Orcs on the Rampage - Tales from the Broken Lands(Updated 25-May-06)

Graywolf-ELM

Explorer
Return to In Search of the Unknown part 3 “We didn’t do it.”

Rhgl gets bored fast and easy. He looks around at the Orcs and talks to himself.

”Tyco is being dumb again... Stupid Orc. Scrag is too busy eating to do anything. Goblins learn early to not get in the way of an Orc when food is about.”

Rhgl shakes his head in disgust.

“Gorga is romping around, trying to claim personal glory, bah, what a leader. Gives no glory to others. I should talk to Tyco about that, he is a stupid Orc, he may be able to do something about the quality of leadership this group has. With a goblin backing him, Tyco may work just fine...”

Gorga, on his way to find the keeper of the dire weasels, hears. “Gorga is romping around, trying to claim personal glory, bah, what”

Rhgl taps his head thoughtfully.

“If I can get him to face Gorga. I can get him to lead. Then I will lead... Yes. yes.. Plan works. Tyco will lead. Backup plan, a good goblin has a backup plan. Ah, I will think of that later.”

Gorga, on his way to find the keeper of the dire weasels, again hears someone speak his name. “Gorga, I can get him to lead. Then I will lead...” He is beginning to understand the magic of this earring, but can not tell who is speaking yet, maybe that will come with time.

Rhgl begins to wander around the large room, and sees Gilnak guarding one hallway, and Shglsnor watching two more hallways.

”Hmm, I wonder if Shar wants to go scouting. We have not ventured this way yet.”

With a mischievous grin, Rhgl seeks out Sharraxtharkul.

”Hey Shar! We sneak this way. It will be good. Make sure no hornsy's are about. Come on.”

Rhgl and Shar grin at each other, as only goblins can, and proceed down the hallway followed by Margrax the wolf. Shglsnor shakes his head at the two goblins as they wander off down the hall. There’s a door on the right that they pass, to make it to a door on the left. The hallway turns off to the right here, and the goblins can see it turn back again, several shins away.

Both goblins approach the door. Hobna can be heard cackling wildly as Tyco squeals from the pain of his testing arrow. They look at each other, back at the door and shrug. Rhgl reaches out and knocks on the door and there is no answer. Nothing answers, and he tries opening the door. It won’t budge. Shglsnor looks on with as much incredulity as an Orc can muster.

“Rhgl, our leader will return soon.” Shar warns the other goblin. Rhgl nods, and the two reluctantly turn back the way they came. After no more than 20 steps, the door opens, and a dark-skinned kobold runs out the door, and up the hallway away from the goblins. He is gone beyond the goblin’s sight past the corner, quickly.

Shglsnor calls out the other Orcs, and Scrag, Tyco, and Gilnak run down the hallway that the warband originally approached the old throne room. The hallway ends at a North-South hallway, and the kobold appears out of the dark from the North, never to make it to warn the rest of the tribe. Hobna takes up guard at the hallway the Orcs went down in case they need arrow support.

The goblins and wolf run back to the door the kobold came out of. It is shut again, and the goblins draw weapons. Rhgl moves to listen at the door and is nearly surprised, when it swings quickly open into the room, to be replaced by a dagger wielding Black-tongue Kobold. This is a living version of the creatures found dead, at the entrance to this complex.

With quick reflexes, Rhgl shoves his dagger forward in a two-handed thrust, which comes in under the creature’s ribcage, killing it instantly. A dagger buries itself in the doorframe next to Rhgl, and another clatters off the wall nearby. Seeing this, Shar and his wolf companion rush into the room to engage one, while the remaining creature exits down stairs on the other side of the door.

Shar calls out to Rhgl, as he points to where the kobold fled. “One gets away, there.”

Rhgl tries to follow, but the kobold had a lead. While Sharraxtharkul is finishing off the kobold he and the wolf attacked, Rhgl is finding that there is a large room below and possibly backup for the retreating kobold. He ascends the stairs to take stock of the situation with Sharraxtharkhul.

“Did you catch him?” Shar looks expectant and hopeful.

Rhgl shakes his head. “He got away. Too fast he was, and knows the way.”

They collect the daggers and few small kobold-minted coins the creatures carried. Not worth the escape of one enemy and the risked ire of Gorga. Rhgl sees the dark fluid on the daggers and the saliva of the kobolds, and puts 2 and 2 together. He starts wiping the daggers on the kobolds tongue to get more of the poison.

Sharraxtharkul bemusedly shakes his head. “It does not work after they die. The poison only lasts a short while.”

They settle up and leave the room, shutting the door behind them. Shglsnor sees them come out and guiltily head back up the hallway towards him. “No good can come of this.” He says to the goblins.

The Orcs return, jostling each other and talking about the squeals the kobold made, when they killed it.

They all settle back down to camp in the old throne room, and begin setting up camp.

Rhgl and Sharraxtharkul have a little talk in heated whispers.
“We say nothing of this.”
“He will find out.”
Shar grumbles.
“Not if we stick together. Say nothing.”
“Ok.”


They don’t have long to wait, Gorga and Iirkh return from the little trip to kill the Dire Weasel trainer. Looking around, Gorga can see that they have been up to something. Rhgl is giving his best “We didn’t do it.” look. “What happened?”

Scrag pipes up, “We killed kobold in the hall.” Tyco and Gilnak nod in confirmation and no one else speaks.

Gorga knows something is not being said, and takes Sharraxtharkul off to the side. The young mystic is gaining in power, and Gorga has to handle this right, if he wants support from him in the future.

“Sharraxtharkul, what happened while I was gone?”
Thinking about his desire to support the other Goblin, Shar also considers his place in the warband, and the possibility of expanding his own power.

“Rhgl and me investigated one of the doors. A dark-skinned kobold rushed out and we killed two more in the room. They have poison Gorga. I know not what kind. These are not normal kobolds. Their tongues are black, and skin is dark.”

Gorga looks at him thoughtfully for a moment and a grim look crosses his face. Soon he has cuffed the remainder of the story out of the Orcs and Rhgl. There is one exception to this. No one tells him about the kobold who got away into the lower level. Before anyone can rest, or sleep, the only door in the room, on the west wall between hallways, must be investigated. It has been a long day and Gorga wants the Orcs rested for the next stage of the assault.

Gorga gathers the Orcs around, and Scrag opens the door.

Next Up: Who are these guys and where did they come from?”
 
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Destan

Citizen of Val Hor
Hiya GW,

I had some free time this morning and figured I'd go read a shorter story hour that I hadn't yet taken a look at. Not sure why I picked this one, but I'm glad I did.

One thing that I normally dislike it stories written in the present tense. For some reason - and I don't know why - that style seems to really work well for you. It just seems to "fit" the nature of your orcs, who are more concerned with the here-and-now than the past or the future.

An example:

“If I can get him to face Gorga. I can get him to lead. Then I will lead... Yes. yes.. Plan works. Tyco will lead. Backup plan, a good goblin has a backup plan. Ah, I will think of that later.”

I've often wondered about running or playing in a "monster" PC group. I've never done it, and hope to give it a whirl some time. This story hour of yours only adds a bit more fuel to that thought.

Finally, I bounced around the snotlings web site (I said I had some time this morning, eh? :) ) but I couldn't figure anything out. My mAd w3b sk1LlZ are lacking. I take it that's a group web site for the campaign? It looks snazzy, and I love the "Save the Snotlings" by-line.

Anyway, thanks for the fun read.

Senor de la D
 
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Graywolf-ELM

Explorer
Destan said:
Hiya GW,

I had some free time this morning and figured I'd go read a shorter story hour that I hadn't yet taken a look at. Not sure why I picked this one, but I'm glad I did.

One thing that I normally dislike it stories written in the present tense. For some reason - and I don't know why - that style seems to really work well for you. It just seems to "fit" the nature of your orcs, who are more concerned with the here-and-now than the past or the future.

An example:

I've often wondered about running or playing in a "monster" PC group. I've never done it, and hope to give it a whirl some time. This story hour of yours only adds a bit more fuel to that thought.

Finally, I bounced around the snotlings web site (I said I had some time this morning, eh? :) ) but I couldn't figure anything out. My mAd w3b sk1LlZ are lacking. I take it that's a group web site for the campaign? It looks snazzy, and I love the "Save the Snotlings" by-line.

Anyway, thanks for the fun read.

Senor de la D

Destan, thank you for the comments. I have struggled with a tense that fit well for the story.your comment on Orc attitude is right on. The monstrous party is fun, and started out as a side adventure. We will keep it going.

Regarding the website. Originally started by a friend of mine, I spoke to him about PHP nuke, and expanding it to include gaming(used to just be warhammer). It is not so different from the enworld web pages. Although the time I spend in forums here and rarely visit the other sections is apparent.

There are forums on snotling, as here on Enworld.
- The front page has news articles, which we post session notes, articles, etc... on
- We have a small gaming resource section, that I post new or borrowed material from.
- We have image galleries, which are often used in conjunction with a game that is going on. pbp or in-person.
- We have our own chat room
- We keep a calander of gaming sessions holidays, birthdays etc.
- We invite others to participate.
- We run the occasional poll
Columns left, and sometimes right for navigation and accounts are free.

GW
 

Graywolf-ELM

Explorer
I'm already working on the next update. We have had 2 characters die, and I'm preparing a short backgrounder that places the new ones near the rest of the warband. It will be another few updates, before we get to the part with the character deaths. It makes sense to make this update here, as I hope you will see when it is completed.

Any guesses as to who bit it?

GW
 
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el-remmen

Moderator Emeritus
Hey GW,

I can't wait to see what happens. I started this and got all caught up today.

I love seeing things from the "other side" and the dynamics of the war band are great.

I, too, think writing in the present tense really helps convey the orcish point of view. . .

Keep up the good work. . .

- Nemm
 



Graywolf-ELM

Explorer
Yeah, I haven't been feeling well. The other woman (My computer) as my wife calls it, has not seen much of me over the last few days. I'm trying to make up for lost time.

GW
 

Graywolf-ELM

Explorer
Okay, you haven't heard from me in a little while. No excuses. Here's a link to the Newsletter I put together for the Broken Lands game. Any comments are welcome. I plan on making this a bi-weekly, or monthly supplement for the players.

The Broken Voice Vol.1

It took me a little while to get it html-ized, but here it is. The font is in ForgottenUncial, pretty cool to look at, if you have it. I was able to download it for my PC.

My next update should be tonight or tomorrow at the latest.

GW
 
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Graywolf-ELM

Explorer
Who are these guys and where did they come from?

Garnash One-tusk is a skilled tactical leader. He leads by example, and has a mean streak wide enough for two Ogres to walk down, side by side. Garnash keeps an eye and ear out for any weakness shown by the nearby Fat Lip tribe to the East, and Kobold lands to the East of them across the Streel River. From sources at the Sacred Cavern, entryway to the Red Orcland underground horde lands, Garnash heard mutterings of Kobold expansion into Darokin. The Fat Lips did not seem to be doing much about it, so Garnash, always looking for an opportunity for advancement in the horde, had Gynk Lip-biter send a warband to investigate. The Owl's left Vile Runes land on the first day of spring, the month of Thaumont, as humans know it. There was much grumbling from the Owls, as they missed the seasonal revel back at the tribe home.

The Owls opted to travel across Fat Lips tribe lands, over the Streel River, and through Kol (Kobold held lands), along the Southern end. The Owls were well known for stealth and scouting prowess. Trouble began, when the warband veered too far south and tried to use the forests there for cover. Winged creatures were spotted overhead, very large winged creatures. Fearing dragons or worse, the forests looked safer than open hills. The forests were full of elves who resented this, and sent the Orc warband on its’ way, minus two Goblin members. The forest came alive with arrows and magic, shortly after the warband posted a watch, and settled down to rest. Filker and Sleach went down in the first hail of arrows with at least 10 arrows deeply embedded in each. As if that weren’t enough, vines and roots came alive to grasp, tear and rend the bodies as they fell to the ground. Three Orcs and five Goblins emerged from the trees with arrow wounds and hurt pride. Not only did the watch miss hearing the ambush being set, but also no Orc was able to raise a weapon in defense.

Limping and wounded, the Owls skirted the northern reaches of the Elven wood. After another couple days of travel, and a narrowly missed encounter with a patrol of Trolls, the Owls reached the area they were looking for. They scouted around until they found signs of kobold hunting parties. The kobolds look disorganized and with little direction, which is contrary to normal kobold operations.

The war leader, Grigler Red-Snout sent two of the best scouts back to the home tribe with maps of the area and notes on how to get to the new kobold lair. This left Grigler and the rest of the warband, 5 Goblins, Snig, Snucker, Knas, Goxr, Nazs, and 1 Orc, Drigka.

Boredom sets in for the warband with a week passing with little sign of kobold activity; until. During a sleep shift, the number of Orcs in the warband was brought down to two. The kobolds had not remained unknowing of the Owl’s presence. While Snucker 9-toes was on guard and napping in the hot glare of the sun, 15 Kobolds snuck into the camp, and killed the sentry the warband leader, Knas, Goxr, and Nazs. Drigka and Snig were left alive, One Goblin and one Orc for experimentation as ordered by Buimbu. Buimbu is a sorcerer and an Ancestral kobold, with red dragon blood flowing in his veins. Recently he took control of the kobold tribe, eliminating the kobold leader, and dumping the body. No one has been able to gainsay his rule, and live to tell about it.

After being brutally mobbed in their sleep, the Drigka and Snig are brought to the vivisection room used by Buimbu for experimentation on subjects. When conscious the two notice the remains of some poor green-skinned creature that has been flayed, cut up, and the skeletal remains hung from the ceiling.

After a failed escape attempt by Drigka, he was gagged. Drigka is a well-known Orcish Bard. His marching chant is used throughout King Thar’s Horde. It became popular nearly three cycles of the seasons ago. Drigka hums it through the gag as best he can, waiting for the release of death, or the respite of rescue.
Onward, dogs, to strife, to war
Whips at back drive feet that's sore
With gnash of tusk and fire that's red
No resting now unless you're dead.

Gralar! Gralay! With blood and clash of steel!
Yahoy! Yahay! We fight for our next meal!
No pause, no cease, no give or retreat
Fight on in cold or wretched heat!

They tell us fight for Hoth and Hai
I say be damned until you die
No light no water for another day
Who needs that garbage anyway?

Broken tusk and aching back
We battle now, cities to sack
Then we crawl back to the pit
Your doom now in blood is writ!

Onward, dogs, to strife, to war
Whips at back drive feet that’s sore
With gnash of fang and fire that's red
Life is pain and then you're dead!

For his part, Snig continuously tries to escape from his bonds, leaving bloody streaks running down his wrists. Both pass the time thinking of ways to have revenge upon the kobolds, and Buimbu. They do not know, that Gynk has already dispatched the newly formed Eagles warband to kill the kobolds and bring glory to the tribe.

Next Up: Return to In Search of the Unknown part 4 “Don’t open the trophy door.”

<Marching chant borrowed from the Farland Campaign website>
 

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