I grunted, sliding the copper plating onto my shoulder like last time. I fasten the straps as I have before, feeling the firmness of leather hold strong against my torso. Others around me did the same, though some battle groups made different adjustments based on their 'specialties'. My group in particular, with yulg and a few other lizardmen in a copper variant of the heated armor, was going to have a 'fun' job. Hmm, should come up with an actual name for this little invention. 'Heat Vest' or something like that I guess.

"It's needlessly complicated," I heard one of Zuko's men grumble.

Todone came to my aid, butting in. "Nolan's plan is sound. I have trusted him in the past with combat guidance, and it has often proven to be for the best"

"There's no glory in it," The lizard grumbled.

"Would you rather we risk it on a simple, wild charge and have unnecessary casualties?"

Silence. Thank you kindly you warty bastard. I finished fastening the last piece of my copper armor, a shining vambrace that still allowed me dexterity enough for the finer channeling in magic. I saw Zuko stepping into the tent, himself decked out in one of the only sets of steel plate we had, courtesy of Kika's forges. Two waraxes hung from his sides, as well as a bandolier of throwing knives. His helmet was in one hand nestled against his hip, and I could tell that Kika took the extra courtesy of stylizing it to be reminiscent of a dragon roaring, with the 'teeth' designed in a sword of facial guard, narrow yet closely knit enough to prevent all but an absolutely lucky shot from ever possibly slipping in. There were runic pictograms that the lizardmen used here and there along the armor, but overall, his armor was as much useful as it was an artistic declaration of his station.

"Alright, settle down you whelps! May I have your attention?!" Zuko bellowed throughout the tent, getting everyone else's attention. He waited until the chattering and clattering settled to an acceptably quiet volume before continuing. "Now, I'm sure you're all wondering why we're mobilizing for a long term expedition with our numbers! For those of you who haven't been paying attention, this is to take an invention courtesy of our resident human and put it to the test!"

The murmuring varied, but overall it seemed positive enough. Probably helped that I haven't led them wrong before.

"Now, a simple march would be a waste of resources, which is exactly why we've got a target ripe for picking!"

The warrior chief seemed a little gruff, but he motioned nonetheless to Yulg. The goblin nodded, stepping on top of a stool to make himself larger to the rest of the group as a couple stifled a chuckle.

"My clan has… been spotted traveling near the borders of lizardman territory!" The green shortstack yelled, slowing in speech as he tried to find right words. His grammar's been improving, I can say that much. "Though I hate to say this, my people will likely make attempts on stealing and… pillaging what they can if they get any chance. This attack is to capture and conquer them!"

There were more murmurs among the lizardmen.

"Wait… conquer, not kill?"

"This gear better be good…"

"Why the Abyss are we hearing this from the goblin?"

I suppressed a grimace at some of the words. This was going to be my first attempt at getting some more diversity around here aside from us 'three musketeers'. One toadman, one goblin, and one human have certainly made an impact, so I can see they aren't completely against the idea, but the lizardmen still generally wish to maintain a more isolationist stance. And I don't blame them, they've lost a lot to get where they are now, but if they're going to survive then they need to change. Things weren't going to change overnight, but this would make for a solid exercise in interspecies cooperation. If Yulg can reign his 'brothers' in that is, when we capture them.

Lord knows Zuko didn't like the idea at first, but once I explained the pros and cons he was at least willing to play along with it. Of course, he had to bring it up with the higher ups before he did so. The fact that they greenlit that part of the mission instead of simply killing them off surprised me. I won't look a gift horse in the mouth though, at least Yulg is excited to be able to 'save' his clan.

"The purpose behind this is simple! The goblins, though many of them are unintelligent, are far more suited for dry terrain as well as their foraging capabilities! Their noses are far better than ours when it comes foraging, and they'll make for decent labor and fighters in the coming war!"

Labor. The word puts a sour taste on my tongue, but I hold it. Despite the fact that I'm against it, I can't deny the uses of 'labor' in our situation. Not when every hand we need is going to help. Still, once things have settled down with the resource war, maybe I can help work things around in their favor to keep them from being slaves indefinitely.

"Now since we are conquering them instead of simple pest control, this is going to require more planning that we would usually make against goblins. As such, we will be split into three particular groups!" Zuko chimed back in. "Group one will consist of our 'main body'! They will mostly consist of our spellcasters and reserves, keeping the camp maintained and safeguarded! This group will simply be 'Home Camp'. Group two will be 'Will-O'-Wisps'! This group will be led by my trusted associate and second in command Rekushio!"

Said lizardman puffed his chest and broadened his shoulders, his group donning the wooden variant of the armor as well as various ranged weapons as well. There were even a few Small Fangs in the group joining us on this op, courtesy of Sukyu. They were admittedly better than most of the Red Eyes when it came to guerilla warfare. Todone was among that battlegroup actually, nodding his chitin helmet to Rekushio.

"Their job will be to fight from afar, making strikes and runs from the brush! Overall, their job is to hit and not get hit! And finally, there is the group being led by the human! This group will be referred to as the… 'Party Crashers'!"

I could see Zuko refraining from making a comment on my 'confusing' battle group name, and I felt my grin grow three sizes larger at that. Unfortunately for him, I drew the biggest fuckin' straw in the basket and got to pick.

"Their job will be plain and simple, and that is to 'make noise'! They will be on the frontline of the fight, pushing forward against the goblins from one side while the Will-O'-Wisps take their places in the surrounding tree lines! This group will also be the most heavily armored for this job!"

Indeed we were. I was actually one of the lightest in my group, and I still had at least essential cover for my torso and limbs. I needed that flexibility to cast, but I also appreciated at least some protection. Out of those of us who were most heavily armored, Yulg and his, er… friends? There was only four of them, including Yulg himself, but it seems as though a couple other lizardmen have taken interest in his words. Younger ones, from the look of it, but not too young. Their armor had a four-pointed star etched into each pauldron, with maces and shields at the ready, as well as that copper green faceplate for their vaguely greek helmets.

Overall, we were shiny and loud, the perfect target for the goblins.

"Now, according to our information, the goblins number at a tribe between seventy and one hundred strong and have currently set a temporary base within a two day march of our location! We will be marching out shortly today in order to make for what daylight we have, and will make full use of our equipment come the cold of night to further scout for tracks! Any questions?!"

The silence was loud.

"Alright! Prepare for march!"

My boots crunched through the fallen leaves and underbrush as we made our way through the crisp forest. Many others matched side by side in the rhythm, displaying discipline in movement that I was glad to teach in morning exercises. When you teach ten people exercises, they'll teach ten people, and they'll teach ten people… It's certainly worked out for us now that we're all sturdy, mean green killing machines numbering nearly a hundred. Killing… I'm not sure how to feel about that. It's something I really don't want to do if I can help it. God, now that I think about it I killed one of Yulg's clan members a while back now that I think of it.

I fight the faint wave of nausea at the thought, trying to focus my thoughts away from that to the conversations around me. Despite the marching pace, some among us had more than enough lung capacity to have idle chatter. So, I try to push myself out of my inner thoughts and try to focus on one amidst the chatter. We were definitely loud enough on our march that a simple conversation here or there wouldn't make a difference. Our scouts at the front were there to let us know if she should slow down after all.

"I heard that goblins don't have females. They just rape humans to make more goblins"

Okay, not the kind of conversation I wanted to eavesdrop on.

"Nah, that doesn't make sense," Another one responded. "If the goblins were like that, then why would Nolan even put up with that green shorty?"

Yes, why would I put up with them? Please, elaborate.

"I don't know, that human gives me the creeps," Stooge one explained. "He's given us way too much. It's all good and all, but I preferred it when things were simple. Fish, fight, fuck, and fall".

I briefly mind-blanked at the use of a curse word. The lizardmen don't really use those all that often, so I could tell that one was thoroughly upset by something.

"Don't tell me you're from that group," The second one grumbled, barely loud enough to be heard over the foot falls.

"I am a part of that group, and as a lizardman you should be too!" The other lizardman exclaimed in a hushed exclamation. "We've bled and died left and right all because his people pushed us out of our motherland! I was born here, most of us were, none of us have ever even known what the ocean looks like? Can you imagine all that fish? Instead we're soaked in mud eating bugs like common beasts!"

The second one hushed him, and I saw the looks a couple other lizardmen gave him. From the looks of it, his view isn't exactly a popular one. At least, not in our group. First sighed.

"Listen, like it or not, he's done a lot for us. We'd probably have resorted to eating eachother by the time winter came. And I don't know about you, but I really don't want to know what my fellow kinsman tastes like"

The second one grumbled, and it was back to more or less the same march. Sadly, they didn't really continue the conversation with their soured mood, so I didn't get to hear what else they might have talked about. And everyone else in the area was more or less talking about the simple things, like some girl back in the tribe or something.

Though that conversation still nagged me in the back of my mind. That group? What's that group? Judging by the way they talked, it had something to do with the changes I've introduced to the lizardmen. I know that not everyone in the tribe likes me, or even some of the things I've introduced them to, but for a group to form? Hmm… nah, I can see that actually. Especially with those morons that Osai sent away from me after that one fight.

My teeth chattered as a brisk breeze blew through. Some of the other lizardmen rolled their armor, adjusting the heat packs underneath. God, if I wasn't warm blooded I'd just love to get my hands on that, but as it stands every resource counts as to where it goes. Doesn't mean I have to like it though.

I sighed and relaxed, as everyone took this as the perfect opportunity. We were in one of the many marked clearings on our path to the goblin camps, just large enough for us to fit our tents. Gotta admit, it's nice not being the one to lead a group of this size. Only a handful of tents were necessary, but they were large. A few dedicated sleeping tents with fires slowly being built up inside, a dedicated mess hall, and the command center that Zuko was currently set up at. Over all, it felt strangely satisfying to see the lizardmen jump from stone age tribals to copper age soldiers. Bonus points for having carts to haul our goods with, even if they had to be moved by hand.

Most of our work was done at this point, but it wouldn't do to have idle hands. Getting up from my little warming spot at the campfire, I stretch and look around for something to do. As I was making to assist with unpacking some of our grub for reheating, I was waved down by Zuko, with Yulg, Todone, and Rekushio at his side. I march up plain and simple, giving a nod as I got within speaking distance.

"What do you require, sir?" I asked, a brief tick of my old man's habits brushing through.

"I wanted for us to more appropriately narrow our sights as to what it is we'll need to focus on when facing his people," Zuko spoke with firmness as he motioned for us to enter his tent. As we did so, I was greeted by the sight of an impromptu wooden platform in the center of the tent with a large scroll of parchment rolled out, with various sketches and scribbles on it in the vague shape of a village.

"This is the rough design of his clan's current camp according to our scouts," The warrior captain explained. "Though we're still a day's march out, we can at least confirm the numbers are around Yulg's estimates. However, despite the fact we have a slight numerical and physical advantage, I've been made aware that his people utilize rudimentary poisons and traps. This is going to slow down our marching significantly now that we're going to be entering close proximity to them. I believe you had more to say, goblin?"

The little guy nodded, pointing to a big hut in the center of the scroll. "Goblins… don't have many females. What females we do have are very important to us though. Our main priority should be charging the nursery and the long hut that they stay in. If we capture them, we should be able to make the rest of the goblins… surrender. They won't let us in easily though"

Fuck, the creche? As in, the place you raise children creche? That familiar wave of nausea starts coming back up, and I feel a faint acrid taste on the back of my tongue. Do it for the future, Nolan. Do it for your brothers. God, what would they think of you for holding children hostage?

"Nolan… are you okay?" Todone asked, giving me a worried glance.

I hesitate to answer, but silence isn't acceptable here. "I'm… not glad we're going to have to do things this way. I wish we could talk to them, but I know that won't work. I guess I'm just… unhappy to have to use their wives and children to control them I guess"

Though he didn't say anything, Zuko appraised me with a different look in his eyes. I couldn't decipher it, but it definitely felt unsettling to be under his scrutiny.

"I understand… but it is… necessary," Yulg answered sadly. "But they will not listen any other way. They had already cast me out simply because I was 'cursed' and 'broken' in their eyes. They will need harsh tactics"

I nod, feeling that faint taste of acid drain away. Yulg had a point. Even if I knew they were pillagers and rapists, I still had some trepidation when it came to their families, but if I wanted them to learn how to be better than that, then we would need to use the stick before we could use the carrot.

Zuko nodded, focusing back on the scroll. "Right. We're expecting on average to face off against stone weapons and tools, but expect to see weapons and equipment stolen from travelers, adventurers, and human villages from the northern outskirts of Tob. They haven't bothered more than the most rudimentary of defenses, but they've more than made up with it using their aforementioned traps. So while a direct charge shouldn't be out of the question, I advise caution and keeping an eye out for disturbed soil and strange patches of leaves"

I nodded myself, looking him in the eyes. "How is the new armor holding up? Is everyone maintaining heat adequately?"

The lizard warrior let himself smile at that. "It's functioning better than expected actually. The plates of the armor itself seem to be acting as a sort of insulation against the cold. We haven't had to reheat them as frequently as initially expected"

I breathe a sigh of relief at that. "That's good to hear. Have any problems cropped up"

"Other than a couple of bust stitches here and there, and the occasional complaint with weight or fittings, no. They were easily patched and refilled with the necessary grain required, as well as the fittings readjusted to better suit form"

The five of us took a moment longer to iron out the finer details, from formations to maneuvers we'd already planned out beforehand. We were trying to see every avenue we could with the knowledge we had, in an effort to minimize the amount of death that was about to be on our hands. As that old quote by Sun Tzu went, if you knew yourself and your enemy, you need not fear the outcome of a hundred battles. While I can't claim to know how I'm going to operate in a genuine battle against actual intelligent creatures, I at least know that I should be able to hopefully push through for everyone's sake. I think. I'll admit, I thought my jitters before we fought the slime colony were bad, but this takes the cake.

We make our leave from the tent, thoughts organized and planned out. With any luck we'll meet their clan tomorrow without incident. Fingers crossed I get out of this alive, because it would really suck to have a stray arrow take me out.

Nolan Potts, Human (Karma: 70 [Neutral]) [20/24 Spell slots used]

Classes: Brawler (6), Ranger (3), Druid (5), Clothier (3), Translucer (1). Total Level (18).

Spells (Druid): Frostbite, Entangle, Create or Destroy Water, Guidance, Jump, Cure Wounds, Dust Devil, Protect from Poison, Hold Person, Spike Growth, Lesser Restoration, Water Breathing, Darkvision, Sleetstorm, Ice Knife, Lightning Arrow

Spells (Ranger): Animal Friendship, Speak to Animals, Ensnaring Strike, Conjure Animals

Items of Note: {Humble Beginnings}

Party Members are as follows…

Member One: Todone, Son of Kodrotti, Toadman (Karma: -10 [Neutral])

Classes: Toadman Warrior (9), Brawler (9), Martial Artist (1), Total Level (19).

Member Two: Yulg (Karma: 50 [Neutral])

Classes: Goblin Marauder (1), Brawler (8), Warrior (4), Cleric (1), Total Level (13)

Crusch has left the Party!

AN: Got a little something burbling and brewing in my skull now, can't wait to pump it out.

chongwillson: The Lizardman Arc is pretty underappreciated in my opinion, and there are other parts of mainstream Overlord I plan on messing around with in the future. Can't say anything though, cause otherwise that would be spoilers for something that isn't completely set in stone. And hopefully Nolan will be level twenty-ish come spring. Fingers crossed.

Aicka: Haha, yes, of course. I totally planned for that in addition to things. Applaud my supreme intellect!

Rios: Bro, I'm just gonna say it right now, I know how a marathon read hits, and I salute the fact that you did that. Thank goodness you did it while my story was still somewhat small, 'cause uh... looking at the little corkboard of yarn strings and tacks on my wall, this story's gonna get a lot larger.