Remnants of the Horde-Flight from Aruth

[Uriel]

Captain Varn sneers at the necromancer 'I said that the intelligence was OLD, you buggerer of Maggot-ridden Corpses. I have little in the way of scouts left, and my Sorcerer was killed in the retreat.' The last word took considerable effort to get out, and one gets the idea that the Captain found the concept distateful at best. Varn stands from where he had been kneeling at the map.
Looking about he yells'Troopers! Fall In!'\
Groaning and moaning the Hobgoblins, Goblins and the few orcs present all stand and try their best to present at attention.
Discounting the 3 or 4 dozen too wounded to be moved, the company stands as follows
<OoC:Minus the PCs'>

45 Hobgoblin Troopers
32 Goblin Skirmishers
11 Orcs <Irregular Fighters>
4 Ogres
Captain Varn
Urfguk, the Company Shaman
Lorg, the Captain's Aide
3 Seargants and 5 Corporals, all Hobgoblins

4 Worg Rider Goblins <scouts>

Varn bellows
'Who wants to be Tollkeepers?'
Tollkeeper was a euphamism for those too wounded to travel, who would stay behind in ambush with crossbows, makeshift oil-bombs and who would trigger traps for the Pursuers.

About half of the Wounded raised hands, most of these Hobgoblins. The other half, mostly Goblins and Orcs, moaned and grumbled silently at being left behind.

Varn smiled and turned to the group assembled where the Map was.

'Durgo, you are in charge of the remaining Muragar, and keep that Son of yours under control. Wekerak, get the last of the Worg-Riders together into something resembling a scout unit.Necromancer,if there is anything that you can do to slow down the Elvish adance, it would be greatly appreciated. You lot there on the ground, don't wanna get left behind eh? Well, it's your lucky day...See, we lost most of our grub in the retreat, and we seem light on meat. You, Gnoll, take a half dozen of the orcs and get to cutting the meat into carryable chunks. And Bargo, help him out. And try not to kill any of the ones that can walk and fight,eh?' Varn turns back to his Sgts and Corporals,discussing the reorganization of the remaining troops, even as the screams of those who had chose not to Tollkeep were silenced by eager and sadistic Orcs wielding axes and cleavers.

 

[Jeremy]

Bargo is sitting on a headless orc's chest smearing blood on Elf Splitter almost reverently. He doesn't seem to hear anything that is going on, nor care. His lips move silently as if he were talking to himself or somebody.

 

[Set Harth]

Valrack gunts with no comment at Varn's insults. It is something he is use to and long since learned to ignore...for now. Rising back to his feet, the gnarled goblin makes his way back towards his zombie mount.

Half way there a bloodied claw of a wounded goblin, his legs hacked off at the knees, clutches at Valrack's robes, sqeeking pitiously for mercy in goblin. Valrack pauses a moment to reach down and caress the wounded goblin's forehead, whispering some words in return. Suddenly the goblin stiffens and then begins to wail, his scream rising in pitch until it can no longer be heard (casts vampiric touch). It then colapses dead, transforming into ash that mingles with the blood soaked ground.

The stooped form of the necromancer stands a little taller now, no longer clutching his wounded side. Valrack reaches the deathly still worg, Hex, and clambers into the saddle. he reaches down to his waist and pulls something from his pocket. Holding it up to his hooded face he whispers instructions to Kithcor then releases the tiny mammal into the air to scout the area ahead.

"There is nothing to be done now Captain other then to flee with haste. If we should encounter any foes, I have a few spells left that may assist us. I will need time to rest and study before being fully prepared again though."

Valrack will quietly wait for the band to move out taking a spot in the marching order near to Captain Varn

 

[Velenne]

Durgo dutifully listens to the remainder of Varn's orders after he has turned to command the smaller leaders. Once that's done, he screams out in Giant for his comrades,

"Muragar come to Durgo!" he grabs up his babbling son by the armpit and sticks a thick finger in the boy's face, saying quiety, "Varn say you keep Elfee Voices quiet or him finish with head what me started with ears."

He rubs the top of his son's head in an extremely rare show of pride that surprised even him. Bargo was bigger than three ogres combined, but that was because he was still son of Durgo. Stupid elfee blood made Bargo crazy, though. How was Durgo to know that elfee woman could carry seed as strong as his? It made him wonder how much bigger his other sons could have been if it wasn't for the elfies. Always taunting him, them elfies were! And always shooting with arrows! And always making him's life harder! AND KILLING RAVARG!

Durgo's face suddently turns down in anger and he white-knuckles Bargo across the face. He raises his hand again, but stops when he hears his Muragar approaching. Turning, he addresses them in Giant, face calm again,

"Muragar stay with Captain, but not too close! Stay to rear and watch for elfies. Eat while walking. We go!"

 

[Jeremy]

Bargo gets dragged to his feet and looks up to see his father, instinctively he flinches as getting manhandled by him is never a good thing. When he reaches for his head, Bargo tries to jerk back, but then he whispers and rubs the top of his head like he was Clan.

Or a real son.

But for only a second, as anger over takes him, his black eyes become intense with hatred, and the Durgo Bargo knows is back. "W-what Bargo do---?" Bargo is cut off by a point-blank sucker punch into his already ruined face that sends him to the ground, blood pouring from his rebroken nose.

Right as the rest of the Muragar come up to see him humiliated once more.

"REEEEAAAAAARRRGH!" He roars as both fists clenched together he hammers down on the ground with all his might. The earth shakes under the massive blow.

He gets up, face mangled, blood-covered, with his hair all mud and blood spattered in his face and snarls at the Muragar and his father. Daring any of them to say anything with his eyes.

OOC: Taking 10 on Intimidate for a check of 20, changing the behavior of creatures with 10 HD or less.

Staring them down he turn his back on them, waiting to hear whatever it is that needs killing, but refusing to let them see his face.

STUPID BARGO. Bargo know only Elf Splitter care about Bargo. Elf Splitter and Bargo. Me show them. Bargo cut him way through EVERYTHING and show them Bargo is true son of Durgo. Bargo is the strongest there is!!

 

[Uriel]

The Blow lands on poor Bargo's face <5 points of damage, see OoC thread regarding changes to Bargo>.
The damage was minimal compared to some beatings he had suffered, but the hummiliation was what really stung.

Roaring, Bargo's eyes gleaming Murder, the other ogres fall back, scared for their hides. Bargo had killed more than a few of his tribesfolk, they say, and these Muragar had seen one of their own beheaded by Elf Splitter not 2 days ago.

Valreck , having drained the pitiful Goblin, feels revitalized
OoC: You gain 12 HP for the next hour, as per VT.

'Bargo!'
captain Varn walked right up to the ruined face of the half-Ogre.
'Bargo, I need you to keep it together, Muragar. We have to get out of here, the Enemy is close. Now get to cutting the food up for the trail, eat one as you work, if that makes you feel better, but do it NOW.'

OoC:Intimidate Check of 35, Bargo's will save doesn't quite make it <even with a bonus based on his confused state>, causing him to get to the duty at hand.

IC: Bargo steps back, Captain Varn had Spoken , if only Bargo had that Voice, Ogres follow Him, not Durgo. Besides, Captain Varn said he could eat as he worked, and their was a wounded Orc that had sneered at him last week, a tasty looking Orc...

 

[Jeremy]

At first Bargo isn't hungry. He is fuming, and as such his monstrous weapon pulverizes the corpses he chops up as much as it slices them. Bargo's own blood is quickly hidden by the clotted blood and spattered gore of his victims. Grabbing up a haunch he bites into it, calming down as he continues after the others.

Bargo looks around at the mess before he strides over to a group of straggling gobbies. He picks up a few of them and hurls them into the carnage, telling them to pick them up and bring them along if they want to stay out of the cook pots come nightfall.

 

[Mickerus]

As the others split off after the impromptu meeting, Sellanais remains still for a moment, then addresses the Captain again when the opportunity presents itself.

"You said you have lost the majority of your scouts. Though I prefer more... urban territory, I am quite capable of filling such a role. Wekerak and his worg riders may indeed have greater range and speed, but they will not be able to cover every direction at once. I will keep just behind the force; if I encounter any of the legions' scouts, I may be able to... extract more information than our worg riders can discover on their own."

 

[Uriel]

Captain Varn nods 'I saw your gift for illusion. Your help is much aoppreciated, and, should I get back to Myrach with my charge, you will be greatly rewarded for your aid.'

OoC:Sense Motive for MF reveals that varn was inferring something by 'my charge'. what did the good captain mean?

 

[Orochi]

While the ogre's fought and pummeled, Kurg quickly took command of the cleaver and axe weilding orcs and directed them in what to look for in "provisions".

"Orcs first. More meat than goblins. Two man teams, in case snack decides to fight back."

To emphasize his point, he walked quickly over to a severely wounded orc. The orc attempted to raise his weapon to defend himself, but Kurg's flail smashed into his skull before he could do anything more. Kurg wiped the brain tissue and fluid from his weapon with a piece of the orc's clothing as one of the orcs under his command began to butcher the carcass.

This continues as Bargo finally pulls himself together enough to join in. Kurg watches as the ogre's massive blade makes a red ruin of the goblin he was working on. The sheer power of the blows curbs Kurg's natural urge to demand the ogre do his job properly. Instead, he walks to a somewhat wounded orc, one who seems like he can still walk, and pulls him roughly to his feet.

"Go, tell ogre slaughter orcs first, and save more meat! Do that, not get eaten."

The orc looks at the massive earless creature currently tossing goblins around violently and blanches. Before he can refuse, Kurg shoves him roughly forward, shaking his flail at him menacingly when he looks back.