Session 22: The dwarven fort

General Summary

The dwarven fort...Filled with orcs.   After asking about the obvious confusing situation we were in last week, and receiving...mixed reports… We decide to continue on our journey… Separately...again… (Still confused!)   Anyhow, both sides of the party find secret doors. Their side apparently includes javelins and arrows, our side no light. After some deliberation, we decide to go in using lights, as I cannot see in the dark. Our first room is a bedroom, with a large amount of bunkbeds. We find a little secret spot containing a small sum of gold and silver pieces, although once I would’ve considered it a fortune.   In the next room, we discover a rather elaborate statue of a dwarven smith, which was honored, not respected, because respect and honor are like statues of stone and statues of shit. Different, but the same...but different. I’ll read up on the specifics later, but for now, I will accept it as truth as is. What I also learn, is that poisoning people is perfectly honorable, provided your reason (protecting your home, your crew or your friends) is correct. Thus, I shall add this to my list of morally ethical ways of obtaining goals. Larceny, Homicide and now poisoning are in fact fine, and even moral obligations, provided it serves a greater good. I thank the heavens and Janey that I now understand this distinction, so that I do not stray from righteousness.   Anyhow, we mark the statue, and carry on, as Valstrax seems unphased by the poison, though offended by my concept of letting him lead the group. Apparently the strong and elderly must be protected, instead of used, and I take point. This in turn offends Janey, who prefers not to be protected by others. It’s a bit complicated, but it comes down to us all being individuals, and what is good for the group isn’t necessarily good for the individual, and I must butter them up better, by using fancier words or arguments that are half-truths or flat lies, to ensure they are not emotionally offended. For the greater good.   With no other immediate threats, we continue our journey, and find a pathway with many things to explore. There we find loot, and a hidden box. Containing money. And holy water. Great right? After, we decide to look at this floor first. Thus, the stair is left aside, but not until I leave a little alarm, that signifies whether or not somebody has passed through, using a small piece of string. If the string is removed, somebody passed through. Easy, effective, useful.   As we want to continue, we suddenly hear noises, and a quick decision is made. We will commence assault on them. … Holy moly.   We find a large group. Valstrax walks in. The large group swamps Valstrax. Janey releases a fireball. We’re left with a small group. We efficiently kill all of them, but three. These three hide in another room, and we decide to give them mercy. My mercy is usually either release from suffering, or granting them their life, so I prepare to shoot only if my team does, unknowing which of the two is correct. Valstrax enlightens me, and I quickly take out one orc with little effort. Janey however, had other ideas which means I misunderstood. Thus, I position myself to protect her. Duldar joins the fray and moves to tie the orc up, when the orc grapples him and prepares to jump into the darkness below. Thankfully, Voron is there to save the day. His quick thinking and whipping skills, pulls the orc closer, at which point we offer him the mercy of death. I learn from this, that you cannot offer mercy of life, when you kill too many. Just kill them all, or offer mercy to a group. The single survivor will stab you in the back. It happened with the pirate guy who didn’t want to be our slave, and this orc chose the same. For the greater good, either a group, or none at all.   Thankfully, orcs taste delicious, and we find a few prisoners. I learn from them, Janey and Valstrax, that it is better to send them off to possibly die on their own than to let them interfere with our holy quest, or hurt their feelings. The death of two peasants means nothing in the greater scheme of things. Thank god for Janey guiding me, Valstrax showing me, Voron’s words of wisdom, and Duldar teaching me. I feel like I am a bright star, shining brighter thanks to the ethical lessons learned from my friends.

Rewards Granted

16101 xp total