Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="PHDungeon" data-source="post: 5114860" data-attributes="member: 86320">A journal from Bella regarding game session #13The meeting with the iron dragon went well, but had nothing to do with us.  She had been forced out of her home by a rival red dragon named Rathnir, and was now using a nearby silver mine for her lair.  She was making a deal with Fallcrest for tribute and protection.  Seeing as they were besieged by orc tribes Lord Malkahay had little choice but to accept and was lucky the dragon offered such a fair deal.One dragon alone could not defeat the massive hoard outside, that apparently was our job. Their plan was stupid and would only get me killed.Let me break it down.  My companions expected to sneak into the camp of thousands of Orcs, stealth (seriously, they expected to be stealthy) their way to the chieftain’s longhouse, kill the leader of the Blood Spear tribe (the one who had gathered this massive force), and then tip toe out with no one being the wiser.This was their plan as presented to Lord Malkahay, and they told him that we would discuss it.  My recent brush with death weighing heavily on my mind and seeing the suicide mission before me, I felt I had little choice.  I revealed myself to my companions.  Most had not even heard of changelings, my race merely a rumour.  I showed them what I was capable of, becoming a female orc before their eyes, my top stretching against the added girth.  They accepted the revelation faster than expected.  My only concern is Derren.  Deryl and Bjorn are sensible and Torfinn is silent as a grave.  If the Androsax lordling reveals my secret to anyone I will have to kill him.My magical mark appears to be more of a boon then a bane.  I awoke this morning fluent in several languages, including the rough language of the orcs.  I also was struck with an epiphany and suddenly the rituals in Flagg’s book made complete sense to me.  Any time I alter shape it remains on my back, marking me, a curse to any changeling but it may be worth the price.  The mark may have figured heavily in my decision to reveal myself.My ability to alter shape has always been rather useless without being able to prepare ahead of time, something that is lacking in our little group.  My body is the only thing I can alter and without the clothes of my twin I would be easily spotted as a fake.  I also do not receive any special abilities of the race that I impersonate; the orcs’ darkvision would be a prime example.  One of the largest problems though is in communication.  I have never had a command of languages and being a mute of any race only draws attention.  Finally, I could start using my shape changing as a more potent tool.It is said that there was a dwarven Lord General that had magical chainmail forged for him that could become any set of clothing he wished.  It would have been useful for me, but I can only wear leather armor with confidence.  Apparently, only a heavy metal can sustain the magical lattice necessary for sub-structural change.  Smokingbeard, my dwarven forgemaster back in Grimsburg, described the process to me in excrutiating detail long ago.  Unfortunately, my powers were in their infancy, and I was not able to grasp the basic principles.  Now looking back upon my notes I understand, and given my own innate understanding of morphic fields when applied to living matter, I just may be able to apply the magic to my own leather armor. It is a project I intend to dedicate myself to in earnest this coming month.I acquired the stinking armor off the corpse of an orc and assumed his shape.  My own companions disguises were basic, but given the orcs reputation for laziness they would all be focused on me and therefore allow us to pass.  Our plan was simple.  Bluff our way into the command center as members of the Roteye tribe that had raided the city, once we had gained an audience with the commander, lock the door behind us and attack.Approaching the gate to the palisade, I appeared more confident then I felt.  We were surrounded by thousands of orcs, if anything went wrong we were dead.  The guards at the gate questioned us. We had Deryl in a sack, and I showed her to them saying that she was a tribute for the chief. My acting was not at its best, but after a few jabs from the orcs at the failure of the Roteyes we were allowed an audience. Fortunately, Thor had blessed us with a great storm, and they didn’t have much interest from the shelter of the eaves to give us a close inspection.We were led by a single orc to a longhouse in the center of steading where inside the sound of guttural laughter and merry making issued.  When I crested the threshold my eyes watered, and I had to choke back the bile that rose in my throat, the smell of unwashed bodies was unbearable.  I disguised my disgust and shock at seeing the leader of the orc army, sitting back in his throne, his pants down and some orcish whore’s mouth busily working away on him right in front of his followers.Upon seeing us, he waved the women away and covered his “zug, zug” with his quilt, much to my relief.  He demanded to see my tribute, and I was only too glad to show him, eager to finish this one way or another.  I waved Bjorn forward, and he placed Deryl upon the table and removed the sack.That was the signal. With a wave of her hand the sorceress and I were whisked up into the air and among the rafters.  I unleashed a bolt from my crossbow at the commander. I aimed my bolt carefully to ensure that I would no longer have to suffer any more carnal displays.  He howled in pain and rage just as Torfinn was able to place the bar upon the door and lock us in.It was a hard fight, but that is only to be expected as we were trapped in there with some of the army’s greatest warriors.  At one point one of them managed to catch me with a wine cask and knocked me from my perch.  I scrambled across the floor, orcs pressing in on me, their cruel blades digging into my flesh.  Every time I killed one another would take his place, but with desperate glances I could see their number was dwindling, we were going to win.  When I had one last assailant I ended up near Derren, who was able to pull him off of me.  Looking past him, I could see that one orc had thought to try and open the door to bring in re-enforcements. Luckily, Deryl and I were able to execute him before he was able to execute his plan.In the end we were victorious.  The only problem left was getting out of there.I quickly ran over to the orc chief and began stripping off his clothes.  While I changed my companions searched the longhouse, using my bag of holding to take as many treasures as possible.  When all was ready I threw open the doors to the long house and gathered the entire garrison around me, impersonating their leader.  They were afraid of my wrath, and I screamed in outrage at the attempt upon my life by the Roteyes and commanded them to seek out the Roteyes and kill them all for this insult.  A few questioned these orders but a single strike was enough to silence them and send them scurrying out into the camp.All that was left was calling down our Iron Dragon ally to make a distraction and leave us alone to make our escape.  We beheaded the orc chief and gave it to the dragon to drop among his army once we were far enough away.And yet we did not escape.Deryl had heard that prisoners were being held in one of the buildings somehow and wished to free them.  I was sure that the little girl was going to doom us.  Both Bjorn and Derren wanted to rescue the prisoners but could not see how we could do so without becoming prisoners ourselves, but Deryl had a plan.We climbed the wall on the river side of the palisade that did not face the orc camp and used the ladders to provide an easy way to get out.  While the rest of us made for the boat, both Derren and Deryl helped the prisoners across the river (forcing them to swim or use pieces of wood to float). They then set about making their way on foot back to Fallcrest. I left them to their fate, their altruism would get them killed one day.When most of us were away, the dragon dropped his grisly war trophy. It had the affect we wished. The orcs turned on eachother, as the different factions and tribes attempted to assume command. By morning many of the orcs had abandoned the siege and those who remained were still fighting amongst themselves.  It was easy for the militia of Fallcrest and the dwarves from Hammerfast to send them running.Lord Malkahay was ecstatic; we were welcomed back as heroes.  I did not join the festivities but instead I made my way to Master Nimorzan’s tower.  Finally I believed I was ready to cast a ritual, I had much work to do though I lacked the resources.</blockquote>

Verification