Ramir tried to shrug off his statement, because Miroslaw had made a very important point. They were paid to retrieve the items, not analyze the situation. It was complicated for Ramir, because he'd not given much thought to his course of action before recent events. He was also concerned what it would mean to Miroslaw if Ramir objected to completing their task. Men who met in the middle of nowhere over gold had little trust shared between them.
So, Ramir resigned himself to pushing on, just a little. His mind ran over a myriad of concerns now. If they stole the items without conflict, surely that would just provoke more violence. If they didn't follow through, they'd be hard pressed to find work in the future.
"This way. We can at least spy out their encampment and see how much trouble it's worth."
Ramir wasn't a thief by trade, not in truest sense. Perhaps Miroslaw was not either and adverse odds would have him think this through.
Miroslaw listened to the words and found some truth to them. These gnomes seemed to only want what was originally theirs. However, the items were theirs no longer. The items belonged to... perhaps their ancestors, but not them. Bah. The words made him think, and thinking was often bad for a job. He has found this out too many times in the past.
Miroslaw continued trudging forward following behind Vandal. He gave no response to the first words. The second set of words, he decided to respond to, "Aye. A bit of scouting is rarely a bad idea." He tried to be quieter at the mention of scouting. Almost needless to say, it was not a part of his skills set.
Death is no more than turning us over from time to eternity. Whether that eternity is damnation or salvation is determined in the time we have.
::Miroslaw made Ramir look like the greatest thief in Wistvale. Many a dry twig trembled at his coming, for they knew they would be crushed beneath his mighty feet.
Ramir had a bit of a easier go of it. He knew at least enough to be mindful of his steps and how he should move, if not yet having the skill to move that way.
Regardless, they reached the rise they were wanting to find without incident, having skirted around the outside of the strange symbols they had found hanging in the trees. Once high enough, they found a break in the trees that would allow them to look down on the encampment below.
The glow of a large fire could be seen through the trees, though the night sky hid the smoke rising from it. Many small figures moved about near the flames, perhaps in a dance of some kind. Near the fire was some kind of structure with the light of the fire reflecting of a metallic object atop it.::
My first thought was, he lied in every word, That hoary cripple, with malicious eye Askance to watch the workings of his lie On mine, and mouth scarce able to afford Suppression of the glee, that pursed and scored Its edge, at one more victim gained thereby.
Ramir frowned as he looked upon the scene. It seemed that his thoughts had some merit, they looked to be worshiping an item that he just knew had to be what they were after. If they were violent in order to get it, how would they react to it being stolen. Ramir sighed, loud enough that Miro would have heard, but resigned himself to having signed up. He'd give his recommendation to his employer should he get out of this in one piece.
Staying hunkered down, he spoke to his partner.
"This could get very ugly. Small or not, we're outnumbered. Can I ask how good a shot you are with that bow of yours?"
Looking down at the Gnomes doing some kind of a ritual, Miroslaw heard the sigh from Vandal. It was fairly clear that his assumptions were right. They were likely not dancing just to dance.
He felt killing these creatures would be wrong. Even though they stole, it was not stealing for the sake of stealing. There were no evil intentions behind their actions. Once again he would take to crippling rather than killing. Of course, only if its possible to cripple and maintain his own safety.
"Aye. I see this turning sour. I doubt we can talk them into giving back what they stole." He smiled at the question, "I hit what I intend to hit, most of the time."
Death is no more than turning us over from time to eternity. Whether that eternity is damnation or salvation is determined in the time we have.
Being that the idol simply wasn't that hard to get their hands on, this really didn't need to be all too complicated. Ramir got comfortable and asked Miroslaw for his input.
"Alright. We can wait til they all bunk down, or we can cause a distraction - usually a fire. Then we need to tear in there, snatch it up and get the heck out before they catch on. Then we'll need to hightail it back to town, because it's going to stir them right up and the dig site is going to be in for it."
"Fire you say?" It was a different approach than Miroslaw was whirling up. He had two plans and both involved shooting first. Either way, if they wait to take the idols till they sleep, they will wake and attack the encampment again, ending in a fight. If they cause a distraction and take the objects, they will attack. Ending in a fight. If they open with fighting... well it will be a fight.
There seemed to be many options, all leading to similar ends. As much as Miroslaw did not like to kill, these were savages. Savages do not often see compromise nor futility. They wanted what they stole and that's that. He saw nothing they could do that would not lead to a failed job or some dead savage gnomes. There was grater good in protecting the researches than these folk. If they decided to attack again, the researched may not be so lucky.
"I don't know. Seems anyway you look at it, they will be looking for a fight. They want to keep their old metal things. We are employed to take their metal things from them. Unless you think talking with them might have a pleasant outcome, I would say we just make use of our advantage up here. Pick off what we can before meeting them in combat."
Death is no more than turning us over from time to eternity. Whether that eternity is damnation or salvation is determined in the time we have.
"I think we can avoid violence for our part in this. As you said, we're just paid to collect the item, right?
So let's just get it and skip out before this all goes to hades."
Well this was getting complicated. Now Miroslaw was growing a conscience and worse yet, was considering initiating a fight. That was a fool's game, they were clearly outnumbered and whilst they fought for gold, the gnomes fought for faith. Those odds didn't stack up in their favor.
Miroslaw shook his head slowly as he relaxed on the hill. Seemed they might be discussing this for some time. They had reached different conclusions about this. Miroslaw was fairly set on getting it over with and did not feel a few Gnomes would cause too much trouble, while his partner wanted to get by without violence. For once, it seemed Miroslaw was much quicker to violence than his accomplice.
“I am simply not sure a fire is going to divert their attention enough to not notice a giant walking off with all the stuff they stole. Also, you keep using singular terms for what we need to get, but I though he wanted everything back?”
Death is no more than turning us over from time to eternity. Whether that eternity is damnation or salvation is determined in the time we have.
Ramir gave a look that was comically frustrated and defeated. He pawed at his face and shrugged, this was getting them nowhere.
"Alright. If you're certain you can take on that whole village of zealots, be my guest. I'll hold my ground and perforate a few, but I'm not about to walk in there and play hero. This job isn't worth that kind of grief. And yup, we'll have to locate the rest - though we can probably just pluck it all from the trees."
Ramir collapsed his bow and placed his arrow back home, as if to emphasize his next point.
"Or option B - we head back to the camp and tell them what we've found to ask what they want done. Take one of these idols with us. It could be the smart move, no?"
Miroslaw's voice was much less calm now, "So you are telling me that, after making the journey here, you simply want to leave? What if they pack up and move on?! Savages don't have permanent dwellings! We are going to miss out on the pay for this!"
The last statement made him wonder how much a crazy old man who worked with old junk could really pay them. It really didn't matter, Miroslaw rarely failed in a job he took, and a few savages were not about to be the cause of that!
Death is no more than turning us over from time to eternity. Whether that eternity is damnation or salvation is determined in the time we have.
Ramir showed his open hands to stem the tide of Miroslaw frustration and shrugged again.
"Alright, alright, be my guest. I just found the place. If you think we can manage them as is, then lead the way, chief."
Ramir stretched and stood again, looking down the hill. This wasn't going to go well, he just knew it. But an angry sword wielding Soren was a decent shield from harm, if nothing else. Besides, he might just manage the lot.
Or he might just learn a thing or two about attrition.