, she wonders what happened to him.
Aside from that, they like fruit and tree bark... it has been a long time since they have had any tree bark... They look at you hopefully.
Sadly you have to inform them that you do not have any tree bark with you.
They seem quite disappointed.
Nevill said:
What exactly is going on between them and their handlers?
The Hounds take contracts, they then expect her people to fulfill those contracts. Sometimes it is mercenary work, sometimes they are used to move heavy objects or to build things. Sometimes it can be fun, usually it is painful.
Nevill said:
What do they want - in short term, and in a long one? Freedom? To return to their herds? To take vengeance on the Hounds?
Those all sound like great ideas to Similce. She doesn't know how she would ever find her herd though and freedom is a fool's dream. They would never be able to kill all of the Hounds and if they escaped their handlers they would be hunted by the rest of the mercenaries or they would starve in an unfamiliar land or they would be devoured by roving ghôls. There are only four of them after all.