Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

Strix's nose ain't just for show : perception 16

Strix, the orcs are talking about home.  You hear them speak as though they've just awakened from a dream, or rather a nightmare, under Brughor's command and are coming to grips with reality.  A couple of the orcs talk about wanting to go home, but some of the others are say they've all done too many violent things - the 'old ways' - and won't be accepted back.

Strix ponders this a while, fighting the urge to think about home, about acceptance, and about his own time living with the Old Ways. One seldom learns to speak Orc fluently by filing scrolls in a library. He sits first watch (Perception : 9 ) with whichever of the Orcs draws that straw.

<orc> "What ho, my merry men. Apologies but I couldn't help overhear you earlier. I too often think of home but…" he winces involuntarily "some of us truly can never go back. You, I think, will have less trouble.

I mean really, what's the worst thing you've done? Pillaging? Humanivorousness? ******? Wearing socks and sandals? It's all surmountable. That the strongest took control, that's deep in the fibre of any orc, it will be understood, it will be forgiven. But though it took years, you broke free of his yoke - and look at you now!

 You've helped rid this world of a Necromancer and his undead slaves. Come with us in the morning, you can help us negotiate a peace with a Banshee.

 If you can stomach a little duplicity, a smattering of verbal abuse and a whole bunch of corpse desecration I'll go you one better - you present the head of Brughor to the right people (and I can introduce you to them, naturally), you could be the Orcs who liberated Phandelin town from his reign of terror. Just make sure you don't have any sinews of their friends stuck in your teeth when you meet 'em. Don't go home in shame - go home heroes, champions of the new ways.  Is that not what the new ways are all about? Your better nature prevailing over... prevailing over..." He trails off, distracted, before bouncing back

Hells, there's a bunch of trade goods outside one of the shops that I think are technically mine now, you're welcome to them to present to your king as tokens of the town's gratitude. Anyway, just a thought."

He taps his head.

"Always thinking. Always. Up here for thinking, down there for kicking zombies into wells, what?"

Strix, the orc, Fekar, listens silently, and then remains silent for a long time.  You begin to think that maybe he hasn't followed what you said.  But after a while, he does answer with a shake of his head:

No, no lies.  No deception.  He sighs.  It wouldn't work anyway.  The shamans can always see the truth.  And we wouldn't be the first.

He looks at you.  You fight for the chief, yeah?  He's a mighty warrior.  What's he like as a leader?

Dekhan will find a time to talk to Oggor on one of the later watches or in the morning.

6  6

First watch:  Strix and Fekar
Second watch:  ??? and Vroh
Third watch:  ??? and Kosst
Fourth watch:  Dekhan and Oggor

Let me know who's on second and third watch, and roll Perception checks.

Dekhan, assuming nothing unsurvivable happens during the night, feel free to talk to Oggor as you stand watch, some ways away from the campfire in order to get a good view of the surrounding countryside.

12 <~Perception

Vroh sounds suitably neutral (morally speaking) as I make a judgment based solely on name.

Perception 14

Scupper will ask about new orc ways and how they settle disputes with clans that refuse. Is it all banishment or do they exercise other judgment...that sort o' ting.

Vroh isn't much of a talker, but is able to give you basic information about the society of the Many Arrows Kingdom.  Clans don't refuse.  Some orcs refuse, but not banished.  That angers neighbours, and they make war on Many Arrows.  We deal with our own.  

He stops and thinks for a moment.  You think Brughor was banished for following the old ways.  He shakes his head.  He was a good Chief.  Respected in Many Arrows.  His last scouting band was all killed.  He chose a new band.  Picked us himself.  We were all proud.  

He followed the new ways.  That's what we thought. 

It happened... slowly.

He stops, and says nothing more.

Quote from SteveThaiBinh >>

No, no lies.  No deception.  He sighs.  It wouldn't work anyway.  The shamans can always see the truth.  And we wouldn't be the first.

He looks at you.  You fight for the chief, yeah?  He's a mighty warrior.  What's he like as a leader?

 No lies, eh? Well if you were going to be any kind of Fekar i should have guessed it'd be the honest kind. Tis no matter, the truth of things still makes you champions. We'll see you home yet, you honest  Fekar you. 

Leader? Oh you mean Dekhan? I don't fight for him, i fi- you know what I'm not entirely sure what i fight for, those waters are long since muddied. There was a dwarf, an old friend owed him a favour and i suppose i was happy to play at being currency? But anyway Dekhan, he's a zealot, with all the singularity of mind and narrowness of vision you might expect that to entail, so if you're with him he is awe and glory. And if you're not, well i hope you can run fast. 

I stay out of his way. And i can run very fast indeed. 

Strix, Fekar doesn't ask you any more questions, and your watch passes peacefully.

Who's on third watch?

If one had the inclination, eyes could be painted on Varinth. The snoring may give the game up though.

Kosst can do it himself, if you like.  Take third watch, I mean.  Not paint eyeballs onto Varinth.  Or that too, I suppose. :)

Incantis can take third watch.

Incantis, roll a Perception check, just in case.

Regardless of what you notice or don't, the night certainly passes without any kind of threat or attack.  The orcs spend a little time hunting in the morning, and make sure that Gog is fed and happy.  The ogre continues to sit near Soodi, apparently happy in her company.  A couple of hours after dawn, the group is ready to set out.  The sky has cleared a little, and though the ground is still damp, you think the day will be warm and pleasant.  The pile of zombies is now ash, and the orcs scatter the ash a little around the area.

Dekhan, feel free to play out your conversation with Oggor during your final watch or during the morning's activities.

Where will the party head next?

Perception: 7

 While on watch Dekhan stares into the distance for a moment and then turns to regard Oggor. Your crew fought well today, they’re strong, fast, and follow orders well. He turns to look out into the darkness again. What’s important is who’s giving those orders. Oggor, when you head back to your people I want you to take over as chief. Tell them that the new ways work, that Orc and Man, all peoples can work together to the benefit of all. Dekhan turns to the orc again to gauge his reaction.

Dekhan, Oggor stares into the darkness a long time before he answers.  Make an Insight check.

I'll take them home, if you order it.  I'm no chief, but I'll get them home to their families.  It's better than we deserve.  We follow orders too well.  It will be hard on them.  Justice in Many Arrows is... not as brutal as the old ways, but unyielding in its own way.  A life working on a farm, never allowed to touch a weapon.  Some orcs might wish you'd just executed us.  Why didn't you?

Insight 17