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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4392777" data-attributes="member: 3285">Vengeance in Freeport: Part 2 – The Orc Who Would Be King“Are you sure we can trust Elijah Quelch?”Quelch had directed them to the Temple of Cadic.  It was easily spotted several blocks away, with a peak crafted to look like a crow’s nest that rose high above the surrounding buildings.  A huge Jolly Roger was fixed to a wrought-iron spike at its peak.  Kham shrugged at Dril’s question.  “Falthar hates the guy, but Quelch is the most knowledgeable of that kind.  Trust me, if there was anyone else Falthar could have recommended, he would have. If he directed us here, I believe him.”“Kham’s got a lot of friends in Freeport,” said Vlad.The outlines of the building became visible—a cylinder of roughly hewn stone gone green and white with lichen.  As they walked across the wooden dock that led to the door, the temple’s doors opened and a crowd trampled across the dock.“Hey, manflesh!” shouted a guttural voice. “Wake up! No seaweed god will protect you from t' Bloody Vengeance!”“And a lot of enemies,” added Sebastian.  When Kham turned around, he found an angry, hulking one-legged orc in a captain’s coat, with an eye patch and a strange bird on his shoulder.  Several orcs dressed in red chain shirts with longswords surrounded him, equally angry.  “Scarbelly,” said Kham through clenched teeth.  “What the hell is he doing here?”“That’s right, manflesh,” sneered the orc known as Captain Scarbelly. “You’re weak. Cadic be a fool’s god.”“Listen you no good greenskin,” snarled Kham, “get off of our island!  Stop taking our jobs!”Several of the humans cheered.  Sebastian took a step back. “Thin's be goin' t' change around here when I’m in charge!” shouted Scarbelly.“In charge?” Kham guffawed.  “You couldn’t take charge of your own boat.  Where is it anyway? Maybe you left it with your eye and leg!”“T' Bloody Vengeance? I crossed Kenzil t' Evoker and survived, fool. I’m that tough, and I’m tough enough t' take over YER island. This island be ours by blood!”“Filthy liar!” spat Kham.Vlad and Beldin flanked either side of Kham.  Other humans, many of them sailors, pressed around them, shouting and waving their fists.“I be descended from Sea Lord Drac’s bloodline, and I have proof!” shouted Scarbelly. “Proof t' Captains’ Council can’t ignore for long!”One of the many human hands raised a rotten-looking tomato.  “Milton Drac forced himself on a helpless orc lass, me mother. Drac port her with but two thin's: a magical sextant and fake promises o' puny human love!”Sebastian pointed and whispered. “Magis attrecto.”The tomato flew into the air, only to hover to a complete stop. Then it sped off in the direction of the ocean.There was a moment of stunned silence.  Then Scarbelly let out a bellowing chortle.  “Ye see? I’m protected! Even Cadic know that humans should bow t' orc sovereignty!”“Do you even know what that word means?” shouted Kham.But the psychological battle was won.  The crowd slunk away, uncertain as to exactly what they had witnessed but not wanting to stick around to find out. Even the orcs left, reveling in their victory with hoots and hollers.Dril slunk back out of the crowd.“Where were you?” asked Vlad.“Someone was paying very close attention to Scarbelly.” Dril look over his shoulder.  “Something strange is going on.”“Real observant,” said Kham.  “Everyone was looking at Scarbelly, thanks to what I’m guessing was Sebastian’s magic.”Sebastian coughed.  “That wasn’t the intended effect.  I was just trying to avoid another riot.”Kham rolled his eyes.  “Trying to keep the peace in Freeport?  Those orcs deserve to be smacked around.”“You really don’t like them, huh?” asked Vlad.“They’re ugly, stupid, and a drain on the economy. Orcs work for dirt and they’re putting deserving humans out of jobs. Come on, let’s go inside and see what Cadic’s faithful have on the Cycle of R’lyeh.” Kham rustled past them into the temple.Dril lingered outside, watching the citizens of Freeport resume their daily grind of working, shilling, swindling, and drinking.Vlad paused as the others followed Kham.  “Coming?”Dril slowly nodded.  “He really hates orcs.”“Who, Kham?” Vlad sighed.  “I don’t think he likes anybody anymore, not even himself. I take it you don’t share his views?”Dril wrapped his cloak tightly around him as a chill wind blew through Freeport.  “There was a time when I would have agreed with the val.  But now…now I’m not so sure.” Then he went inside to join the others.</blockquote>

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