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Message: <blockquote data-quote="arwink" data-source="post: 1142498" data-attributes="member: 2292">“There’s rumors of a strange fire-cult starting among the half-orc and orcish population of the city,” Cadloren explains.  “We’ve been trying to pin them down, but the racial stance of the cult is fairly strong.  They’re only accepting those with orc blood, and they keep things small enough that they can recognize outsiders.  We even sent a small group of Yips looking for them in the sewers, but they disappeared without a trace.  It’s a fair bet that they’re dangerous, and they’ve been responsible for a few acts of arson in the name of ‘Orcish Liberation’ already.  We’ve got no orcish justicars in the city at the moment, but maybe you three can bluff your way through with him.”He points at Blarth.  Halgo and Geoffrey both stare, imagining Blarth working undercover, and carefully restrain themselves from laughing.“Blarth can do that,” Blarth says, grinning wildly.  “Excellent,” Cadloren beams.  “We can’t really offer you much help at the moment, but I’d suggest you start at the Blood and Water– it’s a tavern that caters primarily to half-orcs and other half-bloods.  It’s likely that their recruiting there, so try to get yourselves picked up.  And be careful – they know there’s justicars looking for them and the last person we sent out was badly beaten.”The group writes down the directions to the Blood and Water, making their way into one of the poorer streets of the cities South Market region.  Geoffrey, in particular, draws a great deal of notice as he strides through the streets.  The area is poor, and the people who live there relatively downtrodden, and the gleaming armor and shining tabard of the new justicar mark him as someone out of place.”There’s the tavern,” Halgo says, peering around a corner and down a short street.  “I think it’d be best if we split up.”“Why?” Geoffrey demands.  “Surely we can go in and ask a few questions?”“You’re a tad conspicuous,” Halgo reminds him. “And a tavern full of surly half-orcs isn’t the best place to get on someone’s bad side.  Blarth and I will go on.  You take Blarth’s earring and find some place to hide on the other side of the street.”Halgo glances around the corner and squints at the shops.  “…maybe the second story of that Bakery there.  If we need your help, we’ll call you.”“What about you?” Geoffrey demands.  “Surely you don’t think you’ll fare any better than I would?”Halgo offers him a happy wink.“I’m an illusionist,” he says cheerfully.  “I’m not going to look like an dwarf.”Geoffrey heads down the street, heading towards the bakery with a small pouch full of gold.  He notices several of the men and orcs on the street suddenly leave after he moves past them, slinking into back alleys or heading indoors with strange expressions on their faces.  Geoffrey does his best to pretend he hasn’t noticed, striding into the bakery.The baker is an elderly man, Thamos, and he nearly feints in surprise when the Geoffrey brings his armored form through the door.“C-C-Can I help you?” Thamos asks.“You have a room upstairs that overlooks that tavern, yes?” Geoffrey says, pointing.  “I’ll give you ten gold a week if you let me use it.”Thamos eagerly agrees, throwing in a daily supply of buns to the deal.Halgo and Blarth wait until the count of four hundred before they move, Halgo taking a few minutes to magically transform his appearance into that of an orc.“You’ a bit short,” Blarth offers, examining the result.  Even magically altered, Halgo’s height is only a little over five feet.“Goblin blood,” Halgo rasps, doing his best to master an orcish croak.  “Killed me mah fer it, but it left me stunted.  Wouldn’t go makin’ jokes about it iffen I was yoo.”“Blarth not sound like that,” Blarth says, eyes squinted as he studies Halgo’s disguise.“You’re slightly more erudite than the standard orc,” Halgo offers smoothly, his voice returning to normal.  “We need to stress that you’re the strong one, and I’m the puny sneak.  Gives us a good dynamic to work with.”“Blarth not sure other orcs believe you really orc,” Blarth says dubiously.  “You sound silly.”“It’s okay,” Halgo assures him.  “No-one will notice.”They head down the street, Blarth striding purposefully with Halgo doing his best imitation of a goblinish caper beside him.  Most people don’t even glance up as they past, and one or two of the half-orcs even nod a greeting as they pass.  The Blood and Water is a beaten and battered tavern, it’s door hanging half off its hinges and its sole window patched with boards.  Despite it’s ramshackle look, the roar from the interior is loud enough to suggest a healthy patronage.Inside the tavern is a hive of movement, with dozens of half-orcs, hobgoblin mercenaries and kobolds scattered from doorway and to back booth.  Everyone shouts at one another, often in a mish-mashed pidgin of common and their racial tongue, and the furniture is almost as battle damaged as the exterior.“Geoffrey,” Halgo whispers quietly, “this could take us a few days.”</blockquote>

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