Journal of Rollo Lavius 1

Entry #207 - The only good orc...

(G207 25/07/2014 via Roll20 - JF(GM), Mira, Al)

DAY 217 (14th Marpenoth) ....

Once they had settled 'Clompy' into the stables and set up a watch schedule they settled in to sleep. The child snuggled into the magic bedroll with Pensato.

DAY 218 (15th Marpenoth)

If the temple bell had anyone to ring it in Toadstone, it would have not long chimed four in the morning when the child awakened and told Pensato that she needed to pee-pee.

Humperdink was on watch and when they did not return for some time he woke up Cale who then woke up Mathmoss. The ninja took the lantern and went into the night to look for them.

He worked his way round to the village's only inn and heard voices from within.

Looking under the main door he saw feet so climbed up the outer wall and quietly entered the building via a window. The upper floor of the inn was given over to guest rooms and the area was in darkness but he could see light coming up from the stairwell.

Creeping down the stairs he could see a gathering of twenty or so orcs around a stove, cooking up some orcish food. One of them sniffed the air, as if it could detect Mathmoss's scent. The ninja beat a hasty retreat.

When asked about what he had seen he replied,

'A ton or orcs! Pensato may already be in their cooking pot!'

Mathmoss and Cale returned to the inn and while Mathmoss went up and returned to the stairs, Cale banged on the door,

'Whoever is in there! Come out with your hands up and I will spare your life!'

He then heard some hushed voices within.

He repeated his demand in all the languages he knew, knocking on the door and shouting.

Eventually an orc opened the door and asked 'Who are you?'

Cale instantly slew the orc with his scythe. One supposes it had not satisfied Cale in the matter of meeting him at the door with hands raised.

Cale waded into the room to attack the orcs, but found that they all fled as fast as they could out of the back door. He grabbed one though, crying out,

'Mathmoss we need a prisoner!'

The orc he grabbed was a juvenile female and struggle as she might, Cale had a good hold of her. The others fled, but Mathmoss caught two more orish children upstairs.

When questioned though it boiled down to this;

These orcs were part of the 'baggage train', women and children of the horde and part of the Many Arrows tribe. They had been traveling with some warriors but had been attacked by Waterdavian forces and fled. They had arrived at this inn just a few hours ago and were catching their breath and having something to eat. They knew nothing about Pensato or the child.

The girl explained that she was actually a half-orc called Edna. She did not seem dangerous in any way.

Humperdink was summoned and asked if he could track Pensato. He followed a trail in the dark to the edge of the village but from that point on it was impossible.

Mathmoss went to bed, washing his hands of the whole affair. Cale took their only remaining prisoner (the two other children having escaped) and dumped the half-orc girl on Mathmoss.

'You decide what to do with her.'

Saying nothing, Mathmoss untied her and shooed her out the door.

In the morning Humperdink examined the tracks again but they seemed to end mysteriously.

'I wonder though', he said, 'I have heard tell of a necromancer that lives in these parts. Perhaps he had something to do with it?'

It seemed a bit thin though and lacking a better plan they packed up camp and headed on their way once more.

In the afternoon they arrived at the swampside cave of Glevenax, the old trollish sear that had once told Oz and Alduin their fortunes.

It was still a large and reasonably well furnished cave and did not smell too bad considering that a troll lived in it. Humperdink expressed no interest in getting his future foretold but Mathmoss did and was instructed to bring a fish from the pond nearby.

First he stood for ten minutes, shivering wasted deep in the water, but found that his nunchucks were poor implements for catching fish. When he returned to shore and started to make a trap Humperdink approached him and said,

'What are you doing there, chief?'

'Fish trap.'

'Want to borrow my hook and line?'

Mathmoss left out a deep sigh.

Equipped with a fish he presented it to Glevenax. She spilled its guts out into a wide bronze bowl and read the future there in. It wasn't all good.

'You will find a lot of treasure in the near future. But best make plans for a way to deal with your impending death. A man of evil disposition will kill you. He is a tall, thin man, with sharp features and protruding eyes.'

Mathmoss shuddered, then dried himself out by the fire.

DAY 219 (16th Marpenoth)

They set off in the morning and arrived at the village of Hommlet at eight o'clock in the evening. Humperdink lead them to the Inn of the Welcoming Wench where Ostier Gundigoot was still the inn keeper.