An Oath of Vengeance (Omu)

Lorelei nodded and started waddling down the way. "Good lad. Now off we go" she said before she looked back at the two girls moaning at being denied. "Ladies, help your grandmother walk will you?" she asked. May and Abby sighed and had to help lift up her udder to aid her in walking. They did feel Kuga'an's subtle hinting of his interest in them, which they felt a bit of encouragement. Female minotaur who wanted to be an adventurer dreaded the day that their udders would encumber them from seeing the world. For the milking Minotaur, they have accepted their fate, and took advantage of what they had.

As they left the cave and spoke more, Lorelei nodded. "I will see if I can get you a map. I have seven farms across the region. Nordstall Farm is the closest and most recent acquisition. It is close to the port, so I can have milk shipped good distance. My Daughters and Granddaughters have learned of a dairy based dessert called Ice Cream. Very popular. You should try some when you're up there" she explained.

"Grandma...what are we going to do here?" May asked.

Lorelei smiled. "We will rebuild. I pray that happiness finds my girls. I am going to teach you how to run a business. You heifers have a great purpose promoting our brand. With you still unimpeded by your udders, you can give free samples to stores, taverns, and lords. I'm going to need to step up security though. I can't have my precious girls being kidnapped...not when you are worth more in weight than gold" she said before she glanced over at Herman. "I have plans for you when we get into town"

Herman was very confused. "Is it about your competitor?"

Lorelei nodded. "Aye, I'm going to need you and your little friend here to go off into the tavern ahead of us. You're pleasing enough to the eyes for a cow she could stare at you for so long that she would not even realize that she's been banded and tagged. Just..." she said before she tore at Herman's shirt.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Herman asked in confusion.

"It's called advertisement! Got to show off your beef! Legally!" Lorelei said as she exposed Herman's bulging six pack abs, obliques, and v-cut. She pulled out a kind of oil from her cleavage and applied it to him to make it look extra glossy. "Oh yea, she's going to keep staring...and keep your pants pulled up so she can size ya up"

Herman was a slightly mortified at this but nodded.

Kuga'an hesitantly took the strings of gold pieces and slipped them into one of his hip pouches not to possibly agitate Lorelei any more than he may have already, "If you insist then I have no choice but to accept." He spoke now feeling like he may have started letting them down in some way, of course that may have just been the hormones talking. He would certainly need to get more into the open air soon. He kept his focus long enough and met eyes with Lorelei again to take in her instruction, "Aye aye matron. And I will be certain that everyone makes it home." He spoke before his hands went and started brushing along Abby and May's hips while the twins stayed close though it didn't exactly aware of his body working on it own. Of course right in the cave wasn't exactly the place to do more than that, "You all know the path more than I do in this region. However I could give some direction if we were near either of my estates in Baldur's Gate or Waterdeep."

Herman's grandmother, Lorelei smiled with a satisfied purr to his oath. "Excellent, I shall pay you for your troubles. Say, 500 quid. Does that sound fair to for an initial payment?" she asked as she reached deep into her cleavage to pull out a coin purse. The purse was quite fat and jingled heavily. "Do not give me that you'll not take this due to some code thing either. I am not impoverished, I can support your endeavor and whatever upgrades to weapons and supplies you need" she told him as she pulled out five strings of 10 ten-pieces and handed them off to him.

Abby and May both seemed to pout being rejected by the cute Paladin. "Aw!" May groaned.

"The sun will be setting in a few hours. Best to get a move on if we want to get to town" Herman said.

Lorelei nodded. "Agreed. Sisters, Daughters, Granddaughters, Nieces, and Cousins! Please listen to me, Ladies!" She called out. They all went quiet and glanced towards her. "I will be taking the heifers and Herman into town to stay at the inn. You are free to follow us, or you can stay to mourn. I shall send for some muscle to escort back those of you who choose to do the latter" she announced.

There were some cows with suckling infants that approached them to join their group. Herman's mother, Ingrid approached him, and she wrapped her arms around him burying her face into his chest. "You stay alive for me. You hear me? You are our prize bull. If you die, our farm dies with it"

Herman did not know what exactly she meant, but Lorelei looked to the cows who produced bulls still in their infancy. She was not going to point out the hyperbole, as she did not want to count her chickens before they hatched. "Yes...A bull that fought off that horde needs to breed us more muscle" she said. She frowned. "Such a waste" she finished. She looked to Kuga'an annoyed. "When you go to our partner up north, see to it that they send bulls down" she asked.

Kuga'an's left eye glowed with a ghostly blue once more before he stamped his fist to his armored chest, "And I will place my oath as a paladin on getting you your restitution of blood." He spoke keeping his eyes fixed on the grandmother until his focus was broken by Abby and May approaching and touching his shoulders. His more refinded, knightly, posture abruptly turned surprise while he turned his head with a bashful smile while they mentioned a reward, "No no. No need for a reward. Just a paladin doing his duty is all." He couldn't help but to glance down, especially when that scent grew just a bit stronger with them nearly pressed into his shoulders, "Let's just worry about one thing at a time. All else fails, I'm sure I have enough funds of my own to help you all get situated again." He offered trying to avoid instigating Abby and May further despite himself and the occasional glances down that he couldn't help himself with how the twins showed themselves off to him

Herman's grandmother pursed her lips and weighed her options. "I would very much like to have our heifers and myself taken to the town. I'm certain that for the rest of us, we shall want more time to mourn the loss of our beloved bulls" she said before she closed her eyes and clutched her heart. "I will not let this go unpunished" she said. She looked to the girls who were ranging from traumatized to depressed and/or bloodthirsty.

Two of the heifers were brazen enough to touch either side of Kuga'an's shoulder. "Will you take us to the town?" Abby asked.

"What can we do to reward you?" May added before she whispered. "Would you like a free sample? Straight from the tap?"

Herman's Grandmother let out an exasperated sigh. "Of course...the twins are in heat. I would prefer that they carry the offspring of someone they choose" she said.

Herman frowned. "What about Mother and the other girls that don't go with us?"

Herman's Grandmother nodded. "Well...we'll have to send for an escort for tonight to bring them back to the village. I am going to need to secure rooms at the inn. Should be easy with the milk we can sell" she said before she started fidgeting with her fingers. "You...might have to help us with milking"

Herman stared at her then rubbed his shoulders awkwardly. "Um...can't the heifers help out with that?"

Herman's Grandmother pursed her lips. "We have more cows than heifers. You know how much pain your mother gets if she's so much as being five minutes outside of her milking schedule"

"Don't worry...I know who I want to milk me" May said.

"You hardly make any milk! You're just as virgin as I am" Abby corrected her.

"Tch, I still make milk, Abagail! You're just jealous that I'm more developed that you are" May said before she ran her hands over her figure.

"Ugh, we're twins! You don't have a leg to stand on" Abby retorted.

It took Kuga'an a second to realize that there were actually a couple of the females were starting to gawk at him and even looked over his shoulder to see if there was anyone else that may have been behind him while Herman had his little conversation with his grandmother. Maybe it was him used to looks he got looking like a humanoid dragon, but it was definitely a new experience for someone of an entirely different species to start giving that sort of look. When he was addressed however, Kuga'an cleared out his throat and made sure that his weapons were properly mounted back in their respective sheaths, "If that is the case then I will be sure to provide escort until we can ensure that your kin are safe and secure. Strudeldorf can't be too much of a walk from here, and I don't believe Nathair will let me summon a full flock of mounts for everyone."

Herman was completely out of it, and he stared off into space not knowing what to do. As if on autopilot, he shuffled his feet...hooves? Across the dirt to release his kin. The adult minotaur women were all sorts of curvy and plump body types, but all had enormous milk burdened breasts and udders. The women who had not yet been bred were muscular and had a junoesque figure. They too had large mammaries as big as their heads. A couple of them who did not have a spouse to mourn took their sights on Kuga'an, and they gawked at him.

Herman was hearing things but not responding to the information. His Grandmother who was very young looking and strong waddled over to offer her wisdom. It was amazing to see how she was able to move with breasts that hung past her hips and udders that slapped against her calves. She was by far the biggest cow and the most productive one you would ever see. Thank goodness her modesty and dignity was intact having her clothes on. "We shall look after the boy. Herman, I don't want to sound callous, but we must find males to help rebuild the farm and to fill a hole in our hearts. I fear until that hole is filled; our milk will taste as vile as pus and flow as smooth as sand" she told them. She placed her hand on Herman's shoulder. "We have a match maker in Strudeldorf. In form her of what has transpired, and maybe you'll run into a productive cow there too" she said.

Herman stared at her. "Our competitor?"

"Herman, one cow is not a competition" His grandmother said. Obviously, she was the brains of the operation. She looked to Kuga'an. "We have other partnerships who bear our family brand throughout the kingdom. I reckon that another will get attacked once they find out this one was botched" she said.

Kuga'an held his breath when he saw the hammer come down and it was pure silence from there. He slowly turned his head seeing the child still breathing if extremely shaken by the entire ordeal, "Took a youngling to a raid." He muttered to himself before getting back to breathing, "Herman, see to your family. I'll handle the child." He spoke patting Herman on the arm and waiting for him to move. A brief scan of what remained of the camp, the boy was the only one left at this point and there was no other way to find out who may have been involved, "Hey. Hey kid." He started giving a brief wave with sparkles floating off his finger tips to try and gather his attention, "The man that sent you to attack him needs to be brought in and judged. Tell me who it was that sent your clan to raid the farm." He whispered with another wave of his to cast suggestion when he was sure that it was clear to do so.

The boy's eyes grew half lidded while the command sunk into his mind, "A man in black armor and wore a skull. Big sword. Promised stock for food and fun." His head drifted from side to side as he gave what he knew and once again grew somewhat catatonic after he finished speaking.

Once he got the snippet of information, Kuga'an removed his cloak and draped it over the boy before walking back to Herman, "Well. The description I got of whoever it was in charge was vague, but it might be someone that I know." He looked back trying to think about the kid, "And we for sure can't just leave him here."

"Herman!" Some of the female minotaur shrieked. They did not want to see the boy's head get caved in like their calves, but Herman's mind was in a very dark place. He himself witnessed no mercy given by the Orcs, so why should he? A flash of his little brother took up his view. This boy looked like his brother, and inside his head, he could still hear his little brother laughing as they dashed through the fields. Herman shouted out a roar and swung his massive hammer down much to the horror of his remaining family members. There was a brutal thud and crunch. The sound of the screaming boy ceased. Herman had managed to miss and break his hammer into the dirt. The boy was catatonic as he looked up at the minotaur petrified.

Kuga'an flowed through the remaining mob, both avoiding strikes and retaliating with his own as he approached the remains of Herman's family. Unlike Herman's vicious beating and maulings, Kuga'an seemed to focus on precision and quick dispatch through striking vitals. He had just made it to the hostages when Kuga'an heard the screams of a child throughout this mess along with Herman continuing to see red, "Gods damn it all!" He shouted before rushing in with a green aura of magic building up and releasing into a fey presence of charm to try and calm Herman down enough to not smash the head in of a child even if he was an orc. All else failed, he'd taken blows from demon lords and came back swinging, Kuga'an could take a bit of abuse if not mostly absorbed by his armor.

Herman snorted at this order to ensure that one was kept alive. "Sure. Do you prefer them with or without their limbs?" he spoke coldly. He followed the Chocobo into the tunnel, and he had his weapon ready for an ambush. "Intruder! Attack!" they started shouting. Herman could only see red and his ears were ringing. He did not know how many Orcs he had compacted into pancakes, but it was quite a few. He was taking a good few swipes from battle axes, spears, and swords, but he was in a frenzy. He took one of them and started throwing him into the ground repeatedly and brutally before the orc's leg severed from the rest of his body. He was already long dead at that point fortunately. He heard a boy screaming in the chaos screaming for his father. Herman turned towards the boy with murderous intend. This could end badly and lose them the moral high ground. The boy was screaming and cowering with his hands held up defensively.

Kuga'an gave a nod when it seemed that Herman got the basics, "And try to leave one alive. Harder to extract information from the dead." His mount sped up until the path appeared like a tunnel. The quick approach and the knightly figure riding the obscure creature quickly turned heads, seemed like a small band of maybe fifteen. Before breaking the threshold, the chicken exploded into a cloud of feathers keeping Kuga'an launched forward and eventually skidding his exposed talons in the dirt. Now firmly planted in the ground Kuga'an took a quick assessment of the area to track where Herman's family was positioned before rushing in first with the blade of his spear piercing through the toughest orc's eye and out the back of the target's head with another quick swipe severing it clean off, "You have all made a very drastic mistake." As one brave orc bum rushed at the draconic being in golden armor Kuga'an's free hand went for the sword on his hip and committed to a quick slice that cleaved its way through his throat with a spark of lightning coming off the blade at the end of the draw.

Herman saw the smoke ahead, and he gripped whatever weapon he had in his hand. He was not paying that much attention, but he believed he was still holding onto his hammer. He was too enraged to bother to look down to verify. He had to calm himself enough to listen to what this gentleman's plan was. "Are you planning on going ahead or what?" he asked.

Kuga'an chuckled before clicking his tongue again to get the bird to pick up speed now that Herman had caught up. The bird Herman was riding however definitely looked like it was struggling to keep up with the weight and size, gods willing the poor thing wouldn't collapse before they made it to their destination. A smoke stack slowly started to make itself apparent the further they traveled, possibly a camp site. Given the probability of who it was, he quickly whipped his spear loose from under his cloak and readied himself for the pending conflict, "I'll try to draw most of their attention. Outside of that, take them out however you can and I'll prove support where and where it's needed."

Herman was too out of it to really care about the shenanigans that were going on when he called for the chickens. "Mmph, Let's just go. I'm not going to waste time with some bullshit excuse on why you need to fart to light out a candle" he grumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest. He followed after Kuga'an as they followed the trail. It was curious though...Herman was not as dumb as most of the other Minotaur. He must have to be based off from family's frequent business dealings; furthermore, his size was on the very high end for a minotaur suggesting that there was some selective breeding going on. There was a certain abundant musk he gave, which it was clear that even the bulls produced some high-grade quality ingredients for fragrances.

Kuga'an pulled his head up and looked to where Herman pointed, he really should have seen that, "Right, no time for delay then" He stuck two claws into his mouth with the sound of a slide whistle somehow coming out of his mouth. The sound was followed by loud crowing as a massive chicken stomped forward. The chicken however stared at both Herman and Kuga'an before letting out a sneeze with a cloud of feathers popping off and reforming into a second chicken, "You get used to the lunacy after a while." Kuga'an spoke up before climbing up and riding on the chicken's shoulders like a mount, "The whole warlock thing. Fairy dragons are funny creatures." He commented before clicking his tongue to start moving with the broken grass trail though slow enough for Herman to do the same and not lose a chance at finding the survivors of Herman's family.

Herman gritted his teeth hoping that the cows of his family would not be disposed of like the bulls were. He chewed his cud then spit it out like a cowboy chewing tobacco. He figured that much that the attack was not random. He shook his head. "Don't know if they were not passed off to a fence once we get to camp" he said before he pointed down the field. "I reckon we follow the broken and pushed over grass" he suggested.

Having faced down demons, devils and even lords of the nine hells, the booming voice had little effect on Kuga'an's stature and kept his hand offered while Herman allowed himself to think, "Will you dying to so either?" Kuga'an could see that familiar rage building in Herman's eyes the more that it processed. Once his hand was taken, one of Kuga'an's eyes blazed with a ghostly blue glow, "Herman Guntherhorn. I place it on my oath that it will be done." For a moment Herman could see the ghostly form of an old man form behind the draconic humanoid. With the oath initiated Kuga'an released Herman's hand, "If your family are the same Guntherhorns supplying crops and food to royals and the like, this could have been targeted more than just an orc raid. We need to move quickly while we still have a trail and anything you may have on where they may be setting up camp would be as well appreciated as well Herman." As he turned and crouched to examine any clues or trails Herman would see a spear nearly crackling with magic along with a scimitar attached to his waist line etched with runes over the guard and grip peeking out from under the traveling cloak.

The Minotaur's eyes narrowed and he snorted. "What gives you the right to determine what is right and what isn't? I've lost everything. Will retribution bring my family back?" his voice boomed. He looked towards the bodies to his left and to his right. He balled up his fist and clenched it so hard that it shook violently. He was battling within himself his normal personality and the sickness that only war could bring. "There will just be more roaches that will crawl out of the wall" he muttered. Images of his Mother, Sisters, Aunts, and Female cousins were all raped and abducted. "Alright...I don't know what any of that means, but I need to get what is left of my family back" he said before he reached out to shake the man's hand. "My name is Herman Guntherhorn" he said. His family farm was a major producer of crops to the Kingdom and high-quality dairy products. They way he spoke he expected not to be known at all. He was humble of sorts.

The draconic figure, while tall definitely appeared much shorter compared to the minotaur in front of him now that he was properly standing. The reaction was familiar, maybe even nostalgic in a way with his own youth and when he was inducted as a paladin, "Because you dying here does not make anything right. And I can offer you a chance at bringing retribution to who remains and whomever they serve." The figure lifted up a hand, offering it to the much taller figure to see if that would be something that the minotaur would wish for, "Kuga'an Yuvon. Paladin of Tyr and Odin. Warlock of Nathair. And I am giving you that chance, no stings attached."

A pretty tall and robust minotaur remained looming over a freshly buried mass grave gazing down upon it with the most solemn expression. His eyes entranced from his traumatic experience. His mind had become detached while he dug the grave and buried his kin. He was so out of it, he did not realize the scope of the carnage he caused nor the piles of bodies of the orcs, nor did he realize the gash on his torso slowly bleeding him out. Not that he cared what his fate was. Everything could burn for all he cared. Everything was lost.

He was caught off guard with the sudden perceived sneak attack, and he white knuckled his hammer; however, he no longer had the strength to lift it. Dazed, He tried to process what had just happened. He had that thousand-yard stare and lost the ability to speak. He scanned the horizon no longer seeing the orc horde. "Why did you heal me?" he asked lowly. He slowly looked down at the graves. "I was better off dead..."

The news had come quick, orcs had blown in from the mountainside and wreaked havoc on a farmstead maybe a day's travel from Waterdeep. The smoke of what remained could be seen for miles on end and a crowd gathered amongst the remains of a still burning barn and brutally butchered livestock scattered about the torn and scarred ground. A tall cloaked figure pushed through the crowd to quickly survey the damage before shouting, "What are you all gawking around for?!" He pointed at groups barking orders to put out the fire and search for survivors before reaching out with a single hand covered in golden scales and claws before blasting a ray of frost at a segment of barn that had been growing larger. After the display the figure rushed in for the search, one of his eyes glowing a cold blue as he watched for any movement and after some time finding a clusters of smashed orc corpses.

The golden scaled figure sped up his pace when the farm house finally came into view along with the blood stained figure of a minotaur brandishing a hammer and surrounded with several more almost fresh kills surrounding him. The figure seemed to be standing out of sheer willpower and a refusal to fall though it was dubious if he was conscious. As he rushed more of the cloak fell back revealing more golden scales, a lithe but athletic figure, the face of a dragon and a set of glittering golden armor than barely made a sound with his sprint forward. His hands reached out with a brilliant white glow as they planted themselves into the minotaur's chest, "I will not let more perish." The figure spoke before the white magic burst and covered the minotaur in healing light from his lay on hands giving him another chance to keep going, "Welcome back to the world of the living." The figure spoke up ensuring not to be in an offensive posture or be a threat.

(Hope this at least works to start off with.)