I examine the footprints, javelin, and drops of blood, once Carrow and Vigan point them out to me. "Let's see..." I muse. "What are we dealing with here?"
The absence of any new footprints and the fact that Dinza was killed with an orc javelin seem to indicate that a disagreement between members of the orc party turned lethal.
After traveling another 300 feet or so, the terrain becomes more uneven and dotted here and there with rocky outcroppings. The drops of blood on the ground have become less frequent and the tracks become more difficult to follow because the orcs are moving over rocky ground. The sound of the horses' hooves on the hard ground is clear and distinct; so there is little expectation of taking anyone, or anything, by surprise.
Within a few minutes, the five are met by Kulzash's harsh voice, coming from somewhere ahead of them in the fog. "You wander into trouble here, adventurers. You'll find no friends. Turn back."
"Gruumsh is looking out for you, Kulzash. He did not put us in your way for nothing. You did not heed his intervention the first time. You have a second chance now. The third time will be your death," I say.
Keeping his hood up and face concealed Carrow calls in Orcish "Cease friend and tell us, why a companion no, a brother lies dead, how did this come to pass"
The reply, in Orcish, comes through the fog, "Wages for his betrayal," then, after a pause, with obvious irritation in his voice, "Our business is not yours! Go!"
I don't know what the orc said, but I can read his tone of voice. I sigh, irritation lacing my own response, "You are an intelligent orc, Kulzash. You did not attack us when you did not have to. You are a good leader. Is that why Gornak chose you for this foolish mission? He is afraid of you. But why are you afraid of him?"
Things are not looking good. There's at least a couple of orcs and one troll that we enough of, still in the dark somewhere, just waiting to attack us and Rixton's persuasion isn't getting us anywhere.
"Kulzash! It is I, Ladrian, the Gruumsh's blessed. Good job with the dissident, he could not see the truth and was plotting against you. Remember that he was the main voice against believing in us and he was undermining your authority. You think our encounter was fortuitous? That was our gift to you: an opportunity to cleanse your group of rotten apples." Ladrian waits for a bit before continuing "Had we not showed and Ginza's attitude would not be noticed by you and you would woke up with a blade in your throat held by Ginza. Do you belive in Faith? In luck? In Providence? Personally, I don't believe in coincidences, and you?"
"Look, I already told you that Gruumsh uses non-believers as much as believers, to reach his goals. But sometimes his visions are difficult for us lousy humans to understand: we just know we were meant to meet with you and help you. Avoid your death by another orc."he trails off for a bit recalling the previous conversation with Ginza "And something about helping you foiling Gornak's plans, maybe replacing him by you, I think? Yes, to help you reach your proper position! Part of what the visions told us already happened, there's no denying that. What say you?"
Rolls: Deception (for the vision related comments) 20 Persuasion (to change his mind so that he shares his plans and knowledge regarding Gornak): 16
Ladrian's words reach the orcs' ears and Kulzash, in Common, responds, "Yes, Dinza was a snake. That is true."
The sounds of heavy footsteps can be heard up ahead, as if one of the orcs is approaching the group. Kulzash continues, "It is possible..." But he is interrupted abruptly.
"Damn you, Kulzash! Why do we banter with these flies?!"
"Silence, Drak! You will return to washing Gornak's feet if I say the word!" retorts Kulzash.
The next sound to reach the adventurers' ears is unmistakable: the clash and clang of steel on steel. A melee has broken out among the orcs. The volume and clarity of the sounds suggests they are less than 60' ahead.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Carrow
Raising his voice in Orcish the Ranger shouts to the battling Orcs
"Kulzash, Drak, stop this foolishness at ONCE, Gruumsh does not want brother killing brother over petty squabbles, please listen to what my friend is trying to say"
At the sound of combat, I silently draw my short sword but remain mounted on Viola and look to my comrades to judge their intention. For now, it seems, we are holding back but I ready myself should the situation turn.
Carrow's voice bellows across the moor, and the sound of conflict between Kulzash and Drak ceases. Drak then says, "No killing then, brother," with a sneer. "To Gornak I go. Farewell."
The sound of running footsteps retreating into the distance suggests that Drak is hurrying deeper into the Evermoors.
I sheath my sword again and turn Viola in the opposite direction. "Good luck, Kurzash," I call across the fog. "The world needs more orcs like you, those willing to think things through. Stay strong."
Preparing his horse to turn around he shouts "Kurzash, we will meet again. We will help you against Kurzash, to take the place you deserve. But for now we need to part ways, we're summoned by the visions elsewhere. Careful with snakes like Ginza, friend!"
The five adventurers turn their horses to the south and within a few minutes they reach Evermoor way. As they travel eastward toward the morning sun, the fog begins to lift and by midday they are riding under clear skies. The road is strangely quiet for the entirety of the day; the only activity the group encounters is a few elk on the edge of the High Forest. By nightfall, the five riders reach Olostin's Hold, a fortified keep that stands on the northern side of the Evermoor Way between Yartar and Everlund. Enclosed within the high walls of Olostin’s Hold is a small village with a market, a smithy, a caravan supplier, an inn called the Headless Troll, and a tavern known as the Flaming Flagon.
(Press on for a few more hours before setting up camp? Or make use of lodgings in Olostin's Hold?)
"The day an orc thinks further ahead than who he's going to stab next is the day I sprout golden wings from my back." The goliath kicks the flanks of his horse, and spurs it back towards the road, clearly disappointed that the orcs and troll would be walking free.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Rixton:
I examine the footprints, javelin, and drops of blood, once Carrow and Vigan point them out to me. "Let's see..." I muse. "What are we dealing with here?"
Investigation: 16
The absence of any new footprints and the fact that Dinza was killed with an orc javelin seem to indicate that a disagreement between members of the orc party turned lethal.
Rixton:
"So, they are fighting themselves. Maybe we don't need to worry about them," I say, hopping into the saddle again.
Carrow
"I think we should see where this ends" gesturing to the corpse "Lets keep our distance, as you said they may just kill each other"
ooc: if Landor is a cleric that would be nice.
Rixton:
I nod and follow Carrow deeper into the Evermoors.
After traveling another 300 feet or so, the terrain becomes more uneven and dotted here and there with rocky outcroppings. The drops of blood on the ground have become less frequent and the tracks become more difficult to follow because the orcs are moving over rocky ground. The sound of the horses' hooves on the hard ground is clear and distinct; so there is little expectation of taking anyone, or anything, by surprise.
Within a few minutes, the five are met by Kulzash's harsh voice, coming from somewhere ahead of them in the fog. "You wander into trouble here, adventurers. You'll find no friends. Turn back."
Rixton:
"Gruumsh is looking out for you, Kulzash. He did not put us in your way for nothing. You did not heed his intervention the first time. You have a second chance now. The third time will be your death," I say.
Persuasion: 6
Carrow
Keeping his hood up and face concealed Carrow calls in Orcish "Cease friend and tell us, why a companion no, a brother lies dead, how did this come to pass"
The reply, in Orcish, comes through the fog, "Wages for his betrayal," then, after a pause, with obvious irritation in his voice, "Our business is not yours! Go!"
Rixton:
I don't know what the orc said, but I can read his tone of voice. I sigh, irritation lacing my own response, "You are an intelligent orc, Kulzash. You did not attack us when you did not have to. You are a good leader. Is that why Gornak chose you for this foolish mission? He is afraid of you. But why are you afraid of him?"
Persuasion: 5
Rixton's words are met only with silence. Kulzash offers no response.
Ladrian
Things are not looking good. There's at least a couple of orcs and one troll that we enough of, still in the dark somewhere, just waiting to attack us and Rixton's persuasion isn't getting us anywhere.
"Kulzash! It is I, Ladrian, the Gruumsh's blessed. Good job with the dissident, he could not see the truth and was plotting against you. Remember that he was the main voice against believing in us and he was undermining your authority. You think our encounter was fortuitous? That was our gift to you: an opportunity to cleanse your group of rotten apples." Ladrian waits for a bit before continuing "Had we not showed and Ginza's attitude would not be noticed by you and you would woke up with a blade in your throat held by Ginza. Do you belive in Faith? In luck? In Providence? Personally, I don't believe in coincidences, and you?"
"Look, I already told you that Gruumsh uses non-believers as much as believers, to reach his goals. But sometimes his visions are difficult for us lousy humans to understand: we just know we were meant to meet with you and help you. Avoid your death by another orc." he trails off for a bit recalling the previous conversation with Ginza "And something about helping you foiling Gornak's plans, maybe replacing him by you, I think? Yes, to help you reach your proper position! Part of what the visions told us already happened, there's no denying that. What say you?"
Rolls:
Deception (for the vision related comments) 20
Persuasion (to change his mind so that he shares his plans and knowledge regarding Gornak): 16
Insight: 6 | 13 | 1 | 9
Ladrian's words reach the orcs' ears and Kulzash, in Common, responds, "Yes, Dinza was a snake. That is true."
The sounds of heavy footsteps can be heard up ahead, as if one of the orcs is approaching the group. Kulzash continues, "It is possible..." But he is interrupted abruptly.
"Damn you, Kulzash! Why do we banter with these flies?!"
"Silence, Drak! You will return to washing Gornak's feet if I say the word!" retorts Kulzash.
The next sound to reach the adventurers' ears is unmistakable: the clash and clang of steel on steel. A melee has broken out among the orcs. The volume and clarity of the sounds suggests they are less than 60' ahead.
Carrow
Raising his voice in Orcish the Ranger shouts to the battling Orcs
"Kulzash, Drak, stop this foolishness at ONCE, Gruumsh does not want brother killing brother over petty squabbles, please listen to what my friend is trying to say"
Persuasion: 3
Rixton:
At the sound of combat, I silently draw my short sword but remain mounted on Viola and look to my comrades to judge their intention. For now, it seems, we are holding back but I ready myself should the situation turn.
Carrow's voice bellows across the moor, and the sound of conflict between Kulzash and Drak ceases. Drak then says, "No killing then, brother," with a sneer. "To Gornak I go. Farewell."
The sound of running footsteps retreating into the distance suggests that Drak is hurrying deeper into the Evermoors.
Rixton:
I sheath my sword again and turn Viola in the opposite direction. "Good luck, Kurzash," I call across the fog. "The world needs more orcs like you, those willing to think things through. Stay strong."
Ladrian
Preparing his horse to turn around he shouts "Kurzash, we will meet again. We will help you against Kurzash, to take the place you deserve. But for now we need to part ways, we're summoned by the visions elsewhere. Careful with snakes like Ginza, friend!"
The five adventurers turn their horses to the south and within a few minutes they reach Evermoor way. As they travel eastward toward the morning sun, the fog begins to lift and by midday they are riding under clear skies. The road is strangely quiet for the entirety of the day; the only activity the group encounters is a few elk on the edge of the High Forest. By nightfall, the five riders reach Olostin's Hold, a fortified keep that stands on the northern side of the Evermoor Way between Yartar and Everlund. Enclosed within the high walls of Olostin’s Hold is a small village with a market, a smithy, a caravan supplier, an inn called the Headless Troll, and a tavern known as the Flaming Flagon.
(Press on for a few more hours before setting up camp? Or make use of lodgings in Olostin's Hold?)
Vigan
"The day an orc thinks further ahead than who he's going to stab next is the day I sprout golden wings from my back." The goliath kicks the flanks of his horse, and spurs it back towards the road, clearly disappointed that the orcs and troll would be walking free.