Traveling to Tinhold and find some orcs

General Summary

After traveling for three days away from the underground cavern of terror, as we crest the hill we see a band of orcs on wargs attacking the village. “Drop down!” I whisper. We watch them for a few moments and see the orcs riding over to a house where some kids haven’t quite managed to get inside. The orcs lean down and grab the children up onto their saddles. “They’re stealing kids,” I whisper. “I’ll head over to the left and see what I can do about slowing them down,” Cap’n says. Lili heads off with him. I sneak off and find myself humming. Why in the world am I humming? It’s like I can’t be quiet. The sieging orcs grapple the walls and start pulling on their ropes. Rory charges up to them and starts fighting. “That fool is going to get himself killed,” Devan yells. I roll my eyes and pull the river from its course causing a tidal wave to knock several of the orcs down. Cap’n turns and casts ice storm and the orcs slow down under the barrage. One of the orcs in the background chants and a water elemental springs into being. We shoot down the mage, but the water elemental is still fighting us and was able to steal Cap’n spiritual weapon. “The mage dropped something when he fell,” Milli shouts, and I run over to grab a small doll while the others grab the kids the orcs were trying to steal. “Get in here!” yelled a man from the house. We charge in and help him barricade the door. I throw the doll on the ground and throw a flaming sphere at it. It bursts into flames and the water elemental splashes into the water. “Who’s hurt?” Cap’n asks. They bring forward several men and the Cap’n heals as many as he can. I glance at the window and see the full blood red moon. “That does not bode well.” The orcs go forth a few more times, but eventually, a horn is heard and the orcs fall back into 12 bands surrounding the village. From the middle band, a tall orc steps forth with two soldiers behind him and a gray banner with a black dog and a red eye on it walks forward. He speaks, but as we do not respond he repeats it all in Imperial. “Tonight is the night of Rue de Air. You have fought adequately if the warriors in here will come out and feast with us, we will leave in the morning.” “Will anyone come out with us?” Devan asks. “I mean a feast does sound good.” The farmers and villagers all look at their feet. “I’ll go with you,” answers a young man. We march out to meet the orcs. It’s a little intimidating walking out into the massive horde, but we hold our heads high and try to look scary. When amongst predators it’s never good to look like prey. “I am Kahn Tulane of the Grim Riders, you are our honored guests for this feast come to join us,” and we follow him through a line of orcs on either side of us trotting along behind him as they yell and wave their weapons. It reminds me of what I’ve heard the seafolk do. “This isn’t just a small strike force,” I whisper to Cap’n. “There are at least three or four hundred warriors here. Notice how there’s no children.” He nods and we sit down around a fire. I have never eaten so much meat, there’s some bread, and large amounts of mead with dogs wandering about looking for scraps. From time to time as they eat two orcs will get into a fight, and no one does a thing to stop it. “Come it is now the time of tales, I will tell you the story of Brulac and the Sneezing Powder,” Kahn stands up and everyone quiets down. “Once Brulac did need more of the sneezing powder and he went out to the village of the pink skins. There an old pink skin had much of the powder displayed for anyone to take. Brulac walked up and grabbed the powder and started coughing and sneezing. However he manfully pocketed it and started walking away. The old woman cried out, ‘stop thief!’ and waved feebly at him, but Brulac ignored her and walked away. “That’s not fair!’ she cried out,” Kahn laughed heartily at his tale and all the orcs joined in. We looked at each other and pretended to laugh as well. “What tale do you have to tell us?” Lili stands forth and proceeds to tell the tale of our adventure with the other orc band. However in her version the orcs save everyone and keep the ghoul from getting the Dark One’s Bane. At first Kahn Tulane is entertained, but as the tale goes on he becomes more and more disturbed, “Where did this happen what war band was it?” Lili stammers for a second, “The tale I was told had the Red Stag Tribe capturing the tribute.” “You must excuse us, but we now have urgent business in the South,” and he called for his men to move quickly away. And with all that we did not get a particularly early start on to Tinhold the next day.

Report Date

21 Dec 2021