Session 173 - An Orc Nest

General Summary

25^th and 30^th of Nuzyael (First Month of Spring) 724TR

The story so far

The heroes are resting up after their battle with a ghost of a priest of Morgath and his undead wolf and sheep minions.

This is the continuation of Session 170 - The shepherd.

---

Location - Castle Sarkum in the Kingdom of Kanday.

---

Part 1 - A Skeptical Lord

Lord Yezenaryn, art by Artbreeder

Lord Dreu Yezenaryn is an old warrior, a lay member of the Order of the Checkered Shield and fought with distinction during Ezar's War. His peasants have reported seeing small humanoid figures in the woods near his holding, Yezena Manor. They are described as 4ft tall ugly, dirty goblins who retreated into the forest when spotted. The peasants are convinced that these are orcs.

Lord Yezenaryn's peers believe it is doubtful that gargun (orcs) would ever be found in the Turmale Hills. How could they possibly get there? However, Lord Yezenaryn believes the witnesses are reliable and are willing to pay Odin and his friends to investigate. Is this orc threat real? If so, can they deal with it? Two weeks ago, while on another mission, Odin found some suspicious tracks of small humanoids. Could these be the same creatures?

---

Location - Turmale Hills in the Kingdom of Kanday.

---

Part 2 - A Spring Storm.

Odin searches the northern boundaries of Yezena Manor and the nearby Saxt Hamlet for evidence of an orc presence. Some small footprints, broken tree branches, and other clues indicate a group of small humanoids, maybe half a dozen individuals prowling on the outskirts of the settled lands. Unfortunately, the tracks are too old to follow.

So the characters spend a fruitless couple of days hiding out, hoping to spot an orc band. After growing bored, they start searching the nearby Turmale Hills. They climb up Gemal Hill for the view and then search the waterways and valleys, starting with the River Herky. Orcs, after all, have to drink.

---

The weather takes a turn for the worst, and a thunderstorm catches the characters by surprise. As they attempt to find shelter, strange elemental spirits emerge. Small whirlpools of wind and lighting batter the heroes. Nevertheless, the Storm Spirits are quickly dispatched.

Part 3 - Orcs Attack

The party finds a small patch of trees that offers some cover and makes camp for the night. Fortunately, the storm disappeared as fast as it appeared. At midnight Abaddon hears movement, the orcs the heroes have been looking for have found them.

The nocturnal Gargu-Araki, or small orc, can see considerably further in the night than the heroes and send volleys of arrows at them. When they close to attack, they scurry away, hiding among the trees, only to ambush them again from another direction. However, despite their efforts, the heroes fight tactically as well, and the orcs are whittled down and eventually break. Remy knocks one out with a lucky blow to the head, but two escape.

---

Remy decides on a magical interrogation using Charm Person on the captive. The weak-willed smelly creature now believes Remy is a trusted ally or a superior. However, they have no common language. Remy comes up with a means to convey basic information via simple drawings and hand signals.

He learns the orcs have a camp not far away, back up the river. The party passed by it yesterday.

The orc warns Remy with a skull symbol of a dangerous location that is also very close. He is clearly afraid of whatever is there.

When asked how he and his tribes got to this isolated spot, he surprises the party with his answer. The heroes assume they accidentally traveled through an undiscovered Barasi Points or Holy Grove, but he makes a waving motion and draws a crude representation of a ship. He animatedly speaks long sentences in his language when pressed further, although Remy recognizes one word Lothrim.

After getting all the information, Remy quickly and painlessly kills the orc. The heroes rest for the night and plan to assault the orc camp in full daylight. After that, they plan to investigate this hazardous location of which the foulspawn is so afraid.

Part 4 - The Nest

The orc nest is well hidden, a small camp behind a wooded embankment on the other side of the River Herky. The orcs have sentries up in the trees, and the rest of the tribe are resting or sleeping. There are twenty-five of these small brutes, including a fat female (the Queen) and several strong-looking guards (Princesses) protecting a small offal pit filled with large leathery eggs.

The heroes boldly attack and again keep in sunlight, which dazzles the foul spawn. The orcs lurk in the shade and under foliage, darting toward the heroes, striking them, then retreating into the shadows or undercover. Orcs further away, and the sentries in the trees shoot arrows. Some of the orcs are equipped with crude herbal weaponry, including bags of poisonous spores and stickily acidic glue. The orcs fight furiously but, one by one, start to fall. Eventually, the Orc Chieftain joins in, and the orcs bunch up around him. Then Remy uses this opportunity to smash his staff into the ground blasting the group with a kinetic energy blast (Thunder Wave). 

Desperate, the queen, and the princesses engage the party, and although heavy hitters, they are eventually killed by focused attacks. The heroes did not have it all their own way; the orcs got their share of lucky hits, poison spores, and sticky acid onto the heroes. All the characters are badly injured and finished the fight exhausted and all the orcs died defending their camp and egg which are quickly destroyed.

To be continued.

NPC Interactions

Lord Dreu Yezenarynis.

Challenges Overcome

4 x Storm Spirits.

6 x Gargu-Araki warriors.

Learned how the Orcs arrived.

19 x Gargu-Araki Warriors, 2 x Herbmasters, 1 x Chief, 2 x Princess and 1 x Queen.

Destroyed the Orc tribes eggs.

Related Reports

Order of the Checkered Shield.

Ezar's War.

Gargu-Araki - Herbal Items.

Player Character Status

Odin - Human - Level 3 Gloom Stalker.

Abaddon - Elf - Level 3 Openhand Monk.

Remy - Half-Elf - Level 3 Bladesinger.

Campaign

Games of the Gods

Protagonists

Remy

Abaddon

Odin

Report Date

05 Sep 2021

Clan Yezenaryn

Clan Yezenaryn, art by Attacus

Gargu-Araki the small Orc.

The Gargu-araki are smaller than other gargun, being light of frame and ranging about 3 1/2 to 4 ft in height, with streaky brown fur. They are often found dwelling as nomads in woodland or forest in tribes of 40–240.

Despite their small stature, they are among the most feared of nocturnal predators. They possess an acute sense of smell and have excellent night vision. Their dwellings are often little more than crude huts or shelters, and sometimes they sling nests in trees. They are talented herbalists.